Hot Weather Risk Assessment Forms

How To Deal With "The Most Intense Heatwave In A Decade"?

Europe is currently in the grips of a heatwave, with the UK Met Office issuing Red, Amber and Orange heat warnings. Simply-Docs has a selection of Hot Weather Risk Assessment Forms to assist businesses in carrying out assessments and ongoing monitoring of extreme hot weather hazards in the workplace, both indoors and out. These forms are principally designed for the construction industry and include worked examples covering a range of standard building site tasks.  As working in hot conditions will affect many other workplaces too, there is also a blank version of a Hot Weather Risk Assessment Form available.

What Obligations Does The Employer Have?

 Under Sections 2 and 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, an employer has a duty of care both to employees and to any others who may be affected by business activities. This includes any professional/trade visitors, contractors carrying out maintenance or repair work and the general public. Therefore, in periods of hot weather it is important to review potential weather related hazards, and complete the relevant Hot Weather Risk Assessments and implement suitable control measures.

Common Control Measures Include:

• Providing fans or air conditioning units; 
• Providing protective clothing including sun hats;
• Making sure that any uniform, protective equipment or clothing is not contributing to heat stress;
• Reducing the amount of time people are exposed to the heat.

Once potential weather related hazards have been reviewed, the relevant Hot Weather Risk Assessments have been completed and suitable control measures have been implemented, if extreme weather is forecast, the employer is in a position to implement appropriate action plans in order to keep working areas safe, thereby reducing the chances that staff and visitors will be exposed to hot weather related hazards.