Working in Hot Conditions

1.

Policy

1.1 In accordance with The Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Act, 1986, Flinders University provides a safe working environment.

1.2 This policy will ensure reduction of staff members' exposure to heat stress and Ultra Violet Radiation (UVR) by implementing appropriate occupational health control strategies, including:

• All new work areas must be designed to ensure that a working temperature below 30C is achieved.
• No new heat producing process / equipment may be introduced into the workplace unless adequate precautions are taken to deal with the heat produced.
• The University will work towards ensuring that the above conditions will be provided for all staff in existing work areas.
• Skin and eye damage from UVR exposure for outdoor workers will be reduced by adoption of sun protection practices.

The following measures are to be applied to both indoor and outdoor work where temperature is high:

• Workplace temperature monitoring
• Provision of additional rest breaks
• Provision of cool drinks for staff working outdoors
• Provision of suitable drinking water for staff working indoors
• Redeployment to 'lighter' alternative work
• Reduction of work rates to a slower pace
• Rescheduling of heavy work to other (cooler) days or cooler periods of the day.

Note: Air temperature is the major factor to be used by supervisors when assessing hot working conditions and should be used as the trigger for "action".

2.

Background Information

2.1 The Buildings and Grounds Maintenance Section compiled local area Guidelines on Working in Hot Conditions for use by staff of that Section.

2.2 The Central Administration OH&S Committee agreed that these Guidelines were appropriate for Buildings and Grounds Maintenance and recommended to the University OH&S Committee that the other Cost Centre OH&S Committees look at similar area-specific Guidelines for their staff.

2.3 The University OH&S Committee agreed with that recommendation.

2.4 Area-specific 'Guidelines on Working in Hot Conditions' should be based on the Buildings and Grounds Maintenance Section Guidelines and on the University 'Policy on Working in Hot Conditions'.

3.

Guidelines

3.1 Separate guidelines specific to each area are to be approved by the relevant Cost Centre OH&S Committee.

3.2 Web links are provided below to area specific Guidelines:

• Central Administration
  • Buildings & Grounds Maintenance Section
  • Information Services Section
  • Services Section
• Faculty of Science and Engineering
• Faculty of Social Sciences
• Faculty of Health Sciences
• Faculty of Education, Humanities, Law and Theology
• Library

3.3 The Field Trip Guidelines may also be relevant to this Policy.