The Mid North Coast Safety Handbook – Edition 9
Heat, Sun & Outdoor Work: Staying Safe When the Mid North Coast Heats Up
Practical heat and sun safety for workplaces, businesses and community organisations across the Mid North Coast
There is something about a Mid North Coast summer.
The early morning can be beautiful. The beaches are busy. Sporting grounds come alive. Construction projects continue, farms keep operating and outdoor businesses are at their busiest.
But for people working outside, hot weather isn't just uncomfortable — it can become a workplace hazard.
Heat can affect concentration, coordination, physical performance and decision-making. Dehydration and fatigue can increase the likelihood of mistakes and injuries, while serious heat-related illness can become a medical emergency.
And you don't have to be working in 40-degree temperatures for heat to become a problem.
SafeWork NSW recognises that working in hot environments, both indoors and outdoors, can create risks of heat-related illness and that heat can also contribute to fatigue, reduced reaction times and poor judgement.
So, how prepared is your workplace for the next hot day?
☀️ Heat isn't just a summer problem
When we think about heat-related workplace risks, we tend to imagine an extremely hot summer day.
But heat exposure depends on more than the temperature on the weather app.
Consider:
Direct sunlight
Humidity
Physical workload
Duration of the work
Clothing and PPE
Air movement
Access to shade
Access to drinking water
Acclimatisation
The worker's individual circumstances
A worker wearing protective clothing and performing physically demanding work in direct sunlight can experience significantly different conditions from someone sitting in an air-conditioned office.
SafeWork NSW recommends considering the workplace environment, work being performed, clothing and PPE and individual factors when assessing heat-related risks.
That's why simply saying "it's only 30 degrees" isn't enough.
The question should be:
What are our workers actually being exposed to?
💧 Hydration: don't wait until you're thirsty
One of the simplest controls for working in heat is also one of the easiest to overlook.
Water.
Workers should have easy access to cool drinking water and be encouraged to drink regularly.
SafeWork NSW recommends frequent, smaller amounts of cool water when working in hot environments, rather than waiting until thirst develops.
And importantly, water needs to be available where people are working.
If a worker has to walk several hundred metres back to the office to get a drink, they may simply drink less.
Think about:
Where are our workers?
Where is the water?
Can they access it easily?
Is there enough for the whole day?
For mobile workers, outdoor crews and remote locations, this might mean planning water supplies before the work starts.
🧢 Sun exposure is a separate risk
Heat and UV radiation often get lumped together.
They're not the same thing.
You can be exposed to harmful ultraviolet radiation even when the temperature doesn't feel particularly hot.
SafeWork NSW notes that UV radiation can't be seen or felt and that outdoor workers can be exposed throughout the year.
Sun protection should therefore be considered as part of everyday outdoor work.
Depending on the job, this can include:
Shade and shelter
Suitable protective clothing
Long sleeves
Appropriate hats
Sunscreen
UV-protective sunglasses
Task rotation
Scheduling work to reduce exposure during the harshest conditions
SafeWork NSW specifically recommends shade, task rotation, cooler work times, training and appropriate protective clothing and sunscreen for outdoor workers.
⏰ Can the job be done at a cooler time?
Sometimes the best control isn't another piece of PPE.
It's changing when the work happens.
For some outdoor tasks, consider whether work can be:
Started earlier
Completed later
Moved into shaded areas
Split into shorter periods
Rescheduled during extreme conditions
SafeWork NSW recommends scheduling outdoor work for cooler parts of the day where possible and using work rotation and rest periods to reduce exposure.
Of course, not every job can be moved.
A concrete pour, emergency response, road closure or scheduled community event can't necessarily wait until the temperature drops.
That's when other controls become even more important.
🧊 Breaks aren't wasted time
There's sometimes a workplace mentality that taking a break means you're not working.
In hot conditions, that thinking can be dangerous.
Rest breaks give the body an opportunity to recover and cool down.
SafeWork NSW recommends increasing the frequency and duration of rest breaks as conditions become hotter or more humid, particularly for physically demanding work.
Where possible, breaks should happen somewhere that actually helps workers cool down.
That might mean:
Air conditioning
A shaded site shed
A vehicle cabin
A shaded outdoor area
A designated cool-down area
A break standing in direct sunlight isn't much of a break.
👷 Acclimatisation matters
A worker who has been working in the heat for weeks isn't necessarily in the same position as someone starting their first day.
New workers, workers returning after time away and workers who haven't recently been exposed to hot conditions may need time to adjust.
SafeWork NSW recommends gradually increasing exposure and workload for workers who are becoming acclimatised to hot environments, with additional breaks where appropriate.
This is particularly relevant after:
Holidays
Extended leave
Changing jobs
Starting seasonal work
Moving from indoor to outdoor work
Don't assume someone will "get used to it" immediately.
Plan for the adjustment.
🦺 PPE can create another challenge
Personal protective equipment is essential for many jobs.
But PPE can also make it harder for the body to lose heat.
Think about a worker wearing:
High-visibility clothing
Long sleeves
Gloves
Safety boots
Respiratory protection
Harnesses
Protective eyewear
Other task-specific equipment
The answer isn't simply to remove PPE.
PPE requirements still need to be followed.
Instead, businesses should consider whether other controls can reduce the heat burden — including scheduling, shade, task rotation, cooling facilities, additional breaks and suitable clothing where appropriate.
SafeWork NSW specifically identifies clothing and PPE as factors that need to be considered when assessing heat-related risk.
🧠 Heat can affect more than your body
This is an important part of heat safety that doesn't always get enough attention.
Heat can contribute to:
Fatigue
Reduced concentration
Slower reactions
Poor judgement
Reduced coordination
Irritability
SafeWork NSW warns that working in hot environments can contribute to serious health and safety risks because workers may become fatigued, physically weak and slower to react, with poorer judgement.
Now consider combining that with:
Heat + fatigue + working at heights.
Or:
Heat + mobile plant.
Or:
Heat + driving.
Or:
Heat + power tools.
Suddenly, heat isn't just a comfort issue.
It can become a factor in another workplace incident.
👀 Look after the person next to you
One of the most effective heat controls is something that costs nothing:
Look out for each other.
A worker experiencing heat-related illness may not always recognise how serious their condition is.
NSW Health identifies symptoms of heat exhaustion including:
Headache
Dizziness
Weakness
Fainting
Thirst
Heavy sweating
Nausea or vomiting
Muscle cramps
Reduced urine output
If someone is becoming unwell, don't simply tell them to "push through."
Stop.
Move them somewhere cooler.
Begin cooling measures and provide water if they are conscious and able to drink.
If symptoms aren't improving, seek medical assistance.
🚨 Heat stroke is an emergency
Heat stroke is much more serious.
Warning signs can include:
Confusion
Altered behaviour or mental state
Slurred speech
Loss of consciousness
Seizures
Very high body temperature
Rapid breathing
A strong, rapid pulse
Hot skin, which may be sweaty or dry
If you are concerned someone is experiencing heat stroke, call 000 immediately.
Move the person to a cooler location and begin active cooling while waiting for emergency medical assistance. NSW Health recommends cooling the person using available methods such as cool water, wet cloths or ice packs to appropriate areas.
This is where the lessons from Edition 8 of the Mid North Coast Safety Handbook come back into play.
Having people trained in first aid and knowing how to respond to an emergency can make a significant difference.
🌡️ What about extreme heat?
There shouldn't be a single temperature where every workplace simply applies the same rule.
Different jobs and environments create different levels of risk.
SafeWork NSW recommends using a risk-management approach:
1. Identify the hazard
2. Assess the risk
3. Control the risk
4. Review the controls
SafeWork also recommends developing a workplace heat management plan in consultation with workers and/or health and safety representatives.
For higher-risk, complex or contentious situations, formal heat stress assessment can include Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) monitoring by an appropriately qualified occupational hygienist.
For many smaller workplaces, however, the starting point is much simpler:
Have you actually considered what happens when the weather gets hot?
📝 Your Mid North Coast Heat Safety Checklist
Before the next major hot day, ask your team:
Water
☐ Do workers have easy access to drinking water?
☐ Is there enough water for the duration of the work?
☐ Can mobile and remote workers access water?
Shade & cooling
☐ Is there a shaded or cool place to take breaks?
☐ Can workers cool down during breaks?
☐ Do we have appropriate cooling equipment where needed?
Work planning
☐ Can physically demanding work be completed during cooler periods?
☐ Can tasks be rotated?
☐ Can shifts or working hours be adjusted during extreme conditions?
Workers
☐ Do workers understand the signs of heat-related illness?
☐ Are new or returning workers appropriately acclimatised?
☐ Do workers know they should report heat-related concerns?
☐ Are supervisors monitoring workers rather than simply monitoring the thermometer?
Sun protection
☐ Is appropriate sun protection available?
☐ Is suitable protective clothing provided?
☐ Are workers encouraged to use sunscreen?
☐ Is shade available wherever reasonably practicable?
Emergency response
☐ Do workers know what to do if someone becomes seriously unwell?
☐ Are first aiders available?
☐ Do workers know where the first aid kit is?
☐ Do workers know how to call 000 and give the workplace location?
🌊 Heat safety isn't just for construction
This is particularly important as The Mid North Coast Safety Handbook continues to expand beyond its construction origins.
Heat can affect almost anyone working or volunteering outdoors.
Think about:
🏫 Schools
Teachers, grounds staff, students and outdoor activities.
⚽ Sporting clubs
Coaches, players, volunteers, officials and spectators.
🧒 Childcare
Outdoor play and staff working in hot environments.
🌾 Agriculture
Long periods of physically demanding outdoor work.
🏊 Aquatic environments
Lifeguards and staff exposed to the sun for extended periods.
🏗️ Construction
Physically demanding work, PPE, hot surfaces and limited shade.
🚚 Transport and mobile workers
People spending long periods outside vehicles or moving between locations.
🌳 Landscaping and outdoor services
Direct sun exposure combined with physical work.
🎪 Community events
Volunteers and workers spending long periods outside.
🏨 Hospitality and tourism
Staff working outdoors, around pools, at events or in poorly ventilated environments.
Different industries.
Different risks.
But the same question:
What are we doing to make sure our people can work safely when the conditions change?
The Mid North Coast has its own challenges
Working in Port Macquarie isn't necessarily the same as working inland.
Conditions can change quickly between coastal and inland locations, and businesses may have workers moving between different sites throughout the day.
A worker might start the morning in Port Macquarie, travel to Wauchope, spend the afternoon outdoors and finish the day somewhere completely different.
That means heat planning needs to consider where the work actually happens.
Don't build your safety plan around the conditions at the office.
Build it around the conditions your workers experience.
Safety isn't about stopping work every time it gets hot
It's about making informed decisions.
Sometimes the answer might be:
Start earlier.
Sometimes:
Take more frequent breaks.
Sometimes:
Move the task into the shade.
Sometimes:
Rotate the workers.
Sometimes:
Change the way the job is performed.
And sometimes, when conditions create an unacceptable risk:
Stop and reassess.
SafeWork NSW has stated that if work becomes too hot and the risk can't be adequately controlled, the job may need to be stopped.
That's not poor productivity.
That's good risk management.
The simple rule: don't wait for someone to become sick
The best time to think about heat safety isn't when someone is already dizzy, confused or collapsing.
It's before the work starts.
Check the forecast.
Look at the work.
Consider the environment.
Talk to the workers.
Provide water.
Plan breaks.
Provide shade.
Adjust the work where necessary.
And make sure everyone knows what to do if someone becomes unwell.
Because the goal isn't to eliminate every hot day.
It's to make sure a hot day doesn't become a dangerous one.
At SALT Training Academy, we provide practical safety training for businesses, workplaces, schools, community organisations and individuals across Port Macquarie and the Mid North Coast.
Our focus is simple:
Practical training. Real-world skills. Safer workplaces.
Training and assessment delivered on behalf of Allens Training Pty Ltd RTO 90909.
📖 Coming next
Edition 10 – Psychosocial Safety: When Work Starts Affecting More Than Your Body
Workplace safety isn't only about physical hazards.
Stress, excessive workloads, fatigue, poor workplace relationships, bullying, harassment, lack of support and other psychosocial hazards can affect people's health and safety too.
In Edition 10, we'll look at what psychosocial safety actually means — and why it belongs in every workplace safety conversation.
