Beat the Heat: How to Protect Workers from Heat Stress
As UK summers become warmer and periods of hot weather more frequent, employers must take steps to protect workers from heat stress. Whether employees are working on construction sites, in warehouses, kitchens, factories, vehicles, or poorly ventilated offices, high temperatures can quickly affect concentration, productivity, and wellbeing.
What Is Heat Stress?
Heat stress occurs when the body cannot cool itself effectively. This can happen when the surrounding temperature is high, humidity is elevated, physical work is demanding, or workers are wearing heavy protective clothing or equipment.
If heat stress is not managed properly, it can lead to heat exhaustion, heatstroke, dehydration, fainting, confusion, and increased risk of accidents.
Common Signs of Heat Stress
Employers and supervisors should make sure workers know the warning signs. Symptoms can include:
- Headaches
- Dizziness or fainting
- Heavy sweating
- Muscle cramps
- Tiredness or weakness
- Nausea
- Confusion
- Hot, dry skin
- Rapid pulse
Heatstroke is a medical emergency. If a worker becomes confused, collapses, or stops sweating despite feeling very hot, urgent medical help should be sought.
Employer Responsibilities in Hot Weather
There is no specific legal maximum temperature for workplaces in the UK, because working environments vary widely. However, employers still have a duty to provide a safe working environment and manage risks to health.
Recent research from the London School of Economics found that just under a third of UK workers surveyed said elevated heat in late July 2024 had harmed their health, with reported effects including headaches, dizziness and feeling overheated. This highlights why hot weather should be treated as a genuine workplace health and safety risk, not just a seasonal inconvenience.
Employers should make sure they:
- Assess heat-related risks before and during hot weather
- Put suitable control measures in place
- Communicate clearly with workers and supervisors
- Review arrangements if conditions change
Waiting until someone becomes unwell is not an acceptable approach.
Practical Ways to Reduce Heat Stress
1. Carry out a heat risk assessment
Review where workers may be exposed to heat, how long they are exposed, what tasks they are doing, and whether PPE, uniforms, medical conditions, pregnancy, age, or lack of experience could increase the risk.
2. Provide water, shade, and cooling
Workers should have easy access to fresh drinking water throughout the day, as well as shaded or cooler rest areas. Indoor workplaces should use suitable ventilation, fans, blinds, extraction systems, or air conditioning where appropriate.
3. Adjust work patterns and workloads
Where possible, schedule heavy or outdoor work for cooler parts of the day, rotate tasks, increase rest breaks, and reduce physically demanding work during peak heat.
4. Review PPE and workwear
PPE should protect workers without creating unnecessary heat risk. Where safe to do so, consider lighter materials, breathable clothing, or alternative PPE arrangements.
5. Train workers and encourage reporting
Workers should understand the risks of heat stress, how to spot symptoms, and what to do if they or a colleague feel unwell. Encourage early reporting so action can be taken before symptoms become serious.
Don’t Forget Indoor Workers
Heat stress is not only an outdoor issue. Indoor workplaces such as commercial kitchens, bakeries, factories, laundries, workshops, warehouses, and offices with poor ventilation can also become uncomfortably hot. Employers should monitor conditions and respond before temperatures affect health and safety.
Plan Ahead Before Temperatures Rise
The best time to prepare for hot weather is before a heatwave arrives. Employers should have a clear hot weather plan covering key areas such as:
- Risk assessment
- Worker communication
- Supervision
- First aid arrangements
- Hydration and rest breaks
- Emergency response
By taking a proactive approach, businesses can protect their workforce, maintain productivity, and meet their legal responsibilities.
Westminster Compliance can provide practical advice on working safely in hot weather, reviewing your risk assessments, and putting effective controls in place to protect your employees from heat stress.
Contact Westminster Compliance today for expert guidance on keeping your workplace safe during periods of hot weather.
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