Members across the state have experienced a couple of uncomfortably hot days, with more are expected.
What can you do about it? What are your rights?
These hot work guidelines are for the use of PSA members who may be required to work in hot conditions, or who are exposed to excessive heat and other adverse climatic conditions during their employment. The guidelines cover both indoor and outdoor work.
If you are experiencing health issues at work, please advise your manager or supervisor, log a WHS incident report, and if you are unable to continue working, go home or go to your doctor if necessary.
In an emergency, dial 000.
If you are experiencing issues in your workplace because of the current environmental conditions and the employer is not managing the situation, for example offering flexible work arrangements to enable workers to temporarily work from another location, you may be able to cease unsafe work.
All workers have the right to cease unsafe work if they are concerned that continuing the work puts them at serious risk of harm.
84 Right of worker to cease unsafe work
A worker may cease, or refuse to carry out, work if the worker has a reasonable concern that to carry
out the work would expose the worker to a serious risk to the worker’s health or safety, emanating
from an immediate or imminent exposure to a hazard.
85 Health and safety representative may direct that unsafe work cease
(1) A health and safety representative may direct a worker who is in a work group represented by
the representative to cease work if the representative has a reasonable concern that to carry out
the work would expose the worker to a serious risk to the worker’s health or safety, emanating
from an immediate or imminent exposure to a hazard.
** HSRs – Please refer to the WHS Act for further important provisions
For further information see:
Health NSW – https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/beattheheat/Pages/default.aspx
SafeWork NSW – https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/working-in-extreme-heat
Workers can also contact SafeWork NSW on 131050 and request urgent assistance from an inspector.