Working Outdoors

When working outdoors, the Health and Safety Executive consider that the effects of the weather in this environment can potentially have a severe impact on the welfare of your employees if the risks have never been previously considered or managed properly.

As an employer, you have legal obligations relating to the workplace environment.  Regulations relevant to the issue of temperature include:

• The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 – these require that the temperature in all workplaces be ‘reasonable’ during working hours

• The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 – these require employers to identify work related hazards via risk assessments, including temperature checks

• The Health and Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2002 – these oblige employers to avoid the effects of excessive sunlight in the workplace

These Regulations are equally relevant to businesses whose employees work out of doors – gardeners and bricklayers, for example.

If your employees work outside in the heat, precautions that you can take include:

• work rotation and scheduling work at cooler times of the day
• use of protective equipment e.g. sunhats
• provision of sunblock and drinking water
• more frequent rest breaks and providing shade during breaks
• training employees to recognise the early symptoms of heat stress

If your employees are working out of doors in cold conditions, issues to consider include:

• can work be rescheduled for warmer weather without compromising on safety?
• provision of personal protective equipment e.g. cold and wet weather clothing
• introducing more frequent rest breaks
• facilities to warm up and make hot food and drinks
• training employees to recognise the early symptoms of cold stress

In addition to the legal penalties that your business may face for non compliance with these Regulations, other implications for your business resulting from failure to comply include poor work performance and absence arising from temperature related illnesses such as sunstroke or bronchitis.  There is also the possibility of future litigation and claims for diseases such as skin cancers.

More information about the issues and risks involved in working in hot and cold environments as well as your legal obligations under the Regulations listed above can be found on the Health and Safety Executive’s website

For a competitive quote for your business insurance, contact your chosen Cherrypicked Insurance broker

FP387

To talk to an expert in your area and get a quote.