The majority of workers believe they are sufficiently educated to stay safely hydrated in hot working conditions, but a new Australian study has found most aren't drinking enough water and experience heat illness symptoms that can quickly become severe.
A WHS regulator has outlined the kinds of risks that employers are obligated to assess for workers travelling to remote regions, while a fellow regulator has explained how WHS laws operate in relation to high-temperature hazards.
With environmental temperatures rising, certain workers face an increased risk of heat strain made worse by PPE requirements, increasing the likelihood of health problems and highlighting the need for "adequate cooling provisions", a study has concluded.
A major energy company that failed to implement an adequate visual inspection regime for power poles, and a business that failed to manage asphyxia risks, have been fined a total of nearly $500,000 over fatalities. Meanwhile, duty holders have been urged to assess the risk of heat-related illnesses, after an outdoor worker died in hot weather.
Tension, hostility, overwork and decision-making difficulties are some of the psychological impacts climate change and extreme weather can have on the workplace, according to research psychologists, who urge employers to consider what they can do to support workers with "eco-anxiety".