Many people working in construction often have jobs that require them to work outside.
Many people working in construction often have jobs that require them to work outside.
The following can make working outside hazardous:
- Bad weather e.g. storms, wind, rain, fog, hail
- Heat and sun exposure
- Cold
- Air pollution, and
- Bushfires.
PCBU duties | 
Worker duties |
|---|---|
You must eliminate the risks associated with outdoor work so far as is reasonably practicable. If that is not possible, you must minimise risks so far as is reasonably practicable. As part of this duty, you must identify hazards and assess and control the risks associated with outdoor work. You must also provide first aid for workers who are showing symptoms of a heat-related illness such as heat stroke, heat cramps and heat exhaustion. For more information on first aid, click here. You must also consult workers, any health and safety representatives about WHS and who are or are likely to be directly affected by a health and safety matter. You must consult, cooperate and coordinate with other relevant duty holders. | Your PCBU has a duty to keep you and your workplace safe from risks associated with outdoor work. You also have a duty to take reasonable care of your own health and safety and that of others in the workplace including ensuring your acts and omissions don’t adversely affect others health and safety. Comply with any reasonable instructions, policies and procedure given by your PCBU at the workplace, so far as is reasonably able to. |
Risk management
Persons conducting a business or undertaking must eliminate or minimise the risks of outdoor work by:
- Identifying the relevant hazards
- Assessing and managing risks, and
- Implementing, monitoring and reviewing control measures.
Examples of how to protect yourself and others when working outside include:
- Telling someone where you are going and when you will be back.
- Regularly monitoring weather conditions and emergency warnings.
- Avoid working in bad weather, in the heat of the day or when air quality is poor.
- Wearing long and breathable protective clothing and sunscreen.
See Part 3.2, Division 2 of the model WHS Regulations for more information.
For more information
Model Codes of Practice
- How to manage work health and safety risks
- Construction Work
- Managing the work environment and facilities
Other resources
- Guide for managing the risks of working in heat
- Guide on exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation
- Managing risks of working in heat - Fact sheet
- Managing the risks of solar ultraviolet radiation - Fact sheet
- Working in heat - Infographic
- Working safely in bushfire smoke infographic - PCBUs - Infographic
- Working safely when there is bushfire smoke for workers - Infographic
- Wearing a P2/N95 mask – Infographic
- Safe Work Australia webpage – Working in heat
- Safe Work Australia webpage – Working in the sun
- Safe Work Australia webpage – Working near bushfires
- Safe Work Australia webpage – Working in air pollution
- Safe Work Australia webpage – Working in the cold
- Safe Work Australia webpage – Working in hazardous weather
- Working in heat: risk management - Video
- Working in heat: physically demanding work - Video
- Working in heat: safe design - Video
- Heat and work injury prevention – a shared responsibility - Video
- The interactive safe work method statement (SWMS) tool provides information on preparing, using and reviewing SWMS for high risk construction work.
External resources
- Visit the Bureau of Meteorology for weather warnings, heatwave warnings and the predicted UV index for where you are working.
- Download the Cancer Council SunSmart Global UV App for sun protection advice straight to your phone
- New South Wales – Air quality concentration data
- Queensland – Live air data
- Victoria – EPA AirWatch
- Western Australia – Air quality index
- South Australia – Air quality monitoring
- Tasmania – Real-time Air Quality Data
- Northern Territory – Envista - Air Resources Manager
- Australian Capital Territory – Air quality in the ACT
