A tropical weekend is more than a welcome moment to recharge. It is also a preview of what the coming summer months and possible heat waves could mean for everyone working outdoors. On the construction site, the consequences of heat are not just a matter of comfort. It is a direct safety risk.

Heat makes construction work more dangerous

Heat impairs concentration, reaction time and grip, according to the RIVM, precisely the qualities that determine whether a day on the construction site goes safely or not. Reduced alertness is annoying in an office. On scaffolding, in a crane or next to heavy moving equipment, it can be fatal.

The four biggest safety risks from heat on the construction site:

• Collision risk increases. Drivers and ground workers react more slowly due to heat, fatigue and loss of concentration.
• Falling from height becomes more likely. Sweating and exhaustion reduce grip when working on scaffolding, ladders or roofs.
• Lifting and transport become riskier. With heavy machinery, one moment of reduced alertness is enough for a serious incident.
• Hazardous substances pose a greater risk. Heat increases physical strain, making work with chemical substances extra hazardous.

Construction workers are 3 times more likely to get skin cancer

Alongside the acute safety risks, there is a structural health risk that is less visible: prolonged exposure to UV radiation. The Skin Fund states that outdoor workers are professionally among the highest-risk groups for skin cancer, with a risk three times higher than average. In the Netherlands, more than 81,000 people were diagnosed with skin cancer last year: 1 diagnosis every 7 minutes.

Those who sweat and become dehydrated are also more susceptible to the effects of UV radiation. Sun protection on the construction site is therefore not a luxury. It should be just as standard as a helmet or safety boots.

4 concrete measures for hot days

General safety instructions are not enough. Construction companies need concrete agreements that are applied immediately on hot days.

1. Create fixed checkpoints for hydration and shade. Make drinking water and cooling down a fixed part of the working day. Anyone who has to remember it themselves while in the middle of a job will forget.

2. Set clear agreements on working hours and breaks. Schedule heavy work outside the hottest hours of the day. Longer breaks and a limited number of consecutive working hours prevent overexertion and the concentration problems that come with it.

3. Make sun protection readily available. Large dispensers at fixed locations are a start, but also provide small bottles that employees can carry with them, so they can reapply throughout the site during the day.

4. Recognise symptoms of overheating in time. Headache, nausea, dizziness and confusion are signals you cannot afford to miss. Make sure employees and supervisors know how to act: move someone out of the sun, let them cool down and place hands or feet in cold water. More information: The Orange Cross.

Preparation starts now

Summer is coming. Those who get their working conditions in order now, including schedules, hydration, sun protection and an overheating protocol, protect their people and prevent incidents that were avoidable.