Unions call for federal regulations to shield workers from excessive heat

In short: Australia's peak union body is calling for enforceable rules on working in extreme heat — a nationally consistent standard that would trigger paid rest breaks, task changes or a full stoppage once thermal risk turns dangerous.

Australian unions are pressing for the introduction of new national safety protocols that require employers to either stop work or modify tasks during extreme heat conditions.

Why unions are calling for new national laws

Duties under existing work health and safety legislation already oblige organisations to eliminate or minimise risks from heat, so far as is reasonably practicable. Union advocates argue that guidance material alone leaves too much room for interpretation, and that voluntary industry standards vary widely from sector to sector.

A single enforceable standard, they say, hands crews and supervisors one clear trigger point rather than a judgement call made under commercial pressure. Similar momentum has been building across jurisdictions, with Victoria recently introducing new regulations to protect Victorian workers from harassment — evidence that prescriptive safety laws are gaining favour where duties alone have fallen short.

Projected rise in heat-related deaths

The Commonwealth’s National Climate Risk Assessment for 2025 anticipates that heat-related fatalities in major urban areas will increase over fourfold without intervention – with increases of 444 percent in Sydney, 423 percent in Darwin, 312 percent in Perth, and 259 percent in Melbourne.

Who currently carries the cost

Data from Safe Work Australia reveals that at present, workers endure 74 percent of the financial burden resulting from heat-related injuries and illnesses, with employers incurring only 5 percent of this burden.

“No worker should be told to push through the brutal heat and risk their own life. When it’s dangerously hot, your boss should either change your work or stop your work," ACTU President Michele O'Neil said.

“A rest break or work stoppage in extreme heat can be the difference between a worker going home safe or not going home at all."

What a national standard could require

While the shape of any federal rule remains under discussion, well-run sites already apply most of the controls unions want mandated:

• Assess thermal risk before each shift — humidity, radiant load, clothing and workload intensity matter as much as the forecast.
• Reschedule the heaviest tasks — move physically demanding labouring to the coolest hours available.
• Mandate rest and hydration breaks — shaded, cooled recovery areas with ready access to chilled fluids.
• Acclimatise new and returning employees — graduated exposure across the first week sharply lowers illness rates.
• Train supervisors to spot early warning signs — cramps, confusion, nausea or sweating that suddenly stops all demand immediate response. Documented fitness for work policies and procedures give leading hands the authority to intervene.
• Control compounding hazards — protective gear worn for chemical handling and storage procedures traps body warmth, while scorching surfaces encountered during non-powered equipment maintenance add radiant load in already sweltering conditions.
• Remember remote crews — a Working from Home Management Plan covers staff labouring in unairconditioned dwellings.

Practical next steps for duty holders

Regulators have not waited for reform. NT WorkSafe has urged duty holders to shield their people from extreme heat, and enforcement action such as the fine issued to a waste company over federal safety breaches shows how costly inaction becomes.

Documenting your controls is the fastest way to demonstrate compliance. Our Summer Heat SWMS sets out hazards, risk ratings and control measures ready for site-specific tailoring.

Read more here.