Victoria employers urged to keep workers cool in hot weather

Victoria Employers Urged to Keep Workers Cool in Hot Weather

High temperatures forecast across Victoria this week have prompted the state's workplace health and safety regulator to remind employers of their duty to protect outdoor workers from heat-related illness. With conditions expected to hit 40 degrees in parts of northern Victoria, businesses must act now to safeguard staff wellbeing.

WorkSafe Executive Director of Health and Safety Narelle Beer is urging employers to make workplace health and safety management a top priority as the heatwave sets in.

Why Hot Conditions Pose a Serious Health Risk

"Working in hot conditions can easily lead to dehydration and heat illness such as heat rash, fainting, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, which is a life-threatening condition," Dr Beer said.

Employers must take measures to prevent heat stress among their workforce. Effective risk management during hot weather isn't optional — it forms part of core occupational health and safety (OHS) obligations under Victorian law.

What Victorian Employers Should Do

Sound safety management practices during hot weather should include:

• Providing shaded rest areas and cool drinking water
• Scheduling demanding tasks for cooler parts of the day
• Training supervisors to recognise early signs of heat illness
• Reviewing risk management plans specific to outdoor work
• Ensuring appropriate personal protective equipment is available

These measures align with broader safety management responsibilities employers already carry across other high-risk scenarios, including protecting workers from amputation injuries and other serious workplace hazards.

Building a Culture of Proactive Safety Management

Heat-related risk isn't isolated to one industry. Construction, manufacturing and healthcare employers across Australia face similar seasonal pressures, and proactive safety management remains the most reliable way to reduce harm.

Similar guidance has previously been issued by other regulators — see our coverage of SafeWork's hot weather safety warning and advice for farm workers urged to put safety first during extreme conditions.

Employers managing hot works alongside heat exposure risks should also review documentation such as a Hot Work Permit, ensuring safety management extends across all high-temperature tasks, not just outdoor labour.

Resources to Support Compliance

Victorian employers seeking practical resources for hot weather safety management can consult industry-specific packs, including the Architectural SWMS Pack for Victoria and the Cool Room Construction SWMS Pack, both designed to strengthen risk management documentation for site-based teams.

If your organisation is unsure whether current documentation meets requirements, our guide on when a Safe Work Method Statement is needed outlines when formal safety management paperwork becomes mandatory.

Key Takeaway for Employers

As temperatures climb, robust safety management isn't just good practice — it's a legal responsibility. Victorian employers should review their heat safety management plans now, before the next hot spell arrives, to keep workers protected and compliant.

Read more here.