If you have been on site this week, you already know. The UK is in the grip of an exceptional heatwave, and this is not your average warm spell.
The Met Office provisionally recorded the hottest May Day in UK history at 34.8 degrees at Kew Gardens on Sunday, with peaks of 35 degrees and above across southern and central England earlier this week. Temperatures are forecast to stay well above 30 degrees for the rest of the working week before dropping off toward the weekend.
For operators in quarrying, mining and construction, that is a serious occupational health concern, not just an uncomfortable shift. Working outdoors or in plant machinery in these conditions puts your body under real strain. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke can develop faster than most people expect, and open quarry faces, plant cabs and exposed construction sites make it worse, not better.
Here is what you need to be doing right now.
Sunscreen: Two Minutes That Could Save Your Skin
Working in quarrying and construction means spending long hours in direct sunlight, often with no shade available at all. Most operators do not think of sunscreen as part of their work kit. It should be.
What to use and when:
- SPF 30 minimum, broad-spectrum
- Apply before your shift starts, before you do anything else
- Reapply every two hours, more often if you are sweating heavily
- Cover your face, neck, forearms and the back of your hands
Sun damage is cumulative. One bad week does not put you in immediate danger, but years of unprotected sun exposure in outdoor industries significantly increases the risk of skin cancer. Keep a bottle in your cab. Keep one in your kit bag. Make it as automatic as putting your hard hat on.
Cab Windows Closed, Air Con On
This catches people out every time. On a 35-degree day, the inside of a plant cab with windows open and no air conditioning running can reach temperatures that are genuinely dangerous, well above the already extreme ambient temperature outside.
A cool cab is not a luxury in these conditions. It is a basic control measure.
Three things to check before you start the machine:
- Is the air conditioning working?
- Are the cab seals in reasonable condition?
- Do you have water within reach inside the cab?
If your air conditioning is not functioning, do not wait until you are overheating to raise it. That is a maintenance issue with a health and safety implication and it needs to go to your supervisor before the shift begins. A broken air con unit on a quarry machine or a construction plant cab in a heatwave is not something to manage your way through. It needs to be fixed or the situation needs to be properly risk assessed.
Report it. Do not absorb it.
PPE Stays On, Full Stop
When temperatures rise, the temptation to remove or loosen PPE is understandable. It is not, however, acceptable on site.
The hazards that make PPE necessary do not disappear because the temperature has gone up. Consider what is still present regardless of the heat:
- Falling objects and overhead risk
- Moving plant and vehicle interactions
- Ground hazards and unstable material
- Dust, noise and respiratory exposure
- Struck-by and crush risks
In fact, when heat causes fatigue and drops concentration, the risk of an incident can actually increase. Your PPE requirements do not change based on the weather. Wear it correctly and wear it for the full shift.
If you genuinely believe your PPE is making a heat-related health risk worse, raise that through the proper channels with your supervisor. There are ways to manage heat stress on site without compromising on protection. Quietly taking your helmet off is not one of them.
Hydration: Do Not Wait Until You Are Thirsty
Thirst is a late signal. By the time you feel it, you are already mildly dehydrated.
Mild dehydration affects your concentration, your reaction time and your judgement. On a construction site or at the controls of heavy plant, that matters.
The simple rules:
- Drink water regularly throughout the shift, small amounts often
- Do not save it all for your break
- Keep water accessible inside your cab
- Avoid alcohol the night before a shift during a heatwave as it compounds dehydration going into the next day
Know the warning signs of heat exhaustion:
- Heavy sweating
- Feeling faint or lightheaded
- Fast, weak pulse
- Nausea or vomiting
- Muscle cramps
- Pale, cool, clammy skin
If you or a colleague shows these signs, stop work, move to somewhere cool, drink water and tell someone immediately.
Heat stroke is different and it is a medical emergency. If someone stops sweating, becomes confused, has a rapid strong pulse or loses consciousness, call 999. Do not wait.
A Note for Site Managers and Supervisors
If you have operators on site this week, now is the time to make sure your hot weather working procedures are being followed in practice, not just written into your documentation.
Some practical checks worth running through:
- Is cold drinking water readily available and being actively replenished on site?
- Are operators with broken or faulty cab air conditioning being flagged and their situation properly assessed?
- Are rest areas accessible and genuinely shaded where possible?
- Are supervisors actively watching for signs of heat stress, not just relying on operators to self-report?
Prevention is significantly faster and cheaper than recovery. An operator who goes down with heat exhaustion mid-week is not available for the rest of it.
How Mando Solutions Supports Operators on Site
At Mando Solutions, safety and competency sit at the core of how we place operators and how we work with the clients we supply to. A heatwave of this scale is a timely reminder of why that matters.
If you are currently on a placement through Mando and have concerns about how heat is being managed on your site, whether that is a faulty air conditioning unit on your machine, a lack of access to cold water, or any other health and safety issue, speak to us. We are here to help you work through those situations properly.
If you are a client with Mando operators on site this week, we are available to support you in making sure the right measures are in place.
Look after yourself on site this week. If you have any concerns, the Mando team is a phone call away.
Call us on 01291 435440 or email info@mandosolutions.co.uk
Frequently Asked Questions
What temperature is legally too hot to work outside in the UK?
There is no specific maximum outdoor working temperature set in UK law. However, under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, employers have a duty to provide a reasonable working temperature and to manage the risks associated with working in heat. The HSE recommends that employers carry out a risk assessment when temperatures are high and take appropriate action.
What are the signs of heat exhaustion in construction workers?
Signs include heavy sweating, feeling faint, a fast and weak pulse, nausea, muscle cramps and pale or clammy skin. The person should stop work, move to a cool area and drink water. If symptoms do not improve within 30 minutes or worsen, seek medical attention.
Does PPE still need to be worn during a heatwave?
Yes. PPE requirements on site are based on the hazards present, not the temperature. Site hazards do not change because the weather is hot. Operators are required to wear the correct PPE for the full shift. If heat stress is a genuine concern, this should be raised with a supervisor so the situation can be properly risk assessed.
Can plant operators use air conditioning in their cabs during a heatwave?
Yes, and they should. Keeping cab windows closed and air conditioning running is an important control measure in high temperatures. If a machine’s air conditioning is not working, this should be reported to a supervisor before the shift begins and formally risk assessed.
What should construction workers drink during a heatwave?
Water is the best option. Operators should drink small amounts regularly throughout the shift rather than waiting until breaks. Sports drinks can help replace electrolytes during prolonged heavy work. Alcohol the night before a shift should be avoided as it increases dehydration going into the working day.
