Heat Related Injuries and illnesses

It’s the start of summer in Australia, and with the Northern hemisphere having recently experienced a record breaking year, it is likely we too may experience an unusually hot summer with extreme temperatures that have become common-place nowadays.

Over the 10 years from 2009 to 2019, there were 1,774 workers’ compensation claims resulting from working in heat.

  • 1,679 of these claims were from working in the sun

    • 940 of these claims were cancer-related

    • 441 of these were claims regarding heat stroke or heat stress

  • 95 of these claims were from working in hot indoor conditions

Employers have duties under WHS legislation to manage risks to worker health and safety; including those associated with working in heat therefore taking appropriate precautions against the known risks of working in heat and/or air pollution.

While all employers should review work tasks, monitor temperatures in the workplace in relation to the type of work being carried out, the duration and how strenuous the work is – we recommend a risk-based approach to managing individual risks.

Workers CompensationNicky Mann