Working in Heat: What Queensland Employers Need to Do This Summer

Quick answer: Queensland WHS law doesn't prescribe a single air temperature at which work must stop. Heat is managed like any other hazard: under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld), you must manage the risk of heat-related illness so far as is reasonably practicable. The level of risk depends on humidity, radiant heat, workload, clothing, ventilation and the worker, not the thermometer alone. That means assessing those factors, putting controls in place before the hot weather arrives, training workers, and having a clear response plan if someone becomes unwell.

Queensland summers put outdoor and indoor workers at real risk of heat-related illness. This guide covers what the law expects, how to assess heat properly, which controls work and what to have in place before the first heatwave.

Why heat is a safety issue, not just a comfort issue

Heat-related illness ranges from heat rash and cramps through to heat exhaustion and heat stroke, which is a medical emergency. Workplace Health and Safety Queensland has prosecuted businesses after workers died from heat-related illness. In more than one case, the investigation found that new workers had been given too little information about heat risk, hydration and how to look after themselves.

It's not just the temperature

Two jobs on the same 33 degree day can carry very different levels of risk. When assessing heat, look at:

• Humidity, which is a big factor across much of Queensland because it limits how well sweat cools the body.
• Direct sun and radiant heat from roofing, concrete, glass, metal and hot plant.
• Ventilation and air movement, especially in roof spaces, plant rooms and enclosed areas.
• How physically demanding the work is and how long it goes for.
• Clothing and PPE, particularly impermeable or heavy protective gear.
• The worker: whether they are acclimatised (new starters and people back from leave often aren't), how well hydrated they are, and any medical conditions or medications they have chosen to share.

WHSQ's Heat stress (basic) calculator is a useful starting point for an initial assessment. For complex exposures, such as work in impermeable clothing or near very hot processes, advice from an occupational hygienist may be needed.

A practical example

Take a roofing crew starting a metal re-roof in January. The air temperature forecast is moderate, but the crew is working on reflective sheeting in direct sun, with high humidity, carrying sheets by hand, and one labourer started that week. On paper the day doesn't look extreme. In practice, the radiant heat, the workload and the new worker's lack of acclimatisation put the risk well above what the forecast suggests. That's why heat assessments need to look at the task and the person, not just the weather app.

Who is most exposed

Outdoor work gets the most attention: construction, roofing, civil and road work, traffic control, agriculture and horticulture, and yard work in transport and logistics. Indoor heat is easy to overlook, though. Commercial kitchens, laundries, foundries, warehouses with poor ventilation and plant rooms can all become dangerous in a Queensland summer.

Controls, in the right order

Apply the hierarchy of controls rather than starting with hats and water bottles. Heat exposure often can't be eliminated completely, so the aim is to use the most effective controls that are reasonably practicable, then support them with administrative measures. A proper workplace risk assessment works through it in this order:

• Remove or reduce exposure at the source: move work indoors or into shade where possible, and use mechanical aids so workers aren't doing heavy manual handling in the heat. Rescheduling heavy tasks to the cooler early morning, or delaying non-urgent work during heatwave conditions, reduces exposure, although it usually doesn't remove the risk entirely.
• Engineering controls: shade structures, ventilation and fans, cooled rest areas, and insulation or shielding around hot plant.
• Administrative controls: work and rest cycles, job rotation, a gradual acclimatisation plan for new workers, active supervision and a buddy system, cool drinking water close to the work, and agreed trigger points linked to Bureau of Meteorology forecasts and heatwave warnings.
• PPE and clothing: lightweight, breathable clothing, broad-brimmed hats and sunscreen. UV exposure is a separate hazard with its own controls.

Controls also need checking once summer is under way. If a worker is affected by heat, that's a trigger to look again at whether the controls are working, as we explain in when you must review your WHS risk controls.

Consultation and training

You must consult workers when identifying hazards, assessing risks and deciding on controls, and the people doing the work usually know which jobs and spots are the worst. Our guide to consulting workers on safety covers what that looks like. Training should cover the early signs of heat-related illness, how and when to report symptoms, and the expectation that workers stop and rest when they feel unwell rather than push through.

When someone becomes unwell

If a worker develops symptoms of heat-related illness, stop the work, move them to a cooler location and start appropriate first aid. Suspected heat stroke is a medical emergency. Call Triple Zero (000) immediately and begin rapid cooling while waiting for emergency help. Confusion, altered behaviour, poor coordination, seizures or collapse are serious warning signs. Don't assume heat stroke is ruled out just because the worker is still sweating.

Once the worker is cared for, check whether the incident is notifiable. Assess it against the statutory categories of death, serious injury or illness, and dangerous incident. Serious illness includes, for example, an illness requiring immediate treatment as an inpatient in a hospital, but that's only one of the triggers. Our notifiable incident guide walks through the steps.

Heat readiness checklist for supervisors and site managers

• ☐ The heat risk assessment has been reviewed for this summer and covers each site and task.
• ☐ Shade, cool drinking water and cool rest areas are physically in place, not just listed in a procedure.
• ☐ Trigger points are agreed for changing or stopping work, and supervisors know who makes the call.
• ☐ New and returning workers have an acclimatisation plan.
• ☐ Heat is covered in inductions and toolbox talks, including the warning signs of heat-related illness.
• ☐ Supervisors know the response plan, including when to call Triple Zero (000) and how to start cooling.
• ☐ First aid kits and trained first aiders are available on every shift.
• ☐ Someone is responsible for checking forecasts and heatwave warnings.

For further reading, WorkSafe Queensland's Managing the work environment and facilities Code of Practice 2021 and Safe Work Australia's guide to managing the risks of working in heat are good references.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld), sections 19, 35 to 38, 47 and 84 to 87. WorkSafe Queensland, Managing the work environment and facilities Code of Practice 2021; Heat stress (basic) calculator. Safe Work Australia, Managing the risks of working in heat.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Last reviewed 29 October 2026.