The Resources Safety & Health Queensland (RSHQ) reports that the state’s resource workers are at an increased risk of heat stress as temperatures continue rising in the lead up to summer.
An unseasonal spring heatwave has meant temperatures in most of the state have been between 2-5℃ hotter than usual, with some areas reaching almost 10℃ above average.
The Bureau of Meteorology has declared temperatures are likely to be above average in Queensland during the summer months.
A study conducted by the National Institutes of Health reveals that 77.5% workers experience at least one symptom of heat illness during summer.
The most frequent heat stress symptoms reported by workers were sweating (25.4%), followed by fatigue (15.1%), headache (13.4%, and dark coloured urine (8.1%).
RSHQ Chief Executive Rob Djukic says heat poses serious health risks to resource workers and urged sites to ensure they have controls in place to manage heat exposure.
“Symptoms can include a range of progressive conditions such as dehydration, fainting, heat rash, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke,” Djukic says.
“The strategies and techniques we use to reduce heat stress at resource sites are simple but sometimes overlooked.
“That includes modifying the environment to suit the work, modifying the work to suit the environment, or sometimes a combination of both.”
The RSHQ says sites should consider numerous measures to reduce heat-related illnesses, including using insulation, spot cooling, or shielding, as well as locate portable water and ice machines within easy access for workers.
Other measures include providing cool refuge for workers, rescheduling high physical work activities to cooler times during shifts, and selecting appropriate work clothing that offer ventilation and permeable fabric.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: RSHQ
