As temperatures rise, employers should start thinking about how they can protect their employees. It’s not only considerate, but it is good business sense, as sick workers cannot help the company turn a profit.
Obviously, there are a lot of employers out there who will do this and many who will ignore this basic logic. Hopefully, yours is not one of the latter. Here are a few signs that your employer is taking your health seriously in hot weather:
Alter working hours
Starting early so you can be done before the hottest part of the day could work well in certain lines of work. For those on later shifts, prolonging the start until the hottest part of the day has subsided might be an option. This sort of pattern is common in many Mediterranean countries.
Adequate breaks
Companies need to ensure there is a plentiful supply of water and enough time for employees to drink it. They also need to allow them the necessary bathroom breaks that will result from the increased consumption of water.
The heat will also mean you need to rest more frequently, to try and calm your body back down. Adequate shade will be crucial to the effectiveness of this, as will sufficient frequency and length of breaks.
Your employer has a duty to provide you with a safe workplace. If you end up suffering sickness from the heat then do not hesitate to investigate your options to claim workers’ compensation. Even if they did take preventive measures, you should still be entitled to claim.