Environmental campaigners have commented on the extreme weather conditions in the UK.
Friends of the Earth Scotland Head of Campaigns Mary Church said: “The extreme heat we are experiencing in Scotland, throughout the UK and Europe is one of the many frightening faces of climate change.
“We must be absolutely clear that the impacts of this heatwave on people’s health and wellbeing, on the NHS, on public transport, on the economy are the result of the continued burning of fossil fuels. Climate breakdown is here, it is deadly serious and it will get much worse unless we act urgently to end our reliance on oil and gas.
“The immediate focus should be ensuring that people are kept cool and safe through this period of record-breaking heat. But once it passes, politicians must get serious about stopping the causes of the crisis and about adapting to the increasingly extreme climate impacts that are already locked in due to our leaders’ inadequate action to date.
“Burning fossil fuels is the primary driver of climate breakdown so we must rapidly phase out North Sea oil and gas production, as part of a just transition to a renewable-powered economy with decent green jobs and affordable energy for all.
“The time for rhetorical climate leadership is long past – we need action not words and we need it now.”
Scottish Govt: caution advised in extreme heat
Amber weather warning resilience arrangements remain in place in Scotland today.
People are being asked to consider whether they need to travel and to plan ahead before making any journeys as Scotland copes with the impact of extreme heat.
Justice Secretary and lead minister for resilience Keith Brown has chaired a Scottish Government Resilience Committee meeting (SGoRR) to monitor the impacts of the Met Office Amber warning, while Transport Scotland’s resilience room is closely monitoring impacts across the transport network
The Amber warning has been extended further northeast and now includes Dundee, Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife, Perth, Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and eastern parts of Lanarkshire as well as the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway. The warning is currently in force and will last until 23.59 on Tuesday 19 July.
Mr Brown also attended the latest Cabinet Office Briefing Room (COBR) meeting.
He said: “Following the weather warnings, our resilience arrangements have been activated. We are receiving regular updates from partners including Transport Scotland, the Met Office, the NHS and emergency services and we’ll continue to closely monitor developments.
“I would urge people to think about whether they need to travel and if they do, make sure they’re properly equipped, and plan their journey in advance. Rail passengers and drivers should make sure they have water, sunscreen, hats and sunglasses and have a fully charged phone in case of any difficulties. Any drivers who face breakdowns should seek a safe, shady place, and stay hydrated.
“When temperatures increase, it’s important to monitor forecasts and follow public health advice, including staying hydrated and drinking plenty of fluids and avoiding excess alcohol. People should also look out for vulnerable family, friends and neighbours, as older people, those with underlying conditions and those living alone may struggle to keep cool and hydrated.
“Water safety incidents and drownings increase in hot weather and it’s vital that people are aware of the dangers and use supervised beaches and pools when possible – follow the Water Safety Code and in an emergency call 999. People should also be aware of the dangers of wildfires.”
TUC: Urgent heatwave warning to union reps and workers
With the Met Office issuing its first “Red Extreme” and “danger to life” heat warning for Monday (18) and Tuesday (19), and temperatures in some places reaching 40°C, the TUC is calling on bosses to make sure workers are protected from the sun and the heat.
Workers should be aware that employers have a duty of care, and a legal obligation to protect their health, ensuring working temperatures are reasonable, comfortable and safe.
These temperatures present a serious risk of sunstroke, heat stress and sunburn. Working in hot weather can also lead to dehydration, tiredness, muscle cramps, rashes, fainting, and – in the most extreme cases – loss of consciousness.
If a colleague becomes confused or agitated, loses consciousness, or is unable to drink, seek urgent medical attention.
Outdoor work
Employers must work with union health and safety reps to introduce measures to protect their staff who work outdoors when the temperatures rise, including:
- Avoiding outside tasks between 11am – 3pm when temperatures, and risks, are highest.
- Provide sunscreen and advice on the need for protection, available in other languages for migrant workers where relevant.
- Allow staff to take plenty of breaks and provide a supply of drinking water.
- Provide canopies or covering over open areas and shaded areas for breaks.
- Provide lightweight protective clothing, including hats.
Driving
The heat can be dangerous for workers whose jobs involve driving, as any driver suffering from fatigue is a risk to themselves and other people. vehicles used for long journeys should be temporarily taken out of use if they cannot sustain a reasonable temperature, e.g. they do not have air conditioning.
Indoor work
Indoor workplaces could also become dangerously hot, and TUC advice is that nobody should be working indoors where temperatures exceed 30°C. At 24°C employers must take action to cool the air, and other measures including:
- Using fans or other mechanisms to cool the air, as well as adequate ventilation.
- Relaxing dress codes and uniform policies.
- Allowing rest breaks and adjusting shifts to avoid travelling in peak heat.
- Moving workspaces away from windows and other heat sources, using blinds to block out sun.
- Providing cool drinking water.
Maximum temperatures
Employers must ensure working temperatures are “reasonable”. The TUC believes employers must take action when indoor temperatures exceed 24°C, with 30°C being an absolute maximum – certainly no longer “reasonable”.
Guidance elsewhere states:
- In the US regulations say working temperatures should not go beyond 24°C
- Spain has strict guidelines on working temperature: it must not go beyond 27°C indoors or 25°C for physical activity.
- In Germany, 26°C is generally considered the maximum for indoor work.
- In China, when temperatures reach 37°C outdoor work is banned during the hottest three hours of the day, and at 40°C it must stop altogether.
- In the UAE, outdoor work is banned entirely between the hours of 12:30 and 15:00 when it’s hottest.
SPF is PPE
Personal Protective Equipment is defined as “all equipment which is intended to be worn or held by a person at work and which protects him against one or more risks to his health or safety, and any addition or accessory designed to meet that objective.”
Sunburn and complications resulting from UVA radiation are a known risk to health, and outdoor workers are already three times more likely to develop skin cancer than the general working population. Sunscreen creates a barrier between the worker and the risk, and as such should be considered personal protective equipment.
Employers should provide sunscreen with a factor of at least 30, made available free of charge to all workers whose work involves outdoor activities.
Excuses such as allergies should be dismissed. Workers can be allergic to any number of ingredients, fabrics or materials used in equipment, for example hand sanitsier.
Refusal by a worker to wear PPE on that basis is valid. Refusal by the employer to supply it to the wider workforce is not.
The right to refuse
Section 44 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 provides workers protection from detriment (i.e. dismissal, disciplinary or a pay cut) if they withdraw from and to refuse to return to a workplace that is unsafe.
Workers are entitled to remain away from the workplace if – in their opinion – the prevailing circumstances represent a real risk of “serious and imminent danger” which they could not be expected to avert.
The TUC says workers should seek advice from their union before using their rights under Section 44.
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