Product Overview

Summary: This Weather Adaptation and Safety Procedures SOP sets out clear, practical steps for managing work in extreme and changing weather conditions across Australian workplaces. It helps businesses protect workers from heat, cold, storms and other environmental risks while maintaining compliance with WHS obligations and minimising disruption to operations.

Australia’s climate presents unique challenges for safe work, from extreme heat and UV exposure to sudden storms, high winds, flooding and cold snaps in certain regions. This Weather Adaptation and Safety Procedures SOP provides a structured, defensible approach to planning, supervising and carrying out work in variable weather conditions. It translates WHS duties into clear, on-the-ground actions that supervisors and workers can follow before, during and after adverse weather events.

The procedure guides you through assessing weather-related risks, adjusting work schedules and methods, implementing engineering and administrative controls, and selecting appropriate PPE for different conditions. It also sets out trigger points for stopping work, evacuation and site shutdown, and details communication and emergency response expectations. By embedding this SOP into your safety management system, you create a consistent, documented process for weather decision-making that reduces guesswork, protects workers, and helps your business demonstrate due diligence under Australian WHS legislation.

Key Benefits

• Reduce the risk of heat stress, cold exposure, UV-related illness and weather-related injuries across outdoor and partially exposed work areas.
• Ensure consistent, defensible decisions about when to modify, suspend or resume work during extreme or rapidly changing weather.
• Strengthen compliance with WHS duties by documenting clear weather risk assessments, controls and escalation pathways.
• Improve communication and coordination between management, supervisors and workers before, during and after adverse weather events.
• Minimise operational disruption and project delays by planning weather contingencies and recovery procedures in advance.

Who is this for?

• WHS Managers
• Site Supervisors
• Construction Project Managers
• Operations Managers
• Facility Managers
• Field Service Supervisors
• HSE Advisors
• Mining and Resources Supervisors
• Agricultural and Horticultural Managers
• Local Government Works Coordinators

Hazards Addressed

• Heat stress, heat exhaustion and heat stroke during hot and humid conditions
• Dehydration and fatigue due to high temperatures and direct sun exposure
• UV radiation exposure leading to sunburn and increased skin cancer risk
• Cold stress, hypothermia and reduced dexterity in cold and wet environments
• Slips, trips and falls on wet, muddy or icy surfaces
• High wind impacts including flying debris, falling objects and scaffold or structure instability
• Electrical hazards from storms, lightning and water ingress into electrical equipment
• Reduced visibility from heavy rain, fog, dust storms or smoke affecting plant operation and vehicle movement
• Flooding and fast-moving water creating drowning, entrapment and access/egress hazards
• Manual handling strains due to working in heavy wet clothing or on unstable ground

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Weather Thresholds
• 3.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Competency Requirements
• 4.0 Weather Information Sources and Monitoring Requirements
• 5.0 Pre-Work Weather Risk Assessment and Planning
• 6.0 Heat, UV and Hot Weather Controls
• 7.0 Cold, Wet and Low-Temperature Work Controls
• 8.0 High Wind, Storm and Lightning Procedures
• 9.0 Flooding, Heavy Rain and Reduced Visibility Controls
• 10.0 Work Modification, Suspension and Site Shutdown Criteria
• 11.0 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Weather Conditions
• 12.0 Communication, Consultation and Worker Training
• 13.0 Emergency Response, First Aid and Incident Management
• 14.0 Recovery, Restart and Post-Event Site Inspection
• 15.0 Documentation, Record Keeping and Review
• 16.0 Continuous Improvement and Audit Checklist

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth and relevant State/Territory variants)
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011
• Safe Work Australia – Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice
• Safe Work Australia – Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice
• Safe Work Australia – Construction Work Code of Practice
• Safe Work Australia – Guide for Managing the Risks of Working in Heat
• Cancer Council Australia and Safe Work Australia guidance on UV radiation and outdoor work
• AS/NZS 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems
• AS/NZS 1891 series: Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices (for work at height in adverse weather)
• AS/NZS 1319: Safety signs for the occupational environment