Product Overview

Summary: This Weather Assessment Safe Operating Procedure provides a clear, repeatable method for monitoring, assessing and responding to weather conditions that may impact work health and safety. It helps Australian businesses make timely, defensible decisions about starting, modifying or stopping work in response to heat, storms, high winds, flooding, and other adverse conditions.

Weather is one of the most unpredictable and underestimated risk factors in Australian workplaces, particularly for outdoor and partially enclosed operations. From extreme heat and UV exposure to sudden storms, high winds, lightning and heavy rainfall, adverse weather can quickly turn routine tasks into serious safety incidents. This Weather Assessment Safe Operating Procedure gives your organisation a structured, evidence-based way to assess weather risks before and during work, and to decide when to implement controls, modify tasks or cease work altogether.

The SOP sets out how to monitor reliable weather information, interpret forecasts and warnings, and translate them into practical site decisions tailored to your operations. It defines clear trigger points for different weather conditions, outlines communication and escalation pathways, and integrates with your existing Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) and emergency plans. By standardising your approach to weather-related decisions, this procedure reduces ambiguity for supervisors, supports compliance with WHS legislation, and provides documented justification for decisions made before, during and after adverse weather events.

For businesses operating across multiple sites or regions, this SOP helps achieve consistency in how weather is managed, regardless of who is on shift. It reduces the reliance on informal judgement, ensures workers are briefed on what to expect when conditions change, and supports business continuity by planning for staged shutdowns and safe restarts after severe weather. The result is safer workers, fewer weather-related incidents, and a stronger ability to demonstrate due diligence to regulators, clients and insurers.

Key Benefits

• Ensure consistent, defensible decisions about starting, modifying or stopping work in response to changing weather conditions.
• Reduce the risk of weather-related incidents such as heat stress, wind-related collapses, slips, trips and falls, and lightning strikes.
• Support compliance with WHS legislation by documenting a systematic approach to weather monitoring, risk assessment and control implementation.
• Improve communication and coordination between supervisors, workers and management when weather conditions deteriorate or warnings are issued.
• Enhance business continuity by planning for staged shutdowns, safe evacuation and controlled restart of operations after adverse weather events.

Who is this for?

• Site Supervisors
• Construction Project Managers
• WHS Managers
• Operations Managers
• Event Managers
• Facility Managers
• Mining Supervisors
• Agricultural Operations Managers
• Utilities and Line Maintenance Supervisors
• Civil Works Forepersons

Hazards Addressed

• Heat stress, heat exhaustion and heat stroke during high temperature and high UV conditions
• Dehydration and fatigue due to prolonged work in hot or humid environments
• UV radiation exposure leading to sunburn and increased skin cancer risk
• High wind impacts on scaffolding, cranes, elevated work platforms, temporary structures and unsecured materials
• Lightning strikes affecting outdoor workers, plant and equipment
• Reduced visibility due to heavy rain, fog, dust or smoke impacting vehicle and plant operations
• Slips, trips and falls on wet, muddy or flooded surfaces
• Flooding and flash flooding affecting access, egress and emergency evacuation routes
• Cold stress, hypothermia and reduced dexterity in cold, wet or windy conditions
• Storm-related flying debris and falling objects from trees, structures or stored materials

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Weather Terminology
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities
• 4.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Guidance
• 5.0 Weather Information Sources and Monitoring Requirements
• 6.0 Pre-Start Weather Assessment Process
• 7.0 Onsite Weather Monitoring During Works
• 8.0 Weather Risk Rating and Decision-Making Matrix
• 9.0 Trigger Levels for Heat, UV, Wind, Rain, Storms and Lightning
• 10.0 Control Measures for Adverse Weather Conditions
• 11.0 Communication, Consultation and Worker Briefings
• 12.0 Integration with SWMS, JSA and Emergency Plans
• 13.0 Procedures for Suspending, Modifying and Restarting Work
• 14.0 Incident Reporting and Near Miss Management for Weather Events
• 15.0 Training, Competency and Induction Requirements
• 16.0 Recordkeeping and Documentation
• 17.0 Review, Audit and Continuous Improvement

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth and State/Territory equivalents)
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth and State/Territory equivalents)
• 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 – Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work Code of Practice (for storm and high-wind noise environments)
• Safe Work Australia – Guide for Managing the Risk of Fatigue at Work
• Cancer Council Australia and Safe Work Australia guidance on occupational UV exposure
• AS/NZS 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements with guidance for use
• AS/NZS 3000:2018 Electrical installations (for lightning and storm-related electrical safety considerations)
• Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) – Official Warnings and Service Standards (as referenced information source)