Agriculture Jobs: coping with the heat

Australian agriculture jobs can allow you to experience incredible places and meet amazing people. But life in the outback can be tough, especially when temperatures are high. Follow these types to stay happy and healthy!

Cover up

Wear a hat, sunglasses, long sleeve cotton tops and long trousers. When you’re hot and sweaty it’s tempting to strip off, but staying covered up has three advantages:

• It will protect you from sunburn
• It will keep insects at bay
• It will keep you cooler. Think about it – on a summer’s day, where in your body feels hottest? Chances are it’s the back of your neck, the tops of your feet, your ears, or your forearms – the parts that are exposed to the sun

Wear sunscreen

Sunscreen is absolutely vital to protect against the sun’s harmful rays. Even if your skin doesn’t burn, the sun will cause damage and this makes skin more sensitive to heat.

Give yourself time to acclimatise

Try to arrive the week before you start work so that you can get used to the heat. Stay active by taking walks or jogging – by the time work starts you’ll be ready to exert yourself.

Allow your body to sweat

Don’t smother your body in anti perspirant – sweating is an excellent natural way to stay cool. Bring a change of shirt and accept that you’ll sweat at work. It’s just salt water after all!

Drink water

This is the single most important factor when working in hot temperatures. Drink small amounts frequently rather than lots of water all at once. Strap a water bottle to your belt and have a sip every couple of minutes.

Schedule your work around the cooler parts of the day

Consider working a split shift – a few hours in the early morning and a few hours in the late afternoon. That way you’ll avoid the hottest part of the day. If you can’t do this, reschedule your tasks so that you’re not doing physically demanding work during late morning or early afternoon.

Take breaks

You’re employer should provide shade for you to take regular breaks. It’s recommended that breaks are more frequent than usual:

• 30 – 32 degrees: 10 minute break for every hour spent working outdoors
• 32 – 35 degrees: 15 minute break for every hour spent working outdoors
• 35 – 36 degrees: 30 minute break for every hour spent working outdoors

You should be paid the same working rate during these breaks.

Stop working

All work should cease when the temperatures hits 37 degrees or above. If you feel sick, dizzy, weak, have cramps or a migraine, or just feel overly hot, stop working.

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