Municipalities should remove some restrictions in extreme heat

By Andrew Pariser

July 6, 2026

Life in Canada means constantly adjusting to the weather. In July, that means preparing for the summer heat. This month, I want to highlight the efforts of RESCON members who continue to lead the way in health and safety.

Specifically, RESCON members go above and beyond to plan and execute heat mitigation plans to keep workers safe on-site.

In addition to specific heat safety policies, toolbox talks, and heat plans created by Joint Health and Safety Committees, RESCON members put their Costco memberships to the test, providing thousands of freezies, popsicles, cold water, and anything else they can get their hands on to keep workers cool.

In addition, many members, where possible, shift hours of work to avoid work during the hottest part of the day. However, this is not possible on all jobsites as many municipalities have overly restrictive bylaws with respect to hours of work. They are ignoring North American best practices and could show leadership in safety with simple changes.

What can municipalities do?

Municipalities can simply remove restrictions, including but not limited to noise bylaws during extreme heat events. This simple change would allow all builders to enhance worker health and safety and shift work away from the hottest parts of the day.

Currently, hours of work are often restricted by noise bylaws. These bylaws, while well intentioned, have historically created safety issues. Some of these issues were addressed during the COVID pandemic when hours were expanded. This expansion had several benefits, including staggering of work on-site (social distancing), reduction of traffic congestion (more work and deliveries could be done outside of rush hour), and improved productivity which meant projects finished faster, reducing the impact of construction on neighbours.

Flexible bylaws are already employed across leading North American jurisdictions, including San Antonio, Texas and New York City. Both allow for earlier start times or overnight work allowing employers to shift their production schedules.

Current best practices and resources

Heat stress can occur wherever work operations involve heavy physical labour in hot, humid environments. The locations may be indoors or outdoors. Protective clothing can also contribute to the problem. Best practices from the IHSA can be found here and include: 

• Wear light, loose clothing that permits the evaporation of sweat.

• Drink small amounts of water - 8 ounces (250 ml) - every half hour or so. Don't wait until you're thirsty.

• Avoid beverages such as tea, coffee, or any drink that can make you pass urine more frequently.

• Where personal PPE must be worn,

  • use the lightest-weight clothing and respirators available;

  • wear light-coloured garments that absorb less heat from the sun; and

  • use PPE that allows sweat to evaporate.

• Avoid eating hot, heavy meals. They tend to increase internal body temperature by redirecting blood flow away from the skin to the digestive system.

• Don't take salt tablets unless a physician prescribes them. Natural body salts lost through sweating are easily replaced by a normal diet.

As you can tell, I am honoured to chair the RESCON health and safety committee and thankful for all the efforts the committee and all RESCON members make when it comes to keeping workers safe.

This month, I am asking municipalities to step up and give employers additional tools to keep workers safe.