On February 3, 2026, Nathaniel Smith, CEO of the Master Plumbers Association (MPA) of NSW, appeared on 7NEWS to address a high-stakes push by the union movement for mandatory national heat safety standards. As record-breaking temperatures sweep across Australia, the ACTU and various unions are demanding new regulations that would legally protect workers by requiring job sites to modify duties or shut down entirely when temperatures reach dangerous levels.
Key Points of Discussion:
- The Union Demands: Representing the union movement, ACTU President Michele O’Neil argued that climate-driven heatwaves should be treated with the same regulatory urgency as asbestos or silica. The proposal includes a national standard where trades would “down tools” at a defined threshold, such as 35°C, or 29°C with high humidity.
- Nathaniel Smith’s Critique: While acknowledging that heat stress is a genuine safety concern, Smith labeled the push for blanket shutdowns as “reckless.” He argued that imposing a hard national stop-work order—regardless of the specific task, site controls, or mitigation measures in place—would act as an “economic handbrake” on the country’s housing and infrastructure goals.
- Managing Risk vs. Avoiding Work: Smith emphasized that existing WHS laws already empower workers to stop if a site is unsafe. He advocated for practical, site-specific management—including altered start times, hydration stations, and shade—rather than “ideological thresholds” that he suggests are being used for industrial leverage rather than safety.
- The Productivity Impact: The MPA NSW highlighted that in states like Queensland, where similar union-led heat rules exist, some summer months see as few as five productive workdays. Smith warned that replicating this nationally would worsen the skilled labor shortage and delay critical construction projects across Australia.
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