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Weather: Hot / Humid

Climate change is leading to an increase in extreme weather events, including heatwaves, and filming in hot weather presents unique challenges for both crew safety and equipment functionality.

To mitigate these risks, it’s crucial to implement strategies for heat management, including providing shade, hydration, and cool-down stations for the crew, as well as protecting equipment from overheating. This guidance will help your production plan and prepare for hot weather that may impact your production activity.

This plan is broken down into 4 levels below to help you plan and protect your production.

Key Issues

CREW HEALTH
Extreme heat can lead to heatstroke, dehydration, and other heat-related illnesses among the cast and crew.
Health

Schedule frequent breaks for rest and hydration, providing ample water and electrolyte drinks.
Set up designated areas with fans, cool compresses, and shade for crew members to cool down.
Encourage crew members to wear loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing and hats to minimize heat absorption.
Ensure adequate sunscreen application and reapplication, particularly during peak sun hours.
Buddy System: Implement a system where crew members look out for each other’s well-being and report any signs of heat stress.

EQUIPMENT
Cameras and other electronic equipment can overheat, leading to malfunctions and delays.
Equipment

Shade: use tents, umbrellas, or other forms of shade to protect equipment from direct sunlight.
Have backup cameras and other essential equipment readily available to minimize downtime.
Use cold gel packs wrapped in towels to help cool down equipment.
Allow equipment to acclimate to temperature changes gradually to avoid condensation issues.

LOGISTICS
Finding suitable locations with shade and access to power for cooling equipment can be difficult.
Logistics

Consider scheduling interior scenes for days when extreme heat is anticipated.
Ensure adequate power sources are available for cooling equipment and other needs.
Monitor weather forecasts and heat warnings to anticipate potential challenges.

Production Planning

At level 1 productions need to think about the potential hot weather could have on their production. This should happen during your prep phase. A plan needs to be implemented if the heat index rises above 26°C.

You should look at your schedule; when, where and what are you filming? Will where and what you are filming be impacted by heat? If so, have a discussion with the relevant stakeholders as early as possible to avoid having to make costly changes at a later date.

You should also consider anyone associated with the production that may have underlying health issues that could be worsened by the heat.

At this level productions need to act on their level 1 planning.

If the risk of heat illness is determined, conduct a heat illness risk assessment and medical response plan. The risk assessment should be developed with production management, engaging with professional safety support, to explore how the heat will affect day to day operations.

  • Safety bulletins to be sent to all cast/crew on effects and symptoms of heat stress/illness
  • Look at how the weather will affect the proposed action to be filmed (i.e., stunts sfx , costume, etc).
  • Look at how the weather will affect equipment being used.
  • Complete relevant training / ensure all crew and cast are briefed.
  • Implement control measures – provide cooling, shade, water, and rest breaks.
  • Look at additional on-site safety personnel to support implementation of the Heat Illness Plan.
  • Arrange for cooled and shaded areas to be available for break times.
  • Look at booking additional Medics or Medical Services Contractor (depending on heat level expected and distance the set is from the hospital).
  • Assess whether you need run air conditioning or cooling within indoor work areas of production building spaces (stages, mill, shops, locations, trailers, break areas).
  • Assess whether you need run air conditioning or cooling (trailer, building, tents, vehicles) for all outdoor location production workers.
  • Liaise with your medical supplier about provision of heat illness first aid supplies (electrolytes, AC treatment area, sun cream etc.).

At this level all the action enacted at level 2 should be in place with the added controls:

  • Outdoor Work over a 32ºC Heat Index triggers the need for air-conditioned cooling areas and more Medics and/or Medical Services Contractor to measure heart rates and body temperatures to make sure the production personnel can recover from the heat, and to provide treatment for those who suffer from symptoms of heat illness.
  • Scheduled Rest in shaded or A/C cooled areas & Hydration Every Hour. Add this time to the schedule.
  • Ensure qualified medic support is onsite and ‘at-the-ready’ (providing emergency cooling and electrolytes etc), and physiological monitoring is conducted. If a hospital A&E is greater than 15 min from the production, life-saving medical services to treat patients must be performed on-site using a Medical Services Contractor.

At this level, production need to question whether it is safe to continue working in outdoor locations or in locations that cannot be artificially cooled. Action that would increase the risk of heat illness (stunts etc.) should be rescheduled.

This is a generic risk assessment covering routine hazards and controls. Your shoot, the planned action or its location may create additional hazards that you will need to add to this assessment. Fully implementing controls should reduce the risk from these hazards to the lowest level reasonably practicable, however it will not eliminate risk.

We’ve provided an estimate of residual risk based on all controls being implemented. Those accountable for making sure actions are complete should be indicated in the responsible person column.

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External Resources

Weather: Hot / Humid | International Advice

Specialist: James Gall

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James has extensive experience working on international productions where the different legislation, safety methods, local safety practices, safety culture and documentation can be of concern for productions wishing to deliver familiar standards in other territories. Developing bespoke H&S documents, coordinating H&S practices, providing practical suggestions and leading by example helps productions promote a positive, inclusive safety culture and meet statutory matters within production H&S. James has extensive experience within the Events sector from SAG compliance, CDM processes and site managing project builds and derigs.

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Article last updated on Jul 14th, 2025

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