Mypower featured by BBC for health and safety measures in heatwave
Keeping our teams safe on the front lines of the UK heatwave
With temperatures soaring past 33°C across the UK, the recent heatwave is putting outdoor workforces to the ultimate test. For the team here at Mypower, the extreme weather brings a unique, highly ironic challenge: installing the country’s leading clean-energy solution means our teams are working directly in the blazing sun on scorching metal roofs.
Our founder, Ben Harrison, recently spoke with the BBC about the reality of working in extreme heat and how we are adapting to keep our workforce safe. As Ben vividly put it, the intense weather means our solar installation crews are currently operating "like cats on a hot tin roof."
The reality of commercial solar panel installation in a heatwave
Fitting aluminum solar panels onto steel commercial roofs offers absolutely no escape from the elements. When ground-level temperatures hit 33°C, the heat reflecting off a factory or farm roof quickly skyrockets well past 35°C.
While our ultimate mission is to help UK businesses slash their carbon emissions and energy bills, our immediate, non-negotiable priority is the health and safety of our commercial solar installers.
Activating our extreme weather safety protocol
To mitigate the risks of extreme heat, we have officially activated our summer safety protocols across all ongoing solar panel installation projects.
This week, we have completely restructured our on-site working hours to get our teams out of the sun during peak hours:
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Early Mornings: Our crews are waking up before dawn to start on-site at 06:00 AM, allowing them to make major progress during the coolest hours of the day.
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Midday Cut-Off: We are calling a hard finish at 12:00 noon, stepping off the roofs long before the blistering afternoon heat peaks.
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On-Site Hydration: Cool boxes packed with ice, electrolyte drinks, and high-factor suncream are mandatory equipment for every vehicle.
Admittedly, working shortened shifts and adjusting project timelines impacts our operational schedule and costs the business money. But as Ben rightly pointed out to the BBC: "We’ve had to delay a job, slow things down, and be working short time, but we’ve got to look after the guys that work for us."
There is a profound irony in having to pause our work because of a climate change-driven heatwave, when our work contributes to the solution to it. But we couldn't be prouder of how our crews are handling the challenge, and we are incredibly grateful to our clients for their understanding as we prioritise safety over speed.
If you have questions about an upcoming installation or want to learn more about how we manage our projects safely, please contact the Mypower team today.
