By Emmanuella Opara | November 4th 2026
KEY POINTS
- Sector Skills Council for Building in Nigeria directs construction companies to suspend non-essential heavy outdoor work between noon and 3:30pm.
- Workers must receive five to 10-minute hydration breaks every 20 minutes.
- Contractors are required to provide clean drinking water within 50 metres of active work areas.
- Roofing, concrete pouring, scaffolding and manual excavation are among activities restricted during peak heat periods.
- The council warns that extreme temperatures could increase heat-related illnesses, workplace accidents and productivity losses.
MAIN STORY
The Sector Skills Council for Building in Nigeria has directed construction companies and property developers to suspend non-essential heavy outdoor activities between noon and 3:30pm as concerns grow over the effects of extreme heat on workers’ health and productivity.
The council also introduced mandatory rest and hydration breaks, requiring contractors to provide adequate drinking water, shaded resting areas and first-aid facilities at construction sites nationwide.
The directives were contained in a national safety advisory issued on Tuesday and signed by the council’s President, Samson Ameh Opaluwah.
Under the measures, construction companies are expected to reorganise working schedules to reduce workers’ exposure to intense sunlight during the hottest hours of the day.
Activities identified for restriction during this period include roofing, concrete pouring, manual excavation and scaffolding, which require considerable physical effort and expose workers to prolonged outdoor conditions.
The council recommended that contractors move such operations to early morning hours between 6am and 10:30am or later in the afternoon and evening, with adequate lighting provided for work extending into the night.
It also directed employers to grant workers five to 10-minute hydration breaks every 20 minutes and ensure clean, cool drinking water is available within 50 metres of every active work area.
Construction companies are further required to equip site clinics and first-aid stations with oral rehydration salts, ice packs and wet towels to provide immediate assistance to workers experiencing heat-related distress.
The advisory identified rising temperatures, prolonged dry spells, dusty conditions and flash flooding as growing threats to construction workers, particularly those engaged in physically demanding outdoor activities.
According to the council, prolonged exposure to extreme heat can cause dehydration, heat cramps and potentially fatal heatstroke.
It also warned that heat-related illnesses could impair workers’ concentration and reaction times, increasing the likelihood of falls from scaffolding, machinery-related incidents and injuries from falling construction materials.
The council said the measures were necessary to protect workers, maintain construction site safety and prevent weather-related disruptions from undermining productivity across the building sector.
THE ISSUES
The directive highlights the growing pressure extreme weather conditions are placing on Nigeria’s construction industry, where many workers operate outdoors and undertake physically demanding tasks.
Unlike office-based employees, construction workers are frequently exposed to direct sunlight while handling equipment, lifting materials and working at elevated locations. High temperatures can make these activities more dangerous by increasing fatigue, dehydration and the risk of accidents.
The financial implications also extend beyond workers’ health. Heat-related disruptions can affect construction schedules, delay project delivery and increase operational costs for contractors and property developers.
However, adjusting working hours and providing hydration facilities could introduce additional operational requirements, particularly for companies managing large projects with tight completion deadlines.
The council’s directive therefore places responsibility on construction employers to balance project schedules with occupational safety as extreme weather becomes an increasingly important consideration for the industry.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“Building Skills Constructing managers-operating primarily in open-air environments-face severe health, safety, and productivity risks. All licensed construction entities and property developers are hereby instructed to integrate the mandatory operational controls outlined below to safeguard workers’ health, ensure site integrity, and maintain national productivity standards,” the advisory signed by Samson Ameh Opaluwah, President of the Sector Skills Council for Building in Nigeria, stated.
WHAT’S NEXT
Construction companies and property developers are expected to reorganise work schedules, establish hydration stations and provide shaded resting areas in compliance with the council’s safety recommendations.
The provision of first-aid facilities stocked with oral rehydration salts and cooling materials will also be necessary to respond to heat-related emergencies at construction sites.
The effectiveness of the measures will depend on how consistently contractors implement the requirements and incorporate weather-related safety considerations into daily construction operations.
BOTTOM LINE
The construction sector’s exposure to extreme weather is becoming an occupational safety and productivity concern. By restricting heavy outdoor work during peak heat hours and introducing compulsory hydration breaks, the council is seeking to reduce preventable workplace illnesses and accidents while ensuring that construction activities can continue under safer conditions.
