Work slows on many sites as heatwave hits

The heatwave has affected projects up and down the country, with contractors struggling to keep work on schedule.

Work had to stop for five hours last week on Edmund Nuttall's £1m contract to waterproof, re-strengthen and resurface the Hammersmith flyover in London, as the heat was "too much for the water proofing machines".

Fans also had to be attached to the flyover's many service boxes to help cool workers while they worked inside to strip out the structure's 40-year-old cast iron drainage system.

"Each service box is located under the road and is only accessible at certain points. The average surface temperature was 37degC," said a Nuttall spokesman.

Most contractors told CJ they had been experiencing lower productivity as workers "simply cannot operate as quickly". Many companies have introduced extra breaks for workers and provided additional water coolers.

Bluestone's managing director for the Midlands Steve Emmerson said: "We are concentrating on internal work where possible and allowing workers to come in at 6.30am and leave at 2.30pm."

One un-named National Federation of Master Builders (NFB) member wanted to take a similar approach but was thwarted by local restrictions.

"He wanted his workers to start on-site early in the morning or work later to avoid the heat, but a local authority ruling states that work can only be carried out between 8am and 6pm," said an NFB spokesman.