The wet weather rules you NEED to know in Australia

Australian workers have the luxury of putting their tools down and heading home the second it starts raining or if temperatures plunge to 1C. 

RELATED STORY: Sydney is smashed by a months’ worth of rain in just two hours as streets turn into rivers, cars are washed away and city’s biggest river breaks its banks – and there could be even WORSE to come 

Most of the country looks set to experience more wet and cool conditions this week as two powerful cold fronts bring torrential rain and wintry weather across the country. 

And as bad weather can put lives at risk, those who work outdoors can stop working if work sites begin to get lashed by wild winter conditions.

Australia’s national workplace relations tribunal states that workers are entitled to go home if rain or abnormal (hail, extreme cold, high wind) weather conditions make it ‘unreasonable or unsafe’ to continue working. 

Under the 2010 Building and Construction award, workers can claim up to 32 hours pay in a four-week period due to work being cancelled for wet weather.   

As bad weather can put lives at risk, those who work outdoors can stop working if work sites begin to get lashed by wild winter conditions 

Safe Work Australia states employers must postpone outside work and provide access to shelter when it starts raining or the weather takes a turn.

But bosses are entitled to send tradesmen to do work in other areas of the site or to another work site if it’s protected from the rain – rather than sending them home. 

Workers pouring concrete are entitled to double pay when finishing a job in the rain, according to the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union.

Specific workplace health and safety regulations vary from state to state, and it is usually up to individuals to decide when it is time to pack it in.   

For self-employed workers and tradesmen with deadlines, the option of going home when it starts raining isn’t always a reality. 

Sydneysiders have already been hammered with wet conditions this week, with more than 33mm of rainfall on Monday.

More showers are expected over the next few days before it slowly starts to clear towards the end of the week.   

If the mercury plummets between 4C and 1C, tradesman are entitled to half-hour breaks every hour, according to the OHS guidelines

Most of the country looks set to experience more wet and frigid conditions this week as two powerful cold fronts bring torrential rain and icy weather across the country

And it’s not just a bit of rain that can result in tradies heading home. 

If the mercury plummets between 4C and 1C, tradesman are entitled to half-hour breaks every hour, according to the OHS guidelines. 

They can take 20-minute breaks between 7C and 4C and ten minutes between 9C and 7C.   

Meanwhile, Sydney is forecast to receive 50mm to 100mm of rain in the next week with most of the rainfall from daily afternoon thunderstorms.

Much of the wet weather will be focused on central Queensland and the northern and inland parts of NSW – the Hunter region and Sydney basin included.

Temperature-wise Sydney will see the mercury reach stay under 30C this week.

Melbourne will be slightly warmer on Wednesday reaching a maximum of 32C but will cool down by Friday reaching 25C.

Humid weather and showers are also forecast for the Victorian capital each day this week.

Brisbane can expect showers and similar temperatures in the high 20s.

Over on the west coast, Perth will continue its run of hot, sunny weather sweltering through temperatures in the mid to high 30s all week.

Adelaide should also get sunny weather but will be slightly cooler with the mercury hovering around maximums of 30C.