Background: With predictions of more frequent and intense bouts of hot weather, workplace heat exposure is presenting a growing challenge to workers’ health and safety. This study aims to investigate workers’ perceptions and behavioural responses towards extreme heat exposure in a warming climate.

Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in 2012 in South Australia among selected outdoor industries. Workers’ heat risk perceptions were measured in the following five aspects: concerns about heat exposure, attitudes towards more training, policy and guideline support, the adjustment of work habits, and degree of satisfaction of current preventive measures. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors significantly associated with workers’ heat perceptions.

Results: A total of 749 respondents participated in this survey, with a response rate of 50.9%. A little more than half (51.2%) of respondents were moderately or very much concerned about workplace heat exposure. Less than half (43.4%) of respondents had received heat-related training. The provision of cool drinking water was the most common heat prevention measure. A little more than half (51.4%) of respondents were satisfied with the current heat prevention measures. About two-thirds (63.8%) of respondents agreed that there should be more heat-related regulations and guidelines for working during very hot weather. More than two-thirds (68.8%) of respondents were willing to adjust their current work habits to adapt to the likely increasing extreme heat.

Conclusions: The findings suggest a need to strengthen workers’ heat risk awareness and refine current heat prevention strategies in South Australia's warming climate.