Working through a UAE summer: what it does to a programme
Heat shortens the productive day, slows the work that remains, and changes how materials behave. All three belong in the plan.
Summer is a known quantity here, which makes it inexcusable to plan as though it were not happening. The effect shows up in three separate ways.
The shortened day
Midday working restrictions apply during the summer months, and the hours lost are the hours when a crane would otherwise be lifting. Work that can be done in the early morning and late afternoon has to be prioritised into those windows deliberately.
Reduced output in the hours that remain
Even within permitted hours, productivity falls. Rest breaks are longer and more frequent, hydration matters, and work at height or in confined spaces is harder on people. A rate achieved in February will not be achieved in August, and pretending otherwise just moves the problem to the end of the programme.
Material and process effects
- Coatings have shorter working times and can dry too quickly for correct film formation
- Surface temperatures of steel can exceed limits stated for the coating being applied
- Concrete cures faster, which affects both strength gain and cracking
- Sealants and adhesives behave differently at high temperature
- Equipment runs hotter and fails more often
Planning around it
Sequence heat-sensitive work outside the worst months where the programme allows. Move what can be moved into the shop. Build the restricted hours into the programme as a fact rather than absorbing them as float, and arrange shade, water and rest properly rather than as an afterthought — it is a legal requirement and it also keeps output up.