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How to keep workers safe in scorching heat
When temperatures are as hot as they are right now, many of us want to stay inside. But workers don't have that option. So, how can we keep them cool and comfortable?
ATLANTA - When temperatures are as hot as they are right now, many of us want to stay inside. But for many workers, that's not an option.
"July is the worst. The guys bring extra clothes because they're just drenched in sweat," David Guzman, Foreman with Buckhead Outdoor Solutions, said.
The heat doesn't stop the team at Buckhead Outdoor Solutions from getting their landscaping job completed.
They have an air-conditioned cab on their unit as one investment to keep workers cool.
"We take breaks periodically, 10-15 minute breaks every hour. We've got water and Gatorades for the guys. Ice, we keep a pallet at the shop," Guzman explained.
Theirs is one of the professions at greatest risk of heat-related illness this time of year. Others, according to the CDC, include firefighters, farmers, and construction workers.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration reports 344 worker related deaths in the U.S. were heat related from 2011-2019.
OHSA says employers should have a heat protection plan in place that includes keeping employees hydrated, working shorter shifts, taking frequent breaks, and identifying symptoms of heat related illnesses.
The CDC also recommends limiting activities during the hottest parts of the day.
"[With] Our concrete crew, we try to start prior to noon, so we will avoid the peak of the heat," Guzman said. "We try to just avoid the heat as much as possible."
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