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  • Smart Home Remodeling’s Korie Holmes keeps cool in the 105-degree heat while painting a home on Lake Shore Drive Friday. Employers keep plenty of cold drinks on job sites for their workers, especially during the hot summer months. (Staff Photo by BONNIE VCULEK)

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Discussion

July 15, 2011

Working through the heat

By Phyllis Zorn, Staff Writer Enid News and Eagle

ENID — Day after day of triple-digit temperatures creates hazardous working conditions for those whose jobs are outside.

“It is very dangerous working out in this heat, and also the sun,” said Bob Berry, chairman of Bass Construction in Enid. “Hot or not, this has been totally oppressive, between the heat and no cloud cover.”

Berry said his company takes precautions to keep employees safe on the job. Employees are provided lots of water and work tasks are rotated out of the heat and sun during the afternoon, Berry said.

“If it’s at all possible we try to save portions of the project, or jobs at other projects, that are inside or in the shade in the afternoon,” Berry said.

Supervisors also take the word of employees who say they are too hot.

“We would rather have guys go home than have someone have a stroke,” Berry said. “In a case where we have nothing for them to do, we just tell them to go home.”

Billy McBride, safety director for the city of Enid, said the city also has many employees who work in the sun. Streets, parks, stormwater, wastewater, water production, landfill, airport, golf course, technical services and fleet management division employees work outside.

“We’re very sympathetic towards our employees and we tell them drink lots of liquid,” McBride said.

McBride said employees are encouraged to pay attention to indications they are overheated, such as nausea or light-headedness, and get out of the heat if they are experiencing symptoms.

“If they feel bad or even think they do, we let them take more breaks,” McBride said.

As the safety director, he drives around to work sites to check on employees working in the heat, McBride said. He had to take one to the emergency department several days ago because he was overheated.

“It’s very important to take care of our employees,” McBride said. “We can have all this equipment and if we have no one to operate it, we can’t do anything for the city of Enid.”

Homer Reddick, a licensed roofer in Enid, said the many days of high heat have slowed his business down.

“This is really unusual,” Reddick said. “It’s really slowing us down. We take breaks about every hour and sit down five or 10 minutes. We get water, Gatorade and tomato juice. That seems to help.”

Reddick had two crews working on houses Friday. The crews begin work early and knock off after about eight hours instead of putting in their typical 10- to 12-hour work days.

“It’s been slowing us down, but all my customers understand,” Reddick said.

At Tamco Plunger and Lift, an oil well service company based in Enid and Hennessey, workers are discussing starting their day earlier to beat the heat. They are drinking lots of cold water and sports drinks, said Margie Smith, bookkeeper.

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