Construction, maintenance workers take extra precautions to get the job done in the Texas heat
FORT WORTH, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Spending time outside in these scorching temperatures is unavoidable – and dangerous – for those who work in industries like farming, construction and maintenance.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more workers die of heat-related causes in Texas than in any other state — 113 between 1992 and 2017.
Texas summers are always hot, but this year's seems especially brutal.
"I've been working in roofing for five years, and this is the hottest summer I've been in," said Rosbel Mendoza, an employee of Ramon Roofing in Fort Worth. "No lie, no lie. It's too hot."
Mendoza says he has to take precautions to avoid getting heat exhaustion.
"Drink water, wear my long sleeves, my hat, my mask," he said. "Take little breaks, go in the shade, because it gets too hot."
An investigation by the Texas Newsroom and Columbia Journalism Investigations found at least 53 people have died working in the Texas heat since 2010. More than 75 percent of those deaths happened on days where the high temperature was above 90 degrees.
Paul Ramon, who owns Ramon Roofing, takes the danger seriously, making sure his workers stay hydrated and end their days early.
"A lot of people think because it's summertime, when you have more daylight, you get more production done," Ramon said. "Well, that's not the case. We actually slow down. We don't get as much production done during this heat."
Federal law requires employers to maintain a hazard-free workplace, but there's nothing on the books in Texas to specifically protect workers from the heat, like mandated breaks, shade requirements, or rules about providing water on job sites.
The City of Dallas requires employers to give construction workers 10 minutes breaks every four hours.
OSHA announced plans last year to create a heat-specific rule for the workplace, but it could be years before the new standards are implemented.
"Workers need help now," said Dr. Juley Fulcher with the advocacy group Public Citizen. "We are very happy to see that OSHA is working toward a standard, but they can't wait that long."
Public Citizen published a recent report that indicates the situation is even worse than what federal data indicates, since heat-related illnesses are often underreported or miscategorized.
"There are probably about 170,000 workplace injuries due to heat stress every year in the country," Dr. Fulcher said.
OSHA launched a heat safety campaign earlier this year focusing on the importance of water, rest, and shade. They also recommend employers:
- Encourage workers to drink water every 15 minutes.
- Take frequent rest breaks in the shade to cool down.
- Have an emergency plan ready to respond when a worker shows signs of heat-related illness.
- Train workers on the hazards of heat exposure, and how to prevent illness.
- Allow workers to build a tolerance for working in heat.
