TULSA, Okla — Tulsa just experienced a consecutive eight days with temperatures above 100 degrees.
For construction workers, the weather could make all the difference.
WATCH: ‘Your body is an indicator’: Construction workers keeping safe in heat:
‘Your body is an indicator’: Construction workers keeping safe in heat
Marcus Moreno is a program manager who said his family business has been operating for about 15 years in Tulsa.
He said luckily, none of his workers have experienced any heat-related injuries while on the job.
FLORES: “How do you handle being in such high temperatures and keeping everyone safe?
MORENO: “Mainly just hydration and lots of breaks. Make sure it’s not just water, but also electrolytes. You know we make sure we get Gatorades, electro electrolyte packets, just to pour in water, and you know, just try to be in the shade.”
He said it’s important to switch up workflows when it gets hot out so that everyone can stay safe.
“I think it’s just based on experience, to say the least,” he said. “Your body is an indicator, and it will tell you, hey, it’s time to you know get a break and it’s being on top of the roof. It’s also, it’s hard.”
2 News reached out to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, that runs under the U.S. Department of Labor.
While the organization has no specific requirements when it comes to working in the heat, a representative provided some information regarding recommendations on their website urging managers to help prevent heat-related illnesses.
Info states managers should provide water for shorter jobs, and water and electrolytes for jobs lasting longer than two hours.
Advice also states breaks, preferably in the shade, should last long enough for workers to recover from the heat, and that skipping breaks isn’t safe during hot conditions.
In other cases, OSHA states heat exposure could be fatal if not handled properly.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere —
