PennDOT implements heat safety procedures

SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — You don’t even have to move to work up a sweat in this weather, but imagine working on the roads in it.

PennDOT is implementing heat safety measures to keep employees safe.

The Parker Street Bridge replacement project is underway in the scorching heat. PennDOT officials are taking extra precautions to ensure crews are kept cool.

“Providing additional water, rotating personnel so somebody’s not working out in the heat all day, also we’ve kind of adjusted their shifts so instead of starting at 7:00 p.m. we’re starting a little earlier so we can end our days earlier,” said Kaitlyn Drumheller PennDOT District 4 Maintenance Engineer.

“Safety talks” about the conditions are done with employees on a daily basis. Some operations like crack sealing are either done early or avoided altogether on hot days.

“When you’re talking crews that are paving, placing that hotter material, you’re standing next to material that’s a couple hundred degrees, on top of it being a 90-degree day. So that’s where the important role comes in that they’re staying hydrated, taking breaks,” stated Drumheller.

Drumheller says the implemented safety measures will not cause any delays to ongoing projects.

“All of our projects do have a schedule, so it is important whether we have rain days and stuff we do account for that in our schedules to ensure that any planned work for the year is completed,” added Drumheller.

Construction workers are 13 times more likely to suffer fatalities related to heat-related illness than those in the general population.

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