This week, the D.C. area is expected to see record temperatures as another heat wave moves through. For many, that means staying outside less and in the air conditioning more, but not everyone has that choice.
“We literally sweat the entire day that we’re out here,” said Jamal Butler, a project manager for the Maryland State Highway Administration.
Since June, his team, which includes workers hired by a contractor, have been working on replacing a Croom Road bridge, which goes over Charles Branch in Upper Marlboro.
On Tuesday — a day which had temperatures 10 degrees below what is expected on Thursday — Butler’s team was already going through a lot of drinking water while working in the afternoon sun.
On the hottest of days, especially for workers who must wear heavy protective gear at times, it isn’t out of the ordinary for them to have a bottle of water every 15 minutes.
“You want to make sure that you’re always (aware) of how much water you’re losing,” Butler said.
As it gets hotter, Butler said their normal stock of around five cases of water will be increased to make sure there is enough on hand.
Butler said his team also mixes in Gatorade powder to replenish electrolytes, and most aim to watch what they eat when the weather is less than ideal.
“The things that people don’t always think of (is having) healthier snacks during the summer. Let’s make sure we have some fruit, berries, things that aren’t too heavy,” Butler said.
At the Croom Road project, there is plenty of shade from trees situated alongside the road, but it isn’t always available to road work crews.
“When the sun is directly above, we try to make sure to rotate the guys out, especially the ones that are doing a lot of heavy lifting. We try to give them a 15- to 20-minute break and AC just to cool them off in time (to) get them through the rest of the day,” Butler said.
Butler said paying attention to your body is also very important for anyone spending a lot of time in the hot sun to protect yourself from getting sick, such as heat stroke.
“Once you start to feel like things are going left, and they’re not how you typically feel, take a break, get out of the sun, go in the house, go in the shade, get some water, because water is going to be your best friend,” Butler said.
On work sites, he said, all workers also watch out for one another, especially on the hottest days.
“If we notice somebody’s sweating a little more than usual, we’ll say ‘Hey, buddy, take a break. Here’s some water, go sit in the shade for a second,'” Butler said.
Butler said the message to his team and anyone else who needs to be out in the sun is to never overexert yourself.
