Construction Workers Deal With 107 Degree Heat
By: Adam Rodriguez
Updated: June 28, 2012
Eddie Martinez is as tough as his tools. The guy bends steel bars for a living.
"I'm a rod buster," Martinez said. "I do rebar placement for concrete reinforcement."
Even his job title sounds tough. But Eddie stops for water breaks, because heat like the 107 degrees that fell on Little Rock Thursday can be meaner than steel.
"When you're thirsty, you already know you're getting dehydrated. You're dehydrated," Martinez said.
It's not hard to burn up on the concrete, where the radiant temperature was 113 degrees, and heat records were falling like jersey barriers.
"These guys get used to it somewhat," said Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department engineer Kevin Hall. "But there's only so much a body can adapt to. There's just... gotta use common sense."
Common sense stuff like drinking lots of water, finding shade, and knowing when to pull back.
"You just have to pace yourself," Martinez said. "Pace yourself during the day. Don't overexert yourself. The minute you start getting dizzy, start drinking water."
Because even the sturdiest steel is no match for extreme heat.
"I'm a rod buster," Martinez said. "I do rebar placement for concrete reinforcement."
Even his job title sounds tough. But Eddie stops for water breaks, because heat like the 107 degrees that fell on Little Rock Thursday can be meaner than steel.
"When you're thirsty, you already know you're getting dehydrated. You're dehydrated," Martinez said.
It's not hard to burn up on the concrete, where the radiant temperature was 113 degrees, and heat records were falling like jersey barriers.
"These guys get used to it somewhat," said Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department engineer Kevin Hall. "But there's only so much a body can adapt to. There's just... gotta use common sense."
Common sense stuff like drinking lots of water, finding shade, and knowing when to pull back.
"You just have to pace yourself," Martinez said. "Pace yourself during the day. Don't overexert yourself. The minute you start getting dizzy, start drinking water."
Because even the sturdiest steel is no match for extreme heat.
