Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

HOT HOT HOT

Record-breaking temperatures making life tough for outdoor workers in Kamloops

Jun 28, 2021 | 3:18 PM

KAMLOOPS — It is HOT outside. Like record-breaking hot. That’s perfect if you’re able to go spend your day down at the beach at Riverside Park. However, for the folks who have to work outside, temperatures like the ones we’re facing can be dangerous.

“This is the beginning of Hell week,” Carrie Campbell, who works with Latina Landscapes, says. “It’s hot already — 10:30 am, 30 degrees — and only getting hotter.”

When temperatures crack the 40-degree mark, as they have been lately, it can significantly shorten the workday for folks who have to do so outdoors.

“By 11:00 or 12:00, if it’s too much then it’s time to wrap it up,” roofer Riley Hoffman explains. “Even if you have a little bit left to do, it’s not worth it to push yourself and have the risk of getting heatstroke.”

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According to Medical Health Officer Dr. Carol Fenton, heatstroke and heat exhaustion are the two main concerns in temperatures like these.

“The best thing you can do is avoid the heat,” Dr. Fenton says. “The hottest part of the day is from 11:00 am until 4:00 pm, when the sun is at its most intense. So staying indoors, finding a cool place to hang out, staying in the shade, and staying hydrated — especially in that period — is the most important thing.”

However, there are some steps folks who work outdoors can take during weather like this to ensure they remain safe from the sun’s scorching rays.

“If you have to be outside, find some shade,” Dr. Fenton suggests. “If you can’t find shade, make your own with light-coloured, loose clothing. Sunscreen is really important because we can also get burnt from the sun, and the sun is really intense at this time of year.”

For Riley Hoffman, there aren’t too many places to find shade when he’s up on a roof. That’s why he makes sure he’s keeping a close eye on his hydration.

“When it’s this hot, minimum four litres a day,” he says. “I bring a big jug — usually freeze it halfway overnight, then fill it with water at the start of the morning. Then I’ve got another one-litre jug I bring with me.”

If you are out there working, Campbell suggests taking plenty of breaks, as well as keeping an eye on your co-workers and yourself for any ill effects from the sun.

“I’d rather they take the breaks — we take the breaks — versus taking someone to the hospital with heat exhaustion,” Campbell says. “I don’t want to do that.”