Timothee Legros, a worker for Small's Construction Co., drinks water this past week during his lunch at a job site in North Augusta. High temperatures are forcing people who work outdoors to make several trips to the water cooler. BRANT SANDERLIN/STAFF

Workers tested by heat

Web posted June 29, 1998

 Beating the heat

By Kristen Wyatt
Staff Writer

When Jessee Mealing blacked out at the car wash where he works, he had to rest for about 30 minutes before he could manage to drive home. He felt nauseous and faint, he said, but his illness didn't come from a bacteria or virus.

It came from the sun.

This month's temperatures are 5 to 7 degrees above normal, and no one is feeling the heat more than people who work outside.

Daytime temperatures have topped 90 degrees for about three weeks, according to the National Weather Service. Augusta's temperature reached 102 degrees Saturday and again Sunday. Today's forecast calls for a high of 100.

The blazing heat makes it ``almost impossible'' to work outdoors, said Mr. Mealing, who works at Speed Car Wash on Walton Way in Augusta.

``I couldn't handle it,'' he said. ``I make myself drink three big glasses of water every night before bed. And I sit down when I can. But I've got to work out there, and there's no staying cool.''

Mr. Mealing's approach of drinking extra water and taking frequent breaks is probably the best way to stay safe on the job outdoors, said Richard Eckert, a chief emergency room physician at University Hospital.

Community education has helped reduce the number of people admitted to the hospital this summer for heat exhaustion, Dr. Eckert said.

``There's a noticeable drop in people coming in with heat-related problems,'' he said. ``We've had community efforts to let people know they need to drink extra fluids and take it easy when it gets this hot. I'd say it's gotten much better.''

But Dr. Eckert warned that people who work outside shouldn't think they can handle the heat.

``Conditioning doesn't have anything to do with it,'' Dr. Eckert said. ``I've seen well-trained athletes come to the emergency room. Even if you're used to being outside, get into the shade and make sure you have air circulating across your skin. Start early and take a long lunch.''

One local construction team for R.D. Brown Contractors begins work at 7 a.m. daily to prevent heat exhaustion. But superintendent Jim Hunt said there's little he can do to keep his workers cool as they build an addition to First Baptist Church of North Augusta.

``You just have to fight the weather. It's tough,'' Mr. Hunt said. ``We've got Gatorade and ice water, but when you're pouring concrete you've got to stay with it. You can't really take it easy in this kind of job. Summer's the worst, especially this summer, and it's really hard on the guys.''

``But they're tough,'' he said. ``They fight it and work real hard.''

Beating the heat

Tips for staying cool outdoors

-- Drink at least one glass of water every hour while you're out.

-- Wear loose, light-colored clothes.

-- Take frequent breaks in the shade.

-- Wear a high-SPF sun-block lotion.

-- Schedule the most exhausting work in the morning or late afternoon.

-- Work at a slower pace than you're used to.

Source: National Weather Service