Outdoor workers ‘got to get out there and get it done’ despite heat warning in Waterloo region | CBC News

It’s business as usual for most people working outdoors, despite the fact that Environment Canada has issued a warning for heat and humidity through to Friday.

The heat warning was first issued on Wednesday, which saw temperatures reaching as high as 33 degrees.

Brandon Butler works for a company that helps businesses when someone breaks the glass panels on a storefront.

He said his crew is ready to get work done — no matter what the weather looks like.

“From 8:30 til 4:30, we’re outside working with glass all day long and the heat, sweating, so it gets a little tough to breathe sometimes. Just drink lots of water and keep it going because we do emergency work, so rain or shine, we got to get out there and get it done,” Butler told CBC News.

Ian Little is a framer and carpenter who works outdoors most of the day.

He said hot weather is no excuse to skip work.

“Sometimes you’re trapped in the inside of the walls with no coverage over top because the floor is not built yet and you’re stuck in that four walls of heat, so you gotta stay hydrated. It’s nice to wear clothing that’s just light. Not so much dark colours like I’m wearing now, but something that the breeze will flow through nicely,” Little said.

Jordan Higgins said doing construction work out in the heat for several hours of the day can quickly catch up to you.

He said he recently felt the impact of extreme heat at the end of his shift on Tuesday.

“I went straight home, showered, I hardly ate because it was so hot,” he said. “I was exhausted.”

Cities, region trying to keep staff safe

The cities of Cambridge and Waterloo and the Region of Waterloo are making sure staff know how to keep themselves safe during extreme heat and humidity.

Lisa Dunlop, Waterloo’s manager of health, safety and wellness, said they are asking staff to “schedule more physically demanding jobs during the cooler hours of the day” and to also “pay attention to any heat related symptoms that they or their co-workers may experience” while on the job.

Kitchener is sharing similar tips with its staff.

Spokesperson Shawn Falcao said in an emailed statement that the city is also asking its staff to “wear breathable, loose-fitting clothing” and “increase and take breaks in a cool place, in the shade or an air-conditioned space”.

Allison Jones, spokesperson for Cambridge, said safety of staff is a priority.

“Employees working outdoors in heat or poor air quality are encouraged to: slow down the pace of work and reduce their physical exertion … limit sources of air pollutants while in their vehicle by keeping windows closed, set air conditioning to recirculate if possible [and] use personal protective equipment like N95respirators, eye protection.”

Scott Cressman, a representative of the Region of Waterloo, said their staff receive safety resources for summer heat.

He said they also ask staff to “be aware of the weather forecast and outdoor work being assigned” and drink plenty of water.

Both the city of Cambridge and the Region of Waterloo’s spokespeople said that staff are trained on heat stress awareness.