DECATUR COUNTY, GA — Paving and road crews in Decatur County are adjusting their workdays and routines to stay safe as temperatures climb, with workers spending hours near asphalt that can exceed 300 degrees.
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City of Bainbridge Public Works Director Shannon Brock said the conditions around a paving operation are difficult to fully appreciate from the outside.
"It can be stifling. It's like walking in a building that has no air conditioning. But it's multiplied."
Brock said one of the biggest challenges during stretches of extreme heat is road paving, where crews work in close proximity to freshly laid asphalt.
"When the asphalt comes out of the plant, it's 300 degrees plus. So it's still steaming hot when it comes out from under the paver, which everybody's right around that paver when we're paving. So a lot of people probably don't realize how hot it is around a paving operation."
To get ahead of the worst heat of the day, the department has shifted its schedule earlier.
"Our normal workday starts at eight. We've been coming in at seven and knocking off earlier in the afternoon. Try to get more work done in the morning before it really gets as hot as it's going to get."
For Bainbridge neighbor Brayden Trolinger, who has only been on the job for about two months, adapting to the heat is already part of the routine. He said small steps throughout the day add up.
"They provide us with a cooler about this big and they have a huge ice machine. We can fill it up with waters and whenever we're driving from job site to job site, we're air conditioning and making sure we're hydrated."
Crews say that while they are used to working in South Georgia heat, hotter days require more planning, more breaks, and more awareness.
Health officials say the same warnings that apply to these workers apply to anyone spending time outside.
***This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.***
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