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On FOX 50 at 10: A teenager shot, killed in Nash County not long after his 17th birthday. Hear how his mother is keeping his memory alive — A teenager was shot and killed in Nash County not long after his 17th birthday. Coming up on FOX 50 at 10, hear from his mother about how she intends to keep his memory alive. more
Published: 2022-06-14 19:23:05 Updated: 2022-06-14 19:23:05
Posted June 14, 2022 7:23 p.m. EDT
By Chelsea Donovan, WRAL reporter
Raleigh, N.C. — While many of us have the luxury of working inside air conditioned spaces, that's not the case for people who maintain and build our roads and bridges.
Rain or shine, NC DOT workers are sweating it out – even during Tuesday's heat index, which threatened to rise as high as 105 degrees. Dozens of heat-related workplace deaths occur in the US yearly. According to OSHA, there were eight occupational fatalities due to heat from 2008-2018 in NC.
The NC DOT, however, says there is no threshold or ceiling to cut crews off -- no matter what the thermometer says.
"We are currently building an interchange at Airport Blvd," says DOT worker Natialia Arbelaez.
Arbelaez comes armed with water and allows for more breaks.
"Keep my truck running so the A/C is nice and cool, go to truck often and drink water," she says.
The record temps are not hot enough to pump the brakes on their work. To mitigate the effects of the stifling sun, the DOT says they sometimes cut a 12 hour day to 8. They also start the day earlier to limit working in peak hot hours.
They also recommend guzzling down at least a cup of water an hour, wearing wide brimmed or sun shaded hats, and taking frequent breaks. Most field staff wear long-sleeve shirts loose-fitting clothing.
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