Working in the Cold - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Working in the Cold

The recent string of cold weather is having an impact on our daily lives.

Whether that means starting your car a little earlier, putting on an extra layer of clothing or walking quickly from your car to the warm building where you work.

However, the luxury of a warm building to work is not an option for some occupations.

With the temperatures hitting well into the negatives, days like today can be difficult for folks working in the elements.

According to Stu Sautner, project manager of Rolac Contracting, dangerously cold weather can delay construction jobs sites for sometimes several days.

Sautner says efficiency is a major problem when working outside.

But the more important issue is safety.

(Stu Sautner, Project Manager, Rolac Contracting) "It's too brutal for our guys to work outside. It becomes a safety issue more than anything. Because of the bare skin, frost bite and extremities, your feet and hands. It's just too dangerous to be out there."

Sautner adds there is no set temperature to determine if work can be done, saying it's a day to day call.