How Hot Does it Have to Get Before Grand Junction Crews Shut Down

The Grand Junction, Colorado region recently spent some quality time basking away in 100+ heat. How hot does it have to get in Grand Junction before road construction crews can shut down and seek cooler temperatures?

While the question may seem simple, the reality is a direct answer is hard to come by. It may be there is no concise answer.

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A Few Years Ago In Grand Junction, Colorado

My original post on this topic went out six years ago. I had just recorded the short video above showing crews working on Grand Junction's 5th Street bridge on the way to Orchard Mesa. Just the other side of the bridge, the insurance company's sign reads "104 degrees as of 4;19 p.m."

I placed a call to CDOT that next morning. As it turns out, they did not know the answer to the question regarding road crews and temperatures. As a matter of fact, they claim they've never been asked the question before.

Next Stop - OSHA

What are the OSHA guidelines regarding road construction in triple-digit temperatures? Ready for this? Apparently, there are no guidelines. It seems OSHA has no standards when it comes to working in hot environments.

According to OSHA's official web page:

Outdoor workers who are exposed to hot and humid conditions are at risk of heat-related illness. The risk of heat-related illness becomes greater as the weather gets hotter and more humid. This situation is particularly serious when hot weather arrives suddenly early in the season, before workers have had a chance to adapt to warm weather.

Of course, the outdoor air temperature alone is not enough to determine how bad work conditions are. The "heat index" is a value taking into account both temperature and humidity. OSHA provides the following information regarding the "heat index."

OSHA

Fast Forward to July 2022

Just last week it was so hot and humid in Grand Junction I got stuck to my couch. Seriously, I couldn't get up. It seemed like an appropriate time to revisit the question, "How hot does it have to get in Grand Junction before construction crews can shut down?"

Another Call to CDOT

It struck me as wise to reach out to CDOT again. The CDOT webpage offers a live chat where you can ask questions to CDOT representatives. Here's an outtake from that conversation.

https://www.codot.gov/

A Conversation From Years Ago

It seems safe to say each construction company would have some guidelines regarding employees and extreme temperatures, hot or cold. Years ago, I received a call from a road construction worker saying it had to hit 110 degrees before their crews could shut down.

Kudos to the hardworking Western Colorado crews who continue busting their buns in the triple-digit summer temps here in Grand Junction. It is my sincere hope some "ceiling" does exist with the various contractors regarding workers and temperatures.

Grand Junction Picks the Toughest Jobs to Work in the Summer Heat

We asked you to give a shout-out to all the hard-working crews who work outdoors in the summer heat. Scroll through Grand Junction's picks for the toughest job to have outside during the triple-digit heat.