The heat and close quarters in garbage collection trucks can feel suffocating even with A/C – which, at one point this summer, 1 in 5 Austin Resource Recovery trucks did not have.
When the air conditioning breaks down in a passenger vehicle, it's just an unpleasant inconvenience. But in garbage collection trucks, like the ones operated by Austin Resource Recovery crews, it's a different story. Operators constantly stop and go from one curbside customer to the next, preventing trucks from building airflow to cool drivers, who sit inside a tightly confined cab, directly above the truck's engine compartment.
But if the summer of 2022 is a new brutal baseline, working outdoors has become much less safe. The National Weather Service defines temps between 93.3 and 101.2 degrees to be in the"Extreme Caution" zone, which can cause"heat stroke, heat cramps, or heat exhaustion." From June 1 to Aug. 31, the average temperature in Austin was 88.8 degrees – the second-hottest year on record . There were 68 days with 100-degree heat in 2022, the third most ever.
ARR employees, along with the union that represents them, AFSCME Local 1624, have asked management to find a sustainable A/C solution for years. Several ARR employees told us that broken A/C units continued to be a problem this summer. Rodney Sutton was so frustrated by management's inadequate response that he took the unusual step of complaining publicly at a City Council meeting.
ARR Assistant Director Tammie Williamson said operators are instructed to take the mandatory breaks, even though finishing routes on time is a top priority. But ARR does not track if employees take the breaks, so they can't say if the policy is effective. Safety supervisors conduct field audits, but monitoring individual operators for mandatory break compliance is impractical.
Snipes refuted this characterization of the department he leads and denies that employees are ever forced to take out unsafe trucks."At no time will we ever ask anybody to take a vehicle out that they feel is unsafe," he said."It's just not something we believe in. If they feel a vehicle is unsafe, they should immediately elevate that concern to the fleet coordinator.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Austin police identify man found dead in South AustinAPD says it received a 911 call just before 5 p.m. on Dec. 6 about a shooting in the 700 block of Mankato Drive.
Read more »
Austin City Council approves base rate charge increase for Austin Energy customersAustin City Council approved increasing the base rate charge on a 7 to 4 vote. This comes after customers already saw a $15 increase on their bill last month.
Read more »
Endeavour Silver announces 600moz indicated resource for newly acquired Pitarrilla projectEndeavour acquired the Pitarrilla project from SSR Mining in July 2022 for total consideration of $70 million and a 1.25% net smelter returns royalty.
Read more »
Five Film Books From AustinFrom Pinocchio to psychotic women, your gift guide for cinema-centric reading material.
Read more »
VIDEO: Man walks inside North Austin home while homeowner is inside, steals from fridgeIn front of the homeowner stood a man about 5’9 with a black Adidas sweatshirt, black jeans, and no shoes. He told her he came inside her home because her back door was unlocked.
Read more »
Denise Austin, 65, shares stunning midriff-baring photo as she talks staying slim during the holidaysDenise Austin gave tips for avoiding weight gain and bloat during the food-filled holidays as she shared a photo of her toned abs.
Read more »