One of my favorite bands of all time is the country act of Randy Owens, Teddy Gentry, and Jeff Cook of The Alabama Band.   In 1985 Alabama produced a song that still makes me stand up straight, and puff out my chest with a smile, because I believe this song is as relevant today as it was twenty six years ago, called “Forty Hour Week”.

    In this song The Alabama Band gives a tribute to those individuals that keep America running.  “The people in this country that work hard every day, and the fruits of their labor are worth more than their pay”, that’s a great line.  One that I feel represents everyone who’s out persevering through the extreme conditions of a Mississippi summer.  If you are one of the fortunate few that have the luxury of working in the air condition right now, I’m asking that you take a moment to step out from behind your desk, and thank someone who keeps you comfortable.  Think about it, it’s not just your air conditioning specialist, it’s the electrician, the plumber, the carpenter, the landscaper, the insulation installer, the roofer, the road worker, the heavy machine operator, the steel worker, the auto mechanic, the firefighter, the mail deliverer, the farmer, this is just a short list of some of the professions that are battling these extreme conditions each and every day. 

    Most of the people I know working in these professions, wouldn’t trade places with those of us working behind these desks for one second, even though they are all fully capable of doing so anytime they wanted.  They do this because they love what they do, and most have a deep sense of pride in battling these harsh conditions.  But many times this sense of pride puts them in very dangerous situations.  Workers who are exposed to extreme heat or work in hot environments may be at risk of heat stress.  Exposure to extreme heat can result in work related illnesses and injuries.  Heat stress can result in heat stroke, heat exhaustion, or heat cramps.

    Here’s a bit of perspective on what some of these workers are dealing with today.  My company works primarily in attics and on rooftops.  So I asked one our technicians to take some temperature measurements while they were working a few days ago, and their results scared me.  One attic reading came back as high as 150 degrees, and one roof surface temperature was 175 degrees.  If you have someone performing these types of services for you, how about offering them a drink of water, and at a minimum, keep an eye on them, especially if they are working by themselves. 

    So for all you who come home late at night covered in sweat, with dirt and grease under your fingernails, I quote Randy Owens by saying “hello America let me thank you for your time”.

    Chad E. Vaughn is vice president of The Service Company of Mississippi, LLC.

E-mail him at Chad.Vaughn@the-service-company.com or visit the company’s website at www.the-service-company.com.