HUMBOLDT — Summertime at B&W Trailer Hitches leads to two working environments inside the manufacturing plant, Mike Taylor said: warm and warmer.
“You have to remember, some of those machines we use can put out a lot of heat,” Taylor said. Combining those with triple-digit temperatures outdoors can create tropical environments indoors.
Taylor, human resources manager for B&W, said the company and its employees take extra precautions during prolonged hot spells, such as this week’s weather.
Employees are encouraged to drink plenty of fluids throughout their shift, during and between breaks, and containers of water are set up near work stations, Taylor said.
“We really don’t get too worried if they take a few extra minutes for breaks,” Taylor said.
B&W also supplies neck coolers — wraps dipped in water or filled with ice and draped around a person’s neck — to any employee who wants one, Taylor said.
“Those neck collars are pretty effective,” he said.
In addition, B&W’s workshops have large industrial fans to keep air circulating, even if it’s warm.
B&W’s goal, Taylor said, is to have well-rested — and healthy — employees.
