AUSTIN, Texas — Texas weather never ceases to amaze. Wednesday, temperatures were in the 80s. On Thursday, Central Texas dropped into the 30s. One day we're wearing shorts, the next, we're reaching for our winter coats.
While many are bundled up at home or at the office, others continue to work. Mechanics are one of those that feel all the temperature changes while on the job.
KVUE headed out to an auto body shop to check in on the mechanics. Donnie Shumate described what he's feeling working in the 30-degree weather.
"Your hands kind of get numb," said Shumate. "You can't feel what you're doing. You know, the engine, if it's been sitting outside long enough, it's even colder than what you're working on. It just adds up."
This cold weather cracks his hands. Sometimes he can't even feel when he gets hurt. Shumate usually wears bundles up has a hoodie on hand. He wishes he could wear more, but doesn't want to ruin his good clothes.
"You get into tight areas, you know, so you don't want to wear nice stuff because you'll get it all oily, greasy and tear it," he added.
Justice Favor, a service rider at Central Texas Auto Care, said they also do other things to try and stay warm.
"We definitely have a whole bunch of propane heaters running all the time," said Favor. "We like to keep the door closed just to keep the heat in."
However, keeping the doors closed hurts the business.
"Pulling the cars in and out of the shop, you lose a lot of the heat that you do trap inside the shop," said Shumate. "But then again, you can't have all the doors closed because then you don't look like you're open."
So, all they can do is deal with it and keep warm as much as they can.
"We just kind of get in front of that little propane heater and like thaw our hands for a few seconds and then go back to it," said Favor.
With cold weather expected for the next couple of days, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is asking employers to protect workers from the dangers of cold stress.
The common types of cold stress are:
- Hypothermia
- Frostbite
- Trench foot
They recommend employers provide them with all the cold weather clothes they need and allow for quick and warm breaks.
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