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Bitter temperatures stall outdoor work
A prolonged stretch of subzero temperatures is forcing some outdoor businesses to slow or halt operations as extreme cold strains workers and equipment across southeastern Wisconsin.
BUTLER, Wis. - A prolonged stretch of subzero temperatures is forcing some outdoor businesses to slow or halt operations as extreme cold strains workers and equipment across southeastern Wisconsin.
What we know:
At Dorshak Tree and Snow Services, winter weather is routine. This month’s cold snap, however, pushed conditions beyond what crews and machinery could safely handle. The company paused tree services for two weeks — the first shutdown of its kind in nearly four decades — citing safety concerns and mechanical failures caused by the cold.
"People who work outside in winter are just a different breed," said Ericka Everett, Dorshak Tree and Snow Services operations manager. "I think a lot of the industry is just rolling with the punches when it comes to weather."
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The decision, after 38 years, followed repeated problems starting trucks and keeping heavy equipment running. Frigid air can cause parts to become brittle and sensors to malfunction, increasing the risk of breakdowns in the field.
What they're saying:
"Out in the field, things with it being so cold, break a lot easier," said Timothy Schweigert, a mechanic. "They have a lot of sensors that work on levers and pressure sensors that freeze up because they get snow in there and it just gets stuck."
To protect machinery that must remain outdoors, the company has been covering equipment with tarps in an effort to retain heat. Management said the pause was also about protecting workers’ livelihoods during the downtime.
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"We want people to get paid, and have enough hours to support their families," said Everett.
Employees were eager to return once conditions improved, Everett said, and when asked how the company could help during the cold stretch, workers had a simple request.
"All of them are in really good spirits and I asked how we can support them, and they said: hot cocoa," she said.
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The Source: The information in this post was collected and produced by FOX6 News.