Hopefully you’ve been able to enjoy some vacation this summer, and relax somewhere cool and shady.  Of course, that seems to be harder and harder to do as weeks go by.  Our country has been in the grip of a tremendous heat wave over the last several weeks, and this is on pace to be one of the hottest summers in record.  For those of you in the asphalt & paving world, this isn’t news.  Hopefully this isn’t news to you either: it is critical that those working around hot pavement and machinery take extra precautions to remain hydrated and cool.  There are many ways of doing this, but the most obvious is drinking plenty of water throughout the day.  QPR ShopWorx wants to help keep your crew hydrated this summer.  We have great prices on our 5 & 10 gallon Igloo coolers, and are even giving away coolers for free with a minimum purchase of Personal Protective Equipment.

Has your plant manager thought out providing warm mix asphalt to your customers and paving crews?  While traditionally thought of as a additive for cold weather paving options, our QualiTherm warm-mix additive can be used to lower the temperature of both your plant, saving fuel, and your production temperatures, saving your paving crew from additional heat exposure.  These crews are already exposed to extreme temperatures and conditions improving our infrastructure, and a 75 degree difference in laydown temperatures can mean a lot less stress on a worker’s body.

Paving Crews work better in hot summer conditions when the laydown temperature is lower using WMA

Staying cool while out on the job site can also be done by taking more frequent breaks, staying in the shade as often as possible, and wearing loose-fitting clothing with a lighter fabric for summer heat.  Staying out of the sun is also important for a worker’s skin health – be sure to wear plenty of sunscreen with high SPF rating (55+).  Make sure someone on your crew is trained in first aid in case of a heat emergency.  Stay safe this summer – hopefully Fall won’t be along too late!

Some other news of note – QPR ShopWorx reps are coming to your area with demonstrations of our great line of message and arrow boards.  We have demonstration units throughout the country and are visiting with contractors, local government, and other agencies on a regular basis, and we can come to you too!  Contact your rep today and schedule a demonstration of our user-friendly, durable message boards.