ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — Duke Energy is celebrating Linemen Appreciation Day after workers spent much of this particularly hot summer in the direct heat of the sun.
“We call them industrial athletes,” said Phil McGee, a lead health and safety consultant with Duke Energy. “A lot of times you’re carrying 70lbs of equipment when you’re trying to climb a pole or moving from one area to the other, and it’s very strenuous on the body.”
If you combine that with a uniform that must be fully insulated or non-breathable, McGee says it’s a recipe for heat-related illness that they actively have to prevent…