Overcoming heat, ensuring progress of key projects

Since the beginning of May, extreme weather conditions, influenced by the El Nino phenomenon, have caused prolonged heat waves in the Northern region. This has forced construction sites of key projects in the province to adjust working hours and strengthen measures to protect workers’ health to ensure project progress.

Construction site of Ha Long Xanh intersection on hot days.

With the goal of continuing to ensure the synchronous development of connecting traffic infrastructure, there are currently dozens of key traffic projects being implemented in the province. This means that at construction sites, there are tens of thousands of cadres and workers working hard in harsh weather conditions due to prolonged heat.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tuan, a worker at the Ha Long Xanh intersection, said: This heat wave is really harsh. To overcome it, we have to work earlier in the morning and later in the afternoon, even working overtime in the evening to limit the effects of the heat. However, it only helps a little. On hot sunny days, combined with the heat from the concrete blocks on the ground, the workers really have a hard time.

In recent days, the average temperature in the province has been between 36-39 ^degrees Celsius. However, that is only the number measured in the air, while at the construction sites of key traffic projects in the province, under the absorption and emission of heat from thousands of tons of concrete blocks and newly paved roads, the temperature is often much higher. While most of the large construction sites do not have a single shade tree, the working environment is very difficult, seriously affecting the health of workers. This also poses a risk of labor shortage because many workers cannot withstand the harsh weather, leading to quitting their jobs.

Workers' break time at the construction site of Cua Luc 3 bridge.

To ensure the health of staff and workers, most construction sites have adjusted working hours 1-2 hours earlier. Instead of starting the construction site at 7am as before, now workers start their work at 5-6am and finish the morning shift at around 10am every day, the afternoon work schedule is pushed back to 3pm.

Mr. Le Xuan Manh, representative of Thinh Phat contractor constructing Cua Luc 3 bridge, said: The weather is harsh, however, due to the urgent time required to complete the project, we cannot delay. To ensure the health of the staff and workers in the prolonged hot weather, the construction site commander decided to change working hours, arrange work according to a rotating rest regime, and provide support tools such as wide-brimmed hats, moisturizing towels, drinking water, air conditioning, and fans at the workers' resting area.

Although the working hours had changed, at 3:00 p.m. on June 10, when we arrived at the Cua Luc 3 bridge construction site, the sun was still shining brightly, the temperature we measured was over 40 ^degrees Celsius, the workers were still busy with concrete blocks, tying each steel wire, pushing each formwork cart with the determination to complete the assigned work soon.

Air conditioning is provided in the workers' rest area.

On the approach bridge of Cua Luc 3 Bridge, currently in the finishing stage of the project, the number of workers present to carry out the work has decreased compared to the previous number of more than 300 people. However, nearly 100 officers and workers of the contractor Thinh Phat are still working hard in the sun, their bodies drenched in sweat. Under the rare shade of the girder-lifting crane, a few workers take the opportunity to rest, despite the heat from the steaming concrete. Occasionally, a few officers and engineers supervising the project take turns to get bags of cold water and ice to bring back to the construction site, pour them into a cooler for the workers to drink to cool off.

The hot and sunny weather has lasted for many days, but the construction atmosphere at the construction sites of the province's key transport projects is still no less "hot". With high determination for progress and responsibility for the project, the province's key projects will certainly be completed on schedule, put into operation, and promote efficiency after investment.

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