Experienced Workers Share Challenges as Arctic Temperatures Impact Work

HEWITT, Texas  — Central Texas construction workers are battling extreme cold this week, with temperatures plummeting as low as freezing levels. Despite years of experience, seasoned workers like Angel Paulino are still learning how to manage under these harsh conditions.

"You got to keep moving to kind of stay warm, but even then, you know, you're trying to cut boards or carry boards. It's cold, it's hard, it's hard on everybody," Paulino said, capturing the struggle of working in freezing temperatures.

While most people are bundled up indoors, some workers, like those in the construction industry, are still on the job. The cold front has made construction tasks much more challenging, and workers are finding ways to adjust.

“Geez. It's been brutal,” Paulino said, reflecting on the relentless cold that has made work on construction sites harder than usual.

Adapting to Freezing Conditions Despite Experience

Having worked for SS Commercial for 15 years, Paulino’s extensive experience doesn’t make extreme weather any easier to navigate. He admitted that despite his years of work in various conditions, the freezing weather is still a difficult challenge.

“Would you say that you're used to this cold weather at all?” Kadence MaKenna, the reporter for 25 News, asked Paulino.

“Oh, not at all,” Paulino responded. “I think I’ve got like, four layers on right now, I got four layers on. I've got some jeans, and I got two layers under that. So, I don't feel it. I don't really feel it on my body, but where I feel it is my fingers and my toes.”

Even with the extra layers, Paulino mentioned that he still faces discomfort, particularly in his extremities, which are tough to keep warm. The biting cold seems to make even the simplest tasks harder.

Temporary Solutions to Stay Warm

To combat the freezing temperatures, Paulino and his team are taking extra precautions, including taking frequent breaks to warm up. The company’s superintendent built a small shed on the worksite, which has been equipped with heaters to provide a warm place for workers to take refuge.

“He built a little shed out there. Had some heaters going in it for us to warm up. And we'd go out there every couple hours to keep warm,” Paulino explained. “We tell the guys, you know, if you get too cold to take some time to warm up and whatnot, and then come back out whenever you feel like you're ready.”

This new addition to their workday is helping, but the cold continues to pose serious challenges.

Equipment Struggles and Delays Due to Freezing Weather

The extreme cold is not just affecting the workers—it’s also interfering with the equipment they use to get the job done. “We had a hard time powering up our compressors, our air guns, they would freeze over,” Paulino shared. “The batteries are freezing up too,” adding that it’s become nearly impossible to work effectively without the equipment functioning properly.

The cold weather has turned some of the tools they rely on into liabilities, slowing down their progress and adding to the frustration.

Looking Forward to Warmer Days

As the weather continues to make work on construction sites difficult, Paulino remains hopeful for a change in the forecast. “There’s days whenever you just can’t do anything about it,” he said. He and his team are pushing through, but they're all looking forward to warmer weather that will make their jobs easier and more manageable.

“Just gotta tough it out for a little while,” Paulino concluded, as he continued his work, braving the cold in order to get the job done.

Despite the struggles, these dedicated workers continue to push forward, relying on each other and their experience to keep working through the worst of the weather. They know it’s just a matter of time before the temperatures rise again, and their work becomes a bit more manageable.

Originally reported by Kadence Makenna in 25 News KXXV.