Extreme Heat Forces Keystone Plant Shutter

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Watch today’s Featured Video to see WSBT-TV’s telecast of the following story.

Wednesday (Aug. 12) was another hot and humid day. In fact, it felt like 100 degrees. And for those who have to work in the heat, it can be unbearable — and dangerous, WSBT-TV, South Bend, Ind., reported.

Plant workers at Keystone RV Co. in Goshen didn’t have to go to work. It was just too hot. The company sent employees home early Tuesday when the heat became unbearable, and decided not to bring them back Wednesday.

It is a safety measure for employees who work hard in a building that on a hot day could see temperatures in the triple digits.

Just after noon on Wednesday it was 89 degrees in Goshen, but inside the plant at Keystone RV, ”It feels kind of like a sauna. Real hot and humid,” says Jason Crow.

Crow works at Keystone RV. He was one of a handful of workers who punched in to unload freight. Other than that, the plant — which is normally busy with more than 250 workers — was empty.

“We made the call last evening about 4:30 that we weren’t even going to bring them in today,” said Tim Edwards, the human resources manager.

Edwards says without air conditioning in their plants, when the heat index rises into the 90s, Keystone executives have to consider employee safety.

“This is very physically demanding work,” Edwards said. “They are moving at a fast rate of speed trying to get the units out and it gets really warm. It is really easy to overheat when you are not paying attention.”

After only a few minutes inside the plant Wednesday morning, a thermometer read 88 degrees. And that was in an empty plant. Imagine more than 250 people in the same building, all doing physical labor. And many of the employees work inside the RVs, which get even hotter.

“If it is 85 in the plant, it could get up to 90 to 95 in the unit,” Edwards said.

Company officials say when making a decision about heat, they go day-by-day and generally send employees home when the heat index is between 95 and 105 degrees.

Edwards also says they do their best to educate the supervisors and employees about what to watch for, and they provide them with cold water and Gatorade everyday.

Also, there are air conditioned break rooms and offices available for people that need a break.