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Some Workers Can't Escape the Cold

2,647 views · Published 31 January 2014 · 1:57 · Indexed 1 October 2026

Channel: Dayton 24/7 Now · 2014 · News & Politics

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TROTWOOD -- The deep freeze seems to be keeping most Miami Valley residents indoors, but what if your job requires you to work outside all day long?That's just the case for Rumpke Residential Driver Jim Reeves.When we get these snow plows going down the road where do they push the snow? They push it on top of our cans, Reeves said. It makes his work day just a little bit tougher. He has been picking up trash for seven winters, but this might be his coldest yet. So you have to pull the cans out of the snow but that‚„s the nature of the job. He added, Can't ask the snow plows not to plow the streets!Reeves is one of about 2,500 Rumpke drivers in 35 local communities who drives with his or her door open, even when temperatures dip below zero. About two weeks ago on that Monday when it was bitter cold, minus 15 and wind chills minus 45, we didn't work, said Reeves. Rumpke didn‚„t feel like it was safe for us to go out on the routes 'cause just being out there for a couple of minutes in that kind of wind and cold is very dangerous.The company, however, says workers are trained to deal with the cold.We always talk to our drivers about the importance of dressing in layers, staying hydrated, eating well, Rumpke Spokeswoman Sarah Collin said.Reeves added that he can make anywhere between 500 and 600 trips per shift from the cab of his dump truck to the sidewalk to collect a garbage can.It's a physical job, he adds, but someone has to do it.Collin praised the local workers, saying, This isn‚„t a job for everyone it's definitely challenging. It's hard work, it's very physical, but it's very admirable what these men and women do from day to day in all weather conditions.

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