LANSING, Mich — Increasing wildfire smoke has affected people across Michigan, but those who work outdoors are facing some of the greatest challenges. Construction crews throughout the Lansing area are continuing work while taking extra precautions as hazardous air quality lingers.
- Wildfire smoke has created hazardous air quality across Michigan, posing added health risks for outdoor construction workers.
- Construction leaders say worker safety is their top priority, with masks available and accommodations made for employees with asthma or other respiratory conditions.
- While project schedules typically account for rain and extreme heat, the wildfire smoke has become an unexpected challenge.
- Despite the poor air quality, major construction projects in the Lansing area are continuing, with supervisors monitoring conditions and adjusting safety measures as needed.
WATCH: Wildfire smoke adds possible hurdle to summer construction season
"The number one priority is the safety of the workers. Without them, we can't do anything," said Greg Brooks with the Michigan Infrastructure & Transportation Association.
Summer is typically one of the busiest times of the year for road construction, with projects underway across Mid-Michigan. Andy Kilpatrick said crews are currently working on multiple projects, including a new bridge project in Kalamazoo.
"We have a lot of projects going on. Pretty much everything we've started is under construction, and we actually started a new one with the Kalamazoo bridge," Kilpatrick said.
Construction schedules are built with weather related delays in mind, such as rain and extreme heat, but this week's hazardous air quality created an unexpected obstacle.
"We plan for rain days and heat days, and we didn't see this coming, but this would account for one of those things also," Brooks said.
At one point, Michigan's Air Quality Index climbed above 300, a level considered hazardous. In response, construction leaders say they're monitoring conditions closely and providing protective equipment for workers.
"With the air quality, if people ask for them, we have masks that we're providing. If they have asthma or other conditions that may be made worse by this air quality, we'll try to accommodate them," Kilpatrick said.
Brooks said decisions about whether work continues depend on several factors, including the Air Quality Index, the physical demands of the job, and how much time workers will spend exposed to smoky conditions.
"They're going to base that on a lot of different things: the air quality index, which they can find online for the area they're in, the amount of labor involved in the work they're doing, and the amount of exposure they're going to have to the smoke," Brooks said.
For now, both Brooks and Kilpatrick say major construction projects are continuing as scheduled, with worker health and safety remaining their top priority as crews navigate the ongoing wildfire smoke.
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