Road construction workers are mercilessly exposed to the heat. The chief foreman Namir Kasami keeps his nerve even when the temperature is well over 35 degrees. heat free? That would no longer be Switzerland, he says.
“Born for this job”: chief foreman Namir Kasami prefers to sweat than to freeze.
In the next few months, Namir Kasami will build 1.7 kilometers of road, it is one of the longest construction sites in the city of Zurich. In Höngg, the tracks of tram line 13 will be replaced. As chief foreman, Kasami assigns the work to the approximately forty street workers and makes sure that it is carried out correctly and on time.
The 54-year-old Kosovar has been living in Switzerland for 32 years. How long has he been working in construction? It is the hottest day of the year so far, the thermometer measures 35 degrees in the shade. The conversation in the container of the road construction company Vonplon AG was scheduled for an off-peak hour, which means 4 p.m. for construction workers.
My clothes are sticking to me even though the air conditioner is on. You, on the other hand, look pretty cool. Do you even sweat like the rest of us?
The body gets used to the heat when you are exposed to the sun for hours. The same when it’s cold and raining, which I have a lot more trouble with, by the way. It’s unusually hot now. I try to stay relaxed.
They wear helmets, steel-toed shoes. Sure, it’s about safety. But doesn’t a construction worker’s wardrobe offer airier alternatives in the summer?
A roof cap instead of a helmet, that’s not possible. The helmet is mandatory on the construction site, no matter how hot it is. Until recently, we weren’t even allowed to wear shorts. I’m much more comfortable in shorts.
Accidents are more common on construction sites when it’s hot, Suva warns. Do you notice that too?
I can only think of one worker who had to be hospitalized years ago after collapsing in the heat. But the reason for his collapse was very simple: he hadn’t drunk enough.
Drinking – a magic word.
We must drink at least 4 or 5 liters during the day. I also pay attention to my workers. The booth organizes free drinks for us. Because the construction site is extensive, we always carry a bottle with us. Of course water, beer on construction sites is forbidden today. We are also allowed to draw water from the hydrants, for which we have a key. This is how we refill the empty bottles.
The Unia trade union demands that construction workers be free from heat above 35 degrees and that work on the construction site be suspended. Would you welcome that?
Difficult. Everyone would probably love to get heat free. But there is time pressure in construction. You have a clear schedule from the client as to when something has to be finished. That’s how it works in Switzerland, that’s the system. Work is everything, you have to be efficient. One does not ask: Are you too warm? But: Can you meet the deadline? That’s not the fault of the construction companies, that’s the way this country works.
Do your people sometimes protest because they find it inhumane?
If someone called me in the morning and said he wasn’t coming to work today because it was too hot for him, I would say to him: Are you crazy? That would really stink. With such a large construction site, there are many dependencies, for example with the VBZ. You can’t just take a week off. I am also responsible for the construction management. And they also have to follow the guidelines. If she doesn’t, the job is gone.
Then you don’t think the persistent heat is that bad?
I always say: In Switzerland it’s never hot for two or three months straight. A week or two, and then it goes down again. This is bearable.
The Sydefädeli retirement home is right next door. I assume the residents show a lot of mercy?
Yes, they often speak to us. They say how hot it is, they feel sorry for us. I understand you. When you’re 80 or 90, you can’t imagine doing this work voluntarily. (laughs)
You start work at seven in the morning. Wouldn’t it make sense to start at 5 or 6 in midsummer and finish earlier?
This is not allowed because of the noise protection regulations. You rarely get a permit for this from the municipalities. If so, the residents complain.
Nine hours is a long working time. Trade unionists also want to shorten them.
That would require a lot of extra people, and there are no longer any in the construction industry either. Fewer and fewer want to do this job.
With an air temperature of 35 degrees, it is much hotter on the road, especially when the asphalt surface is laid. Do you have to protect yourself from burns?
If you work with liquid asphalt at around 160 degrees and 30 degrees come from the top, it is around 70 degrees hot in the middle. However, the asphalt cools down quickly after paving, so you don’t have to protect yourself.
Is it air conditioned in the excavator?
Yes, mostly. But the cabin is not completely locked. Because you get on and off a lot and you have to communicate with your colleagues outside.
How do you relax in the evening?
After the shower I sleep an hour or two before. Afterwards, I often sit in the garden or surf and find out about world events. The Ukraine war, the shortage of skilled workers. I read a lot of newspapers, from the «Bild» to the NZZ. I go to bed between eleven and twelve.
What countries do your workers come from?
On this site mainly from Kosovo, Macedonia, it has Portuguese, Swiss and Germans.
Do southerners tolerate the heat better?
The men from the Balkans are actually tougher than, for example, workers from Romania, the Czech Republic or Moldova.
What is important to you as a boss?
I want to lead my people without making them angry or bored. But I’m also there for you. Some tell me about their private problems. Or they bring me letters from authorities that I have to explain to them. Although some are older than me, I am like a father to them. I feel that they value me. Today I handed out ice cream.
Why did you become a road worker?
I always wanted to be a construction worker. Even as a boy, I helped out on construction sites during the summer holidays. My father also worked as a road construction worker in Germany, but the family stayed in Kosovo. I am convinced that one was born for a profession.