Sky Harbor vendor in violation of heat ordinance
A company under investigation for not doing enough to protect their employees in Arizona’s extreme heat is once again under fire, with Phoenix city officials accusing them of still not complying with the city’s heat ordinance. FOX 10’s Kenzie Beach reports.
PHOENIX – A company under investigation for not doing enough to protect their employees in Arizona’s extreme heat is under fire once again.
What we know:
Officials with the City of Phoenix say LSG Sky Chefs, a company that works on Sky Harbor’s tarmac, is still not complying with the city’s heat ordinance.
Over the last couple of weeks, the two parties are not seeing eye to eye on the air conditioning standards in these catering trucks.
The backstory:
The city’s Aviation Department requires enclosed trucks on the tarmac to have the capabilities to cool down to 75 degrees, or 40 degrees less than the outdoor temperature.
LSG Sky Chefs employees came forward in a July 2 Phoenix City Council meeting, revealing the company’s catering trucks were without working air. Employees said they were promised new trucks in May.
“Working without functioning units, it’s insufferable and even dangerous,” one employee said.
“I have a family. I got so many bills to pay, but I feel unsafe working under that condition,” said another employee.
Now, in the dead of the summer heat, the Aviation Department’s investigation found LSG Sky Chefs noncompliant.
“I mean, the fact that as a city, we had to do this and that is not something that some of these companies think about day in and day out on how it would keep their workers safe. I just think it’s inhumane,” said Phoenix City Councilmember Betty Guardado.
What’s next:
The Aviation Department will now do regular inspections. If found in violation, the letter states, “LSG Sky Chefs will be subject to all remedies available to the city, including termination.”
The other side:
In a statement, officials with LSG Sky Chefs said it will be removing vehicles from operation that do not have functioning air. The company plans to continue productive conversations with the city of Phoenix to address any outstanding issues and has recently purchased cooling towels for staff.
