As another scorching August approaches, we decided to take the temperatures of the Triangle's job market - literally.

Equipped with a thermometer, we visited six extreme work environments. At one, you could fry eggs on broiling-hot asphalt. In a walk-in icebox, workers wear ski gloves and sprout facial icicles.

Summer's sultry air exacerbates the heat for open-flame grillers, roofers and pavers. But workers in chilled environments don't always have it easier in the summertime.

Those who perform these hot and cold jobs shrug off the work conditions.

They know their limits. The frigid workers stay bundled. The hottest ones say they take plenty of breaks and drink plenty of water. In the end, it's just another day at the office.

Staff photo by Harry Lynch

Juan Garcia Plant Manager, Maple View Farm Milk Co. Age: 30 Length of time with company: four years Temperature during recent visit: 34 degrees, ambient temperature inside cooler. Garcia spwnds three hours a day every morning in a walk-in refrigerator, sorting milk bottles and filling orders for delivery to local food stores. He rattles off dairy products in his native Spanish: "leche enter" (whole milk), "esquim" (skim milk), "leche de chocolate" and "crema" (cream). Garcia works on a concrete floor, surrounded by aluminum walls. It's a pleasure to work on the farm, he says. It sure beats the construction work he used to do in California or washing dishes in Texas. Maple View Farm in Hillsborough has 350 head of cattle on about 400 acres. He wears gloves and a sweatshirt, but no coat. It's not even freezing in the fridge. "You can't really wear more because you wouldn't be able to moce around very well all bundled up." Garcia said. In the dead of winter, inside the refrigerator feels downright balmy, he said. Especially when it's freezing outside, then the fridge is a refuge of physical comfort.

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