A Sustainable Workforce Starts With You
Safety is paramount in construction. It must be top of mind at all times. The construction industry has taken great steps to create safe worksites and it is paying off. As Construction Citizen has reported, the injury rate on construction sites in Texas over the last decade has fallen 50 percent. That progress can only be maintained through vigilance on every job site every minute of every day.
On July 21, six Texas Chapters of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and its member companies renewed their partnership and established a two-year agreement with the Texas offices of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the United States Department of Labor (OSHA), in order to recognize the importance of ensuring a safe and healthy work environment in the construction industry. [node:read-more:link]
“The Future is here, it is just not very evenly distributed yet.” - William Gibson, Author
Advanced technology is screaming onto the construction jobsite today. Everything from remote driverless dump trucks to self driving concrete trucks, smart phones, ipads, laser scanners, thermal imaging cameras, RFIDS and geospatial devices are all being adopted by contractors on the jobsite. Some companies are investing in the new technologies and others are waiting. They will soon be screaming if they don’t pay close attention to the rapid development of augmented reality and its impact on all parts of our industry.
Personal protection too, is about to get a makeover for the first time in decades. [node:read-more:link]
After an increase in construction related deaths, the New York City Council is poised to consider a raft of proposals aimed at increasing safety on jobsites throughout the largest city in America. Crane safety is on the minds of council members as is the oversight of smaller jobsites.
If this package is passed, there would be stricter monitoring of “troubled actors” and increased penalties for lawbreakers.
More details from a site called Crain's New York Business:
The legislation, called the Construction Safety Act, is led by Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, but some elements could face resistance from Mayor Bill de Blasio, who has ambitious goals for housing development and has clashed with construction-worker unions. The mayor has already expressed skepticism with one of the council measures, a bill to require training programs for construction workers. [node:read-more:link]
Professors try their best to convince their architectural students that they “rule the world and the jobsite.” Many of them grow to believe that myth and some of them live that way. Few are well-versed on jobsite safety. Even if they are among the few who receive training, occasionally the most safety-conscious architect makes a simple mistake and pays for it with his or her life.
According to reports, Bruno Travalja, architect and owner of Crowne Architectural Systems in New Jersey, was doing an inspection and some last minute measurements on the 42nd floor of a mid-rise tower in New York City when he fell to his death in a tragic accident. [node:read-more:link]
Safety is all around us, and it is not just something you practice at work. There are hazards all around us. From everyday tasks, such as plugging in your devices into the outlet, to toys or clothes on the floor. Safety should be something we practice every day. It should be a part of our culture. Cutting corners can lead to catastrophic consequences and can ruin someone’s life in an industrial or construction setting. It can also cost your company a ton of money, not to mention having your reputation tarnished.
Companies have become more safety oriented with time, but there are still people out there who are willing to sacrifice safety just to gain that almighty dollar. There are some who preach safety on one end and speak a different language on the other end. With that being said, it is always good to have a refresher in some of the basic safety topics. There are training modules in place to help those coming into the industry and modules to remind those that have been in the industry for awhile. [node:read-more:link]
AIG may be considering having those they cover for workers’ compensation wear devices that record movement in order to reduce on-the-job injuries. [node:read-more:link]
“Congratulations, you have been selected to be a part of the team! Your starting date will be….”
There are no sweeter words than these that I’ve heard in the eight months I scratched and clawed, typed, copied and pasted my instrument and electrical technician resume and work applications day after day. Of course, with some breaks in between as I focused on school, I prepped myself to get back into the workforce. After getting settled in, signing paperwork, and completing training modules, it is finally time to get moving!
One word came to mind as I put on my hard hat and safety goggles after completing my training modules: Planning. If you fail to plan, plan to fail.
As I start my day, I go into my emails and check to see what is lined up for the day. Whether it be PMs (preventative maintenance), specific projects, such as replacing a valve, or completing company training modules, the day starts off by planning. [node:read-more:link]
Marek Dallas Division President John Hinson wrote the following President’s Message for AWCI's Construction Dimension magazine. Hinson is the 2015-2016 President of AWCI.
I am honored to serve our industry for the next 12 months as president of the Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry. I have worked in the wall and ceiling industry for 31 years and owe my success to my teammates who helped me perform to the best of my abilities. I am talking specifically about the craftsmen in the field who are making it happen every day. Without them I would not be in the role I am in today. In fact, not many of us would be in our current roles, right? We would not be successful, and we would not be in this business. We owe them our gratitude. [node:read-more:link]
