J.D. Slaughter, S&B Engineers and Constructors
Is Re-work painful? Yes, according to J. D. Slaughter P.E., Vice President at S & B Engineers and Constructors Ltd., who spoke at the February 2016 Program Meeting held by the Southeastern Construction Owners & Associates Roundtable (SCOAR). Slaughter referenced a study his company conducted several years ago where they found that 72% of their workplace injury incidents occurred during unplanned work or rework. S&B Engineers and Constructors used that data to shield workers from the inevitable variability that occurs on projects.
In the context of crane and rigging operations, Cliff Dickinson, President of Crane Industry Services LLC, says, “When rigging there are many ways to connect a load. The only right way is when the rigging has the load secure and there is no possibility of the load slipping out of the rigging. When training crane operators, we emphasize that operators have responsibility to lift only after they are certain. No operator should lift a load wondering if it will work. Crane operators carry a significant share of the responsibility for lift safety.”
Slaughter held the SCOAR safety committee’s attention as he explained, “When crews have work that they have to ‘touch again’ due to rework or unexpected work, injuries are more likely to occur. The engineering and safety plans are not as fresh but work proceeds.” Slaughter recommends “shielding crews from variability” to maintain safe job sites.
Having led numerous projects for skilled craftsman, Dickinson suggests the following ways to safeguard crews.
Verifying and refreshing communication. When rework is required, it should be a standing safety policy to restate the work plans and responsibilities in the same detail as if the work had not been previously discussed or performed. This reduces the chance for there to have been gaps in communication and helps to identify if new procedures need to be added to the work process.
Practicing problems. Many companies hold safety briefings, but physically going through the motions (practicing) the response to a simulated problem may reveal gaps in the plan or the level of understanding or ability of the crew. This is why lifeguards practice CPR techniques on dummies.
Review and recite the safety and work plans. If the plans are too complex for the skilled workers who are responsible for delivering the work, then the plan is not actionable. Have a clear, job-relevant, single page plan that every responsible person can restate and demonstrate. This might include providing pictures or graphics to communicate “if this happens, then we . . .”
Hiding the clock. Set expectations for time of completion before work begins. Adding pressure to complete, when skill and precision are essential to the work, detracts from craftsmanship. Putting the focus on the clock, jeopardizes safety and quality.
Be certain and confident. Finally, here’s some more sage advice from Slaughter: “Great project safety is allowed to occur when projects have certainty.” Be certain all aspects of the lift and work plan are clear and the crew can execute with confidence.
Why Women are Good for Construction
/in Company News, Resources, Skilled Labor Supply /by Tracy BennettBy Debbie Dickinson
In the United States, women represent less than 9 percent of construction workers, according to 2014 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and only 1.3 percent are working as operating engineers or other construction equipment operators. Other countries report similar statistics. There are a variety of reasons women don’t consider construction as a career path. 1) Parents and education systems have not traditionally encouraged girls to explore STEM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) careers. 2) The perception is that there are few mentors and networking opportunities to gain access to employers. 3) And, there are questions about the work environment for women.
Diversity drives innovation. A 2013 University of Pennsylvania study and a subsequent one in 2015 indicates that men and women bring different strengths to the table. “Male participants tended to perform better at spatial and motor tasks, whereas female participants were on average superior at nonverbal reasoning and recognizing emotions,” reported NYMag.com. Diversity drives creative thinking and innovation.
High emotional intelligence reduces conflict. As noted above, women bring a different skill set to the job site when it comes to communication. Effective communication leads to increased safety and productivity. (The People-Profit Connection by Brent Darnell and More women in construction—an intelligent solution by Michelle Brennan.)
Being tech-savvy contributes to productivity. FMI, citing a survey by HR Policy Foundation, reports that millennial workers make significant contributions to their workplaces due to their inquisitive nature, tech-savviness, and drive for innovation. Today’s construction sites are technology-based, which levels the field between genders on the job site. Modern cranes, for example, are hydraulically controlled and feature sophisticated operational controls, reducing the amount of physical exertion needed to run the crane.
Placing value on training sets the tone for safe work sites. In an NCCER blog post, Mittie Cannon, Director of Workforce Development for Robins & Morton, shares that many of the women working in the construction industry whom she has talked to place high value on training. Someone who is willing to learn the right way to perform work is an asset employers.
What’s good for the job site is also good for the C-Suite. Female owners and managers in construction are increasingly on the rise. (Women are breaking through the concrete ceiling by Deena Shanker.) Crane Industry Services is one of those. This spring, CIS successfully renewed its certification from the National Women Business Owners Corporation (NWBOC) as a Woman Business Enterprise. WBE status is achieved only after filing legal paperwork establishing female-majority ownership of a company. WBE certification from NWBOC requires a thorough application process and in-person site visits.
Females interested in learning more about career opportunities in construction can contact me at debbie@craneindustryservices.com. Or check out this resource list for women in construction.
February 2016 Newsletter
/in Newsletter Archive /by Tracy BennettCliff Dickinson, President of Crane Industry Services LLC (CIS) discusses how to safeguard crews from crane and rigging accidents due to re-work or unplanned work. Communication is key to prevention. According to J.D. Slaughter of S & B Engineers and Constructors Ltd., his company found that 72% of injuries occur during rework or unplanned work. He recommends shielding crews from variability to maintain safe job sites.
Slaughter recently spoke to members of the Southeastern Construction Owners & Associates Roundtable. He shared a study his company conducted, which found that 72% of their workplace injuries occurred during unplanned work or re-work.
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How Re-Work Impacts Safety
/in Employer Responsibility /by Tracy BennettJ.D. Slaughter, S&B Engineers and Constructors
Is Re-work painful? Yes, according to J. D. Slaughter P.E., Vice President at S & B Engineers and Constructors Ltd., who spoke at the February 2016 Program Meeting held by the Southeastern Construction Owners & Associates Roundtable (SCOAR). Slaughter referenced a study his company conducted several years ago where they found that 72% of their workplace injury incidents occurred during unplanned work or rework. S&B Engineers and Constructors used that data to shield workers from the inevitable variability that occurs on projects.
In the context of crane and rigging operations, Cliff Dickinson, President of Crane Industry Services LLC, says, “When rigging there are many ways to connect a load. The only right way is when the rigging has the load secure and there is no possibility of the load slipping out of the rigging. When training crane operators, we emphasize that operators have responsibility to lift only after they are certain. No operator should lift a load wondering if it will work. Crane operators carry a significant share of the responsibility for lift safety.”
Slaughter held the SCOAR safety committee’s attention as he explained, “When crews have work that they have to ‘touch again’ due to rework or unexpected work, injuries are more likely to occur. The engineering and safety plans are not as fresh but work proceeds.” Slaughter recommends “shielding crews from variability” to maintain safe job sites.
Having led numerous projects for skilled craftsman, Dickinson suggests the following ways to safeguard crews.
Verifying and refreshing communication. When rework is required, it should be a standing safety policy to restate the work plans and responsibilities in the same detail as if the work had not been previously discussed or performed. This reduces the chance for there to have been gaps in communication and helps to identify if new procedures need to be added to the work process.
Practicing problems. Many companies hold safety briefings, but physically going through the motions (practicing) the response to a simulated problem may reveal gaps in the plan or the level of understanding or ability of the crew. This is why lifeguards practice CPR techniques on dummies.
Review and recite the safety and work plans. If the plans are too complex for the skilled workers who are responsible for delivering the work, then the plan is not actionable. Have a clear, job-relevant, single page plan that every responsible person can restate and demonstrate. This might include providing pictures or graphics to communicate “if this happens, then we . . .”
Hiding the clock. Set expectations for time of completion before work begins. Adding pressure to complete, when skill and precision are essential to the work, detracts from craftsmanship. Putting the focus on the clock, jeopardizes safety and quality.
Be certain and confident. Finally, here’s some more sage advice from Slaughter: “Great project safety is allowed to occur when projects have certainty.” Be certain all aspects of the lift and work plan are clear and the crew can execute with confidence.
More heavy equipment technicians needed
/in Resources /by Tracy BennettThe Associated Equipment Distributors Foundation released a workforce study in January which estimates that the U.S. heavy equipment distribution industry loses at least $2.4 billion each year as a result of dealers’ inability to find and retain technically skilled workers. Crane Industry Services, in partnership with West Georgia Technical has the ability to train, qualify and certify personnel, using NCCER curriculum. Hands on training and classroom is available at the West Georgia campus, locations in the NE and at customer sites.
Among the skills qualified equipment technicians possess are knowledge of diesel equipment technology, electric/electronics, and hydraulics/hydrostatics.
According to Steven Johnson, VP Foundation Operations for AED, before moving onto 2-year college programs, high school graduates should lay the groundwork with courses in advanced mathematics, sciences, including physics, writing, and speech.
“Construction equipment technology is highly complex and sophisticated and diesel programs are not all alike,” says Johnson. “On-highway diesel truck programs are not sufficient.” AED accredits construction equipment technology programs at nearly 30 colleges in North America and many more are in progress. AED accreditation for such programs include six key subject clusters: diesel engines, hydraulics/hydrostatics, electric/electronics, power trains, A/C & heating, and safety/administration. Learn more at AED Foundation.
Construction Industry Partners with Career and Technical Educators
/in NCCER News /by Tracy BennettNCCER’s 2015 Construction Career Pathways Conference, sponsored by Fluor, Turner Industries and Build Your Future, was held on Nov. 19, 2015 in New Orleans. More than 160 representatives from the construction industry and education worked together to create common, actionable goals to implement in their communities.
View materials from the conference, including best practice profiles, speaker bios, collaborative activities, fact sheets and more. Save the date. The 2016 Construction Career Pathways Conference will be Nov. 30 in Las Vegas.
December 2015 Newsletter
/in Newsletter Archive /by AdminCrane Inspections
Conquering the Post-Assembly Inspection of a Limited Edition Crane
Post-assembly crane inspections happen on jobs across the country every day, but, it’s not every day that the cranes include enormous, limited edition machines. Crane Industry Services was called on by Maxim Crane Works in 2015 to deliver a third-party, post-assembly crane inspection of their Manitowoc 31000, of which there are only two in the world, and by Derr & Isbell Construction for two Liebherr LR 11000s configured with the PowerBoom (P-Boom). Read the newsletter…