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Summer is a great time of year. More vacations take place during summer than any other time of year. It’s a wonderful time for enjoying family time. Living in Florida gives us an even better chance of finding ways to take advantage of one of the best states for water sports, fishing, family fun and making memories. However, along with all those outdoor activities, there are some safety concerns when interacting with our natural world. Poisonous Plants: There are some common plants that are poisonous in our state. Poison ivy, Poison oak, and Poison Sumac are the most common. There are others and it would be a good idea to be able to recognize them. Snakes: There are six very poisonous snakes in Florida. The Coral Snake, the Eastern Copperhead, Florida Cottonmouth, the Pigmy Rattlesnake, the Timber Rattlesnake, and the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake. There are many other common snakes we might see in our gardens and yards and many of them are beneficial and harmless. It’s important to educate children that almost all snakes will bite if mishandled. Creepy Crawlies: You wouldn’t think of a Monarch Butterfly as poisonous, but it’s on the list, along with Black Widow spiders, Brown Recluse Spiders, Fire Ants, Centipedes, Scorpions, Wasps, Yellow Jackets and Hornets, Deer Flies and Mosquitoes. Obviously, there are more so it’s a good idea to be able to identify the most common. Repellents and recognition of personal sensitivity to these insects might save a life. We live in a wonderful area. Almost an endless summer, filled with great things to do. We can get the most enjoyment out of these things by being aware of the conditions that might compromise our fun. No one wants to live in a bubble. That’s not what life is all about but it’s wise to recognize that there are some hazards involved. After all, don’t we deal with hazards as an occupation? We are hoping you are having a wonderful and safe summer. Jeff Blomgren Director of Safety

We want you. If you are in the utility construction business of safety, you need to be part of an organization where you have an opportunity to share ideas and solve problems that you normally must figure out on your own.. Why reinvent the wheel? We have a tremendous amount of institutional knowledge all around us and you can bet that someone has experienced the same issues you may be facing and has solved them successfully. We are a creative and essential industry. If the tool doesn’t exist to help us safely do a task, we can make it. If there’s a problem to be solved we can solve it. The best thing we do in our industry is solve problems. We do it every day. When you get a set of plans, it’s really just an idea. We know it’s supposed to be that way but, how many times do we find out it just doesn’t work? Who fixes that? We do. With all we learn individually every day, don’t you think it would sometimes be a great idea to get together with likeminded people and maybe figure out a better way? The Safety Director’s Forum provides us with the opportunity to help each other navigate the process of safety and production by finding a better way of accomplishing our goals. We have always felt that safety should be shared. If you have a better way, let’s hear it. If you want to share something that works for you, share it. The safety of our people should always be a top priority. We are regulated in how we do what we do. There’s nothing wrong with that. The results of how we do that, we might need to figure out. We might even have to put the brakes on some overregulation, and we have had to do that many times. We can only do that by group participation. NUCA does that really well. The Safety Director’s Forum does the same thing. We are all in this for the same reasons. Making a living and making living better for our customers and our country. We can also be better at doing what we do. We are competitors. It’s the American way. But we don’t compete when it comes to the safety of our work family. Let’s do it together. Contact Kathy Blackman for further information.

In this time of scarce manpower and a transient workforce, we need to look at employee retention and the techniques necessary to understand what incentivizes an employee to stay with the company. So many times, we are told that, “I’m just a number.” “My boss doesn’t do anything but yell.” “I am not appreciated.” There’s a whole list of reasons why employees leave but most of them center around a need for a sense of belonging. Being a part of something is important. Knowing that the part they are playing is contributing to the betterment of the company is so important when it comes to becoming a team player. Many times, a really good foreman or superintendent is good at their technical jobs but not so good at team building. Team building has more to do with people skills than technical skills. A supervisor that calls workers by their names or holds a conversation where the employee has a chance for personal interaction, is building confidence and culture. It’s as simple as putting the employee’s name on their hard hats. Having an interest in the personal life of employees, without being intrusive, is important. Simple questions, “How was your weekend?”, “Kids doing okay?” prompts a response that takes a working relationship to the next level of a personable one where the employee matters. What does all this have to do with safety? If an employee feels necessary and that he or she is a part of the process, that employee works harder to make the company successful. They also understand that their personal safety and the safety of others is important to the people they are working with and for. No one will intentionally do anything to harm the work family if they feel that they are part of that family. It doesn’t take much to make a difference in someone’s life, but it is essential we do.

Normally, the articles that appear here are focused on safety. This is a little bit different in that it relates more toward opportunity as well as safety. Today, women make up 46.8% of the workforce in America but only 10.9% of those women work in construction. That means that for every 10 people in construction only one is a woman. Are we missing an opportunity? One of the major advantages for women in construction is that women make 99.1% of what their male counterparts make. That’s higher than any other industry. In addition, there is job opportunity. There are lots of different jobs and, progression is much higher in construction than in other industries. The unique aspect of construction is that in addition to the physical and mental exertion required, it also creates opportunity for problem solving. A natural skill that women possess. Many women have a natural instinct for operating machinery. Equipment operators are valued and hard to find. In fact, labor is hard to find. Are we exploring every opportunity? Women are coming out of the military with skills they have acquired while in service. Many of those skills can be adapted to a career in construction. Many women are looking for something different. They don’t want the college education and a 9-5 job in an office someplace. They want freedom, fresh air, and a challenge to be a part of something, to create something. This is the safety part. Any company that has women in the construction workforce recognizes that there are some issues that need to be addressed which include some of the unique safety requirements. PPE may need to be specific to the physical makeup of women. Smaller vests, smaller gloves, even smaller hard hat liners or fall arrest harnesses. Sanitary facilities or areas may need to be considered. Jobs that require more physical strength may have to be carefully assigned. Construction is a demanding occupation. Many women are single parents and there could be child care issues, transportation concerns, work hours, pregnancies, or any number of possible roadblocks but they can be overcome with effective recruitin g and screening methods. The value added is that we are faced with a shrinking workforce as it stands today. Unless we can think out of the box and take some creative steps, we will continue to struggle to find people who are even interested in doing what we do. Are we missing an opportunity?

There are so many requirements for compliance under the regulations that we need to be involved in as safety professionals. One of those things is safety committees and regular safety committee meetings. Top level support at these meetings is very important. To have an effective participation level, there must be an accountability for attendance. “If the boss is there everyone is there.” It’s a reality that we are all very busy people, and another meeting can become just another meeting, so how do we make the safety meeting special? First, it’s a commitment to the safety process. Second, an effective committee has involvement on all levels. Having input from people who are doing the work gives a real perspective to the process. Third, rotating membership annually provides a fresh look at the program for more people. Fourth, providing monthly information on safety performance and celebrating successes is a vital part of the process. Fifth, being effective in creating visual examples of safety performance, successes and failures, establishes measurements that can be acted on. Sixth is creating an opportunity for change. A platform for change can be useful. One thing that works well is to identify what’s working and keep doing it, what’s not working and what needs to be done to fix what’s not working, and what can we do to make things better. It’s called START, (start something good), STOP,(stop doing anything not contributing to the success of the program), and CONTINUE, (keep doing those things that have a positive influence on the safety process). Every member has a chance to contribute to each one of the categories and visually listing those suggestions create an opportunity for the group to focus on the items that have the greatest impact and that can be completed before the next monthly meeting. Each item has a person or group assigned to it and that person or group reports the completed item at the next meeting. Each safety meeting is scored by the members 1-10, 10 being the best. Opportunities for suggestions or criticism or positive comments are provided. Meeting results are shared with the company and recorded. Safety committee meetings can be routine and, “Just another meeting”. But if the process is effective and the program is solid, the safety meeting will be an event that is anticipated and supported. The best evidence of an effective safety committee is the willingness of people to want to be part of the process.

In my 30 plus years of involvement in safety, I have learned one thing. If you want people to do the right thing, teach them what the right things are. In a labor market where we struggle to get qualified people to accomplish our contractual obligations we are faced with the reality that qualified people are very difficult to find. Also, our industry does not attract younger workers. The current education system lacks the emphasis on vocational training and are intent on qualifying students for a college education, many times, in useless degree disciplines. Many graduate and can’t find employment in their chosen area. Our industry pays well but the stigma of working in dirt only seems to appeal only to us and to farmers. We need to be able to reach a new market somehow. We need an infusion of candidates willing to work hard. Perhaps, with so many people leaving the job market in protest of government controls and mandates we may have an opportunity to provide a good living to people who want to make a change. If that happens, we need to advertise the opportunities and be prepared to help them understand the industry. That understanding comes with training. So many times we find that accidents and incidents are caused by lack of knowledge and understanding of the job tasks being performed. We rely on field training to take care of the education necessary to prepare a worker to do a job safely but that’s not always the best policy. There needs to be either a classroom environment or a similar process where the basics of the business and an outline of the expectations can be exchanged. Dialog can be established where new employees can learn the basics of what they might expect in the work environment. Explaining the simple things like PPE use and fundamentals of safe workmanship. Expectations for timeliness, accountability, attendance, skill development, communication channels, all can be accomplished by an effective orientation. The definition of “ORIENTATION” is “The direction someone is facing or the way someone tends to go.”. Our obligation is not to expect or assume that training will occur. We need to be sure that it begins in an orderly and consistent process that includes the intent that we will start someone “facing the way they need to go” and be sure that the process is continued through the life of employment.

Ask any owner or COO or CFO of any utility construction company what the biggest impediment to profit is, and 9 times out of ten, they will tell you it’s rework. Some studies have shown rework can be as much as 8 times the cost of the initial installation. That doesn’t take into consideration the exposure to employees to additional hazards and risk and the impact to contractual obligations. There are some instances where rework can’t be avoided. Design problems and plans that have to be adjusted or projects that are so huge that the scale exceeds the ability to effectively control everything can make some rework inevitable. Rework can be controlled. Measuring and tracking rework is a good start. Holding everyone accountable for their workmanship is a real deterrent. No one likes to be called out for poor workmanship. Poor project management, poor supervision, unskilled labor, miscommunication, lack of training, no quality cont rol standards are all causes. Some of the items listed are inevitable. The labor market may be stressed to the point that the only employees in the labor pool are those with little skill or experience. Project time limits may impact the time needed to adequately train employees on how to do the job effectively. It can also be due to hiring urgency and lack of priority in standards. “If the body is warm, you are hired.”, doesn’t work very well and you end up with a revolving door of new hires and labor issues. Leadership at all levels is a key to eliminating rework. Performance standards that reflect professionalism and effective oversite are key essentials to controlling rework. Accountability is very important. Making every employee responsible for their workmanship and rewarding according to performance, enhances the opportunity for a successful project. Many companies think they cannot afford a quality control department. However, if those companies track the actual and the hidden costs associated with rework, the addition of a quality control team makes sense. A word of caution. The quality control program effectiveness is dependent on being autonomous. It cannot answer to anything other than the most senior leadership. Everyone knows about time constraints and contract deadlines and profitability, and if a project is going sideways and there’s a need to stop work, it’s not a popular decision. No one would admit that happens but in reality, production pressures often drive the project. Nothing could be more harmful than ignoring a problem. There’s a quote by Jarod Kintz that goes like this. “Ignoring a problem is the same as being ignorant of it.” Our effectiveness as an industry is dependent on providing a quality product for our customers. Our profit margins are not so great that we can afford to do things twice. “If you don’t have the time to do it right, what makes you think you’ll have the time to do it over?” Seth Godin

Anyone who has raised teen agers knows the value of good housekeeping. What they learn early on will sustain them throughout life. However, if the groundwork isn’t laid early on, those good habits will not only be ignored in their personal lives but in their business lives as well. As anyone who has had military service knows the importance of good housekeeping. They will tell you that it can be a matter of life and death. That’s no exaggeration in the workplace either. Take the example of the excavator operator who practices poor housekeeping. There’s dirt accumulated on the floor of the operators cab and there are tools on the floor. One of those tools became wedged under the brake pedal and the operator tried to stop and ran into the superintendents truck. Or the pile of form boards that are laying all over with nails sticking up and an employee has a puncture to his foot. Examples like this abound in our industry and they don’t need to. There are some simple steps that can be taken to correct poor housekeeping. Teach employees to clean up after themselves. Recognize good practices, correct poor practices Schedule routine cleaning. Couple it with inspections, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, safety equipment. Set aside a time at the end of the day or week to clean up. Store materials neatly to avoid handling more times than necessary. Keep tools and equipment organized. Ask any utility company what their small tool costs are and the answer will be “too much”. Lost tools and damaged equipment is a direct impact to the bottom line. The results of good housekeeping steps can be measured. Less waste. Clutter consumes time and resources. Employee retention. A clean workplace builds responsibility, pride and ownership. Fewer repairs. Anyone knows that washing your own car can help you identify scrapes and maintenance items that might go ignored. Regular maintenance and cleanliness extends the life of machines and equipment. Reduced exposure to hazards. A clean work space is a safe workplace. That may sound contrary to the type of work we do, but many slip trip and fall hazards can be eliminated by good housekeeping. We expect good housekeeping in areas where we think it might be important to us. Grocery stores, restaurants and businesses are locations where we expect things to be easy to find, healthy, and accessible. Why not have that same expectation in our workplaces. Wouldn’t it be interesting to have something like “THE YARD OF THE MONTH” for construction sites? “JOBSITE OF THE MONTH”. Have you got one?

Setting Up an AED Program The AHA strongly encourages organizations to implement AED programs to increase the chances of survival of those who suffer sudden cardiac arrest. All worksites are potential candidates for AED programs because of the possibility of sudden cardiac arrest and the need for timely defibrillation. Each workplace should assess its own requirements for an AED program as part of its first-aid response. According to OSHA, among the issues to consider in setting up a worksite AED program are physician oversight; compliance with local, state and federal regulations; coordination with local emergency medical services (EMS); the creation of a quality-assurance program; and the performance of periodic reviews. Key steps to setting up an AED program at your workplace include: Getting medical oversight. The FDA may require a physician’s prescription to purchase an AED. The physician’s role varies depending on the program’s size and other characteristics. Responsibilities may include signing off on or making recommendations on training plans, policies and procedures; evaluating AED data recorded during an emergency; and helping assess each use of an AED to recommend improvements. Working with local EMS. Most states require employers to coordinate their AED program with local EMS and to provide follow-up data to EMS after the device is used. In states that require registration or application for AED programs, the physician or program coordinator completes this process. Making sure program support is available. Some AED manufacturers provide help with program implementation and ongoing support. They can assist with placement, medical authorization, registration, training and supplies. Review your capabilities and determine if services like these would be helpful in implementing your program. Placing your AEDs in visible and accessible locations. Being locked away or inaccessible does a rescuer no good. An effective AED response delivers a shock to a victim within three to five minutes after the person collapses. Use a three-minute response time as a guideline to help you determine how many AEDs you need and where to place them. Developing a training plan. AED users should be trained on the device and in CPR. AED training can increase responders’ comfort and confidence level. Many safety organizations, such as the AHA and the American Red Cross, offer CPR and AED training. Raising awareness of the program. After implementing an AED program, provide information to all employees about it. You may want to use internal newsletters, magnets, signage or other means to promote the program and identify where the devices are located. There is significant reliable support information concerning the use of an AED but just putting it up on the wall isn’t enough. People need to know how to effectively use it and training is an essential part of the process.

Soon, travelers in Arlington will have a much easier time maneuvering through the Rogero/Arlington Rd/King Arthur Rd intersection with a brand new roundabout! Thanks to the City of Jacksonville for providing much needed infrastructure improvement that will also beautify the neighborhood with new lighting and landscaping! We are proud to be a part of making our community a better place! #webuildlifechanginginfrastructure

We were proud to provide CONTRACTING FOR ENGINEERS class to England, Thims and Miller, Inc. for the second time. We had great attendance and received positive feedback. Thank you ETM for allowing us to engage in is this valuable collaboration. Petticoat-Schmitt provides a continuing education class called CONTRACTING FOR ENGINEERS for our engineering partners. In addition to providing value to project engineers, we feel this improves the partnership between Petticoat-Schmitt and our engineering team which ultimately benefits our mutual clients. The curriculum informs engineers of the numerous "behind the scenes" issues that impact projects beyond the engineering, plans and specifications. Topics include scheduling, production, soils analysis, constructability issues, dewatering, risk analysis, construction costs and other contractor concerns. Now in our third year of offering this class, we have experienced positive responses about the information engineers gain from the perspective of project construction which they are not usually exposed. In an effort to make it enjoyable as well, we provide the class as a lunch-and-learn as to minimize time away from the work day, we mix in some "contractor trivia" to keep it lively and all professional engineers in attendance receive 2 hours of continuing education credit. If you are a civil engineer or a project developer and you have an interest in attending CONTRACTING FOR ENGINEERS, please contact Lori Keller at lkeller@petticoatschmit.com.

We started the day with a nice sunrise. One of many loads hauled out today. Winning the day!