Category: Construction Industry Safety

The NTEA Work Truck Show

The NTEA Work Truck show is being held at the Indiana Convention Center, March 5th – 7th, 2014.  ‘North America’s Largest Work Truck Event‘ will be attended by thousands of industry professionals and feature nearly 530 exhibiting companies, and is one of the year’s best opportunities to network and keep in tune with industry developments.  In addition, the Work Truck Show provides educational opportunities and spotlights trending Eco-Friendly innovations.

The Work Truck Show 2014 Dates
Indiana Convention Center (Indianapolis, IN)
March 5-7: The Work Truck Show
 March 4-5: Green Truck Summit
  March 4-6: Educational Sessions

What’s in Store at the NTEA Work Truck Show

The NTEA Work Truck Show schedule of events includes several noteworthy sessions to promote themes of education, networking and green friendly innovation.  First and foremost is the President’s Breakfast & NTEA Annual Meeting on March 6th at 7:30 AM, which features Condoleeza Rice as keynote speaker.  March 4th also includes special sessions to help business owners improve Customer Service and Parts & Service Management.  Green Topics include the Green Truck Summit on March 4th and Green Truck Ride-and-Drive on March 5th.  Educational Opportunities include the Remote Fleet and Mobile Work Crew Management Technologies Symposium and the NTEA Demo Theater, featuring short presentations on a variety of industry topics.  Check out the NTEA Work Truck Show Floor Plan and download the Work Truck Show 2014 App on your phone to plan your event and stay up to date.

Visit IAS as we exhibit The Trucker™ Ladders

Innovative Access Solutions will be attending the NTEA Work Truck Show and exhibiting at Booth #3680.  The IAS booth will be set up to exhibit The Trucker™ Series of Ladders.  Products available for exhibit will include The Trucker I Ladder, ECO Trucker, Utility Trucker, and Storage Racks.  We will have multiple representatives available to provide specifications and other details for The Trucker ladders as well as IAS Flatbed Work Platforms.  We look forward to seeing you there!

The Trucker™ Series of Ladders Rated as ANSI Type IAA

The Trucker™ Series of ladders was recently tested and passed ANSI Type IAA Special Duty performance requirements.  ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standard A14.7-2007 applies to portable metal ladders and provides duty ratings from 200 to 375 pound capacity.  Type IAA is the maximum 375 lb. duty rating, described as an Extra Heavy Duty Industrial Ladder.

The Trucker™ Series of ladders are safety engineered to reduce fall injuries and improve efficiency when accessing truck trailer decks.  The Trucker ladders provide dimpled Wide Grip Strut® plank steps, feature handrails that extend above the deck to provide 3 points of contact, and are engineered with a diagonal stairway design for ease of access.  The ladders meet and exceed the general requirements provided by OSHA for ladder safety:

When there is a break in elevation of 19 inches(48 cm) or more and no ramp, runway, embankment or personnel hoist is available, employers must provide a stairway or ladder at all worker points of access.
Source: Stairways & Ladders: A Guide to OSHA Rules

 

ANSI

ANSI A14.7-2007 Testing Procedures

The Trucker™ ladders underwent tests far exceeding the duty rating, passing test loads in excess of 1200 lbs. to meet the requirements of the 375 pound special duty rating.  Tests included In-Use Inclined Load Test, Step / Rung Bending Strength Tests, Side-to-Side-Rail Shear Strength Tests, Rung Torque Tests, and Handrail Tests.  With a durable design including CNC billet mounting hooks and extruded aluminum frame, The Trucker Series of Ladders offer the durability to provide mobile safety for truck fleets, stationary trailers, or individual truck drivers when accessing the trailer deck.

 

The Trucker Series of Ladders

The Trucker™ Series of Ladders

The Trucker™ ladders are designed to mount to a variety of flatbed trailers including drop deck, roll tarp, curtain side, and more.  The Trucker Series of ladders feature plank steps and a pivoting bottom step, and fold up compactly for storage and mobility.  Additional ANSI rated Trucker ladders include a shorter two step ladder and longer four step ladder, originally designed for crane trucks.  Mounting options include the standard CNC mounting hooks, for mounting throughout the stake rack, or steel brackets for more permanent ladder placement.

The Safety & Numbers blog is pleased to highlight The Trucker™ Series of ladders as a valuable equipment investment for businesses to improve work safety.  Trucker ladders provide features designed for the mobile truck driver or service fleet.  In addition to the compact design, lockable storage racks and accompanying flatbed work platforms can provide safety on and off the work site.

The Importance of Fall Protection in Construction: INFOGRAPHIC

The national initiative to improve fall protection measures has been a topic that we have touched on in various posts throughout 2013.  The statistics are eye opening: In 2012, Falls killed more than 1 construction worker every 2 days, and the trend continues to grow.  Have a look at our newest infographic to consider the need for Construction Fall Protection and get started implementing work safety policies to reduce your risk.

The Rent vs. Own Decision and Equipment Investment Safety ROI

In preparation for the 2014 budget, many companies are making strategic decisions related to equipment investment.  The decision often comes down to rent vs. own.  Determining whether a piece of equipment will support multiple projects, considering interest rates, and other basic factors aside, long-term risk and opportunity considerations are a critical decision making variable.  When making equipment investment decisions, market indicators and risk factors must be projected  in order to assess return on investment.  Work safety is an important risk factor to consider, but strategic decisions are based on a variety of factors.

One such factor is illustrated by Oil & Gas Industry growth.

“I never imagined when we acquired Beckwith Machinery in October of ’05 that oil and gas would become a significant contributor to our performance. We had no visibility to it even though the first oil well was drilled in Pennsylvania many years ago,” says Cleveland. “We certainly had no idea how big it would be for us. In the downturn of ’09 there was some talk about oil and gas. And then as 2010 rolled out, that’s what really brought us back from the doldrums. Pad development came on full force throughout 2010 and then a lot of drilling after that.

Source: Rental Equipment Register

Equipment companies in western and central Pennsylvania experienced a market shifting increase in rental demand in 2010 when the oil and gas fracking industry increased by 6 times. Shortly after the 2008 recession it was made public of a successful shale well drill that has placed the region at a level of production to rival Saudi Arabia.  Projections continue to grow for the region as the country seeks a more effective energy plan.

Market Factors Affect Investment Decision Making for Multiple Industry Players

Presented with increased rental service activity as new contractors entered the market, many rental companies invested in new equipment to meet demand.  Investing in drilling pads and related equipment allowed businesses such as Cleveland Brothers  to overcome the recession and claim new market share.

In this case, the Rent or Buy decision could be viewed from multiple perspectives: Rental companies were challenged with the risk and reward of buying equipment to service the growing industry.  Contractors new to the market or region were able to alleviate risk by renting equipment.  Other existing contractors such as heavy/highway construction were provided the opportunity to expand into the market.  The influx of oil and gas industry work also boosted the economy in other markets, such as infrastructure and hospitality, and increased the demand for related equipment such as light towers and work platforms.

Long-Term Strategic Factors and their Relationship to Work Safety

In addition to projected industry demand, long term strategic factors can include

  • Advantages of new equipment with respect to technology and regulations
  • Supply/demand and price points of rental equipment
  • Labor availability and expertise
  • Equipment maintenance and repair needs
  • Capability to apply internal resources for unique needs
  • Safety factors for aging equipment and as scale grows

Each of the above long-term strategic decision making factors can be applied to safety equipment investments.  New equipment is typically equipped with more current safety features, thus purchasing or renting newer equipment will often provide safety risk management ROI.  This will reduce the liability of lost worker time and the frequency of equipment repairs, freeing up resources for profit driving activities.  Overall, the rent vs. own decision will be based upon a variety of industry factors, but business owners and executives should also factor in safety to optimally assess the ROI decision.

OSHA’s Fall Prevention Campaign: Ladders

In previous posts, we have discussed the importance of Fall Prevention and the national focus on providing training, guides, and resources in support of this fall protection safety risk management. Falls are the leading cause of death in construction and a frequent safety issue in many other industries. Even falls at minimal height can result in broken bones, lost worker time, and worker’s comp injury claims.  Nearly a third of fall fatalities in construction are falls from ladders.

Recently OSHA has produced several resources to provide guidance to safety managers with respect to ladders. Specific guidelines include:

  • Use the right ladder for the job
  • When using a ladder to access another level, secure and extend the ladder at least 3 feet above the landing point
  • Wear proper footwear
  • Place the ladder on stable and level ground
  • Ensure that the ladder is fully extended before accessing
  • Prevent passersby from walking under or near ladders while in use
  • Do not work on the top rung of the ladder
  • Maintain three points of contact at all times
  • Do not carry tools or materials while using a ladder
  • Do not lean on the ladder while working and keep your weight centered
  • Do not use ladders near accessible doorways
  • Check, maintain and safely store ladders
  • Do not use faulty ladders: bent, missing a step, or unable to be locked open

In addition, the California Department of Industrial Relations provides additional resources for specific ladder requirements, including design and construction (complete with ANSI regulations); ladder types and proper ladder selection; care, use, and maintenance; and employee training.

ANSI: Follow the Proper Guidelines

The number of variations between ladder designs, applications, and composition is nearly as unique as the people that use them.  It can be difficult to determine the applicable ANSI standard and rating that applies to each ladder at a workplace.  As an example, the ANSI category for portable metal ladders (ANSI-ASC A14.2-2007) covers a wide range of ladders, and excludes others that may seem to fit the category:

Ladder styles include ladder type step stools, portable extension, step, trestle, sectional, combination, single, platform, and articulating ladders, but excluding ladders in and on mines, the fire services, mobile equipment, hoisting equipment, work platforms, antenna communications towers, transmission towers, utility poles, and chimneys. It does not cover special-purpose ladders that do not meet the general requirements of this standard, nor does it cover ladder accessories, including, but not limited to, ladder levelers, ladder stabilizers or stand-off devices, ladder jacks, or ladder straps or hooks, that may be installed on or used in conjunction with ladders.

The importance of being informed to prevent falls from ladders and conform to trending OSHA regulations is clear.  For details about requirements for your workplace access equipment, visit the ANSI website or contact a safety professional.

Examining Safety at Top Contractors

The Engineering News Record recently published a list of the Top 400 Contractors.  At companies with $10-$30 billion in revenue, the number and size of contracts justifies a dedication to worker safety that small to mid sized businesses can emulate to help shorten the learning curve. Safety is deeply integrated into each of the Top 3 contractors’ day to day business policies and organizational culture.  Contracting firms that strive to achieve success may observe this theme as motivation to implement safety at the highest level to increase revenue and support growth.

Bechtel

At Bechtel, the safety goal is Zero Accidents.  Safety is integrated into each project via technical field procedures and extensive training.  Each employee has ‘stop-work authority’ if they feel a job responsibility is potentially unsafe.  To incenitivize safety and communicate its importance to employees, Bechtel provides multiple awards for exceptional safety performance and innovation.

Fluor

Fluor’s commitment to safety includes a “ZERO incidents” policy. Fluor has received recognition as one of America’s top safety companies by demonstrating excellence in “support from management and employee involvement, innovative solutions to safety challenges and effective training programs.” One such program is the Field Audit system, a proactive approach to identify and mitigate work hazards.

Kiewit

Kiewit has instituted and follows a ‘Nobody Gets Hurt’ policy.  Kiewit is focused on preventing even the most minor injuries through  employee engagement throughout the organization coupled with a supporting management commitment.  “Safety training, observation programs and job hazard analyses” help to support this vision.

Innovative Access Solutions

Innovative Access Solutions provides safety equipment to each of the Top 3 contractors listed above.  In addition to the Trucker series of trailer access products, IAS provides custom access solutions for remote locations, unique jobsite requirements and more, in support of construction work safety policies.  To request information about safety equipment from Innovative Access Solutions, click here.