By Brad McCaslin
Project Manager
“If you don’t like the weather wait ten minutes.”
This is a common adage heard around the Midwest. It seems as if we can hit all four seasons in one day here in southern Wisconsin/northern Illinois and this weather creates unique challenges for our installation crews and projects. This time of year, it seems as if we are constantly checking the radar and forecast for rain. This is due to many reasons including shipping, site access, road conditions, and safety. Safety is always foremost on the minds of project managers and Mid States Concrete Industries.
Project managers are tasked with keeping crews safe, schedules tight, and budgets green. Keeping these goals in mind factors into our decision to cancel an installation or attempt an installation with rain in the forecast. These decisions have a real dollar amount attached and can significantly impact not only our bottom line, but the bottom line of the general contractor, developer, owner, etc. of the project. A gamble to proceed with installation that backfires can cost thousands of dollars in trucking fees with zero return. As a result of these dynamics, our project management team tends to err on the side of caution.
That’s the monetary side of the equation, but the more significant side is safety. Our crews work in dangerous situations daily where falls and jobsite hazards are commonplace. Project managers attempt to minimize our field installation crews’ exposure to increased safety hazards due to rain and weather conditions.
First, it’s important to understand the effects rain can have on our crews and the safety challenges rain poses. Rain can cause washouts of roadways, crane pads, foundations, and access points. There is also the increased chance of lightning that adds its own set of dangers. Rain can significantly reduce visibility between the installation crew and crane operators. Cold exposure and slippery surfaces are additional factors to keep in mind. Rain this time of year tends to be cold, which could lead to illness and prolonged absence of crew members. And, as we all know precast concrete has some smooth surfaces that tend to become slippery when wet. This increases trip and fall hazards which could also lead to an injured crew member.
While it is understood that working in the rain is something we must do at times, as it’s the nature of the industry and the place we call home, it is incumbent upon all of us to make smart decisions in order to best serve not only our customers, but our installation crews as well. Our entire Mid-States Concrete Industries team strives to create a safe environment for all involved and keep our valued customers and team members safe.