In this episode of Questions with Hagen, team members are asked to share a story about a scar they have, a “scarry” story if you will.
The importance of a safety plan
By Mike Wolff
Vice President of Safety and Quality
Among all the promises we make to our Customers, safety is above all else. It is so important to us that, at the end of their shifts, all of our team members go home to their families in the same condition as they arrived, and we want that for your team members as well.
Safety plans are a part of Mid-States everyday work, both at our plant operations and in the field at our installation jobsites. The single most effective tool we can use to prevent accidents at the workplace or jobsite is pre-project/pre-task planning. Mid-States has extensive safety manuals for both plant and field applications that hold most of our safety plans and procedures. While plant operations have standardized policies and procedures for set up, pouring, and stripping, there is still a definite need to have safety plans and pre-planning anytime special projects are created. Implementing a special project hazard awareness assessment can identify safety hazards in specific projects before the project is started. This “look ahead” is crucial to preventing injuries.
A great example of the “look ahead” at Mid-States is the new batch plant renovation and the safety pre-planning that had to be completed with the suppliers and contractors. Several meetings were held with the contractor trying to identify every opportunity for safety issues, before the project even began. It is essential to complete a site-specific job safety analysis looking for any hazards. OSHA identifies the “big 4 hazards” as fall hazards, electrical hazards, stuck by hazards, and caught in between hazards. By looking at each aspect of every hazard, corrective actions can be put in place and plans initiated. This proactive approach not only improves the safety of a project, but it helps identify efficiency and quality issues before they become actual issues.
Site specific pre-planning is also a required part of every project in the field. Every jobsite is unique, with different types of hazards. Mid-States foremen complete site-specific pre-planning meetings on every project before they “pick their first piece.” It is this crucial exercise that identifies hazards and prevents accidents. Contractors would not dream of running a job without a plan and safety management must be treated in the same manner.
By creating safety plans and pre-planning accordingly, hazards are eliminated, quality is gained, disruptions are reduced, and money is saved – all of which help set your project up for success.
Precast Chalk Talk: Episode 15
In this episode of Precast Chalk Talk, Hagen Harker talks with team members about our new shear machine.
Pre-planning an installation
As a partner on your projects, we always want to make sure we provide the value you are looking for. Part of that value is providing your team with a pre-installation plan for how we will install precast components in a way that makes the most sense for your jobsite.
Pre-planning for a precast installation starts during the preconstruction stage of a project, but really takes off once we are awarded the job. The successful completion of the precast install is largely based off of a well-executed installation plan that takes into account safety, trucking access and staging, crane placement and obstructions, and an agreed upon strategy between the precaster and general contractor for the sequence of the erection.
First and foremost, all plans need to take safety into account. Leading edge (the unprotected side and edge of a floor, roof, or formwork for a floor or other walking/working surface), working at heights, crane safety, and other subcontractors on site are all unique parts of the precast install. Taking these items into consideration early on and developing feasible solutions to accommodate them will jump start a successful precast erection.
One of the keys to success is pieces installed per day. The more pieces available to be readily installed reduces the amount of time the precaster is on site, a win-win for all parties involved. Getting the trucks transporting the precast pieces to the crane on site quickly and efficiently eliminates crane downtime (inactivity) and accelerates precast completion.
Another key is crane placement and obstructions. Does inside access with a smaller, more mobile crane suit the site conditions better or a larger, less mobile crane on the outside? Many factors go into this decision including price, completion of other subcontractor work (providing a hold out for crane access), truck access, and site obstructions/limitations. As your partner, we provide a crane map with our suggestions based on your jobsite and size needs for your precast.
The final key to a successful precast install is an agreed upon erection sequence between the precaster and the general contractor. Future work of other subcontractors, site restrictions, and the three items listed above (safety, trucking, and crane) all go into this decision.
The main goal is to successfully install all precast members in the most efficient and safe manner so as to use a minimal amount of time to complete. Taking these items into account will help determine the best path for all parties involved, including the owner, general contractor, precaster, and other subcontractors. A solid and well thought out pre-plan for precast erection will start any job out on the right foot and will pay dividends later.
Precast Chalk Talk: Episode 14
In this episode of Precast Chalk Talk, President Hagen Harker talks with members of our Elematic crew about what a typical day looks like for their team, and some of the tasks they complete each day.