Northern California Engineering Contractors Association

Announcements

Distractions Near Machinery

Have you ever seen someone walking down the street using their cell phone?  They always appear to be in their own little world, not paying attention to anything around them.  They bump into other people, trip over things they should have seen, and have been known to get hit by cars.

Click HERE to read more.

The Deadly Dozen

Accidents never just happen on their own- there is always something that causes the accident.
Sometimes there are multiple causes.

If we remove possible causes, we will drastically reduce the chances of an accident. If you learn to
recognize common accident causes, you can act before somebody gets hurt.

Click HERE to read more.

Pre-Work Stretching for Construction Workers

Pre-work stretching is an important part of any construction worker’s safety routine. By taking a few minutes to stretch before starting a job, workers can help prevent injuries and stay healthy on the job.

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Battery Handling Safety

We use batteries to power our cars, trucks, tractors, forklifts, construction equipment, and power tools.

There are different types of batteries.

For example, a lead-acid battery usually uses sulfuric acid to create the intended reaction. Zinc-air batteries rely on oxidizing zinc with oxygen for the reaction. Potassium hydroxide is the electrolyte in common household alkaline batteries. The most common electrolyte in lithium batteries is a lithium salt solution.

Because of these chemical reactions, if you handle and recharge batteries, you should use caution and follow safe work practices.

Click HERE to read more.

PLA Agreement

The below link is the recently received information on the City of Santa Rosa and County of Sonoma Project Labor Agreements that could affect your businesses.

1.  Here is the “official” PLA Agreement which I’m told, will be part of bid docs for City of Santa Rosa public works projects in excess of $500k.  I’m told projects are coming out in very short order under the PLA and bid solicitations will incorporate the PLA requirements.

2.  As to the Sonoma County PLA, that is being “negotiated” right now.
I’m told trucking is the main “sticking point” for the negotiators and it is likely that trucking issue won’t be resolved prior to May 21, which is the Supervisor Meeting the PLA will be publicly discussed.  I’m also told that “scope of work” covered by the County PLA is being discussed as to including batch plants specifically furnishing materials to the project in question.
I hope this information is helpful to you.

If you have questions or comments, please contact me.  I will send you contact information for the County negotiator, Yvonne Shu, if you want to send her a message regarding the County PLA.  Please let me know if you want Yvonne’s contact information and I’m happy to forward her information to you.

Sincerely,

John Bly

LINK

CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENTS THAT ALMOST HAPPENED

Those of us in the safety profession spend a lot of time letting people know what causes accidents and how to avoid them.

Sometimes this involves sharing stories of accidents that happened-or almost happened-to others. Here are a couple of “near miss” events that could have been much more serious, or even involved a fatality.

As you read about these cases, analyze what went wrong and decide what you should do to avoid a similar exposure.

Click HERE to read more.

 

CHECK BEFORE YOU MOVE

You have probably seen the havoc heavy construction equipment can cause. Maybe you know of someone who was killed or severely injured by being run over or backed over. And you may even have seen a parked car that had been crushed. Usually, this kind of accident happens because someone fails to take commonsense precautions.

Click HERE to read more.

 

Keeping in Shape

Staying in shape is one subject that is rarely discussed when safety is the topic.

However, a person who stays in good physical condition is less likely to be involved in an accident. They are usually more alert, less subject to the adverse effects of weather and generally able to react more quickly to changing conditions on the job.

Click HERE to read more.

BARRICADES & WARNING DEVICES

Two types of construction work, which usually require a great deal of public protection, are new residential developments and highway work.

Both should require modifying the existing traffic patterns and more importantly the existing driving habits of the public to avoid accidents.

Click HERE to read more.