The year 2017 was a costly one for the U.S. thanks to two of the strongest hurricanes to strike the nation this century. Together, Hurricanes Harvey and Irma caused over $215 billion in damages. Just as homeowners make plans for approaching storms, so should construction supervisors engage in preparations designed to protect their job sites…
This month marks the 120-year anniversary of the unveiling of the first radio-controlled device. In September of 1898 at Madison Square Garden, engineer Nikola Tesla demonstrated his state-of-the-art invention which he called “teleautomaton,” a miniature boat which he could control using radio signals. Many who witnessed the event suspected the boat was actually being powered…
Think theft and vandalism isn’t a problem in the construction industry? Think again. According to the FBI, more than 11,500 pieces of heavy equipment were swiped from construction sites in 2016. When you combine that with tool theft, machine vandalism, and other related crimes, such activity results in over a billion dollars in losses annually…
What single piece of heavy equipment might you find at practically every construction site – be it large or small, privately- or government-funded, or any type of project? These days, the answer might be a compact track loader (CTL). They’re versatile, mobile, and affordable – which is why they comprise almost 20 percent of all…
When was the last time you conducted or requested maintenance on your construction equipment? Just like your car or truck, your job site machinery will continue to operate more efficiently for a longer period of time if you care for it properly. Here are ten steps you can take to maintain your heavy machinery for…
Question: Does the U.S. construction industry have a productivity problem or a safety problem? Answer: Yes. You might already know that about one out of every five workplace deaths in America occurs in the construction industry. According to OSHA, almost 5,200 construction workers died in 2016, which comes out to more than 14 deaths each calendar…
Maybe you’ve heard someone say, “Managing construction projects would be pretty easy if everything worked like it should and everyone did their job like they were supposed to.” If you’re a construction supervisor who has heard this, you might have thought to yourself, Sure. And driving in the rain would be much safer if the…
A big part of a construction supervisor’s job is to constantly keep an eye on the bottom line while still making sure everything runs smoothly. One of the biggest challenges in accomplishing this goal is obtaining new equipment to replace old machinery or address a new job site need. Not only does this increase the…
You’ve probably been around longtime construction supervisors who begin a story with, “Back in my day, we didn’t have [some piece of technology]. We had to [do it the old-school way].” It’s true that technology has drastically changed the construction industry in so many ways. But one thing’s for certain: there will be even more…
Cranes are vitally important tools used on just about every construction job site in the country. With this type of heavy machinery, a relatively small amount of workers can move heavy objects safely and complete tasks faster than using manual lifting methods. While the term “crane” is often applied to several types of machines, there…