As a construction supervisor, are you aware of any of your workers taking some painkillers or “energy pills” while on the job? Have you heard rumors of some employees smoking a joint, drinking a beer, or taking a shot of whiskey on their breaks? If so, your site may be susceptible to the severe consequences…
“How’s work been lately?” Construction managers hear this question all the time, and there are dozens of different ways they can answer it – from “More projects and more jobs,” to “Higher prices for supplies due to tariffs.” Of course, the true answer is much more complex. So let’s take a quick snapshot of the…
On this blog, you’ve read about two different categories of hazards posed by overhead cranes. You’ve learned about the potential problems that electrical lines and power sources can cause as well as the risks of overloading a crane lift. But there’s a third class of overhead crane danger which should concern everyone who owns a…
As a Massachusetts home improvement contractor, you must concern yourself with a myriad of potential problems and hazards, from electrical and plumbing codes to foundational and structural integrity and more. Now, you can add to that list something that is currently on the radar of the Environmental Protection Agency: vapor intrusion. The Dangers of Vapor…
Anyone who has gone through the construction supervisor licensing process in Massachusetts knows that a substantial amount of the qualification exam focuses on a single topic: safety. This makes sense; after all, safety on the job is so important in the U.S. that the National Safety Council sets aside an entire month to commemorate it.…
When you see a crane accident on television, the images are often difficult to comprehend. After all, how can a massive overhead crane either tip over or allow its load to fall to the ground (or on top of equipment or people)? Odds are, the reason that a given accident occurs is because of operator-triggered…
It’s understandable for construction supervisors to be eager to break ground on a new project. But before the temporary lights come on and the power tools start whirring, there has to be adequate electricity available for the work to proceed. This can present a challenge, especially if the job site sits far away from existing…
One of the biggest differences between being a construction supervisor and a construction worker is that supervisors have to pay close attention to the bottom line. This means saving money wherever possible such as by buying used construction equipment instead of shelling out big bucks for a new machine or vehicle. Advantages of Buying Used…
Electricity on demand is one of America’s most monumental achievements, and it’s also one of the modern comforts that is most taken for granted. What’s equally overlooked – probably because it’s largely invisible – is the destructive force that electricity can wield if it is mishandled. One of the day-to-day scenarios, when the potential for…
Did you know that in 2016, more construction supervisors died on the job in the U.S. than in any year since 2003? According to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Summary 2016 released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 134 “first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers” (the category in which construction supervisors are…