You are reading our annual safety issue, and this month our first feature article asks safety pros from AWCI member companies about how they combat the effects of heat on jobsite workers (page22). When the sun is beating down and humidity levels are sticky and uncomfortable, how do you make sure the work gets done and the workers are safe? Many options and considerations as our experts offer 15 tips for protecting your people this summer.
But there is more. The Department of Labor continues work on its upcoming rule regarding the dangers of workplace heat. You will find an update in Construction Trends on page 8, and AWCI members will receive more frequent updates through our e-newsletters as the rule takes shape.
And be sure to learn more safety tips by reading Don Allen’s Safety & Health column on page 19. Don participated in a recent AWCI Peer Safety Review, and once again, lessons were learned. I am ashamed to admit that I am often surprised at the new information that comes out of each review. I ignorantly figured you all face many of the same situations—and you do, but there is so much more, often related specifically to the varying jobsite conditions. The concerns may be the same, but the environment is different on each job. That is why it is so important to conduct these reviews and share the information with you. Your workers may have not yet experienced a specific situation, but by reading Don’s safety articles, they will know what to do when they do encounter a smoldering tarp. Read this one, and share it.
Moving on, turn to page 30 to read about the amazing work that New York’s Component Assembly Systems has done and landmarks and buildings you will recognize. CAS is a large company with many resources, and it shows in the work they do—especially the specialty ceilings. From the Freedom Tower to The Javits Center to JFK Airport, the work of CAS is all over the Big Apple.
Our third feature, page 38, breaks down change orders. No one likes them, and this article advises on ways to avoid them. And when the need arises, the article tells you how to stand up for yourself while also resolving things quickly and with the least impact on your company’s bottom line.
Before I wrap it up, I need to offer a sincere apology to our confused readers and to two companies that won a 2024 AWCI Excellence in Construction Quality Award: KHS&S and PSI (Pacific Systems Interiors). In last month’s magazine, which announced all of AWCI’s award winners, a technical glitch caused the wrong award-winning project descriptions to be published. While it was too late to correct the print version, our digital magazine has all the correct information. Visit https://bit.ly/4aktv6Z to see what should have been printed.
