Tag: safety (Page 1 of 2)

Autumn Safety Tips for Construction Companies

October 8, 2024 / Libby Cook

We all know the different safety hazards that can come with each season. Winter brings snow and ice, spring brings crazy tropical storms, and summer brings hot temperatures that cause heat-related illnesses. Autumn brings challenges and conditions, from rainy days and even hurricanes to colder morning temperatures and warmer afternoons. As we enter Autumn, we want to cover some of the possible hazards you can find while working in construction. Stay updated with the latest safety regulations and training to keep you and your crews safe on jobs.

Take precautions in Muddy Conditions

Under rainy conditions, you will most likely encounter mud on a construction site. While mud seems harmless, it can also become a hazard. It increases the risk of slips and falls and makes the ground unstable for equipment. Here are some tips to help prevent mud-related accidents.

Improve Mud Terrain

Set up drainage on your job site to remove some of the mud. In critical areas, consider laying gravel for traction.

Urge Caution on Steps

Remind everyone to wipe their boots frequently, especially before climbing ladders or mounting or dismounting equipment.

Erect Scaffolding Properly

Scaffolding must be erected on a firm foundation and never directly on soft, muddy, or frozen ground. For better stability, use a mud sill. These stable wood planks, placed under the scaffold footings, distribute the weight of the scaffold, keeping it from moving or sinking into the mud. After a storm, always check the scaffolding to ensure it’s still stable before use.

Take Steps to Stabilize Heavy Equipment

Heavy equipment can become stuck in the mud. Even if you’re using a rough terrain forklift, mud can increase the risk of rollover. Tire chains or tracks increase traction in the mud. Heavy equipment mud mats can turn muddy areas into safe access roads. At the end of the workday, hose off equipment to keep mud from caking and jamming machines.

Clear off Leaves

We can all appreciate all the beautiful colors of the trees being changed. However, once the leaves fall, they can cause hazards on job sites. Leaves can hide uneven ground and become slick, increasing the risk of falls. They can also block the air intake or exhaust on equipment. Therefore, properly removing leaves is vital to decrease the risk of accidents.

Store Equipment and Materials

Continuously cleaning leaves and debris from equipment can be annoying and time-consuming. So why not store your equipment in an enclosed space to protect it from storms, leaves, and debris? Portable Storage bins are always a good option when equipment has to stay on the job site.

If you expect a heavy storm (like hurricanes in some regions), take extra precautions by removing and securely storing as much equipment as possible. Move materials into a secure storage area, too. Cover materials and equipment that can’t be moved with a heavy-duty tarp or use tie-downs and sandbags to keep them from blowing away. Take down cranes, scaffolding, light towers, and other equipment that could pose a threat. Board up any windows and doors.

Provide Adequate Lighting

Shorter days mean less daylight. Low light makes it harder to judge objects’ position, shape, or speed and causes eye strain and headaches. OSHA regulations dictate how bright construction sites must be to work safely. Many job site lighting options exist, including string, portable, and towable light towers. However, pick the proper light option for your construction site, follow the setup, and follow the instructions when taking down the lights.

Practice Generator Safety

Due to the risk of electrocution, portable generators and water don’t mix. Don’t operate a generator on a wet surface or in the rain unless your generator has a waterproof canopy. To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, use a portable generator only in a well-ventilated outdoor area, at least 20 feet away from windows, doors, and vents.

Review your Evacuation Plan

You should have a site-specific evacuation plan tailored to different types of emergencies. Conduct period evacuation drills to ensure workers know what to do in emergencies.

Make Allowances for Cold and Flu Season

Cold season starts in September, and flu season typically begins in October. You should prepare by eating healthy food, taking vitamins, and drinking water and electrolytes.

As employers, you should accommodate employees’ calls out sick and, as hard as it is, encourage them to stay home when sick.

References

United Rentals. “Autumn Safety Tips for Construction Companies.” United Rentals, 24 Aug. 2022, www.unitedrentals.com/project-uptime/safety/autumn-safety-tips-construction-companies. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

Overview of National Safety Month

July 2, 2024 / Libby Cook

June is National Safety Month, established by the National Safety Council in 1996. This June, we joined other organizations and the National Safety Council to bring extra attention to safety issues in and outside the workplace. We shared safety tips and facts about safety issues each week, including safety awareness, roadway safety, risk reduction, slips, trips, and falls. In honor of National Safety Month, we wanted to share tips and facts about each issue.

Week 1: Safety Awareness

At CEI, safety is a major focus in all departments. Throughout the year, our employees undergo specific training, and we continuously share tips and facts to help them be aware of the safety risks they face daily in our industry. Safety awareness is important to keep our employees and others around us safe, whether on a job site or in the office.

Week 2: Roadway Safety

For week 2, we shared tips about staying safe on the road.

Stay focused on the road and your surroundings. Never drive distracted.
Do not use your cell phone or any electronic device while driving. If there is an emergency, safely pull off the road or into a “Texting Zone” before using your devices.
Avoid arguments and stressful or emotional conversations with passengers.
Avoid eating or grooming while driving.
Be sure children are properly and safely Buckled in. Properly secure pets in a pet carrier or portable kennel.
Drive sober. Never drive impaired by alcohol or drugs and discourage others from doing so.

Week 3: Risk Reduction

For week 3, we discussed some basics of risk reduction plans for any industry. Regardless of your industry, target market, and personnel, you will always face a certain level of risk while operating. This is why you must find ways to reduce your company’s risk. Here are basic steps to approach risk reduction:

Risk Assessment & Identification – Identifying and assessing the risk faced through operations.
Risk Mitigation – Find Practices to minimize or reduce the risks.
Preventive Measures – Look for preventive measures to keep workers safe during operations.
Contingency Planning – Contingency planning gives you a blueprint to follow in an emergency.
Monitoring & Review – monitor your risk reduction approaches and practices to ensure they work.

Week 4: Slip, Trips and Falls

In the last week of National Safety Month, we discussed the risk of slips, trips, and falls in the roofing industry. Slips, trips, and falls account for approximately 20% of all work-related injuries. While the risk is even more common in winter, it can be present in any weather condition (rain, ice, snow, or sunny). Here are some things to remember to prevent daily slips, trips, and falls.

Practice Good Housekeeping – removing clutter that can increase trips and slips is important to keep the workspace safe.
Adequate Lighting – Workers can navigate through spaces better with enough light. Given this, it’s best to place proper lighting in access and egress points such as halls, ramps, stairs, and exits.
Be aware of safety signs and markers- Watch out for safety signs telling you of hazardous space, as well as flagged-off areas that can show areas to prevent you from falling.
Clear the area from snow, ice, and spills- Properly clearing the workspace from slippery elements like snow, ice, or water is important to ensure safety.
Wear proper footwear – Wear Non-slip shoes with good traction to protect workers from static electricity, falling objects, explosions, exposure to hazardous substances, and other risks.
Implement safety plans and protocols- A well-thought-out safety plan cements all efforts to promote fall protection, especially in high-risk workspaces. This plan must include in-depth risk assessments, safety standards and practices, training, regular inspections, equipment guidelines, and toolbox talks.

Heat Illness Prevention: How to Prevent Heat Stroke and Heat Exhaustion While at Work

May 20, 2024 / Libby Cook

Heat illnesses like heat stroke and exhaustion should not be taken lightly. As roofers, our daily exposure to heat is a significant risk. Roofs, with their ability to absorb heat, can reach temperatures up to 170° F, surpassing the outside temperature. This means that you’re still at risk even if you’re not working directly under the sun. However, the good news is that heat-related illnesses are preventable. Here are some essential tips for keeping yourself healthy and preventing summer heat illnesses!

Types of Heat Illnesses

Heat cramps

Heat cramps are often the first sign of heat illness, resulting in dehydration and a lack of electrolytes. Painful muscle spasming or cramping, usually in the arms, legs, and abdomen, is the most obvious sign of heat cramps and excessive sweating.

Heat Exhaustion

If you are experiencing heat exhaustion, your body is overheating and cannot properly cool due to a lack of salts and fluids. Someone with heat exhaustion will exhibit excessive sweating, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, and headache. The excessive sweating associated with heat exhaustion is especially problematic because the body is already dehydrated and cannot replace the fluids lost through sweating, worsening the condition.

Heat Stroke

Heat stroke is the most serious form of heat illness, arising from untreated heat exhaustion or independently.

When heat stroke occurs, the body has overheated to the point where the organs malfunction and shut down. The brain swells, the intestines become more permeable, and the blood vessels dilate, causing blood pressure to drop. On the outside, a person experiencing heat stroke will display a fever, dry and hot skin, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, confusion, agitation, and lethargy.

Extreme cases might even result in seizures or a coma. Note that once a person has reached the heat stroke level, they stop sweating excessively and show dry, hot skin. This is because the body has become dehydrated to the point where it can no longer produce sweat to cool itself down, and it marks a significant progression from heat exhaustion to heat stroke. If you or someone else is experiencing a heat stroke, call 911 immediately, start cooling that person down with water and ice, and remove unnecessary clothes.

Signs Of Heat Illnesses

There are common signs and symptoms to watch while working in extreme heat conditions.

Cramps and fatigue
Headaches
Nausea
Weakness or dizziness
Heavy sweating or hot, dry skin
Elevated body temperature
Thirst
Decreased urine output

If you or someone you see are experiencing these symptoms, take action by:

Give them water to drink
Move them to a cooler area
Cool them with water, ice, or a fan
Remove unnecessary clothing
Do not leave them alone
If in doubt, call 911 or seek medical care

Tips to Prevent Heat Illnesses

Drink water before, during, and after work. Avoid energy drinks or sodas while working in the heat or direct sun, as these can quickly dehydrate you.
Take your break in the shade or cool area. Find a cool, air-conditioned, or shaded area on lunch and breaks. If someone or yourself is beginning to experience heat exhaustion or cramps, it’s a good time to take a break to cool off and rehydrate!
Dress appropriately for the heat. Even if the morning is cooler, wear layers that you can take off for warmer afternoons!
Understand your risks when it comes to heat! Working indoors and outdoors can put you at risk for heat illnesses.

Now that you know the signs and symptoms of heat illnesses, you can better prevent them at work. Watch out for yourself and your crew members during these summer months!

Resources:

Foster, K. (2019, June 19). Heat Illness Prevention: Keeping Your Roofing Crews Safe. AccuLynx. https://acculynx.com/keep-your-roofing-crew-safe-from-heat-illness/

Prevent Heat Illness at Work Ways to Protect Yourself, and Others Ease into Work. Nearly 3 out of 4 fatalities from heat illness happen during the first week of work. (n.d.). https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/3431_wksiteposter_en.pdf

Tips for Driving Safely in Winter Weather Conditions

January 16, 2024 / Libby Cook

Cars driving on a highway are stuck in traffic because of a snowstorm.

We all know that winter weather can cause hazardous road conditions. Whether snow, sleet, or ice, preparing yourself – and your vehicle – for the winter weather is vital to making winter driving as easy as possible. We found a few tips from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for winter weather driving.

The Basics

Most importantly, slow down! Controlling or stopping your vehicle on a slick or snow-covered surface is more challenging. Increase the distance between you and others ahead so you have plenty of time to stop your car.

Also, don’t crowd a snow plow or travel beside the truck. Snow plows travel slowly, make wide turns, stop often, overlap lanes, and exit the road frequently. If you find yourself behind a snow plow, stay far enough behind it and use caution if you pass the plow.

What to Do in an Emergency?

If your car gets stopped or stalled, be sure to focus on you and your surroundings. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind:

Stay in your vehicle, and don’t overexert yourself.
Let your vehicle be seen. Turn on your emergency flashers, put bright markers on the antenna or windows, and keep the interior dome light on.
Be mindful of carbon monoxide poisoning. Ensure your exhaust pipe is clear of snow, and run your car just long enough to stay warm. Don’t run your car for long periods with the windows up or in an enclosed space.

Prepare Your Vehicle

Check your headlights, brake lights, turn signals, emergency flasher, and interior lights.
During the winter, you can quickly go through windshield wiper fluid. Be sure to fill your reservoir with “winter” fluid with de-icer before winter snowfall. Also, check your windshield wipers to see if they need to be replaced. Consider heavy-duty windshield wipers!
Make sure your vehicle has enough coolant. If not, check the cooling system for leaks, test the coolant, and drain or replace the old coolant.
Also, it is always a good idea to visit your mechanic to check your vehicle for the basics – oil changes, tire rotations, leaks, and any need for replacements or repairs.

Lastly, before you go out, make sure you gas up, stock your car with essential items – like ice scrapers and emergency kit, and plan your route.

As always, ensure you are safe when driving in extreme winter weather. Go slow and be aware of your surroundings and other vehicles!

References

Insurance Information Institute. (2020). Driving in winter? Be prepared and stay safe | III. Iii.org. https://www.iii.org/article/winter-driving

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (2022). Winter Weather Driving Tips | NHTSA. Www.nhtsa.gov. https://www.nhtsa.gov/winter-driving-tips

Happy New Year!

January 7, 2019 / Joaynna Cook

Happy New Year!

As the year begins we want to take a moment to reflect on the past year and be thankful for the support of our loyal customers, employees, and partners in business. We wouldn’t be here without you. We also would like to announce that 2019 is CEI Michigan, LLC’s 50th year in business. For the past 50 years, we have worked hard to provide our customers with integrity, reliability, and service that is unparalleled, and are excited to continue to serve our community in for the next 50 years.

This is a big year for CEI Group and we are ready to celebrate! Aside, from the normal excitement of a new year, planning, getting new work, etc. We are planning fun events to celebrate all year. The biggest being the 50th-year celebration this spring/summer. Other things in the works are:

Wrap-Up 2018 Video – Coming Soon!
Annual Company Kick-Off Meeting in February.
50th Year Festival for our team and their families
NRCA’s National Roofing Week
+ So much more.

Cheers to another great year! If you have any questions now or into the New Year, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re always happy to help.

Stay tuned! 2019 is going to rock!

‘Tis the Season For Fall Inspections

September 28, 2018 / Joaynna Cook

Schedule Your Inspection Today-

A Roof Top Assessment is important to add to the list of items to do this Fall. An assessment keeps proper inventory of your roof and may prevent unforeseen complications, especially as inclement weather approaches. Our goal is to present you with a variety of options and fresh possibilities for extending the life of your roof. We have repair solutions that can help you delay installing a costly new roof. Regardless, you will receive a non-bias assessment of roof condition along with action steps for avoiding damage and minimizing cost.

Call and schedule your roof inspection with us today! Visit our website for more information.

Photo of the Month: July 2018

August 8, 2018 / Joaynna Cook

Every month we host a photo of the month. All of the photos are taken and sent in by our staff. This month we focused on the efforts of our safety department. Our photo of the month came from one of the monthly safety meetings that we have at CEI. We get together all of our field staff and some of our office staff to discuss various safety measures.

CEI Insight: Stretch and Flex Program

June 13, 2018 / Joaynna Cook

Workplace stretching programs are on the rise and a new hot topic for the construction industry. Roofers and other construction employees are often subjected to routine movements, heavy lifting, and strenuous body positions. This daily wear and tear can leave employees with pain and discomfort. After years of being in the industry, this can result in soreness and injury. A 2018 goal for CEI was to craft and implement a Stretch and Flex Program for our employees. Our program was recently launched, checking that goal off of our list!

Benefits of Stretching

Flexibility
Promotes Strong, Health Muscles
Improves Joint Range of Motion
Improves Performance in Physical Activities

Most of the benefits of stretching come from developing better flexibility. Being flexible and having long and lean muscles can result in prevention of injury and can reduce pain. Athletes do it all the time, they focus on muscle groups specific to the sport to stretch and strengthen the ones that are actively used. Our workers do just as much as most athletes, they bend, lift, climb carry and so much more. Why shouldn’t they have the same routine of stretching? The answer is that they should! Stretching before doing physical work can only help.

CEI’s Daily Stretching Routine

As a new add-on to our safety program, all field and service crews are required to perform a daily stretching routine every morning before getting on the job. This is to length and strength there muscles before getting to the physically demanding part of their day. Most of the crews enjoy it and believe they feel better after doing it. Each morning on the job, the foreman host a huddle with the crew. In this huddle, they talk about the day’s event and go through there checklist together. Before this program, they would head onto the roof after that was complete. Now that this has been put in place the foreman leads the stretching session with the entire crew. Every day he goes through the same stretching checklist and signs-off that the crew participated in the Stretch and Flex program. Since this has gone into place, office staff have also taken to doing the stretches. They believe that it helps them stay loose and not get sore from sitting or working on a computer all day. It also allows them to break up there day and add some movement.

CEI’s Stretch and Flex Program-

Neck stretch
Quad Stretch
Calf Stretch
Inner Thigh/Groin Stretch
Chest Pull
Forearm and Wrist Stretch
Shoulder Stretch
Lower Back Stretch

Source: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-importance-of-stretching

#NATIONALROOFINGWEEK- Employee Training

June 5, 2018 / Joaynna Cook

Happy National Roofing Week to everyone! Yesterday we kicked off with a wonderful employee appreciation day! All of the CEI team had got pizza or breakfast delivered to them as a token of our appreciation. It was a great start to an exciting week.

Every day this week has a theme or focus to be talked about. Today’s (Tuesday) focus is on Employee Training!

A key part of being a quality roofing professional is ensuring that all members of your team are properly trained. CEI focuses its training efforts in two major areas; safety training and job skills training.

Safety Training

CEI started a bigger push on safety about 7 years ago.

“We had a couple of tough safety years before that and there was also a big push from our Consumers to step up safety. It had always been something we did, but we started to make it something we live everyday.” -Kristine Cook Lindsey, Vice President

CEI always met safety regulations but after those couple of years, they decided it was going to be one of their main goals to excel in safety. They posted a large board that read “Days since an accident”. The goal was to publish what was happening in regards to safety and make everyone responsible for safety on the job.

Joe Fulton- CEI Safety Director

In 2011, they added a full-time Safety Director to there team. He was tasked with keeping up with regulations and revamping the training program.

Jacob Rosiek- CEI Safety Manager

CEI safety standards started to grow and in 2016 they added another full-time position to the Safety Department, a Safety Manager.

In 2017, CEI was awarded the NERI safety excellence award for there efforts. Today, CEI’s safety training looks like this.

Monthly Foreman Safety Committee Meetings- To review how the company is doing and identify where and how to improve. Critical feedback from the field participation is key in these meetings.
Six Company Wide Safety Meetings- Every other month there is a different focus presented by our Safety Director or we bring in guest speakers to keep safety in the minds of the Foremen.
Weekly Toolbox Talks- These also focus on important safety issues but are run by the Foremen to stimulate discussion on safety and provide training opportunities for our crews.
Daily Hazard Identification Checklists
All Foremen are required to be 30hr OSHA Certified
All other workers are encouraged to be at least 10hr OSHA Certified
CEI’s insurance group also has its own Safety Requirements that CEI is annually audited on.

Job Skills Training

The other focus area for training is skills training. CEI as a union contractor is supportive of apprenticeship programs that serve to develop skilled professional Roofing and Architectural Sheet Metal Journeymen. Some of the ways that CEI supports skills development are-

Manufacturer Training- CEI is certified in almost every type of roofing system. CEI sees this as a way to open doors for new and interesting projects. We want to know how to do it all so we can take on any project start to finish.
Local 70 Union Block Training- CEI helps support their local union by participating in block training programs. They often help with the Crane and Lift classes.
Employ apprentices- To provide critical field training experience

Photo of the Month: May

May 17, 2018 / Joaynna Cook

CEI has asked their staff to send in picture and videos of the job sites and happenings around the company. These help us build content for social media and our website. Each month we will be sharing the best or most interesting photo that was sent in by one of our employees. This is also an edition of our company newsletter that goes out internally to all of our employees.

May is the first month that we are starting to add the photo of the month contest. You will be able to view all the monthly photos in our gallery on the Roofer Madness Blog.

May Photo of the Month-

This months photo was sent in by Kristine Lindsey who is our Vice President. She often attends the monthly safety meeting to connect with the foreman and crews on extra safety training. She snapped this (and many more) photos from May’s safety meeting. CEI was visited by Guardian Fall Protection who showed off some different safety equipment and gave a couple short demonstrations.