December 2020 – BLM Construction & Remodeling, LLC

Toolbox Talk: Hard Hats

December 28, 2020

Your head is the most important part of your body. You think, feel, talk, smell, and hear with your head. Therefore, it makes sense that you should protect your head from any injury.

Wearing a hard hat is the first line of defense against head injuries on the job. A hard hat can protect your head against the hazard of falling material and guard against accidental bumping. The hard hat softens any blow to the head. It resists and deflects the blow and distributes the impact over a large area. The hat’s suspension acts as a shock absorber. Even if the hat dents or shatters, it still takes some of the force out of the blow and off your head. It can also shield your scalp, face, neck, and shoulders against spills or splashes.

Choose the hard hat most suitable for the work being performed and only wear approved hard hats manufactured to meet required standards. These are made to give your head maximum protection. Make sure your hat fits correctly. Hats that fit right provide you with the most comfort and protection.

The ability of a hard hat to protect a worker depends on the shock absorbing space between the shell and head by the suspension provided. Therefore, it is important that sweat bands and suspension straps are properly adjusted to obtain the maximum protection. Sunlight and heat can rot the sweatband and straps, so don’t leave your hard hat on the window ledge of your car. Take good care of your hard hat. Don’t drop it, throw it or drill holes in it. Inspect your hard hat every day for cracks, gouges, and frays or breaks in the straps.

Colors can be used to identify different crafts and supervisory personnel, and should be encouraged and given consideration when purchasing such equipment. All levels of supervision should set the example by wearing hard hats. Observe and comply with “Hard Hat Area” sites. Remember! A hard hat is a status symbol; it identifies a safe worker, one who believes in and practices safety.

Source: https://www.statefundca.com/Home/StaticIndex?id=https://content.statefundca.com//safety/safetymeeting/SafetyMeetingArticle.aspx?ArticleID=59

Housing’s Outlook for 2021

Housing's Outlook for 2021

December 21, 2020

Single-family builder sentiment fell back to a level of 86 in December, according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), after achieving an all-time high of 90 in November. The dip was due to growing concerns over housing affordability in 2021. However, December’s HMI was still the second highest on record.

Supply-side pressures, such as resurgent lumber prices, limited lot supplies, supply-chain issues, and a persistent skilled labor deficit foreshadow higher costs and longer build times heading into next year. Moreover, on the demand side of the housing market, limited inventories of single-family homes have generated strong price gains in 2020.

The deployment of a vaccine, while representing good news for the overall economy, will place upward pressure on interest rates. In turn, the combination of higher prices and rising rates will price some households out of the housing market next year.

The NAHB forecast is for ongoing gains for single-family construction in 2021, though at a slower growth rate than in 2020. Remodeling will remain strong as people continue to upgrade existing homes. The multifamily construction market will experience weakness as rent growth slows and vacancy rates rise. However, the development market should stabilize by 2022.

Together, residential construction will remain a leading element of the recovering economy, as illustrated with recent labor market data: Residential construction added 15,400 net jobs in November and was one of only a few sectors of the economy to post a year-over-year jobs gain (26,000).

While the HMI fell back, the outlook for housing remains positive, as the overall economy is expected to record a solid gain for GDP growth in 2021. NAHB anticipates GDP growth to accelerate in the second half of the year, after a majority of the U.S. population has been vaccinated. This process will be the most important element of 2021, as it will allow hard-hit sectors in the service industries to begin to recover and diminish shutdown risks harming small businesses.

A growing economy will be good for housing, but industry stakeholders should be aware it could also result in higher interest rates that could act as a headwind for more housing growth.

Original Article: http://nahbnow.com/2020/12/housings-outlook-for-2021/

Toolbox Talk: Ergonomic Breaks, Rest Periods, and Stretches

December 14, 2020

Ergonomic injury risk factors include forceful movements, repetitive motions, awkward postures, and lack of rest. Rest periods give the body time to recover from work; breaktime exercises and stretches strengthen the body. Workers should think of themselves as Industrial Athletes; athletes wouldn’t participate in a sport without proper rest and warm-up, so use the same preparation on the job.

Maintaining overall health reduces your risk of injury. Get a good night’s sleep to rest your body and maintain alertness. Eat healthy foods and drink fluids to boost energy and stay hydrated. Aerobic exercise and weight training increase strength and vitality. Stretching, yoga, and pilates improve flexibility and build core body strength.

Pay attention to signs of discomfort and fatigue on the job; these are warning signs from your body. As muscles tire during a work task, slouching can lead to poor posture, sloppy, uncontrolled movements, and injuries. Rest breaks mean recovery for the body. During a job task, take micro-breaks lasting 10-15 seconds every ten minutes. Take mini-breaks lasting 3-5 minutes every thirty to sixty minutes. These short breaks give the body a rest, reduce discomfort, and improve your performance.

Alternate your work activities and postures throughout the day. Rotating tasks may seem inefficient, but the rest and use of different muscle groups increases energy and maintains productivity. For example, if you are a landscaper, don’t trim all of the shrubs, sweep up the trimmings, and then leaf-blow the whole area; work in sections and trim, sweep, and leaf-blow in alternating tasks. If you work at a single workstation and job task all day, move into different postures while you work: first standing, then standing with one foot resting on a stool, then sitting.

Stretches help you warm-up before work and relax during breaks; they increase flexibility and boost blood flow and oxygen to muscles. Perform stretches slowly and gently; avoid extreme postures and stop stretching if you feel pain or discomfort. Physical and Occupational Therapists are the most qualified individuals to generate a specific stretching and warm-up program.

Overall fitness and flexibility, adequate sleep, task rotation, and rest breaks can help limit the overall risk of injury.

Source: https://www.statefundca.com/Home/StaticIndex?id=https://content.statefundca.com//safety/safetymeeting/SafetyMeetingArticle.aspx?ArticleID=357

Toolbox Talk: Emphasis on Confined Space

December 4, 2020

Confined spaces can be deadly. Overcome by gases, vapors, fumes, engulfed by material, or caught in moving machinery, workers may find they have nowhere to go without proper entry procedures. Adding to this potential tragedy, most fatalities occur to ill-prepared rescuers.

A confined space is large enough for an employee to enter and perform work. It has limited openings to enter and exit. It is not designed for continuous occupancy. A permit-required confined space has these limitations AND added dangers such as hazardous atmospheres, material engulfment, inwardly converging or sloped walls, or other serious safety and health hazards.

Confined space examples include water and sewer pipes, silos, utility tunnels, pumping stations, storage bins, crawl spaces under floors, manholes, meter vaults, water reservoirs, boilers, tunnels, holding tanks, vats, tanks, pits, kilns, wastewater wetwells, sumps, vaults, and grit chambers.

To prevent injuries and deaths, survey your worksites for confined spaces. Use a detailed checklist to analyze the layout, dimensions, entry/exit challenges, and atmospheric conditions for EACH space. Secure and label each space as a confined space or permit-required confined space.

Create a written confined space program listing these spaces. Detail who will enter confined spaces, how they will enter, and what work they will conduct. Get the equipment to test and monitor the atmosphere in each of your confined spaces. Identify how many attendants need to be outside each confined space during an entry.

Develop a rescue procedure including the number of people, the personal protective equipment, and rescue devices needed for each confined space. Rescue must be IMMEDIATELY available onsite during a confined space entry. DON’T rely on outside emergency responders for rescue; use a rescue plan. Rescue delays can result in multiple deaths.

Finally, train your employees and supervisors on all of these procedures, hazard control, and rescue operations. Planning and training can prevent confined space tragedy.

Source: https://www.statefundca.com/Home/StaticIndex?id=https://content.statefundca.com//safety/safetymeeting/SafetyMeetingArticle.aspx?ArticleID=738