Another GC is building a three-story steel-framed building about 4 blocks from the site I’m working on right now. Yesterday morning, the crane operator accidentally bumped a column with the beam he was lifting. One of the ironworkers was walking across a beam two column bays away as the column got hit, and fell 35′ to the concrete slab below. He wasn’t wearing any of the OSHA-required fall protection equipment, lost his hard hat on the way down, and landed on his head- killed instantly. 34 years old, and his widow now has to raise 3 young kids without their daddy.
I’ve driven past the site on several occasions and noticed that the “beamer” fall prevention cable system usually installed for tie-off wasn’t present on the job. In talking to several of the ironworkers on our job, they knew the guy, and he was one who always tied off, but didn’t have the cable system provided to tie off to (whether provided by the steel erector or the GC).
My opinion- he should have walked off the job if the cables weren’t there to tie off to- but instead, we now have a widow and three kids who will be filing suit against the steel erector, the steel contractor (to whom the erection company was a sub), the GC, the owner, the town, and everyone else the lawyers can think of. And think of how that crane operator feels right about now.
My point? How many of you really know what the OSHA requirements are for the construction industry? And more importantly, how many of you actually follow them with your employees, and enforce them with your subs? I know I’ll get a bunch of “those regs are for big commercial jobs”, or “you can’t work with a hardhat on”, or “it’d take me too long to properly secure and protect a scaffold per OSHA requirements.”
Just remember- somewhere in central Jersey, there’s three kids without a dad right now, all because someone thought they’d save some time and/or money by not installing fall protection cables……
Bob
Replies
One of those stories no const worker likes to hear.
It all comes down to the individual to use whatever protective messures are inplace or to pitch-a-bitch when they are needed.
Did OSHA shut the job down?Usually happens when someone dies.
Gives me a cold chill when I hear someone went in the hole.
God bless.
OSHA's been all over the job since yesterday- no work going on there for the rest of the week at least.
Someone mentioned it being tough to walk off a job when there's 4 mouths to feed. The thing is, the guy was a union ironworker- he could have made a call to the hall and been working somewhere else the same afternoon.
I'll check out if a fund is being established and let y'all know.
Regarding prices getting too high when all the proper safety measures are included- that becomes a selling point. Snap a few pictures of some of the stupid sh** other builders do, and show them to the client. "Mr. Jones- do you really want THIS taking place on your house? Be sure to ask the other contractors who are bidding the job about their safety programs. Here's our written safety policy, and signed acceptances of the safety program from all of our employees and subcontractors." That outta count for something.
Bob
Sweet Jesus. The only thing to do now is to help the family. If you set up a paypal account for them I'll donate.
Bob,
An anonymous call to OSHA may have been able to have prevented the accident. Often tough for an employee to go head to head with an employer when there are four mouths to feed.
Jon
Bob,
Worked with a guy who was killed setting stairs. Fell from the second story to the basement. Boss had no safety equipment. As a matter of Fact his son used to call anyone who put cleats on a roof to sheeth it a P##sy. One of many reasons for moving on.
OSHA found that the company had not provided or enforced use of proper fall arrester equipment. So, What happened? The boss went out and got about $3000.00 worth of safety gear. Still sits behind the seat of his truck.
Such is the mentallity of most guys. If you put in a bid based on using all the proper safety equipment on a residential job, Chances are you'll be way to high compared to the others. And as i've said before, builders with trade experience are almost extinct. It's all about the bottom Line for most guys.
If someone decides to set up a fund let me know. I think I have a few checks left in my checkbook.
Hard to get your post off my mind...........
Safety on the job site,mostly fall protection,is a big issue with most contractors around here!(Chicago)
I'm not big on law suits but,were it my wife,I would hope she would bring out all the guns and go after them.
IMHO!
Been on a few jobs where safety comes second and the bottom line is first.Too old and still alive too put up with that s%*t!
Safety first!There's no future without it!
re: three kids and a mom with no daddy
excellent coment, my fiances husband was killed in an construction accident leaving 4 kids aged 3 to 9 almost 6 years ago
no job, big or small, requires those risks
please guys, think of the risks, my fiance can tell you the consequences
caulking is not a piece of trim
Don't mean to be disrespectful here, but...
leaving 4 kids aged 3 to 9 almost 6 years ago
If he died 6 yrs ago, how can one of the kids be 3 yrs old?
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
They would be 9 to 15 now, I guess.
exactly tomcaulking is not a piece of trim
They would be 9 to 15 now, I guess. Duh. Guess I couldn't see the forest for the trees.Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Since Reagan, patron saint of the 'government can do no good lets deregulate', the gutting of regulatory agencies' budgets and power has been accomplished with an ever increasing evangelical zeal. Industries are supposed to regulate themselves. Almost never gets done effectively. Worker safety is neglected.
OSHA barely casts a shadow any more. Unions used to have enough power to force basic safety precautions. Even the IBEW, a non-strike union, would walk off for reasons of safety. For the most part more bark than bite and a bargaining tool it has happened. There is a long standing, if unofficial, rule is that if someone dies everyone goes home.
The few jobs they run are, IMHO, far more safety conscious than most non-union jobs. Of course Reagan, and all following conservative movements, have also gutted the ability of unions to organize. This beneficial effect has been, for the most part, negated.
This sort of tragic event is a cry for powerful and effective regulation and unions.
>> Unions used to have enough power to force basic safety precautions.
Yeah, I remember how safe America's workplaces were when unionization was at its peak. It's a wonder Congress even bothered creating OSHA.
That's terrible. Something similar happened to a guy I went to high school with. He only fell 16 ft., but he was just as dead.
FWIW, the National Association of Homebuilders in association with OSHA publishes a 30 page Jobsite Safety Handbook. It covers the basics, is in English and Spanish, and is the perfect gift for new employees. Twenty five copies cost about $200, less if you're an NAHB member. After reading that book, it's surprising to me just how little extra is required to bring a residential site into OSHA compliance.
If you think safety is expensive, try death.
AndyArguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it.
While I agree Reagan's deregulation didn't exactly help, As an industry we don't exactly help ourselves.
For every person trying to run a real business ten guys are running around on the fringes. I can't tell you how many guys have told me " I don't worry about health insurance. Thats why my wife works.". Or how many guys use their personal truck as a work truck. The one they take to work is the one they take the kids to Boy Scouts in. Most of my friends mix household and bussiness finances. Having just read the E-Myth Contractor I'll say this. Too many of us just own a job.
If you are the one guy to make a stand, Someone is waiting in the wings to cut your throat. God I hate to say it, But it's high time someone stepped in and leveled the Playing field. Time for everyone to play by the same rules.
In more than a few areas, wages and billing rates have gone up but the standard of living has gone down for tradesmen. How many guys do you know who work for someone but have no health insurance. How many no retirement plan. Hell a S.E.P. isn't that hard to set up. If we can't master these things how do you think OSHA regs get looked at?
The ratio of people standing in line to get a piece of the pie, to the number making the pie is out of wack. I hope my son never picks up a hammer.
Damn I sound just like some pro-government Democrat.
The only wat to change this s### is to jail the morons who pay no attention to safety. A guy dies on a job because the contractor has a total disregard for safety, he deserves prison. Accidents do happen, even to guys who really care and stress safety in the work place. These clowns who provide no fall protection, no shoring in a trench, etc. etc. should do some hard time.
BRB,
" I don't worry about health insurance. Thats why my wife works."
Some advice....hire one of those guys. Be cheaper.
"Or how many guys use their personal truck as a work truck."
Then they are saving the company money, but using a work truck (and the tax deductions that go along with it) for personal use is a different story.
"Most of my friends mix household and bussiness finances."
Curious what you mean by that.
"high time someone stepped in and leveled the Playing field. Time for everyone to play by the same rules.
So what? A law not allowing one to get health insurance under a spouses policies based on what? Occupation?
You are playing on the same field as everybody else, unless they are breaking the law.
Jon
Edited 4/9/2004 11:28 am ET by WorkshopJon
So,
How have you made out competing price wise with a guy who "owns" his own bussiness but has no plan for health insurance or retirement or company trucks.
I know way too many guys who think if they make 1600 a week and deduct 300 for expenses( tools, gas, Cell phone and such) they are setting the world on fire. Then they pay self employement tax as well as all the others, for the truck, and try to save a little for themselves. Whats left? maybe $700 a week? if that.
Now, how much of that do you feel the guy is willing to give up to be safe?
The notion that whatever the bussiness doesn't provide saves it money is exactly the problem.
And no not a law stopping a guy from going on his spouses health insurance. How about a little enforcement of safety standards across the board? How about if guys stop cutting eachothers throats for a nickle because they think making $200 a week more than when they worked for someone is good enough.
How many jobs are run by a guy or company who bid it and then just sent whoever he could get his hands on to go do it. No concern for proper training or safety. And, all they cares about is the bottom line.
Last, " Hire one of those guys. Be Cheaper." Brilliant Strategy!! Maybe we could go back to the days of indetured servitude. That would really cut costs!!!!
I think Jon is right on that we don't need the government to look over our shoulder for evey businesss choice we make. If a guy wants to operate without health ins., retirement plan, proper compensation for using personal assets to benefit the business, etc.., then that's his prerogative. If they want to sell themselves short, I don't want a regulatory commision to shut them down.
Now, the issue for you is how to operate a profitable business within the competitive environment. You need to market the benefits of a legitimate business to the customers. If every Joe with a truck has a skil saw and a construction company, focus on your stable history and how you will be around to deal with potential problems. Joe might divest the company once the mill opens up again. Or with regard to safety, tell your clients what measures you take, and suggest they inquire how the other bidders intend on keeping the job injury free.
In other words, you're a pro, they are not. Sell that fact like crazy. That's the only way to differentiate yourself.
Jon Blakemore
"In other words, you're a pro, they are not. Sell that fact like crazy. That's the only way to differentiate yourself."
Jon,
Coundn't have said it better myself.
Jon
"How many jobs are run by a guy or company who bid it and then just sent whoever he could get his hands on to go do it. No concern for proper training or safety. And, all they cares about is the bottom line."
BRB,.
Probably too many, and those guys should be reported. On the other hand, not everyone needs, wants, nor can afford a true "Pro" job. That's why there will always be hacks out there who underbid you, and yes will run riskier job sites unfortunately.
Like Jon B. said, they are not, or at least should not be, your competition.
Jon
What I find is bad are the broker contractors. I hired a GC (recommended by friends and I checked his ref and he was not the low bidder) for an addition. He said that he had his own crew for carpentry. The reality is that he has a guy that gets a bunch of Polish guys to do the work. The Polish guys are only here for a few months to earn some money and go back to Poland. They don't speak english (one did and he told me that 8 of them are living in a 2 bedroom apartment), can't read a drawing and do things the way they did them in Poland. There is no concern for safety. No fall protection, no guards on their saws, wearing sneakers during demo, no safety glasses, no rails along stair openings, etc.. I talked to the boss about it and was told that it was not my problem. I should of fired them but I need to get the job done. No one was hurt but the potential was there.
Bob :I went on a fire call about 4 years ago.Two construction workers were in a lift about 65" up repointing a smoke stack.The bucket collapsed spilling the workers out,BUT they were harnessed IN.As they were tumbled out ,they crashed into each other knocking them selves' out.I will never forget that site when we turned the corner seeing them dangling in mid from there harness 65' up.Another ladder crew got to them before us and got them into there ladder bucket safe and sound.They were ok for the most part minus some dings and dents ,soaked underwear(can't blame them) I know it's to late for this poor guy.(If the site ain't safe ,drop a dime to some body) but for the rest of USE GUY"S HARNESS UP AND LOCK IN! IT AIN'T WORTH IT
Stay safe Greg