The Conveyor - Spring Issue 2023

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CalCIMA

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Published By Construction Marketing Services, LLC

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Publisher Kerry Hoover khoover@calcontractor.com

Editor Brian Hoover bhoover@ironads.com

Editorial Contributors Julia Maldonado, Communications Coordinator, CalCIMA

Meghan Neal, P.W. Gillibrand, Co., Inc.

Charley Rea, Director of Communications, Safety & Technical Services, CalCIMA

Justin Patts & Milan Yekich, NIOSH

Gianfranco Scherini, VP of Marketing and Sales, SOBEREYE, Inc.

Suzanne Seivright-Sutherland, Director of Regional Government Affairs & Grassroots Operations, CalCIMA

Graphic Designer Aldo Myftari

The Conveyor is published quarterly each year by Construction Marketing Services, LLC

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Safety - collective commitment and shared responsibility

The rain (hopefully) is behind us and the sun is taking its spot high above California as summer quickly approaches.

It is the time of year we welcome warmer weather and increased production at our worksites. It is also a time when we can fall victim to distraction while we work. We all know, however, those distractions can have dire consequences.

Safety has always been an important part of the construction sector. For most companies in our industry, it is the top priority. Each company at CalCIMA, no doubt, has robust safety policies and protocols but it takes more than programs and slogans and incentives to realize a successful program. Workplace safety requires a collective commitment and shared responsibility to have a safety mindset. It is essential that

all stakeholders actively engage in safety and participate in training and educating each other.  Most importantly, we all need to remain focused on the task at hand while keeping a mindful eye on each other. A good safety culture is not developed through top down communication but rather through peer to peer engagement.  We should routinely encourage each other to speak up if we see unsafe practices in our facilities and respectfully challenge our team members on potentially unsafe actions.

As you head into summer, take a moment to shake off the distractions and double down on your commitment to your company’s safety program, the safety of your colleagues and your personal safety. It may just save someone’s life. n

Jamie Polomsky President - Western Division Vulcan Materials Company CalCIMA Chairman

Safety first, last, and always

I really enjoyed spending time with our industries’ safety professionals during our recent Spring Thaws.

Specifically this year, it was a humbling honor to narrate our fallen miners tribute. In preparing for that responsibility, I spent some time contemplating what it means for our producers to be essential to the current and future economy of our state, and the inherent safety risk our colleagues face every day to make it happen. Although fortunately none were from California, it galvanized a perspective I have held for years, in new ways.

As many of you know, I have been involved in infrastructure most of my career, and even spent the better part of a decade working for one of CalCIMA’s producer members. I have faced the loss of people I knew. But looking at the story of each of the fallen over the last year, and being invited to take on the responsibility of narrating it, was so humbling and instructive. It really hit home as I thought about being the son, brother, father, husband, cousin, friend, or colleague of each one we memorialized. I had to fight through the emotions and did my best to recognize their sacrifice and loss, and then turn all our eyes forward.

While we cannot go back, what really matters is what we do next. Safety first, last, and always is a lifestyle, not merely words, and helping each other pay attention and applying the training we have is how we must “play it forward.”

I want to take this opportunity to applaud the work of our CalCIMA Safety & Health Committee. The committee members work hard to be a resource for their fellow members and I encourage every producer member, from every one of the member companies’ product lines, to engage with them.

First and foremost, the meetings of the committee serve as an opportunity for peers to consult and exchange information on safety practices, to tool up our practices so we can anticipate where we need to increase attention.

The committee also serves to provide members news on regulatory developments through regular meetings with the U.S. Mine Safety & Health Administration, Cal/OSHA’s Mining and Tunneling Unit, and Cal/OSHA.

In addition to the training offered at the annual Spring Thaw Safety Conferences, the Committee has developed a series of training materials to assist members. A particular area of emphasis has been on customer truck safety at mine sites. Resources for members include uniform truck safety signage, postcards, brochures, and presentations. The Committee has also produced pamphlets, checklists, and presentations to improve contractor safety at mine sites. Most recently, the committee developed safety tips for concrete mixer drivers working around concrete pumps, as well as safety signage that may be used in your company’s safety materials. All these can be found on CalCIMA’s “Tools for Safety” website, or can be obtained through the CalCIMA office.

For 15 years now, the committee has recognized producers’ safety achievements through the annual Excellence in Safety Awards. The awards and the awards process serves to highlight what’s working, best practices, and remains one of the most unique and rigorous safety award programs.

The Safety Committee is also critical in setting our policy agenda. In addition to initiatives to improve Cal/OSHA communication of hazards found in inspections, the Safety Committee initiated the legislation in 2011--SB 341 (Lowenthal)--that required all trucks to have a back-up alarm!

The significant work of the committee is aided by the consistent and committed leadership of the committee by Michael Herges, Graniterock; Meghan Neal, P.W. Gillibrand; Matt Smylie, Ford Construction and Charley Rea, CalCIMA’s professional staff lead. We owe them all a thanks! The committee will continue to support

your training opportunities and it is on each and every one of us to pay attention and apply what we know to what we experience on the job site each and every day. n

Sincerely,

Robert Dugan President/CEO CalCIMA

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SOBEREYE

Helps reduce risk of accidents in the workplace

By Gianfranco Scherini,

The legalization of cannabis in 18 states for recreational use and in 37 states for medical uses has brought with it challenges for workplaces to balance workers rights and safety.

Zero-tolerance drug policies are becoming increasingly ineffective and impractical for most businesses since marijuana is commonly used socially, similar to alcohol. A Gallup survey found that marijuana use is almost as common as alcohol, with 49% of U.S. adults saying they use marijuana and 60% saying they drink alcoholic beverages. Additionally, zero-tolerance drug policies for marijuana have been

a leading cause of the growing national trucker shortage and in the workforce in general.

California took another step last year when Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2188 (Quirk), which makes California the seventh state in the country to prohibit employers from discriminating against workers who consume marijuana “off the job and away from the workplace.” The fundamental reason behind the legislative change is that marijuana can be detected in users' systems for weeks or even months after use, depending on the testing method, and well after the effect has vanished.

Although the new California law does not apply in the building and construction trades and still prohibits cannabis use on the job, the challenge for many businesses will be how to test or detect when cannabis use does cause impairment in the workplace. This is particularly a concern due to the evolving nature of effective impairment tests.

Although many people believe workplace marijuana use can be handled like alcohol with a legal limit and a quick test to detect offenders, that is not the case. Cannabis breathalyzers are under development, and no data correlating THC level in breath

VP of Marketing and Sales, SOBEREYE, Inc. Photos provided by SOBEREYE, Inc.

SOBEREYE has developed an automated pupillary analysis solution for workplace use. Pupillary analysis measures the pupil's response to changing light conditions or light stimuli.

and impairment is available since marijuana is metabolized differently from alcohol. On top of that, laws limit routine or random drug testing: employers may not require employees to submit to random drug testing, except under certain narrowly defined circumstances.

Focusing on what is more important: Catching drug users and firing them or preventing accidents?

It is a well-known fact that worker impairment is the primary cause of accidents, yet many companies today rely primarily on drug screening to prevent risks of accidents in the workplace. According to the National Safety Council, workplace impairment is the inability to function normally or safely due to various reasons, such as fatigue, medical conditions,

medications, stress, and drug or alcohol use. Therefore, a new approach in the workplace is needed, shifting from drug testing to impairment detection to include a wider range of potential risk factors that are the source of most accidents in the workplace.

To address this new challenge with an innovative approach, San Mateo-based SOBEREYE, Inc. presented at the recent Spring Thaw Safety Conference and discussed how it has developed an automated pupillary analysis solution for workplace use. Pupillary analysis measures the pupil's response to changing light conditions or light stimuli. Pupillary light reflex (PLR), an involuntary reflex controlled by the Autonomic Nervous System, changes if there is an anomaly in the Nervous

System. The portable impairment risk detection tool developed by SOBEREYE allows employees to test themselves before and/ or during their working shift. Employees hold the testing device up to their eyes, which detect impairment risk from any cause, including medications, drugs, alcohol, fatigue, sleep deprivation, and/or illness. Within a minute, the worker performs the test and receives an immediate response. SOBEREYE has helped thousands of employees stay safe on the job since its introduction in 2018 with fairness and respect. It's time to shift the narrative from a "drug-free workplace" that requires a policing attitude to an "impairment-free workplace" that is implemented in cooperation with the workforce. n

Right: Gianfranco Scherini, VP of Marketing and Sales at Sobereye, discusses Sobereye's technology with CalCIMA members at the 2023 Spring Thaw in Sacramento.

Left: The portable impairment risk detection tool developed by SOBEREYE allows employees to test themselves before and/or during their working shift.

Going to a higher level on safety: Voluntary Protection Program

By Charley Rea, Director of Communications, Safety & Technical Services

Now may be the time for CalCIMA members to consider applying for Cal/OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). California was the leader in the 1970’s in developing the nation’s first Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), a higher level, voluntary, and cooperative program to improve safety at worksites.

The program description tells it all,

The California Voluntary Protection Program (Cal/VPP) is designed to recognize employers and their employees who have implemented safety and health programs that effectively prevent and control occupational hazards. These programs go beyond minimal Cal/OSHA standards and provide the best feasible protection at the site.

With an endorsement like that, why wouldn’t a plant want to seek VPP certification?

The VPP requires a joint commitment and cooperation of labor, management, and government. It requires a rigorous certification, and only 67 plants in California are certified. But, the program has been demonstrated to reduce injuries by up to 80%!

There are 6 essential elements in being VPP certified:

• Management commitment

• Employee involvement

• Worksite analysis

• Hazard prevention & control

• Health and safety training

• Continual improvement

These are among the benefits reported by VPP participants:

• Improvement in employee morale and motivation to work safely

• Lower workers' compensation and other insurance costs

• Comprehensive evaluation by a team of health and safety consultants

• Networking with government and industry

• Community recognition and esteemed public image

• Exempt from some regular inspections

CalCIMA members may want to consider VPP status for one of their plants or mines. In fact, CalCIMA members may already be achieving the necessary high levels in their safety programs. If so, it might be nice to be recognized for that!

Jeff Killup, Chief of Cal/OSHA, says of those in the VPP program, “You guys are like the Eagle Scouts of Safety, and you are the ambassadors.”

• Improved labor/management relation

• Reduction in overall injuries and illnesses

• Higher product quality and work productivity

To help member companies begin a conversation within their companies—including management and employees-about whether to consider becoming VPP certified, the CalCIMA Safety & Health Committee recently prepared a presentation that members can use as a starting point.

The VPP presentation can be found on CalCIMA’s “Tools for Safety” website. More can be found on Cal/OSHA’s VPP website.

Give it a shot! n

The psychological and practical benefits of well-fitting PPE for women

By Julia Maldonado, Communications Coordinator, CalCIMA

With the increasing diversity of the workforce, there are now 330,000 women employed in the construction industry. How many of those wear clothes or have available Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) made specifically for their body type? And, is it really an issue if it doesn’t fit?

Janeen Oliver, Senior Ready Mix Sales Representative for Catalina Pacific (a CalPortland company) and a third generation ready mixed concrete employee, has experienced multiple instances of struggling to find workwear for women, such as not being able to find women’s work boots or not having large enough pockets in the pants. The lack of availability of women’s workwear in stores forces them to either look online and guess what will fit them, or wear clothes made for men that may be too baggy, and unsafe.

“The biggest thing psychologically is that you feel like a little kid wearing their dad’s clothes,” Oliver said. “It creates a sense of not feeling like you belong, like someone telling you that you don’t matter.” Oliver is also not a fan of making women’s workwear pink, because it makes women stick out even more in the field.

Oliver is not alone. Tobias Pagel, Founder and CEO of women’s exclusive workwear company Libaerty, interviewed many women prior to creating his company and found that there is a true need for well-fitting PPE and workwear for women.

“One very clear common thread (from the interviews) was, ‘We don’t have (women’s workwear), we do

need it, I don’t want anything fancy, definitely don’t want anything pink, I just want what that guy has but made to fit my body,’” Pagel said. Not only are oversized safety vests, helmets, or footware damaging for a woman’s self-esteem, but it can actually be dangerous to have loose gear. Oliver noted that some of the issues that have come up with loose-fitting workwear include maneuvering through tight places

such as narrow walkways, being caught on fenders, between concrete trucks, and the clothes not laying on the body the right way. Not to mention conveyors and other moving parts at a mine site.

So, why is women’s workwear so hard to find?

There are many reasons that Pagel attributes to the lack of women’s workwear; one big reason is gender bias. In a male dominated industry, men may not see the need for clothing in different sizes because they already have the clothing made to their size. Others may not recognize that there is an issue at all. It’s a

Above: Justin Purkey, Mixer Driver (left) and Janeen Oliver, Senior Ready Mix Sales Representative, Catalina Pacific.

misconception that because it meets OSHA standards, it’s good enough for everyone.

“I met with a health and safety professional who has been in the industry for 25 years… during the call, he mentioned that he was embarrassed that up until a year ago, he was totally oblivious about this entire topic. It never crossed his mind,” Pagel said.

Pagel found that women and men across the board are unaware

that this is an issue, or women in nontraditional employment roles might find there to be more important, higher pressing issues that they deal with, and ill-fitting workwear is on the backburner. Other reasons include a lack of regulation, or employer’s disbelief in the absence of complaints.

Companies like Libaerty are taking steps toward becoming more inclusive toward women. Oliver notes that some manufacturers

started making clothing more proportional and that cinches at the waist. Having tighter workwear is not for aesthetics, but for practicality.

“Some companies are also making maternity clothing; it’s very promising,” Oliver said.

There’s still a long way to go to improve the availability of women’s workwear, but companies are taking steps in the right direction. n

Left: Libaerty and HiVis are some companies that are providing/ manufacturing women’s workwear.

The latest on technologies to detect, monitor and control silica

By Justin Patts & Milan Yekich, NIOSH

INTRODUCTION

Researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently presented at the 2023 CalCIMA Spring Thaw to share their work towards managing the hazards of respirable dusts including respirable crystalline silica (RCS). While the problem of silica exposure in mining is as old as the industry itself – NIOSH has been investigating novel adaptations of existing technologies that can improve the ability to detect, monitor and lower miners’ exposure to RCS. With the Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) considering lowering the existing RCS personal exposure limit, now is the right time to be on the lookout for solutions which can lower exposures in our mining operations.

LOW-COST DUST MONITORS

In the last 10 years, global demand to monitor air quality has led to the development of so-called “low-cost” particulate monitors, typically under $300 each.

NIOSH is conducting research to determine if the performance of these sensors is high enough to yield utility in operational mining environments. To accomplish this, testing is being conducted comparing the output of low-cost dust sensors and traditional sampling methods exposed to the types of dust found in the metal/ non-metal (M/NM) industry. Already seeing promise in the lab test results, researchers have begun preliminary case studies in operating mines to see how the

sensors perform under representative real-world conditions.

NEXT-GENERATION CAB FILTRATION SYSTEMS:

NIOSH has conducted research on the performance of mobile equipment cab and control room filtration systems for more than 15 years and published extensively on the necessary components and characteristics for high-performing enclosure filtration. In their current research effort, they aim to specify, acquire, and demonstrate smart filtration and pressurization systems for mobile equipment. These smart filtration systems will be able to sense the air quality in real-time, change the operating parameters of the system to improve that air quality and then report the conditions both to the operator as well as remotely to the mine’s central maintenance dispatch. The goal is to have the best-possible air quality not just when the equipment is new but over its life cycle as seals deteriorate, filters load, etc.

RAPID QUARTZ ANALYSIS METHODS:

Having the ability to monitor exposure for RCS and doing so in a cost-effective and timely manner in the field is critical for selfassessment of compliance at the end of a shift. NIOSH researchers have developed the rapid quartz analysis, which is a 3-step field-based approach using a portable Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analyzer in conjunction with the direct-on-filter analysis approach. This allows operators to estimate RCS on site, immediately after sampling, indicating if engineering controls need to be implemented. All the components are commercially available, in addition to the free download of the field analysis of silica tool (FAST) software to allow an occupational safety and health professional on-site to generate the exposure estimates right away. In addition, since the field methodology does not destroy the samples, the professional can, if needed, combine the benefit

Left: Experts from MSHA, SESPE, and NIOSH lead a panel at the Spring Thaw on silica and how to monitor it in the workplace.

The often-overlooked value(s) of sleep

By Meghan Neal, P.W. Gillibrand, Co., Inc.

Do you think getting enough sleep matters when it comes to workplace safety? Well, current research shows that lack of sleep is a relatively new and increasing concern for our civilization, having originated only in the last 100 years.

Today, close to 65% of adults in developed nations are not getting the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep opportunity. This doesn’t equate to seven to nine hours of actual sleep time, but the opportunity for your body to obtain it. One-third of people in the U.S. get less than seven hours a night according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If we don’t get the recommended minimum, many detrimental effects can occur to our health and longevity. These include effects to our cardiovascular, immune, and even digestive systems. New research has linked lack of sleep to Alzheimer’s disease due to preventing the body from removing beta amyloid and other neurological waste by-products. The brain’s rinse/wash cycle only happens during sleep. Incidentally, both Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan bragged about the little amount of sleep they got, and both suffered from this terrible condition.

The fact of the matter is, we cannot escape our biology. Humans have been hard-wired to be diurnal creatures; awake during the day and asleep at night. Almost 25% of people don’t work during the day and shift workers bear more negative consequences for gaming this biological need than their first shift counterparts. They are more likely to have adverse reproductive outcomes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. In 2020, the

World Health Organization classified night shift work as “probably carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2A). Third shift workers often push the limit of 16 hours of wakefulness before getting in a car and driving home for an extended commute, precisely when the thinking brain or prefrontal cortex is not receiving alert signals from the optic nerve in time to take appropriate action to avoid accidents. Response speeds for sleepy test subjects were 50% slower and accuracy was worse than the corresponding level of alcohol consumption. Going 17 to 19 hours without sleep is the same as having a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of 0.05%, or impaired on the legally drunk scale. Passing 20 hours without sleep equates to having a BAC of 0.08%, or at the legal limit.

Across the board, lack of sleep interferes with your neurons ability to translate what is being seen into coherent thoughts. The neurons in your brain fire more slowly and

lose strength. People who get more sleep think more quickly, have quicker reflexes, and focus better. They are also more patient and creative. Ironically, sleep deprived people will not perceive their effort as being lesser than, but they cannot judge their own level of impairment precisely because they are impaired. Thinking slows down and becomes fixated. They are not able to think of alternative solutions. Can this affect worker safety? You bet. Especially during critical task completion or times when clear communication is essential.

Adequate sleep also benefits memory and learning, both for fact-based and skills-based information. Sleep spindles are responsible for memory encoding and retrieval. They flag items learned during the day and transfer the information to the brain’s long term memory reservoir. A full night’s sleep can increase memory retention by as much as 20-40%. One study found a 20%

increase in performance speed and almost a 35% improvement in accuracy when subjects were tested the day after learning. Pause problems are removed and skills become fluid, implanted by sleep into the motor cortex and at the level of unconsciousness or automaticity. Sleep spindles are concentrated more on the area of the motor cortex that was involved in learning the routine during that day’s practice. And it isn’t the absolute number of sleep spindles that predict a person’s ability to learn and remember, but rather the rejuvenation of the spindles’ activity after a solid night’s sleep.

Most relevant to the business community may be how much lack of sleep can affect the bottom line. Health and safety impacts aside, researchers estimate sleepy employees can cost

your company anywhere from $2,000 to $3,500 per employee per year, with the upper amount representing chronically sleep deprived employees. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, California had almost 17,500 manufacturing establishments in 2021, with an average employment size of 7,600 workers. Sleep deprivation is costing these companies anywhere from $15.2 to $26.6 million each year in lost productivity. If focusing on one driver has the potential for these returns, it’s a wonder why more companies are not promoting and incentivizing sleep with their employees. Of the companies that attended the CalCIMA Spring Thaw conference this year, only one reported having a program or policy designed around promoting adequate sleep. For more

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information, you can search for employee sleep programs among business titans such as Procter & Gamble, Nike, Google, and many others.

These incredible facts have been brilliantly revealed in Dr. Matthew Walker’s book, “Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams.” In his New York Times bestseller, Dr. Walker not only discusses the stages of sleep but, more importantly, why they are necessary to our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. He discusses some of the 17,000 plus scientific studies that have been done, which illustrate sleep’s benefits for our performance, and what the deleterious consequences are of shorting ourselves of this basic, fundamental biological necessity. n

Spring Thaws focus on safe practices

By Julia Maldonado,

Coordinator, CalCIMA

When it comes to the materials industry, safety should always be the first priority.

CalCIMA held its 2023 Spring Thaw safety conferences this past February in Ontario and Sacramento, which focus on different techniques and technology that member companies use to practice safe habits in the workplace.

The Spring Thaws began with a tribute for the nation's 29 fallen miners in 2022. CalCIMA President and CEO Robert Dugan presented a slideshow of the miners and talked about their lives and families. To honor those who lost their lives, the audience lit 29 candles and held a moment of silence.

The Spring Thaws had 3 panels with different experts and topics speaking on each one. The Mine

Safety & Health Administration (MSHA), SESPE Consulting, Inc and NIOSH discussed silica standards, how to monitor and control silica exposures, and new technologies. A panel of Graniterock, Granite Construction, 3M and Castle Mountain discussed the ways different companies address site-specific training for customers and visitors to mine sites. In the final panel, P.W. Gillibrand, Stoel Rives and Sobereye discussed fitness for work issues regarding sleep, cannabis impacts, and alertness technology.

Additional presentations included how to handle conflict at the workplace by the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association, a mining and tunneling overview by Cal/OSHA, the elements of a risk assessment by Vulcan Materials,

the 5S housekeeping system by CEMEX, and an overview of MSHA’s enforcement, regulations and education initiatives.

CalCIMA would like to thank the CalCIMA Safety & Health Committee for their hard work to put together the 2023 Spring Thaws, as well as all presenters. CalCIMA would also like to thank the following exhibitors:

Exhibitors

Applied Particle Technology

Command Alkon

Ramos Oil Co., Inc.

Sobereye

The Conveyor

Thank you to all members who attended, and we look forward to seeing you at our 2023 Education Conference in Palm Springs. n

Left: Silica Panel speakers Karen Smith, Senior Industrial Hygienist, CalOSHA - Region 2, William Estakhri, Regional Manager, CalOSHA - Region 2, Jennifer Van Wey, MSHA, Justin Patts, Milan Yekich, NIOSH and Scott Cohen, Sespe Consulting.

Left: Libby Pritchard (National Stone Sand and Gravel Association) discusses communication in the workplace and how to resolve conflict.

Above: The Fallen Miner Tribute is a very poignant part of each Spring Thaw.

Above: Attendees hold candles to represent individual Fallen Miners in 2022.

Communications

Above: Antonio Visconti (Sobereye) explains how Sobereye’s technology monitors alertness and how it can help with managing impairment while on the job.

Above: Gianfranco Scherini (Sobereye, right) discusses Sobereye’s technology with CalCIMA members during the break.

Left: Diane Fionda (CalOSHA) updated the attendees on safety measures practices during mining & tunneling.

Above: Daryl Charlson (CEMEX) was a featured speaker at the Ontario Spring Thaw; his presentation was on safety at Concrete Plants - Applying 5S at Your Maintenance Shop.”

Right: Spring Thaw exhibitor Josh Graves (Ramos Oil) with Suzanne Seivright (CalCIMA).

Left: Bryan Hawkins (Stoel Rives, LLP) discusses California’s new cannabis testing law and how it applies to the workplace.

Above: Meghan Neal (P.W. Gillibrand) discusses how lack of sleep negatively affects performance at work.

Left: Jennifer Van Wey (MSHA, left) and Scott Cohen (SESPE Consulting, right) lead a silica safety panel, where they discuss the silica initiative, best practices to monitor and a model program that demonstrates effective monitoring and control for operators.

Above: Mike Herges (Graniterock) is also CalCIMA’s Safety Committee Chairman.

Left: Site Specific Training Panel speakers were; Christopher Bryan, (Castle Mountain Joint Venture), Carlos Mascote (3M), Carson Devinny (Granite Construction) and Mike Herges, (Graniterock ).

Long-time Environmental Health & Safety Training Manager from 3M retires

By Suzanne Seivright-Sutherland, Director of Regional Government Affairs & Grassroots Operations, CalCIMA

Roberta Reed, the Environmental Health & Safety Training Manager of 3M for the past 24 years, has retired. Reed is a past CalCIMA Environmental Committee Chair and longtime Riverside-Metro Regional Council Chair, who continually provides leadership and guidance on critical policy issues. From her deep involvement in stormwater permitting,through her participation on local mining ordinances in the County of Riverside, input on safety issues, to her in depth knowledge of South Coast Air Quality Management District’s RECLAIM program as a super compliant facility, Reed’s leadership, knowledge, and perseverance have helped make CalCIMA a more effective organization.

During her tenure, Reed considers one of her greatest successes the improvement in environmental health and safety as regulations became more stringent and challenging.

“Since we’ve gotten through the whole RECLAIM process–the establishment of [South Coast Air Quality Management District’s (AQMD) ‘NOx Reductions for Equipment at Aggregate Facilities’] Rule 1147.1,--that was not just singularly my accomplishment, but it was that whole [CalCIMA] group. It was pretty amazing that we were able to work with the AQMD and manage to have that work out the way it did,” Reed said.

No success comes without challenges, though. Reed has come across many obstacles, but the biggest one has been getting new employees to “buy-in” into environmental and safety compliance. She advises that it’s important to teach employees why regulations exist and why they apply.

“You need to make sure you understand the regulation and how it applies to you, in getting people to “buy-in” to compliance,” Reed said. “I’m a firm believer in giving people information so people understand why you are doing what you are doing, not just come with the mallet saying you have to do this. They need to understand why and understand that sometimes you’re just the messenger.”

Although it can sometimes be difficult to get employees on board with compliance, Reed says that the people are the best part about her job. She credits the people for being the reason she has been at 3M for 20 years.

Roberta’s retirement plans include a move to her house in Scio,

Oregon. She explains “other than Terry Tyson (previously with Lehigh Hansen), no one has actually heard of Scio… Terry’s actually been there.” Once there, Roberta will do a kitchen remodel, bathroom addition, plant gardens, and find farm animals. She plans to get involved in the community at the regional historical society and likely support their efforts to sensibly market her new community in a sense that maintains the charm the town has, and then get involved in church. According to Roberta “all the stuff I don’t have to do here, at least not recently.”

CalCIMA would like to thank Roberta for her decades of guidance, compassion, and work ethic, and for her genuine commitment to the association, and the environment. Working in partnership with her has been truly motivational and rewarding on many levels, and has benefitted the entire construction materials industry. Roberta was the 2017 recipient of CalCIMA’s Ben Licari Distinguished Member award. n

Left: Roberta Reed retired after 24 years of service with 3M.

Livingston’s Concrete announces changes in leadership

Livingston’s Concrete has a change in leadership this year.

Shannon Russi, a longtime employee and granddaughter to the founders of Livingston’s, has been promoted to Vice President. Russi has worked many positions in the company since 2002, including dispatch order entry, the accounting department and Director of Administration. Russi will work alongside Joe Russi, the President of Livingston’s.

Livingston’s also says goodbye to Patricia L. Henley, who retired in January. Henley worked for the family business out of high school beginning in 1981, worked her way up to Vice President in 1987 and became President of the company in 2005. She was named CEO and Chair of the Board in 2020.

Congratulations to Russi for your well-earned promotion, and to Henley for your longtime service. Enjoy your retirement!

Livingston’s Concrete is a family-owned and operated business. Livingston’s has provided readymix concrete, decorative concrete, and admixtures/ additives to the greater Sacramento area since 1946 and is known as the “Good Service Company.” n

Above: Congratulations to Patricia L. Henley on her retirement.

This information was provided in a Livingston’s Concrete Press Release and has been adapted to fit this publication.

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2023-2024 COMMITTEE CHAIRS

CalCIMA would like to thank the outgoing chairs and vice chairs for serving on a CalCIMA committee for the 2021-2022 year. CalCIMA would also like to welcome the new incoming chairs and vice chairs, and look forward to seeing what contributions they have to their committees during the 2023-2024 year!

ASPHALT STEERING

Chair: Tim Reed, Vulcan Materials Company

Outgoing Vice Chair: Frank Rancadore, Graniterock

EDUCATION, EVENTS AND MEMBERSHIP

SERVICES

Co Chair: Crystal Howard, Crystal Waters Consulting

Outgoing Co Chair: Peggy Robertson, Holliday Rock

Incoming Co Chair: Desirea Haggard, CalPortland

ENVIRONMENTAL & NATURAL RESOURCES

Outgoing Chair: Steve Azevedo, Knife River Construction

Incoming Chair: Nicholas Armstrong, Teichert Materials

Outgoing Vice Chair: Nicholas Armstrong, Teichert Materials

Incoming Vice Chair:Erin Loza, CEMEX

GOVERNMENTAL & LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS

Chair: Barb Goodrich-Welk, Vulcan Materials Company

Outgoing Vice Chair: Herb Burton, Central Concrete Supply Co., Inc.

Incoming Vice Chair: Debbie Wells, CEMEX

LEGAL ACTION

Chair: Diane Kindermann, Abbott & Kindermann

Outgoing Vice Chair: Kerry Shapiro, JMBM

Incoming Vice Chair: Martin Stratte, Martin Marietta

PUBLIC EDUCATION & OUTREACH

Chair: Chris Iaccio, CEMEX

Incoming Vice Chair: Shanna Crigger, Graniterock

READY MIX STEERING COMMITTEE

Chair: Francisco Rivera, CEMEX

Vice Chair: Josh Neff, Folsom Ready Mix

RIVERSIDE/METRO REGIONAL COUNCIL

Chair: Roberta Reed, 3M

Outgoing Vice Chair: Desirea Haggard, CalPortland

Incoming Vice Chair: Bill Taylor, Robertson’s Ready Mix

SAFETY & HEALTH

Co Chairs: Michael Herges, Graniterock, Meghan Neal, P.W. Gillibrand

Vice Chair: Matt Smylie, Ford Construction

SAN BERNARDINO REGIONAL COUNCIL

Outgoing Chair: Steve Payne, Elementis Specialties

Incoming Chair: Desirea Haggard, CalPortland

Outgoing Vice Chair: Paul MArtin, CalPortland

Incoming Vice Chairs: George Kenline, Martin Marietta, Jamie Hove, AgCon, Inc.

SAN DIEGO REGIONAL COUNCIL

Chair: Matt Pound, Martin Marietta

Vice Chair: Abbey Sanderson, Vulcan Materials Company

TECHNICAL

Co Chairs: Patrick Frawley, Central Concrete Supply Co., Ed Luce, CEMEX

TRANSPORTATION

Co Chairs: Jamison Soule, Holliday Rock Co., Inc., Kevin Homuth, Con-Tech Manufacturing

Vice Chair: Daryl Charlson, CEMEX

WOMEN OF CALCIMA

Co Chairs: Juliette Jacobson, Granite Construction, Talia Flagan, Martin Marietta

Outgoing Vice Chair: Jaymi Fridley, Master Builders Solutions

Vulcan Materials Company's Western Division loses a legend

Vulcan Materials Company’s Western Division (Vulcan) sadly announces the passing of Earl Walter Ochs on March 8, 2023, at the age of 68 and after a brave battle with cancer. Ochs served in the U.S. Army, lived in Menifee, and worked at Vulcan's Corona plant for more than 27 years. He was preceded in death by his wife, Yolanda Ochs.

Ochs had been working for another aggregate plant in 1995 when CalMat Co., Inc. (CalMat) came calling to offer him the job as plant manager at their Corona facility. He eagerly accepted and remained in the position after CalMat was acquired by Vulcan in November 1999. As anyone will tell you, Ochs’ specialty expertise was in drilling and blasting and he was one of the best in the business.

He continually gave back to the industry by serving on CalCIMA’s Safety & Health Committee and giving presentations at the 2019 and 2022 Spring Thaws. In 2019, Ochs proudly served on the Innovations Panel, sharing innovations from Vulcan’s Corona quarry, a 2018 CalCIMA Excellence in Safety Award winner. In 2022, he served on a panel regarding customer truck safety. Ochs enjoyed giving tours of the 300-acre Corona Quarry to educate agencies like Caltrans and others about how producers manage and test aggregate for quality.

Here are testimonials to Earl’s legacy from his peers:

John Atkins, Area Operations Manager for Vulcan's Western Division: “Earl was a longtime

peer of mine as we both worked at different plants. When I became an area manager in 2015, Earl and I got to know one another much better as I would visit the Corona facility. Not everyone leaves behind a positive and inspiring legacy. Earl's legacy was the Corona flagship plant that he loved so much,” says Atkins. “If you have ever been to our Corona facility, you have probably met Earl. He just seems to magically appear no matter where you are within the 300-acre facility. As a part of his legacy, Earl gladly passed on almost everything he knew about drilling, blasting, and other knowledge to Johnny Trillo, who will now carry the torch in his name.”

Rick Lopez, Plant Manager at Vulcan's Corona Facility: “Corona was Earl’s baby, and his specialty was drilling and blasting. We all relied upon Earl as we would shoot

the mountain to supply our production needs. He had the vision and the plan, and the Corona plant was everything to Earl. He loved mining, and the crew and facility were his family,” says Lopez. “To me, he was like a favorite uncle who was always patient and willing to share his valuable knowledge. Losing Earl was a great loss and there are some big boots left to fill the void that Earl left behind.”

Johnny Trillo, Plant Supervisor for Vulcan's Corona facility: “Earl and I have been coworkers for many years, as I came on board in 2007 just as the new plant was being constructed. I loved to listen to Earl’s stories, and Earl always had a story,” says Trillo. “He was a mentor to me as I continued to grow with the company. I would not be where I am today without Earl’s friendship and tremendous shared knowledge of running and maintaining an aggregate plant.”

Danny Avalos, General Foreman at the Corona facility: “I was fortunate to have worked with Earl at the old CalMat facility and together we helped usher in the new plant in 2007. Earl was my manager and we eventually moved from co-workers to family, as we worked 12-hour shifts together every day,” says Avalos. “He was a man of great knowledge that he gladly shared with everyone around him. I will never forget Earl Ochs and the time that I was fortunate to spend with him over these past 25 years.”

Vulcan Materials Company Western Division was enriched by Earl’s presence and he will be missed n

Earl Ochs, Assistant Plant Manager, Vulcan Materials Company, Corona Stone Quarry.

EDUCATION 2023 CONFERENCE

November 6-9, 2023

Palm Springs, CA

Join CalCIMA for its premier event, the 2023 Education Conference. The conference will have panels, networking opportunities, a banquet, and more, all in beautiful Palm Springs, California at the Margaritaville Resort.

The theme is Building a Resilient Foundation. Register today!

National association news

ESSENTIAL MINERALS ASSOCIATION (EMA)

In January 2023, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) resumed its impact inspections of mining facilities. Results from January and February’s inspections are available on the MSHA website (can link or have them click: https://www.msha.gov/monthlytargeted-inspection-results)

MSHA conducts impact inspections at mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement due to factors that include poor compliance history; previous accidents, injuries, and illnesses; and other compliance concerns.

With a clear increase in focus and attention to these type of targeted attention by MSHA, it is important for companies to be aware of the possibility that they could be subject to this type of impact inspection in the months ahead. Supervisors, miners, and the operational leadership should take this as an opportunity to refocus their attention on important safety details.

EMA’s Safety and Health Committee will discuss this in person this June, more info on that meeting will be available via Linkedin (you can link to our site: https://www.linkedin.com/ company/essentialmineralsassoc iation)

NATIONAL ASPHALT PAVEMENT ASSOCIATION (NAPA)

NAPA Unveils Annual Report, New Strategic Plan

At its Annual Meeting in January, the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) unveiled its 2022 Annual Report (NAPAAnnualReport.org),

summarizing activities and achievements in 2022. The report also celebrates the accomplishments of the NAPA/ State Asphalt Pavement Association (SAPA)-funded Pavement Economics Committee during its first 10 years, as well as NAPA’s 2020-2022 strategic plan successes.-funded Pavement Economics Committee during its first 10 years, as well as NAPA’s 2020-2022 strategic plan successes.

In tandem, NAPA unveiled its 2023-2025 strategic plan, focusing on three pillars: leadership, stewardship, and member engagement. As the trusted organization with expertise in the national issues impacting the asphalt pavement industry, the plan includes a number of key initiatives, including those specifically focused on safety:

• Promote work zone safety (WZS): share best practices, develop national dialog with key stakeholders, encourage use of WZS contingency funds, and increase public awareness.

• Support mental health in construction: share resources and partner with expert organizations to increase awareness throughout the asphalt pavement industry.

April kicks off the industry’s annual opportunity to engage workers and the public in #WatchForUs to promote WZS and decrease distracted driving. Raising mental health and suicide awareness among construction workers is also crucial, as suicides

in the industry outnumber all construction deaths by 5x.

Look for the new strategic plan, safety resources, and mental health tools at AsphaltPavement. org

NATIONAL STONE, SAND & GRAVEL ASSOCIATION (NSSGA)

NSSGA Quarterly UpdateFocus on WOTUS

NSSGA is excited to announce the launch of the new safety program, Take Control: Prevent Serious Injuries and Fatalities (SIFs) that is dedicated to preventing these instances. SIFs are defined as injuries that are life-altering, life-threatening or result in a fatality.

The Take Control program highlights 10 activities that have a high potential to cause a SIF. For each activity, the program walks through the identification of each situation, the identification of critical controls, the monitoring of those controls and a review of SIF events for organizational learning and improvement. The program is intended to supplement existing training programs and put a spotlight on situations where miners face a higher potential of a SIF occurring.

We hope you use this program to bring awareness to SIF activities in your workplace. These materials can serve as a guide to integrate into existing training and share within your company. NSSGA created these public resources for every aggregates and construction materials company to utilize because worker safety is an inherent value for all. If you have any questions on this new program, please contact Libby Pritchard at lpritchard@nssga.org

NATIONAL READY MIXED CONCRETE ASSOCIATION (NRMCA) Federal OSHA Ups Enforcement Ante

Since fall 2022, federal OSHA has embarked on a deliberate and strategic path toward increasing enforcement of OSHA safety standards to incentivize compliance, while simultaneously intensifying the pain points for those that remain noncompliant. OSHA’s first hint at this new direction came late last year with

the expansion of its Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP) that now covers “all hazards and OSHA standards”. This has been followed by new “instanceby-instance” guidance for highgravity violations, disallowing inspectors from grouping common violations, targeting national chain businesses, and updating sitespecific targeting to focus on 300A trends. As well, these are paired with 2023 increases in OSHA fines, which are tied to inflation. After calculating nearly 8% inflation, a

repeat/willful violation can cost a business north of $156,000, per violation. To add insult to injury, OSHA has added over $100 million to its budget in the last year, allowing it to undertake these new actions. Bottom line –OSHA compliance not only keeps workers safe, it’s also a wise financial investment too.

Contact: NRMCA’s Kevin Walgenbach at kwalgenbach@ nrmca.org n

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