September 2019 by Concrete Openings Archive

SEPTEMBER 2019

To Drill or Not To Drill? CSDA GPR Contractor Helps to Revise Plumbing in New Charlotte Construction

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President’s Page

MATTHEW FINNIGAN CSDA President

s this issue of Concrete Openings reaches you, it’s early September, which means that the summer is nearing its end, school has resumed and people are generally returning to their more ‘normal’ schedules. It’s also a time many of us start thinking about how we’d like to finish out the year. In that vein, let me suggest a few areas that you might want to consider that will help improve your business and the industry in which we work. First, CSDA has our Fall training classes coming up soon, including 101 introductory training in Portland, OR in October, Operator Certification/201 training in Clearwater, FL in November and GPR Certification training, also in Clearwater, FL in November. These classes are terrific offerings that enable you to advance your operator’s skills and at the same time improve the quality of work you perform for your customers. An added benefit is the gratitude you will receive from your staff for investing in their capabilities and their future. Another topic that affects all of us is the new silica regulations. OSHA has recently requested comment and information on Table 1 of the silica standard. This is a tremendous opportunity for the cutting industry to help shape the regulations into a structure that

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will work best for our industry; CSDA has developed a method to assist you in contributing to updated regulations by conducting testing on your jobsite(s) and submitting the information to CSDA’s Silica Data Collection Program. Submitting your data will help to compile your information and that of others who are also contributing testing results for OSHA review. All you need to do is register for the program (see the Silica Data Collection Program under the Safety tab on CSDA’s website) and then proceed with your testing. Be aware that time is of the essence, as OSHA is only accepting information until October 14. Next, the last CSDA quarterly meeting of the year will be in New Orleans, LA on December 4 and 5. Come join us, learn what the association is doing and help define CSDA’s future path so that we can provide all members the best bang for their buck. And while you’re in “The Big Easy” you can take in some great music as well! Registration opens soon for World Of Concrete, February 4– 7, 2020. When you register, be sure to use the code A26 to get a discounted registration and at the same time help CSDA. Using the A26 code is almost as good as getting something for nothing. You save money and CSDA benefits. Remember—A26! Cheers.

C O N C R ET E O PEN I N G S | 1

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GPR Scanning Saves the Day at Wisconsin Hospital

Secretary/Treasurer, Kellie Vazquez Holes, Incorporated kellie@holesinc.com

Past President, Jack Sondergard Central Concrete Cutting, Inc. jacksondergard@sprynet.com Executive Director, Patrick Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association pat@csda.org

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you to chemicals including cobalt which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and 1, 3- butadiene which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.

CSDA BOARD OF DIRECTORS (Terms expiring 2020)

Luxury Hotel Construction Moves Forward on Time Thanks to GPR

Peter Bigwood Brokk, Inc. peter@brokkinc.com

Scott Brown ICS, Blount Inc. scott.brown@blount.com

Bill Fisher National Research Company bfisher@nationalresearchcompany.com Rick Glidewell Hilti, Inc. rick.glidewell@hilti.com Bennett Jones Advanced Concrete Sawing, Inc. bennett@acsawing.com

Original Architecture Plans Proven Inaccurate, GPR Contractor Able to Provide Correct Plans

CSDA Contractor Locates Vital Embedments in 20-Story Building

Tim Terrell Husqvarna Construction Products tim.terrell@husqvarnagroup.com

To Drill or Not To Drill?

CSDA BOARD OF DIRECTORS (Terms expiring 2021)

CSDA GPR Contractor Helps to Revise Plumbing in New Charlotte Construction

Ty Conner Austin Enterprise tconner@austin-enterprise.com Dan Dennison Diamond Tools Technology ddennison@diamondtoolstechnology.com Mark DeSchepper Echo GPR Services mark@echogpr.com Jami Harmon GSSI harmonj@geophysical.com Bruce Ferrell PROSOCO bruce.ferrell@prosoco.com Greg Lipscomb Diamond Products glipscomb@diamondproducts.com

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CSDA Contractor Gets Ready for Gameday! GPR Scanning Helps NFL Event, MLB Stadium Improvements Go Off Without a Hitch

C O N C R ET E O PEN I N G S | 3

CONCRETE OPENINGS MAGAZINE Official Magazine of the Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association Volume 28, Number 3 ISSN: 1093-6483 Concrete Openings magazine is published by O’Brien International, Inc., four times each calendar year in March, June, September and December. Editorial contributions are welcomed and advertisements are encouraged. Please contact the Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association 646 2nd Ave S St. Petersburg, FL 33701 Tel: 727-577-5004 Fax: 727-577-5012 WWW.CSDA.ORG Magazines, newspapers and private individuals are welcome to reproduce, in whole or part, articles published herein provided that acknowledgements are made in the following manner: “Reprinted courtesy of the Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association, Concrete Openings magazine, Issue Date.” No alterations should be made in the text of any article.

C O N T E N T S 16

The Business of GPR

Core Health

Safety Counts

Tech Talk

Industry Bits

PUBLISHER O’Brien International EDITOR Erin O’Brien CONCRETE CASE CONTRIBUTORS Quinn Ausburn Ryan Hammer Stella Pudewell Justin Rasanow EDITORIAL REVIEW COMMITTEE Tim Beckman Pat Stepanski Doug Walker The information and recommendations in this magazine are provided for use by fully qualified, professional personnel. The Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association and the publisher disclaim any responsibility as to their use by readers and shall not be liable for damages arising out of the use of the foregoing information. All bylined articles published in this magazine represent solely the individual opinions of the writers and not necessarily those of the Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association.

Choosing the Right Antenna for GPR Investigations

How the Bottled Water Industry Fooled Us All

Safety: The Universal Language? Literacy and Language Challenges in the Workplace

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Concrete Cases

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GPR Scanning Saves the Day at Wisconsin Hospital Original Architecture Plans Proven Inaccurate, GPR Contractor Able to Provide Correct Plans

n the Southern tip of Wisconsin, lying on the Illinois border, is the town of Beloit. At the largest hospital in town, Beloit Memorial, a 2nd floor wing serving as a multi-use medical suite and offices was being renovated by Milwaukee architectural firm Epstein Uhen Architects. The hospital, built in 1967, had undergone several renovations and changes since construction. Now, an architecture firm working on a future renovation wished to cut an 18-foot diameter hole in the concrete slab on the 2nd floor for beautification purposes. However, in reviewing the as-builts, they had more questions than answers and the drawings appeared incomplete. Before proceeding with the renovation, the firm needed to know if the rebar marked on the as-builts was accurate regarding spacing, depth and direction. The architecture firm, Epstein Uhen, called on CSDA member Hard Rock Technologies of Prospect Heights, Illinois to determine the location of the rebar in the slab. In the diagrams provided to Hard Rock Technologies, rebar was sparse and shown to only run in a single direction in most of the area. Hard Rock chose Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to prove or disprove the as-builts. GPR was the only method that could have made this determination. The only other non-destructive method that could have been used was X-Ray. However, a 50-foot clearance in all directions is required from the radiation source, which was impossible since Beloit Memorial is a working hospital. X-Ray also does not provide real-time results and requires two-side access, which was not available. A significant challenge of this job for Hard Rock was that the area to be scanned was in use daily as a waiting area with a few adjoining offices. Hard Rock had to be careful not to interrupt the flow of patient care and day-to-day administrative activities. This made for cramped quarters and unfortunately limited data sets at points. Hard Rock used a SIR 3000 from GSSI with 1.6GHz and 2GHz palm antennas for the data collection, which focused on five separate areas selected by the structural engineer for the hospital’s architectural firm. The engineer requested data on the rebar’s depth of coverage, average spacing and direction. Additionally, Hard Rock needed to mark and trace any conduit feeds. W WW. C O N C RE TE OPE N IN GS.COM

Opposite page: Green tape marked the path of electrical conduits in the slab.

During the data collection process, 21 conduits were discovered in the center of the area. All but one was found to have a termination point in the slab. Hard Rock determined the start and end points of the conduits and discovered that all of them terminated in one section of the slab. They marked the paths of the conduits on the floor in green tape. Upon investigation by the engineering firm, it was discovered why the conduits all terminated in the same area: that section used to house an electrical closet which had been removed at an earlier date. Eleven areas were designated for scanning and the GPR results for the rebar depth, direction and spacing varied considerably. Area #1: Here there were two layers of rebar, one running in a southeast direction and another running in a southwest direction. The lower rebar running southwest had an average spacing of roughly 6 inches on center and was 6 ¾ inches in depth from top of slab. The lower rebar running in a southeast direction had an average spacing of 12 inches on center and a depth of 6 inches. Areas 2-5 are where the conduits were discovered. Area #2: Average rebar spacing was 7 inches on center with a range of 5 to 12 inches. Conduit terminated 7 feet from the column center. Area #3 and #4: Average rebar spacing was 7 inches on center with a range of 6 to 8 inches. Conduit terminated 5 feet from the column center. Area #5: Average rebar spacing was 7 inches on center with a range of 6 to 10 inches. Conduit terminated 7 feet from the column center. Area #6: Lower rebar was found running north/south and east/ west. The lower rebar running N/S had an average spacing of 6 inches on center and a depth of 6 ¾ inches. The lower rebar running E/W had an average spacing of 12 inches on center and a depth of 6 inches. C O N C R ET E O P EN I N G S | 7

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Original building plans from the 1960s. The old electrical closet can be seen in the center.

Area #7: Lower rebar was found running southwest and northwest. Rebar running southwest was roughly 7 ¼ inches deep with an average spacing of 6 inches on center. Rebar running northwest was roughly 6 ½ inches deep with an average spacing of 12 inches on center. Areas #8 and #9: In areas 8 and 9, the purpose of the GPR scanning was to confirm the existence of banded rebar. Data collection found no banded lower rebar. Instead each location revealed a transition area where lower rebar from different directions met and terminated in the slab. The lower rebar ran in both a northwest and northeast direction. The depth of the lower NW rebar was 6 ½ inches and had an average spacing of 6 inches on center. The depth of the lower NE rebar was 5 ¾ inches and an average spacing of 12 inches on center. The drawings provided to the architect indicated the presence of #4 bent upper rebar that terminated two feet on either side of the column. The upper rebar located in the slab was found to run straight in a northeast direction with a depth of one inch and average spacing of 10 inches on center. This upper rebar was also found to be exactly four feet, four inches in length. Additionally, lower rebar was found running in both a north/ south and east/west direction. The N/S lower rebar had a depth of 6 ½ inches and an average spacing of 8 inches on center. Away from the column this spacing was 6 inches on center but the spacing slowly increased near the column. The E/W lower

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rebar had a depth of 5 ¾ inches and an average spacing of 12 inches on center. Lower rebar also ran in both a southwest and southeast direction. The lower rebar running SW had a depth of 6 ¾ inches and an average spacing of 7 inches on center. The SE lower rebar had a depth of 6 inches and an average spacing of 12 inches on center. The drawing provided to the technician again indicated the presence of #4 bent upper rebar that terminated two feet on either side of the column. The upper rebar located in the slab was found to run straight in a northeast direction with a depth of 1 ½ inches and average spacing of 12 inches on center. This upper rebar was found to be exactly four feet, two inches in total length. Area #10: Lower rebar was found traveling both northeast and northwest. The lower rebar traveling NE had a depth of 6 inches with an average spacing of 12 inches on center. The lower rebar traveling NW had a depth of 6 ¾ inches and an average spacing of 6 inches on center. Area #11: Results were limited as this was an office area. The results were identical to the spacing and depth of the lower rebar in area #10, but the spacing of the NE rebar changed from 12 inches on center to 6 inches on center at three feet, six inches NE of center of the outer ring column line. Additionally, upper rebar was found running in a Northeast

Rebar locations in the slab after GPR scanning. This image was taken facing south and shows the lower rebar running in a southeast direction, while the upper layer ran in a southwest direction.

#8 #7 #10

#11 #6

Area plans created by Hard Rock Technologies showing column lines and areas #6-11. Areas #1-5 were located in the center hexagon.

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direction. The lower rebar was found to have no typical spacing, with a range of 7 to 13 inches on center. The upper rebar also had no typical termination point in the slab, ranging from four feet ten inches to six feet NE off the center of the outer ring column line. Hard Rock’s data collection revealed that the as-builts were not accurate. Not only were the number, direction and spacing of the rebar incorrect, but they also discovered that banded rebar did not appear in the areas indicated. This was all imperative information to determine if the 18-foot hole would be possible. After evaluating the existing rebar and conduits, engineers decided the slab would support the hole being cut and removed. The knowledge of the placement of rebar and conduit will be invaluable when that time comes. Hard Rock Technologies was chosen for this job because of their experience and reputation in the industry. Said Jeff Holzhauer from Epstein Uhen Architects, “I had the opportunity to meet and work directly with Ryan at Hard Rock Technologies to identify a challenging design opportunity. Due to the age of the structure and lack of information on the original structural drawings, we needed to partner with someone to understand what we were trying to achieve, what we needed confirmed and what our concerns were, so that they could verify the actual conditions. Ryan and his team worked closely with our structural engineer to verify and reverify what was being discovered on site, documented the rebar on site, photographed and created a final report that outlined the conditions so we could determine if our objectives could be achieved. Ryan was very responsive and a pleasure to work with.” Hard Rock was also pleased with the outcome of this job. On-site technician and company Vice-President Ryan Hammer said, “A GPR Technician loves to problem solve and with the fragmentary as-builts stating that the rebar only ran in a single direction, great satisfaction took place in disproving the as-builts. The biggest challenge was to mark everything in tape as to not create permanent marks in a working area. Tape is not as easy to control as is a crayon or marker. Another joy was answering staff and patrons questions of what exactly our technicians were doing in the area. We were the talk of the town for many days as this took multiple mobilizations to complete. We even got to know a lot of the staff and had our recurring inside jokes.” Any time there is potential modification of a slab in a hospital, it is imperative that engineers and architects are aware of the location of electrical conduit and water lines. An accidental cut through either of these could cause significant harm to the cutting operator as well as patients in the hospital. Imagine the consequences of a hospital losing power or water in the middle of an operation or patient care! This CSDA contractor again shows why GPR is often the only choice in locating unknowns in concrete slabs and structures, and why hiring a professional and experienced GPR scanning firm is the best choice.

COMPANY PROFILE Hard Rock Technologies is a 100% woman-owned business established in 2008. They have completed over 2,000 GPR projects this year with 99.9% accuracy. The company has grown from a single operator to five full-time employees including four technicians. Hard Rock Technologies offers GPR concrete and utility scanning, as well as private locating. They have been CSDA members since 2013.

RESOURCES Architect Epstein Uhen Architects CSDA GPR Contractor Hard Rock Technologies Ryan Hammer Phone: 847-275-4007 Email: ryan@hrtscan.com Methods Used GPR

REVIEW AND COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE AT: WWW.CONCRETEOPENINGS.COM

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Concrete Cases

Luxury Hotel Construction Moves Forward on Time Thanks to GPR CSDA Contractor Locates Vital Embedments in 20-Story Building 12 | SEPTEMBER.19

Artist’s rendering of the new JW Marriott at Water Street in Tampa, Florida.

ampa, Florida’s downtown waterfront district is undergoing a renaissance. Water Street in the Channel District is the epicenter of this transformation, which, when completed, will be a mixed-use neighborhood of hotels, office buildings, shops, entertainment, educational spaces, cultural attractions and homes.

In April of 2018, contractors broke ground on the luxury JW Marriott Tampa Water Street Hotel, adjacent to the Tampa Convention Center and Amalie Arena, home of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. Scheduled to open in late 2020, the luxury Marriott hotel will feature 519 guest rooms and suites and 42 event rooms boasting more than 71,000 square feet of event space. Tampa’s waterfront development is one of the largest real estate developments in the U.S. No massive construction project is without its hiccups, and this hotel is no exception. During the initial construction, a combination of incorrect concrete pours and mislabeled plans caused many openings to be covered, requiring new ones to be drilled. Electrical contractor ION Electric and plumbing contractor BCH Mechanical needed areas chipped out of the post-tensioned concrete slabs for conduit runs and floor boxes an inch and a half under the slab. In June of 2019, CSDA member Capmen LLC began using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to scan the nine-inch concrete slabs of the 20-floor structure and identify

Capmen’s GPR technician scans the nine-inch concrete slab looking for post-tension cables, electrical conduit or other materials.

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post-tension cables, temporary power lines and electrical conduits buried in the concrete. GPR was essential to ensure that any new holes drilled in the slabs would not hit posttension cables, electrical lines or other materials. Two Capmen GPR technicians used Hilti PS 1000 X-scan concrete scanners to investigate the site. They scanned the designated areas, and once it was determined that no post-tension cables or conduit would be hit, they were given permission from the general contractor to chip out the required holes in the concrete. At times, plans for chipping holes were changed when embedded materials other than the rebar were discovered. When chipping holes, Capmen used dustless chipping hammers to create four- to six-inch openings for three- to five-inch pipe and grinders to cut and remove the rebar. When their GPR scans showed a clear path in the slab, Capmen core drilled openings to speed up the process with a Hilti DD250 heavy duty core drilling rig with a vacuum base and water management system. DeWalt dustless five-inch plunge cut grinders were used to cut rebar, and Hilti TE-3C rotary hammers, Hilti TE-1000 demolition hammers and vacuums were used where necessary to break through the slabs. Capmen technicians determined there was the potential to drill ten to fifteen cores a day, but there were safety concerns of accidentally drilling through post-tension cables, so initially chipping out was the preferred method of the general contractor. Due to Capmen’s success at safely chipping out holes without disturbing post-tension or temporary power lines, they were able to begin core drilling the plumbing openings, which significantly sped up the process and helped meet construction deadlines. Quinn Ausburn of Capmen LLC says they were awarded the job because of the “honesty and integrity of our work.” They had performed many jobs for one of the subcontractors on the Marriott site who awarded them the opportunity to work with two other subcontractors firestopping the bus duct risers and backfilling chipped out areas. The biggest challenge? Staying within the standard for the OSHA silica rule (1926.1153). It’s a big challenge to keep the indoor work areas dustless and work within the time constraints while wearing respirators. “I am very pleased with the level at which my guys performed and stayed within the standard of OSHA silica dust exposure,” said Ausburn, “as well as the drive and initiative they implemented to perform the work to the satisfaction of all contractors we’re working for.” The construction of the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street Hotel is still underway. When complete, it will be a luxury destination for the 50-acre Water Street district and enhance Tampa’s ongoing renaissance, thanks to the innovation and ingenuity of a CSDA contractor.

A 26-story planned at the Water Street Tampa mixed-used development will include a 173-room Marriott Edition hotel at its base and The Residences at the Tampa Edition, a 46-unit condomimium project on the upper 15 floors of the building. (Rendering via Strategic Property Partners)

COMPANY PROFILE Capmen LLC of Tampa, FL has been in business since 2015. They are experts in GPR scanning, saw cutting and removal of and repouring concrete. Capmen is a Core Drilling and Fire Stop specialty contractor (Hilti accredited). They have been members of CSDA since April 2019.

RESOURCES Electrical & Plumbing Contractors ION Electric BCH Mechanical CSDA GPR and Cutting Contractor Capmen LLC Quinn Ausburn Phone: 813-712-9606 Email: qausburn@capmen.net Methods Used GPR, Core Drilling

REVIEW AND COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE AT: WWW.CONCRETEOPENINGS.COM

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The Business of GPR

Choosing the Right Antenna for GPR Investigations By Jami Harmon & Mark DeSchepper

ntennas used with ground penetrating radar (GPR) come in different shapes and sizes. The largest antennas typically radiate the lower frequencies necessary to detect the deepest targets. The smallest antennas radiate the highest frequencies that provide the greatest resolution required to detect small, shallow targets. The “best” antenna for a job is the one with the highest frequency that can still detect objects at the desired depth. Mark DeSchepper, President of Kansas-based Echo GPR Services, has more than 12 years of GPR experience and offers some great examples of how to select the right antenna. IMPORTANCE OF SELECTING THE RIGHT ANTENNA FOR THE DESIRED DEPTH Selecting the right antenna for the depth of the particular target is critical. If the antenna frequency is too high, the maximum detection depth may be less than needed to find the desired target. The GPR image quality deteriorates with increasing depth to the point where no reflections can be observed. Conversely, if the antenna frequency is too low, fine details are lost.

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For example, if the wrong antenna is used, individual closely-spaced shallow targets cannot be identified because they may appear as a continuous reflection band. When assessing which antenna to utilize for a job it is essential to consider the surface cover and soil present. One important parameter is the material’s conductivity – How well does the soil, asphalt or concrete let an electrical current pass through it? The higher the material’s conductivity, the more the radar waves are absorbed into the material as they are moving through it. In other words, the radar waves’ depth penetration progressively decreases as the conductivity of a material increases. For example, asphalt typically has low conductivity, while concrete has varying degrees of conductivity depending on its curing state, wetness, and composition. Soil conductivity varies wildly, from radar-friendly sandy soils to radar-foe clay soils. For this reason, antenna depth specifications are based on the material and application. Antenna specifications for soil-based applications use soil information,

while concrete-based applications use typical concrete parameters. Other factors to consider when assessing depth penetration include the presence of metal reinforcing between the surface and the target. The tighter the rebar or mesh spacing (for example, in a concrete slab), the more difficult it is to achieve the desired depth penetration. A CLOSER LOOK AT ANTENNA BANDWIDTH RANGES GPR antennas send out a range of radio frequencies and generally have an ideal frequency at which they transmit most efficiently. This value is based on the size of the antenna’s transmitter and receiver elements and is often referred to as the antenna’s “center-frequency”. Another often-used term is the antenna’s bandwidth, the range of frequencies that the antenna transmits at power levels that are within half the power level radiated at the antenna’s center-frequency. A typical GPR antenna’s bandwidth is about the same as its center frequency. For example, a 400 megahertz (MHz) GPR antenna will have a center-frequency of 400 MHz and a range of frequencies radiated at power levels within half the power level at 400 MHz – from 200 MHz to 600 MHz. The bandwidth would therefore be 600 – 200 = 400 MHz. Likewise, a 900 MHz GPR antenna could have a bandwidth that extends from possibly 450 MHz to 1350 MHz. This bandwidth range means that small changes in center-frequency provide minimal enhancement in penetration depth. That is why GPR antennas are not typically available in small frequency increments. More commonly, antennas are available in centerfrequencies that are doubled, such as 200 MHz, 400 MHz, 800 MHz, 1600 MHz and 2600 MHz.

Range of available antenna frequencies, their depth of penetration and applications for which each is most suited.

SELECTING THE RIGHT ANTENNA Selecting the right antenna frequency for a GPR job depends on the size and depth of the target. A lower frequency antenna will provide deeper penetration, but the tradeoff is that the targets must be larger to be detected. When looking only one to two feet beneath the surface, for example, looking for very small reinforcing and conduits, use a higher frequency GPR antenna, which offers greater detail. For deeper targets or characteristics, the primary and secondary choices are lower frequency antennas. These allow users to see deeper, but one trades off the ability to resolve smaller or very shallow features and targets. When scanning utilities, the mid-range antennas provide sufficient resolution to find four to five inch pipes four to five feet deep. The general rule of thumb for utility locating is a 1:1 ratio; for every foot down, one inch in diameter is required to return a strong hyperbolic reflection of a potential target. To scan deeper, for example, mapping geological features 20-50 feet deep, low frequency antennas will work because very high resolution is not required. ANTENNA SELECTION BASED ON A SOLID UNDERSTANDING OF CUSTOMER GOALS According to DeSchepper, antenna selection should be based on a pre-job conversation that establishes an understanding of the depth of the investigation and what the customer wants to accomplish. Comfort, convenience and safety when working on a ladder or overhead is another consideration.

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DeSchepper explains that grocery stores cannot afford to accidentally cut power to their cash registers. Also, they may have underground refrigeration pipes that run to their coolers. The last thing they want to do is cut into these refrigeration pipes, which would result in downtime, potential environmental issues and even store evacuation. Here are a few real world examples of antenna selection, taken from the nearly 8,000 GPR scans Echo GPR has performed across the United States. Simple concrete cutting or core drilling For simple concrete cutting or core drilling, Echo GPR opts for one of the higher frequency antennas, like the 1600 MHz or 2600 MHz antenna. “I usually reach for the 2600 MHz antenna first. This is the highest frequency and gives the highest resolution. But higher resolution gives less depth of investigation. If the project is in a thicker concrete environment, we will switch

Local supermarket hired Echo GPR to conduct a GPR scan to avoid losing power to cash registers or cutting refrigeration pipes in recent renovation project.

out to a 1600 MHz antenna, which is a very sharp resolution antenna but can penetrate a bit deeper into the ground,” DeSchepper says.

Using a 2 GHz Palm antenna, the contractor located the plastic-capped rebar thread couplers in the Z axis.

Working upside down and on a ladder Currently, Echo GPR is working on a basement remodeling job with a steel erection company locating rebar prior to anchor-drilling steel plates for support mounts. “The engineer elected to hire us because they know that once we have marked out all the steel they can establish where the pre-manufactured supports are and will be able to drill into the ceiling without hitting steel. This speeds up their process.” For this purpose, DeSchepper selected a 2 GHz Palm antenna, which gave him high resolution data with a good depth of penetration, while being extremely lightweight. “I am working upside down and off a ladder, with both hands above my head as I am scanning, so my antenna choice in this case is based on comfort and convenience.” Locating targets in the Z axis The Palm antenna was also key to the success of a project at a local children’s hospital. The hospital was building nine stories of research labs on top of an existing parking deck. Contractors

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Successful drill locations as identified in GPR scan.

Echo GPR scanned the area and identified 16 pieces of rebar reinforcement.

needed to thread new vertical rebar into form savers that were buried in concrete. The form savers have a profile of ¾ to 1 inch in diameter and are capped with a piece of plastic. Contractors could not locate the form savers and called in Echo GPR to help locate them. Using the 2 GHz Palm antenna, Echo located the plastic-capped rebar thread couplers in the Z axis. 7,313x4,625_floor saw_MC570.pdf 1 13.07.2018

Locating sewer lines and drain pipes According to the contractor, the best antenna choice for customers who want to install new drain lines but do not know where the existing sewer is would be a 400 MHz antenna or the 350 MHz digital antenna with HyperStacking (HS) technology, which allows users to see deeper targets. The resolution may be less than other antenna options, but it allows them to look for larger targets 6 to 8 feet below ground. 10:10:10

Another challenge Echo GPR faces is when they’re asked to look for a clay tile pipe drain line in the clay soil that is prevalent in Kansas City. “In this instance we reach for the newer 350 MHz HS antenna because the digital antenna offers a clearer image than a traditional GPR antenna, as well as a 50 percent improvement in depth penetration. It also works with the newer control unit we use, which has more power

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and flexibility to find these more difficult to image targets.” Along with locating sewer lines and drain pipes, Echo GPR also uses the 350 MHz HS antenna to locate underground storage tanks. Sinkholes or underground caves When working for a geotechnical company at a property where there are sinkholes or underground caves, Echo GPR uses a 100 MHz bistatic antenna, one of the few GPR firms to do so. This enables the company to scan more than 20+ feet down, while mapping out soil layers and deeper anomalies. Field conditions can make antenna selection more challenging Selecting the correct antenna for achieving the depth penetration required can sometimes be tricky. This happens with more frequency than might be expected – mainly because actual conditions in the field turn out to be different than those given to the GPR crew by a contractor. DeSchepper notes, “recently, a contractor asked us to scan a 20 foot by 200 foot area because they needed to cut out a hole and install a new piece of equipment. I grabbed the 2600 MHz antenna, my usual go-to for concrete cutting. Now, when I teach the GPR Certification course to those getting the industry certificate through the Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association (CSDA), the first thing I tell students is that the most important thing when scanning concrete is to find the bottom of the concrete – for both slab-on-grade and suspended slab applications. This lets you know you are seeing what you need to see to assist the cutting/coring contractor. When I scanned with the 2600 MHz antenna, I could not see the bottom of the concrete. This was a definite red flag, since the contractor said the concrete was 8 inches thick and the 2600 MHz was set up to look up to 12 inches deep. I quickly realized this was not the right antenna. I switched out to the 1600 MHz – and lo and behold, the concrete they thought was eight inches thick was actually 18 inches thick!” DeSchepper was able to call the concrete cutting company before they left the shop; they came out with the right saw and right size blade to cut through the concrete. Antenna selection should be based on a thorough understanding of what the customer wants to accomplish, as well as

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comfort and convenience when working on a ladder or overhead. GPR contractors should work closely with their equipment manufacturers, as well as the cutting contractor, to ensure the right antenna is selected for each job based on the desired outcome of the scanning project.

Jami Harmon is the Marketing Operations Manager for CSDA-member company GSSI. She is also a CSDA Board member and Chair of the Marketing Committee. She can be reached at harmonj@geophysical.com. Mark DeSchepper is President of CSDA-member company Echo GPR Services, as well as a CSDA Board member, GPR Instructor and Chair of the CSDA GPR Imaging Committee. He can be reached at mark@echogpr.com.

C O N C RET E O P EN I N G S | 1 9

Concrete Cases

20 | SEPTEMBER.19

TO DRILL OR NOT TO DRILL?

CSDA GPR Contractor Helps to Revise Plumbing in New Charlotte Construction

harlotte, NC is one of the largest and fastest growing cities in the Southeast U.S, only surpassed by Jacksonville, Florida. There is currently more than $1.7 billion of construction projects underway. Of that, 948,000 square feet of retail space and 8,500 residential units are under construction or in the planning stages.

In June, Penhall Company was asked to scan the slab of a multi-use building under construction, which would eventually house retail shops and luxury apartments. The scans were intended to learn more about the structure of the building, identify the locations of post-tension cables and make sure the areas indicated for plumbing holes were clear of obstacles. Penhall used a GSSI Mini HR and GSSI Palm with SIR-4000 for the GPR scanning. After the scans were complete, Penhall would drill the holes for general plumbing. Good thing the general contractor, Bliss Contracting, asked them to scan the slab before cutting! Penhall

discovered that the original plans asked for the plumbing holes to be cut directly over slab bands and post-tension cables. Also, the eight-foot wide mechanical closet was situated directly over an eight-foot slab band, so any penetrations into that room would have to go through the slab band, which was not ideal. Turns out, the design architect did not consult the structural drawings when designing the plumbing layout. To complicate matters, there was an overabundance of structural reinforcement in some areas, such as slab bands, thicker concrete and columns. Penhall showed the scans to the general contractor and advised that drilling five of the six holes would be at the very least problematic and may compromise the structural integrity of the building. In fact, they determined that the locations in the design were not able to be drilled and they recommended that the plumbing lines be redesigned. When the new plumbing plans were complete, Penhall again scanned the slabs to confirm that the new locations were clear. Once the locations were cleared for cutting, Penhall drilled six three- to six-inch diameter holes in the concrete eight- to ten-inches thick with a Hilti core drill. The cutting went without incident â&#x20AC;&#x201C; nice clean holes.

Opposite page: Penhall Technologies GPR Field Supervisor, Patrick Baldwin, performed a 3D GPR scan with the GSSI Palm (2.0GHz) antenna paired with the SIR-400.

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C O N C RET E O P EN I N G S | 2 1

Concrete Cases

continued

Split View GPR Data The left image (A) is a 2D line scan of GPR data highlighting the presence of three conduits located in a proposed core drill location. The right image (B) is a 3D representation of the GPR data collected in the same area. Conduits outlined by black box.

Interpreted 3D GPR Data 3D rendering of GPR data in Radan 7. Here we see the three conduits on the left of the image and what turned out to be two bundles of post-tension cables. Red objects indicate interpreted hazards while black objects indicate rebar.

22 | SEPTEMBER.19

Safety is always the number one concern on any jobsite. GPR scanning is imperative when drilling through concrete to identify obstacles and ensure the safety of workers. While the discovery of the problematic drilling areas set the project back about two weeks, it ultimately saved the project money, as the holes were cut right the first time (upon redesign) and without incident. When asked why they were selected for this job, Penhall Sales & Marketing Manager Stella Pudewell stated, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Penhall Company knows concrete. Period. Having a division that specializes in technology services, including concrete scanning, is immensely complimentary (if not necessary!) when cutting will follow. Our Regional Field Supervisors, like Patrick Baldwin, who was assigned to this project, have years of experience, which allows our clients to have peace of mind that their project will be completed successfully.â&#x20AC;? CSDA GPR contractors are playing an increasingly important role in the modification and renovation of new and existing concrete structures. Employing a CSDA contractor ensures that any cuts made or holes drilled can be done without hitting any structural components, thus keeping the safety of all operators on the jobsite a priority. Additionally, the structural integrity of the building remains intact.

COMPANY PROFILE Penhall Company has been the go-to concrete services partner for a wide-range of industries since 1957. What began as a single flat saw operation has developed into an expansive offering of concrete solutions, including concrete scanning, cutting, sawing and breaking/removal. They have specialized in concrete scanning for more than 20 years. Penhall employs expertly trained analysts that use state-of-the-art GPR equipment to find common embedded objects and other subsurface hazards that are hidden in the concrete. Penhall Company has been a member of CSDA since 1999.

RESOURCES General Contractor Bliss Contracting CSDA GPR & Cutting Contractor Penhall Company Stella Pudewell Phone: 707-363-9822 Email: spudewell@penhall.com Methods Used GPR, Core Drilling

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C O N C RET E O P EN I N G S | 2 3

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IACDS President’s Insight

o, this is my final column as President of IACDS, and it’s been an amazing four years that I have thoroughly enjoyed. I am proud of what we have achieved and look forward to working on the board as a past president. We will have a very strong and safe pair of hands in Michael as he has been a great pushing force and has been with me on the hard but enjoyable journey—I have taught him all I know – BUT don’t tell him that! As you already know, I am a big believer in this industry and a passionate advocate of this association. When I took on the role, I wanted to inject my own personality into the IACDS. In my very first column, I referenced the role my dad played in the association, so I had both personal and professional reasons for wanting to make a success of being president. We had strong foundations to build on, but we have used the past four years to really cut and carve (excuse the pun!) ourselves an identity. It was important to me – and to all of us – that we attracted more associations and companies from around the world to join us. Some hadn’t really understood the benefits of being part of this global network and it was our job to show them why it was worth giving up their time to get involved. I believe the industry has evolved to the point where companies will not give up their hard-earned money and time unless they can see very real and tangible benefits to their business. We had to ensure that we used this association to benefit all organizations worldwide, for networking, visibility and to learn from one another. If we work as one, we don’t need to reinvent the wheel. One country might face an issue which another country might face a couple of years down the line. Rather than starting again and coming up with a solution, we can follow what has already been done to save time and money. We have drafted new blood and we have grown our reach into new territories. We have brought more contractors and suppliers together. We have seen a dramatic rise in the number of entries for the Diamond Awards—with more companies from more countries Julie White, outgoing showcasing their amazing work from IACDS President all over the world. One matter that has been talked about at length is a global accreditation to align standards and to help those nations that don’t have the same guidelines for construction that many others do. We are not there yet, as this will be a long-term project, but we have made dramatic progress with many issues and we know what we stand for in the industry. I have achieved what I set out to in seeing numbers grow and a renewed energy and vigor in the association. As I said at the top, I will be staying on the board to support the new President. So, unlike the UK in Europe, I will be remaining and will be only too happy to serve our new German President! Michael has been a tremendous help to me over the past few years— like so many of you have worldwide—and it’s been a real team effort to move the IACDS forward. I will be pleased and proud to support the board and CSDA with my continued efforts to keep moving forward and I am sure you would all agree that during my time as President of this fantastic international association, I did it “My Way.”

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Michael Findeis, incoming IACDS President

ell, Bauma is over for another three years and the world’s largest construction equipment exhibition in Munich was a wonderful event. Manufacturers and contractors from all over the world met in Hall A1, where there was a week to see all our fantastic technology. The IACDS was there too. The Diamond Awards, the only international awards for special projects in our industry, were presented. This year, a new Diamond Award category for Best Product was introduced, which showcased the special achievements of our manufacturers. That’s why I’m particularly pleased, because the manufacturers have a large share in the success of our great and unique niche of the concrete renovation business. As part of Bauma, the annual convention of the IACDS took place on Sunday morning and there was a change in the Presidency. For this reason and for my first time, I am writing the column for Concrete Openings. I would like to take the opportunity to introduce myself to you: my name is Michael Findeis, I am 49 years old, married with four children and from Nuremberg, Germany. I am the CEO of a contracting company in Nuremberg with about 25 employees. We’re now already in the third generation of the business. For the past four years, I have been the German representative on the Board of IACDS and the Treasurer. I am following in the footsteps of Julie White, who has held the IACDS Presidency for the past four years. For me, IACDS gave my company and I international contacts and the associated exchange of information, which are the greatest things we can experience in a world that is becoming ever smaller. We all do the same work, but a bit differently sometimes. And that’s the exciting thing - we all want to get better and those who do not want to look beyond their noses give away a chance to become better. Let us nurture the exchange. For me it is a critical issue to share and preserve the knowledge of our industry. The IACDS is the perfect medium to do so and because of that we try to establish a database with all the knowledge. For that reason, I have attended CSDA Conventions in Puerto Rico, St. Petersburg and will be taking part in future conventions. I’m looking forward to meeting you next year in Carlsbad, California. With this in mind, I wish you all the best and good business.

C O N C RET E O P EN I N G S | 2 5

Core Health Industry Bits continued

How the Bottled Water Industry Fooled Us All By Erin O’Brien

hile checking out CSDA’s Facebook feed this week, I came across a post where an operator was bragging about how his company’s owner provided employees with an ice machine, coolers, water and Gatorade, and asked if anyone else’s companies did the same thing. Most of the comments stated that their company owners did something similar or provided them with cash to purchase bottled water and sports drinks during the day to stay hydrated. It made me happy to see that so many companies took the time, effort and resources to make sure their operators and field personnel were staying hydrated in this crazy summer heat. Summer 2018 was the 4th-hottest on record for the U.S., with 2019 setting new records as well. Europe is in the middle of another record-breaking heat wave, and the trend continues all over the world. As our planet continues to experience a warming trend that shows no signs of slowing down, it becomes vital for workers in the concrete renovation industry to be able to safely manage working outdoors in hot climates, and one of the most important factors in managing heat illness is to stay hydrated. We’ve covered hydration and heat illness in previous installments of Core Health (June 2010, June 2012, June 2018), but this time I’m going down a slightly different path – bottled water. Vital for hydration, and extremely popular on jobsites, bottled water from brands like Nestle, Zephyrhills, Dasani and more make up one of the largest industries in the world, with the global market valued at $157 billion in 2013, and expected to reach $280 billion by 2020. Think about that – the world is spending over $250 billion a year on water in a bottle. Water—a substance that in developed countries can be drunk directly from the tap for free without fear of contracting cholera. It falls out of the sky and flows out of springs from deep within the earth on its own accord. So, why do we spend billions of dollars a year

26 | SEPTEMBER.19

on a substance that is essentially free? It really comes down to two reasons – marketing and laziness. Nothing about most bottled water makes it inherently superior to tap water. Almost all American tap water is safe and is more closely regulated for contaminants than bottled. In a blind taste test, most subjects could not tell the difference between bottled and tap. What is it then about bottled water that makes us go out of our way to purchase something in a package we can get for free at home? History provides the answers. In medieval times, monks at holy wells produced special water flasks for pilgrims to take away as proof of their visits – a medieval example of the power of branding. For centuries, wealthy Europeans traveled to spa towns to sample the

water in a bid to cure specific ailments. The spa visits were signals of health, but also of status, a distant precursor to a Kardashian clutching a bottle of Fiji water. In 1740, the first commercial British bottled water was launched, and by 1814, Harrogate Spring was the largest exporter of bottled water in the country. However, in the early 20th century, public water was chlorinated, and sales of bottled water dropped off dramatically. In 1908, Jersey City was the first U.S. city to use full-scale water chloronation. Then, in 1977, one of the greatest television marketing campaigns in history showed up on our screens with the voice of Orson Welles narrating, “Deep below the plains of southern France in a mysterious process begun millions of years ago, Nature herself adds life to the icy waters of a single spring: Perrier.” From 1975 to 1978, Perrier

sales in the U.S. increased from 2.5 million bottles to more than 75 million bottles. There was a new drive not just to be healthy, but also to be seen as being healthy. The introduction of plastic bottles in 1977 to the soda market transitioned into plastic water bottles in 1990, and now bottled water was a convenient way to stay hydrated on the go. Some bottled waters—Evian, Perrier, Fiji—come from natural sources, so at least you feel like you’re paying for geography, for the fantasy of a shepherd sitting on a rock catching the water in a glass jar specifically for your pleasure. But most bottled waters are simply refashioned tap water. Coca-Cola’s Glaceau Smartwater comes from several public municipality water sources across the U.S. and is “vapour distilled”, then injected with electrolytes. It’s worth $25.5 million and produces 56,000 bottles of water per hour. Then there’s the “luxury waters”—where the water is captured from a Norwegian glacier or a Canadian arctic ice shelf in Newfoundland, frozen over 10,000 years ago. A $32 bottle of glacier water, called (appropriately), “Iceberg”, comes from this arctic shelf. Or there’s the “World’s Best Still or Sparkling Water”, called Beverly Hills 90H20. This “champagne of waters” sells for $72 for a case of 24 bottles, while a bottle from the Luxury Collection, Diamond Edition, will cost you $100,000. It has a white gold cap set with more than 850 white and black diamonds and holds the honor of being the world’s most expensive water. My personal favorite is the winner of the 28th International Berkeley Springs Water Tasting competition (yes, that’s actually a thing), an Australian brand called Frequency H2O sold for $2.30 a bottle and “infused with the sound frequencies of love, the moon and light spectrums of the rainbow.” I can’t make this up. What does this all mean to you, your shops, your operators and your health? Drink water, absolutely, and lots of it. Sports drinks are great on really hot days to help replenish electrolytes. But do you really need to be spending money on bottled water at all? Not unless you enjoy throwing money away. Invest in a reusable water bottle—there are so many options, many that have built-in insulation to keep your water or drink cold all day long, or filters if you prefer the taste of filtered water. You’ll save money on buying bottled water that is likely not any better (and could be worse) than the water coming out of your tap. You’ll also save all that plastic from going into landfills, where it never breaks down, or worse, into our oceans where

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it kills marine life. At least 50 million plastic water bottles are thrown away every day – at this rate, experts believe that by 2050, the ocean will be filled with more plastic than fish. Reusable water bottles filled with tap or filtered water are an easy way to save money and reduce your negative environmental footprint. Every little bit helps. Erin O’Brien, MS, ATC is a Certified Athletic Trainer and Marketing Director for O’Brien International,

the association management company that manages the Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association. O’Brien received her Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training from Ohio University and her Master of Science degree in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology from the University of Florida. She is also a Certified Level 2 CrossFit Instructor and member of CrossFit9 in St. Petersburg, FL. She is a regular contributor to Concrete Openings magazine. She can be reached at erin@ csda.org or 727-577-5002. C O N C RET E O P EN I N G S | 2 7

BEFORE

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Safety Counts

Safety: The Universal Language? Literacy and Language Challenges in the Workplace By Mark A. Lies II and Adam R. Young

hroughout the decade, the job market has tightened, and employers face inevitable issues related to language and comprehension in the workplace. Employers can no longer assume that qualified workers speak or write in English. Employers who hire non-English speaking workers are obligated to ensure that all employees, regardless of their linguistic background, receive and comprehend safety-related training. For employers whose supervisors only speak English, OSHA’s requirements can present unique challenges. This article outlines OSHA’s policies with respect to training non-English speaking employees and offers recommendations for employers in assuring that all employees are adequately trained to work safely. OSHA’S TRAINING REQUIREMENTS Numerous OSHA standards, from lockout/tagout to forklift operation, and bloodborne pathogens to hazard communication, require employers to train or instruct employees in some way. Under 29 C.F.R. § 1910.9(b), these training requirements “impose a separate compliance duty with respect to each employee covered by the requirement.” OSHA generally defines its training requirements as “performance-based,” meaning that OSHA defers to each individual employer to fashion the most effective manner by which to accomplish the compliance goal of the standard. For that reason, none of OSHA’s training standards require employers to use documents, teaching methods or language to train employees. Instead, OSHA requires employers to present information in a manner that employees are capable of understanding. It should be noted that OSHA will consider any form of training to be suspect if employees do not have the

30 | SEPTEMBER.19

opportunity to ask questions regarding the subject matter. In its OSHA Training Standards Policy Statement released during the Dr. David Michaels’ OSHA regime under the Obama Administration, the Agency explained that “training required by OSHA standards must be presented in a manner that employees can understand. In practical terms, this means that an employer must instruct its employees using both a language and vocabulary that the employees can understand.” For example, if an employee is not literate, the employer does not satisfy OSHA training requirements merely by telling the employee to read training materials or safety programs. Likewise, if an employee does not speak, read or understand English, training must be provided in a language the employee understands. If the employee’s vocabulary

is limited, the training must account for that limitation. Additionally, OSHA’s Policy Statement noted several specific requirements related to employee comprehension. • §1910.147(c)(7)(i) (Lockout/Tagout) requires the employer to verify that the employees have “acquired” the knowledge and skills which they have been trained; • §1910.134(k)(5)(ii) (Respiratory Protection) requires retraining when “inadequacies in the employee’s knowledge or use of the respirator indicate that the employee has not retained the requisite understanding or skill;” § • 1910.1030(g)(2)(vii)(N) (Bloodborne Pathogens) requires “[a]n opportunity for interactive questions and answers with the person conducting the training session;” OSHA has tasked each of its compliance officers with the duty to determine whether the training provided by an employer satisfies

the intent of the Standard, i.e. whether employees receiving the training have understood that training. Obviously, this is a highly subjective exercise. One way that an OSHA inspector will make this evaluation is to interview employees. These interviews may or may not take place in the presence of a management representative. Many OSHA inspectors are bilingual, particularly in Spanish, and those who are not may request another employee to act as an interpreter during an employee interview. Translation issues can present potential bias problems during employee interviews, whether the interpreter is another employee, a management representative or an OSHA official. For this reason, employers must ensure that employees understand their right to have a management representative, as well as an interpreter of their choosing (who can be a co-employee), present during the interview. Employers may also consider requesting that a neutral third-party act as interpreter during the employee interview, particularly if the interview is a critical one and accuracy is an important consideration. Many employers fail to realize that unless they take the time to prepare an employee prior to the OSHA interview and explain to the employee his/her rights, an employee cannot possibly know these rights. There is no OSHA regulation that prohibits an employer from preparing an employee for the interview, including explaining the employee’s rights. Another way OSHA inspectors will evaluate the employer’s compliance with safety training standards is by determining how the employer communicates other workplace rules and policies to employees, particularly job instructions, other non-safety policies or procedures. If these other job instructions are given in Spanish, for example, OSHA will likely view English-only safety training as insufficient. Ultimately, the OSHA inspector will determine, based on a review of all the gathered facts, whether a “reasonable person would conclude” that the employer has or has not conveyed training to employees in a manner they are capable of understanding. In one case involving deficient safety training, for example, a supervisor described the company’s training program as follows: “Basically, in the yard with the men making sure they got their vests, their shoring, their boards before they leave for the job. They

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are directed to not get in holes over four feet deep, when it’s unsafe to use the proper shoring.” Sec. of Labor v. J. Mess Plumbing Co., Inc., 21 O.S.H. Cas. (BNA) 1100 (A.L.J. Oct. 18, 2004). In that case, most of the company’s employees had immigrated from Bosnia and Albania and could not speak English. Where an employee could not speak English, another co-worker would translate the

materials for him. In addition, the employer did not maintain any documentary evidence of a training program. An Administrative Law Judge upheld OSHA’s citation under a construction industry training standard, finding that the employer “hired workers who are not fluent in English, and then failed to ensure that they understood the minimal training they received.”

C O N C RET E O P EN I N G S | 3 1

Safety Counts

continued

LIABILITY FOR PER-EMPLOYEE CITATIONS Case law precedent from the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission validated OSHA’s ability to issue citations under its training standards on a per-employee basis, meaning that OSHA can issue a separate citation and penalty for each employee who did not understand his or her required safety training. In Sec. of Labor v. E. Smalis Painting Co., slip op., O.S.H.R.C. Docket No. 94-1979 (Apr. 10, 2009), OSHA issued a total of seventy-one Willful citations to Smalis for failure to train seventy-one employees as required in OSHA’s lead in construction standard, 29 C.F.R. § 1926.62(l)(1)(ii). The Review Commission upheld twenty-seven of those Willful citations, one for each of the twenty-seven employees who had been exposed to lead at or above the action level and who had not received the training and imposed a penalty of over $5,008,500 in total. The Review Commission’s decision in Smalis was based on its finding that training requirements under OSHA’s asbestos standard “impose a duty that runs to each employee.” While the Smalis decision is based on the employer’s failure to train altogether, the Review Commission’s reasoning may well be applied to situations involving the adequacy of an employer’s training program as it relates to non-English speaking employees. Recently, OSHA issued a citation in the amount of $1,792,726 to a roofing contractor

32 | SEPTEMBER.19

for failure to ensure employee training and the use of fall protection to its employees. The citations included 13 Willful citations with the maximum penalty of $132,598 for each of the 13 employees who were exposed to a fall hazard at multiple job sites. Unfortunately, the citations arose from a fall related fatality. The employer was also indicted for manslaughter and workplace manslaughter. OSHA’S EXPANSION OF ENFORCEMENT ON WRITTEN EMPLOYER POLICIES In recent enforcement, we have seen OSHA take the new, aggressive enforcement position that an employer’s safety procedures (e.g. machine-specific LOTO procedures) — not merely verbal and written training materials — must also be translated into the foreign languages spoken by employees. No OSHA standard specifically requires employers to translate procedures into every language spoken by employees. The task of translating all procedures for a potentially transient workforce may be costly and infeasible for many employers, particularly smaller employers with limited resources and with a workforce containing many ethnic groups. Accordingly, we do not believe that OSHA’s enforcement position is supported by the law or is economically feasible, or that employers should assume the duty of translating all procedures into the languages spoken by employees.

ENGLISH-ONLY EMPLOYMENT POLICIES FOR SAFETY-SENSITIVE AREAS Employers may be tempted to avoid OSHA’s onerous and subjective training policies by employing only English-speaking workers. Employers must proceed with extreme caution in fashioning these types of policies so as not to run afoul of federal and state anti-discrimination laws. Employers who fashion “English-only” policies prohibiting employees from speaking languages other than English in the workplace are presumed to be discriminating on the basis of an employee’s national origin. The federal regulations implementing Title VII of the Civil Rights Act call such policies “a burdensome term and condition of an employment,” and provide that prohibiting non-English languages in the workplace at all times “disadvantages an individual’s employment opportunities on the basis of national origin” and creates “an atmosphere of inferiority, isolation and intimidation based on national origin.” 29 C.F.R. § 1606.7(a). These same regulations do recognize, however, when applied only at certain times, an English-only policy in the workplace may be appropriate and non-discriminatory. To avoid liability for discrimination, the employer must establish that the rule is justified by a “business necessity.” 29 C.F.R. § 1606.7(b). In its Compliance Manual, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has recognized that the need for the safe operation of an employer’s business is considered a “business necessity” that can justify an English-only rule that is tailored to specific circumstances. The EEOC also recognizes that the need for supervisors who only speak English to communicate with employees is also a “business necessity” that can justify an appropriately narrow Englishonly policy. The EEOC cites the following scenario as an appropriate use of an English-only rule to address safety concerns: XYZ Petroleum Corp. operates an oil refinery and has a rule requiring all employees to speak only English during an emergency. The rule also requires that employees speak in English while performing job duties in laboratories and processing areas where there is the danger of fire or explosion. The rule does not apply to casual conversations between employees in the laboratory or processing areas when they are not performing a job duty. The English-

only rule does not violate Title VII because it is narrowly tailored to safety requirements. EEOC Compliance Manual, Section 13: National Origin Discrimination (Dec. 2, 2002). According to this example, then, an employer would not run afoul of federal non-discrimination laws by requiring employees to speak only English while performing specific job functions, during emergency situations, or while working in particular areas of a facility that implicate workplace safety issues. Employers must also take care in making hiring decisions based on a candidate’s ability to speak English. A narrowly-tailored and appropriately used English-only policy is relevant to hiring decisions. If, for example, an employer has an English-only policy like XYZ Corporation’s in the above example, it would need to consider that policy in hiring employees to work in the laboratories and processing areas, or, for example, certain equipment that has control systems that are identified in English or requires the use of operation manuals that are only available in English. Candidates who speak no English would not be able to adhere to the policy and would therefore not be qualified for hire into a position that includes work in those areas. Similarly, even in the absence of an Englishonly policy, an employer does not violate federal anti-discrimination laws by rejecting a non-English speaking candidate whose inability to speak or understand English would materially affect his or her ability to perform job duties. If, for example, a candidate’s job duties would require forklift operation, and the candidate could not read or understand warning signs, operating manuals, or safety placards required for the safe operation of a forklift, then the employer would have a good faith, non-discriminatory reason for rejecting that candidate. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that all employers who employ workers with limited or no ability to speak or understand English carefully evaluate their safety training programs to ensure those employees have received and understand required safety training, including the following: • Review the means by which work instructions are communicated to employees. If work-related instructions and other safety related policies are communicated in languages other than

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English, strongly consider providing safety training in those languages as well. Where appropriate, incorporate photographs and illustrations into procedures and training. These will be more readily understood by speakers of any language proficiency. Incorporate practical “tests” into required safety training involving visual observation of the employee performing safety related tasks. This allows employees to demonstrate their understanding (or lack thereof) of core safety concepts. Maintain thorough documentation of employee training, including any practical tests included in training. Include a signed statement from each employee that he/ she has received and understood specific safety training provided and, if necessary, have a bilingual employee trainer countersign and date the statement. In the event of an OSHA inspection, advise all employees of their right to have a management representative or other employee present during any interviews or to decline the interview if OSHA refuses the employee’s request. Designate a qualified and competent person (whether management or non-management) to act as the “go to” interpreter to facilitate interviews with non-English speaking employees. Evaluate employee duties on a job-by-job basis to determine whether critical job- or safety-related functions require fluency in English. For certain tasks where English fluency is a critical job qualification for safety purposes include such requirements in the job description and hiring process.

Mark A. Lies, II, is a partner with the law firm of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. He specializes in occupational safety and health and related employment and civil litigation. He can be reached at 312-460-5877 or mlies@seyfarth.com.

Adam R. Young is an associate attorney in the Workplace Safety and Environmental Group in the Chicago office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP. He focuses his practice in the areas of occupational safety and health, employment law and associated commercial litigation. He was a speaker at the 2019 CSDA Convention & Tech Fair presenting “Drugs and Drug Testing in the Workplace.” Mr. Young can be contacted at ayoung@seyfarth.com or 312-460-5538.

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CSDA Contractor Gets Ready for Gameday! GPRS scanning technician (and huge Yankees fan) Justin Rasanow scans one of the 15 24- by 24-inch areas while the team warms up on the field.

GPR Scanning Helps NFL Event, MLB Stadium Improvements Go Off Without a Hitch

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oncrete cutting and GPR scanning are integral applications in the construction and renovation of Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most beloved entertainment venues. Recently, a CSDA GPR contractor was recruited to help prepare for the 2019 NFL Draft in Nashville, Tennessee and to help renovate a historic baseball field in Tampa, Florida.

Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida is the spring home of the New York Yankees and the home field for the Yankees class A affiliate Tampa Tarpons. A new kitchen addition was being built at the stadium and the general contractor needed to drill through the concrete slab between the kitchen and an electrical room below the stands. The contractor wished to avoid hitting posttension cables and other unknown anomalies which may have been hiding in the 10-inch concrete slab. CSDA member GPRS first scanned the top of the concrete slabs securing the stadium’s seating and found the post-tension cables three inches from the surface, with a foam layer in the middle of the concrete. They then scanned from below the slab to make sure there were no post-tension cables on the other side of the middle foam layer. In total, fifteen 24-inch by 24-inch areas were scanned with a GSSI StructureScan Mini and a 1600MHz antenna. GPRS also used an RD-7000 to detect live power and RF signals below the surface to find electrical lines or telephone lines. After all anomalies

GPRS found rebar and wire mesh (marked in black with single lines) as well as posttension cables (marked in black with thicker markings indicated by “X”’s) in an area to be drilled. The findings allowed the contractor to know where they could safely drill.

GPRS had to scan along brick pathways, roadways, asphalt and more to locate underground utility lines all along Broadway in Music City.

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were clearly marked on the surface, they were covered with a clear-coat spray to ensure that none of the markings would be worn away by foot traffic or other work in the area. With the success and accuracy of GPR scanning, the general contractor was easily able to see where the post-tension cables and other anomalies were located in the concrete. They safely drilled the required 3-inch holes through the slab GPRS was also called in to help with the ever-popular 2019 NFL Draft, which took place from April 25-27 in Nashville, Tennessee. Such a massive undertaking requires not only an enormous amount of manpower, but also extensive knowledge and experience to make the process go smoothly. To facilitate this production, hundreds of tent anchors, support columns and fence posts had to be driven below the surface of Broadway in downtown Music City and temporary electrical, drainage and sewer lines had to be laid.

At Steinbrenner Field, the three circles indicate proposed locations for drilling. The GPRS scans showed the core holes would have hit two post-tension cables and 3-4 areas of rebar and wire mesh.

GPRS was called on a weekly basis to locate subsurface utilities and hazards in the work area and beyond. For weeks leading up to the live event, GPRS located dozens of utility lines including gas, electrical, water, sewer, storm and telecommunication. GPRS also located secondary and service lines. Knowing the location of these utilities ensured that everyone working on the site was safe from the potential dangers of hitting a subsurface line, and the city would not have any of its power, water or other utility supply lines disrupted. The NFL Draft was unique in that the areas that needed to be scanned were at random locations and on every imaginable surface. During some hours of the day, GPRS would be locating underground utilities on asphalt and concrete in the middle of the street and sidewalk. With a moment’s notice, GPRS would be asked to scan another area with completely different conditions. With the amount of foot traffic and equipment in the area, one of the obstacles The general contractor had planned to core drill inside the yellow box marked “PNL.” GPRS scans indicated where the rebar and post-tension cables were located, so the core holes were relocated to avoid hitting these embedments.

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One of the stages at the 2019 NFL Draft in Nashville, Tennessee. GPRS technician Zach Vickers scanned for dozens of utility lines including gas, electrical, water, sewer, storm and telecommunication.

that GPRS Project Manager Zach Vickers faced was creating a layout that was easy to read and would endure the foot traffic and weather for days and weeks. Zach took special care to get enough marking paint on the ground, then worked with crew leaders to thoroughly explain his findings during a site walk at the end of each day. No matter the location, surface or challenges, GPRS was able to cover almost any request, from locating for a proposed fence line right next to the monster stage to driving anchor spikes for massive tent supports. More than 600,000 fans attended the 2019 NFL Draft and free concerts, with another 47.5 million watching on TV. The speed and efficiency GPRS brought to the project helped to keep the live event safe, on schedule and on budget.

COMPANY PROFILE Ground Penetrating Radar Systems, Inc. (GPRS) was established in 2001 and has been a CSDA member for six years. The company is based in Toledo, Ohio with branch locations in every major metropolitan area across the U.S., including a recently-opened branch in Hawaii. They have over 300 employees and continue to grow. GPRS offers the non-destructive testing services of ground penetrating radar and utility scanning.

RESOURCES CSDA GPR Contractor GPRS Justin Rasanow Phone: 419-481-6737Â Email: justin.rasanow@gprsinc.com Methods Used GPR

REVIEW AND COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE AT: WWW.CONCRETEOPENINGS.COM

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Tech Talk Tech Talk is a regular feature of Concrete Openings magazine, focusing on equipment, maintenance and technical issues of interest to concrete cutting, polishing and imaging contractors. Readers wishing to have a particular subject addressed can call or email CSDA with their suggestions at 727-577-5004 or editor@concreteopenings.com.

The Next Generation of Diamond Chain By Todd Gerlach

ince it’s introduction in the early 1990’s diamond chain technology has significantly improved. In the early years, diamond chains were modeled after the basic architecture of woodcutting saw chain and typically suffered from excessive chain stretch and limited diamond life. As the years progressed, so did the technology and design. Through advancements in materials, component features and manufacturing processes, modern diamond chain as we know it today is more durable, performs better, stretches less and lasts longer than ever before. Although performance and cutting efficiency have improved steadily over time, one fundamental characteristic has remained. Sawing with a diamond chain power cutter typically requires significant physical effort by the operator to cut effectively. This can lead to operator fatigue and loss of productivity, which has generally confined this cutting method to a relatively narrow set of applications. As the concrete sawing and drilling market continues to expand, safety and ergonomic requirements become more stringent and new applications emerge that require use

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of a power cutter with diamond chain, it is becoming increasingly important that the issue of operator effort and fatigue is addressed. With focus on safety and productivity, a new generation of diamond chain has entered the market. The basis of this innovative design is no longer traced back to the origins of the woodcutting saw chain; rather it is an all-new chassis architecture that is specifically engineered to better support and stabilize the diamonds in the cut. This enhanced, more rigid interface between the diamond segments and work piece serves to extend the life of the diamonds by significantly reducing vibration and impact loads in the cut, thereby minimizing diamond fractures and pullouts. The result is a far softer, freer cutting segment formulation that does not sacrifice diamond life. So, what does this mean to the operator on the jobsite? A revolutionary diamond chain that requires less feed load and cuts smoother and straighter. In typical diamond chain cutting applications, an operator’s effort is consumed by several different modes: 1. The feed load the operator applies directly to the power cutter to engage the chain in the workpiece. 2. Cutting vibration. High frequency response from the chain is transmitted through the handles of the power cutter and into the

operator’s hands and arms, causing strain in the muscles. This increases operator fatigue. 3. Operator force on the power cutter to balance and track the chain to achieve a straight cut. This force can generate uneven wear patterns on the chain and guidebar, limiting the life of the cutting system and leading to further cut-straightness issues. This next generation diamond chain specifically addresses each of these modes that contribute to operator fatigue. The new chain cuts more efficiently with less feed load and is far smoother than any conventional diamond chain. With added stability in the cut, the chain also maintains symmetric wear patterns allowing for straighter cuts through life with less guidebar rail wear. These benefits are expected to change our industry work practices and rewrite the perceptions related to diamond chain cutting for the future. Whether it’s driving a culture of safety throughout your organization, overcoming the daily issues on the jobsite or increasing the productivity of your resources, our industry is evolving and innovating to help you get your job done right. Todd Gerlach serves as Director of Engineering for ICS, Blount International.

Industry Bits LISSMAC Corporation Groundbreaking for New U.S. Headquarters in Mechanicville, New York LISSMAC Corporation’s groundbreaking ceremony was conducted earlier this month, at the construction site of their new U.S. headquarters, to serve the U.S., Canadian and the South and Latin American markets. LISSMAC Corporation has been serving the American markets from their office, warehouse and production space in Waterford, New York since 2009. After acquiring a 4-acre plot in Mechanicville early this year, construction is underway of the16,000 square foot U.S. headquarters building, by Bast Hatfield Construction of Clifton Park. They are excited about the progress that has been made already at the construction site, and were happy to share this momentous milestone with our German parent company’s CEO, Klaus Kiefer, the entire Management and U.S. staff, as well as representatives of Bast Hatfield, LaBella Associates, the architectural firm, the Town of Halfmoon, State Representatives, Abele Builders, the Chamber of Commerce and members of the press who covered the event. For More Information Contact: Gabi Hughes Tel: 518-326-9094 Email: g.hughes@lissmac-corporation.com www.lissmac-usa.com

Vacuworx Announces New Hires, Promotions to Align with Strategic Goals Vacuworx is pleased to announce the promotion of two employees and three new hires as it expands the marketing and strategy teams in support of global growth. A leading manufacturer of vacuum lifting technology, Vacuworx is celebrating 20 years of building an industry this year. The company is reinforcing a commitment to its core business in the oil and gas trades, while continuing to expand product lines for diversification into emerging markets. Alan Odgers has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Strategy from Vice President of Marketing. Guided by Vacuworx’s values of safety, integrity and responsible growth, his emphasis is on aligning and allocating resources to develop a greater understanding of the potential of new products and applications worldwide. Paula Bell, promoted to Director of Marketing from Marketing Manager, leads a team that is dedicated to telling the Vacuworx story. Bell manages the development, implementation and evaluation of integrated marketing strategies to increase both brand awareness and sales revenue. William Bomprezzi, hired as Director of Business Analytics, is focused on making continuous improvements within the organization and supporting global initiatives. Bomprezzi utilizes internal and external information to help inform strategic decision-making associated with key markets, products, processes and geographies. Vacuworx has also hired Brandon Martin and Denise Warner as Marketing Coordinators. Together, the marketing team handles all communications activities such as advertising, public relations, collateral materials, digital marketing, corporate events and trade shows. They also help develop and leverage systems to support company sales and communication efforts around the world. For More Information Contact: Paula Bell Tel: 918-259-3050 Email: paulab@vacuworx.com

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Hilti, Inc. Unveils New, Innovative Product Line Hilti, Inc., a world-leading tool manufacturer to the commercial construction industry, announced the launch of its latest products and tools, as part of the company’s continuing efforts to bring safety and productivity to its customers with a strong focus on addressing their challenges and needs. Concrete Grinder DGH 130 The new DGH 130 system offers concrete contractors the ability to grind and finish with a single tool. This grinder features a purpose-built design to greatly improve ergonomics. The innovative grip over the grinder head delivers much improved control while reducing fatigue. Combine the ergonomics with a variable speed selection and the results are up to 50% faster than traditional methods. For concrete grinding, the DGH 130 uses diamond cup wheels and includes an adjustable hood for edges and corners. For concrete finishing, the DGH 130 is also compatible with the new Hilti diamond finishing pads. These pads come in a range of grits to support different finishing requirements. The dust hood provides an OSHA Table 1 compliant solution when matched with any compatible Hilti vacuum. Diamond Cutter DCH 300-X Cut wet or dry out of the box with the DCH 300-X electric diamond cutter and get unmatched productivity and versatility. Whether you’re cutting indoors or outdoors, the DCH 300-X provides greater dust management and wet/dry cutting solutions for the most demanding jobs. A built-in depth gauge and wheelset, along with unique push style ergonomics, deliver accuracy and control not offered by traditional electric cutters which makes this the perfect addition to your cutting portfolio. PS 300 Ferroscan Engineered to deliver more reliable, larger-scale results quickly, the PS 300 Ferroscan’s integrated 5-inch touchscreen provides a detailed, live view of hidden rebar and allows you to complete a structural survey or analysis in one visit. Once captured, data can be easily transferred to PROFIS Detection software for sharing, further analysis, and simplified one-click reporting. Powered by a Hilti 12V battery, the cordless convenience means no cables or cords to limit agility and reach. Adhesive Capsule HVU2 Combining high performance, versatility and the convenience of nearly instant loading, Hilti’s HVU2 is the next generation of capsuled adhesive anchors. This adhesive provides the highest load capacity for medium and heavy duty use in cracked and uncracked concrete withstanding seismic conditions, even in diamond cored holes. With a rapid cure time of only five minutes at room temperature, HVU2 allows for almost instant loading so you can finish your fastening jobs in a flash.

Makinex’s Jeff Durgin Takes New Role as Flooring Director Jeff Durgin joined the Makinex Team as the Global Product Manager back in February of 2018 and has now transitioned into the North American Flooring Director position. Makinex is excited to have Jeff take over this new role that was crafted out of this rapidly growing industry within Makinex. His profound knowledge of the flooring industry along with his deep passion for continually finding ways to improve things directly aligns with the Makinex mission: Making Inefficiencies Extinct. With Jeff’s new position, Makinex will be able to continue making an impact within the flooring industry and ultimately support this growth with a team of his own. Makinex plans to uphold their strong track record of launching revolutionary, innovative, quality products and this year will be launching one especially for the flooring industry. General Manager, Peter Maginnis says, “It has been such an expansive last year here at Makinex and we are incredibly excited to have a master in the flooring realm transitioning over to drive our force in Durgin the flooring industry. With the launching of new POWERful product early next year, we will need Jeff to take on the demand the flooring industry will have with Makinex.” For More Information Contact: Jeff Durgin Tel: 855-625-4639 Email: J.Durgin@Makinex.com

V-Shaped Water Collector System Coring in tight areas like top-of-wall, in corners and close to the wall just got 40% faster with the DD-WCS, a V-shaped water collector for maintaining a clean work area. Add this enhancement to your DD WMS 100 and improve productivity by spending less time managing water supply, slurry and dust removal. For More Information Contact: Danielle Wilson Tel: 972-202-6178 Email: Danielle.Wilson@hilti.com www.hilti.com

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GSSI Receives Presidential Award for Exports U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross presented Geophysical Survey Systems, Inc, (GSSI) with the President’s “E” Award for Exports at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. In total, Secretary Ross honored 48 U.S. companies with the President’s “E” Award, the highest recognition any U.S. entity can receive for making a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports. “GSSI has demonstrated a sustained commitment to export expansion. The “E” Awards Committee was very impressed with GSSI’s steady year-over-year growth in export sales. The company’s presence in 121 countries was also particularly notable. GSSI’s achievements have undoubtedly contributed to national export expansion efforts that support the U.S. economy and create American jobs,” said Secretary Ross in his congratulatory letter to the company announcing its selection as an award recipient. “As the leading global innovator of GPR technology, we are dedicated to helping our customers on all seven continents conduct superior structural and subsurface analysis,” said Christopher Hawekotte, GSSI, President. “Our products provide highly reliable,

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actionable information, and foreign markets demand quality products made in the United States. We are honored to receive the “E” Award.” For More Information Contact: Kristin Nugent Tel: 617-367-0100 ext. 148 Email: kristin.nugent@mgr1.com

Hardcore Concrete Announces New Operations Office in Charleston, South Carolina HARDCORE Concrete, a Georgia-based leader of concrete cutting and coring services, is pleased to announce the official opening of its Charleston, SC operations office. HARDCORE serves a wide variety of commercial, institutional and industrial customers providing sawing, coring, grinding, removal and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) scanning services. The company safely delivers superior service, competitive prices and on-time job completion without cutting corners or diminishing the quality of work. The Charleston office serves as a natural market expansion, as HARDCORE has worked for many contractors in the area over the

years. “As a leader in the industry, we strategically selected the new office to accommodate the increase in market demands in the region,” commented Aaron Jordan, Principal. “We are thrilled that our reputation for service delivery that our clients are accustomed to has naturally progressed our team to expand in the area.” For More Information: Contact: Bree Thomas Tel: 855-684-6722 Email: bthomas@hardcoreconcrete.co www.hardcoreconcrete.co

Distributed by:

Brokk Inc. | Monroe, WA | 1-360-794-1277 | info@brokkinc.com | www.brokk.com

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Husqvarna Construction Products Appoints New Vice President Husqvarna is pleased to announce the appointment of Matt Nuijens to Vice President/General Manager as of May 1, 2019. He will be responsible for leading sales/marketing, product management, customer service/ technical support and the ﬁnance and human resource teams in North America. Mr. Nuijens has over 20 years of extensive sales & marketing leadership experience from Nilﬁ sk, Nuijens Apex Tools, Carrier, Ingersoll Rand and most recently Sany. We are excited to have him as part of our team, and to be growing Husqvarna Construction Products throughout North America.

Blastrac Global Announces Consolidation As the leader in surface preparation and polishing products, Blastrac Global is announcing the consolidation of three of its business units. As market leaders, we are combining resources to take the products of Blastrac, Diamatic and Cyclone Technology to new heights. The plan for each product is business-as-usual but, behind the scenes we are combining assets in marketing, training, engineering, and sales support functions to expand our top-class customer support and education. As always, our products are manufactured to the highest quality specifications and meet UL, ULCSA, and NEC safety standards for North America. These are standards that few, if any, of our competitors can claim. For More Information Contact: Mark Haworth Tel: 800-256-3440 Email: custserv@blastrac.com

Fine Cut Drilling and Sawing Announces the Addition of Clint Ralston to Their Team

Ralson

Fine Cut Drilling and Sawing, LLC is pleased to announce the addition of Clint Ralston to their team. Clint comes to Fine Cut from Husqvarna where he spent the last 13 years as a District Manager and Regional Applications Manager. Clint will bring lots of industry experience to the team. In his new role, Clint will oversee sales and training. Please join us in welcoming him. For More Information Contact: Clint Ralston Tel: 816-680-8608 Email: clint@finecutusa.com www.finecutusa.com

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For More Information Contact: Cate Stratemeier Tel: 913-928-1000 Email: cate.stratemeier@husqvarnagroup.com www.husqvarnacp.com

Brokk Hires Central Canada Regional Sales Manager Brokk, the world’s leading manufacturer of remote-controlled demolition machines, hires John-Paul Duquette as regional sales manager for central Canada. Duquette manages sales for Brokk robotic demolition machines and provides support for new and existing customers throughout Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. “Throughout North America, construction and demolition contractors are realizing the potential of Brokk machines in a variety of industries and applications,” said Peter Bigwood, Brokk Vice President of sales and marketing. “To ensure these customers have the support and service they need, Brokk has been working to grow our knowledgeable and experienced staff by adding individuals like John-Paul. His technical background, in addition to his sales experience, make him a valuable asset to our Canadian team.” Duquette joins Brokk with 20 years of experience in equipment service, sales and management. Most recently he spent nine years at Liftow Limited, a full-service lift truck dealership operating across southern Ontario. At Liftow Limited he worked first as a customer service manager and transitioned into the manager of the new business development sales team. Duquette

“Connecting customers with the right equipment has always been important to me,” Duquette said. “Especially when that means building relationships and developing new markets. Brokk machines offer an innovative solution for increased efficiency and jobsite safety. I’m excited to join the Brokk team and connect Canadian contractors to the machines that will open up new markets and opportunities for their businesses.” For More Information Contact: Peter Bigwood Tel: 413-537-5572 Email: peter@brokkinc.com

D-Drill’s Julie White Will Use New Role to Close Gaps in the Construction Supply Chain A prominent construction figure says she will use her new role to close the gaps in the supply chain across the industry. Julie White, the managing director of D-Drill, has been elected as chair of the Drilling & Sawing Association. Julie, who has just stepped down as president of the international association – IACDS, has been running D-Drill since she completed a management buy-out in 2008. Throughout that time, steps have been taken towards getting the construction sector unified along the supply chain. However, there is still a great deal of work to be done.

Registration is Open for CSDA’s Introductory and Advanced Sawing, Drilling and GPR Training Classes Registration is open for CSDA’s Fall 2019 training classes. 101 Operator Training classes will be held October 14-15, October 16-17 and October 18. The 101 classes will include Slab Sawing and Core Drilling 101, Wall and Hand Sawing 101 and Wire Sawing 101. The courses will take place at the ICS Training Facility in Portland, OR. A GPR Certification will be held at St. Petersburg College in Clearwater, FL, on November 8-9. The 201 Operator Certification courses will also be held at St. Petersburg College in Clearwater, FL, and will take place on November 11-12, November 13-14 and November 15. These courses will cover Slab Sawing and Core Drilling 201, Wall and Hand Sawing 201 and Wire Sawing 201. You can find more information about training courses at www.csda.org/page/472 For More Information Contact: Erin O’Brien Tel: 727-577-5004 Email: erin@csda.org www.csda.org

Julie said: “I am delighted to take on the role of chair of the Drilling & Sawing Association. My father & D-Drill actually White set up the Association in the early 1980s when no one had even heard of our trade, so I am very proud to move into this role and to follow in his footsteps. I really want to use my time as chair to ensure that companies across our sector understand the benefit of being part of this association and how we can work together to resolve issues that affect us all, but also learn from each other, too. Being one voice and working together in an association can benefit us all as companies in a very specialized sector and can stand up for what we want with standards, qualifications, training/apprentices and quality. An issue I intend to lead on is around the supply chain and to find a way to bring everything closer together and ensure that we remove some of the gaps that still exist.” For More Information Contact: Lee Corden Email: LCorden@advent-communications.co.uk

CSDA Silica Competent Person Training to be Held in Columbus, New Orleans CSDA is bringing back Silica Competent Person Training programs. Taught by CSDA contractors, these classes will provide training on the OSHA standard 29 CFR 1926.1153 Respirable Crystalline Silica. This course will provide attendees with information about the standard itself and what they need to know to make themselves and their operators competent on the jobsite. The class will be held after the Winter Board and Committee meetings in New Orleans, Louisiana on Thursday, December 5th, from 11:00am to 2:00pm. Pricing is $250 for members and $350 for non-members. For More Information Contact: Kelsey Carriere Tel: 727-577-5004 Email: kelsey@csda.org www.csda.org

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continued

World of Concrete Asia 2019 Reveals Its New Segmentation and Participating Brands World Of Concrete Asia (WOCA) will be held December 11-13, 2019 at the New International Expo Center in Shanghai, China. WOCA is the Asian stop of the world’s leading concrete and masonry industry exhibition, “World of Concrete”. With the continuous progress and development of Chinese construction technology and the growth of the Chinese engineering construction market, concrete plays a vital role in urban construction as the basic material of construction. The show will invite domestic and foreign contractors, subcontractors, owners, real estate developers, municipal engineering and other industry players to join the event, creating an effective product display, knowledge sharing and trade platform for the industry as a whole in Asia. WOCA 2019 is expected to cover 52,000m2 show space and gather more than 800 domestic and foreign exhibitors. For More Information Contact: Anna Zhu Tel: 86 21 6157 3914 Email: anna.zhu@ubm.com www.wocasia.cn

KINSHOFER Offers C40HPX for Improved Productivity and Low Maintenance in Re-Handling Applications KINSHOFER, a leading global manufacturer of high-quality excavator and loader crane attachments, offers a line of robust, cylinderless re-handling clamshell buckets for loading bulk materials. The C-Series clamshell buckets allow for maximum efficiency and productivity while limiting downtime. The flagship attachment of the C-Series, the C40HPX, is ideal for handling cereals, coal and other fine-grained loads. It is designed for use with 18- to 25-ton excavators for loading bulk materials and 20- to 40-ton re-handling excavators. The C40HPX uses a newly developed drive unit, based on KINSHOFER’s patented HPXdrive, to open and close the two shells simultaneously. Hydraulically driven pistons, running opposed with four helix threads, generate rotation of the grab to deliver full and constant closing force throughout the entire gripping process. This ensures optimal strength and penetration through tough soils and while handling heavy materials. An integrated non-return valve guarantees secure retention of loads, and swivel and bevel are sealed for integrated rotation. “Our newest clamshell bucket offers operators maximum efficiency with minimal maintenance costs,” Martin said. “Our customers need to handle ever-increasing bulk volumes of diverse materials, especially on industrial and harbor sites where the materials are constantly changing. The C40HPX gives them the flexibility to easily handle materials with different specific gravities.” The attachment is also suited for environmentally sensitive operations. The HPXdrive’s internal oil feed-through and lack of greasing points or external hoses ensures no loss of oil during operation, making the unit ideal for underwater and other applications where contaminate-free operation is required. For More Information Contact: Jenessa McAllister Tel: 701-373-0062 Email: jenessa@ironcladmktg.com

46 | SEPTEMBER.19

ACEC/MA announces Arup as a 2019 Bronze Award Winner in Engineering Excellence for the Harvard University Smith Campus Center American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts (ACEC/ MA) has named Arup as a 2019 Bronze Award winner for engineering excellence for their work on the Harvard University Smith Campus Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Smith Campus Center is a new student center and ‘front door’ to Harvard. The Holyoke Center suffered from inefficient systems and lack of amenity space, and Harvard identified this as the ideal location for transformation. The design team of Hopkins Architects, Bruner Cott, and Arup designed a transformative re-use of the building, creating a new student center by creatively adapting the existing building to suit the needs of the university and community. Students, faculty, and visitors are greeted with a stunning glass-enclosed center, with ample amenity space, room for formal/informal gatherings; a space that Harvard will treasure for years. Arup’s Massachusetts office is in Boston. For More Information Contact: Abbie Goodman Tel: 617-305-4112 Email: agoodman@engineers.org

American Society of Concrete Contractors to Hold 18th Annual Conference in Chicago this September The American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC) will hold its eighteenth Annual Conference September 19-22, 2019 at the Westin Chicago Northwest in Itasca, Illinois. Concrete contractors, manufacturers, designers and other industry professionals will gather for three days of educational events and networking. Seminar topics include “Cost Effective Concrete Pavement Design,” “Building a Process for Industrial Concrete Finishing,” “Polishing Slabs on Metal Deck,” a contractor panel discussing “Handling/Managing Growth” and “One Chicago Square: Top Down Challenge.” Attendees can take advantage of the ACI Flatwork Finisher Certification and the ACI Decorative Concrete Flatwork Finisher Certification classes and exams offered on September 19. Additional opportunities include golf at Salt Creek Golf Club, the Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise and a Secret Food Tour. For More Information Contact: Beverly A. Garnant Tel: 314-962-0210 Email: bgarnant@ascconline.org www.ascconline.org

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C O N C RET E O P EN I N G S | 4 7

Certification

C ER TI F I E D OPERATOR

OPERATOR CERTIFICATION

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

CSDA’s Operator Certification is a comprehensive six-day program that combines detailed classroom instruction with on-slab demonstration and evaluation of advanced concrete cutting techniques. Safety, proper equipment use and efficiency are emphasized. CSDA certified operators are recognized industry-wide for their proficiency in the full range of sawing and drilling applications.

• Successful completion of CSDA Cutting Edge, Slab Sawing & Drilling 101, Wall Sawing 101 or Wire Sawing 101

ACCU-CUT CONCRETE SERVICES, INC.

• Three years field experience (4,500 hours) • Successful completion of 10-hour OSHA Construction Safety course • No more than one lost-time injury within the last three years • Unrestricted driver’s license • Negative drug test within 30 days of taking the course

Cleveland , OH Orlando, FL

HOLES OF SAN ANTONIO, INC.

Clearwater, FL

ACE CONCRETE CUTTING

CONCRETE CUTTING SPECIALISTS

HOLES, INC.

Cumberland, RI

Freeland, MI

AGGREGATE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

CONCRETE RENOVATION, INC.

Houston, TX

San Antonio, TX

AMERICAN PAVEMENT SAWING

CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS REMOVAL, INC.

Garden City, MI

St. Augustine, FL

AUSTIN ENTERPRISE

CR MEYER

San Antonio, TX Houston, TX

HOUSLEY DEMOLITION CO., INC. Visalia, CA

INTERNATIONAL DRILLING & SAWING, INC. Pensacola, FL Montgomery, AL

Bakersfield, CA

Osh Kosh, WI

INTERSTATE SAWING COMPANY, INC.

B.T. RENTALS

DELTA CONTRACTORS & ASSOCIATES, LLC

West Bend, WI

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago

Owings Mills, MD

JEM CONCRETE DRILLING & SAWING, INC.

BAY LINE CUTTING & CORING, INC.

DIXIE CONCRETE CUTTING, INC.

Granger, IN

College Park, GA Greenville, SC

KRAUS-ANDERSON CONSTRUCTION CO. Minneapolis, MN

Edgar, WI, Eau Claire, WI

JACK DOHERTY CONTRACTING

LIUNA LOCAL 506 TRAINING CENTRE

CHESCO CORING & CUTTING, INC.

E. LUKE GREENE COMPANY, INC.

Malvern, PA New Castle, DE

Johnson City, TN

COBRA CONCRETE CUTTING SERVICES CO.

FINE CUT DRILLING & SAWING Pleasant Hill, MO

San Francisco, CA

CENTRAL CONCRETE CUTTING

Woburn, MA

Arlington Heights, IL Bloomington, IL Milwaukee, WI

FORRISTALL ENTERPRISES, INC.

CON-COR CO., INC.

Danielsville, PA

Menomonee Falls, WI

CONCRETE CUTTING & BREAKING Jacksonville, FL Kentwood , MI

48 | SEPTEMBER.19

Bradenton, FL

HAFNER & SON, INC. HARD ROCK CONCRETE CUTTERS Wheeling, IL

HARD ROCK CONCRETE CUTTING Raleigh, North Carolina

Richmond Hill, ON Canada

M6 CONCRETE CUTTING & CORING Wichita, KS

MIDWEST CONCRETE CUTTING, INC. Peotone, IL

NEIL’S CONCRETE CUTTING, INC. Taylorsville, UT

OKLAHOMA CORING & CUTTING, INC. Arcadia, OK

PG CUTTING SERVICES Lake Elisnore, CA

TRUE LINE CORING AND CUTTING OF MARYLAND, INC.

Baltimore, MD

COMPANY CERTIFICATION The CSDA Company Certification Program is the first of its kind in the industry. This program has been created for cutting contractors to provide owners, architects, engineers, general contractors and government officials with a valuable pre-qualification tool that acknowledges sound business practices. It is available to all sawing and drilling contractors.

CERT I F I ED COMPANY

A COMPANY MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA TO ACHIEVE CERTIFICATION: • Meet the basic safety and insurance requirements of the industry • Undertake sound operational and financial best practices • Provide evidence it has taken part in basic training or certification programs to better its employees and the company as a whole • Successfully pass a written application review

AMERICAN GPR SERVICES LLC

ECHO GPR

Avondale, Arizona

Paola, Kansas

AUSTIN ENTERPRISE Bakersfield, California

CENTRAL CONCRETE CUTTING, INC. Edgar, Wisconsin

HARD ROCK CONCRETE CUTTERS, INC. Wheeling, Illinois

HARD ROCK CONCRETE CUTTING Raleigh, North Carolina

COBRA CONCRETE CUTTING SERVICES CO. Arlington Heights, Illinois

HOLES INCORPORATED Houston, Texas

CUTTING EDGE SERVICES CORP. Batavia, Ohio

DIACORE CONCRETE CUTTING SPECIALISTS Frenchs Forest, New South Wales, Australia

INTERNATIONAL DRILLING & SAWING INC. Pensacola, Florida

ONLINE CONCRETE CUTTING SERVICES PTY. LTD Seven Hills, New South Wales, Australia

ST-118 CERTIFICATION This certification is the first of its kind for measuring concrete surfaces and their surface texture value. The approach is to measure and analyze the surface texture in order to understand how the texture is influenced by the finishing process, and how the surface texture influences its behavior with regards to gloss, friction and sustainability. The certification is based on Standard CSDA-ST-118.

A CERTIFIED OPERATOR: • Has been provided instruction on how to correctly measure concrete micro surface texture • Has knowledge of proper tool selection to mitigate damage • Passed a written test • Was issued a certificate upon completion of the class For more information about this Standard, certification or a list of current ST-118 Certified companies, visit www.csda.org/st118.

W WW. C O N C RE TE OPE N IN GS.COM

C O N C RET E O P EN I N G S | 4 9

Membership

CONTRACTORS BLACKHAWK TILE & STONE, INC.

South Saint Paul, MN

DYNAMIC CONCRETE CUTTING

Reno, NV

J.F. BRENNAN COMPANY, INC. La Crosse, WI

MBE

SAWCUT SERVICES, LLC Spring, TX

AFFILIATES IN-PLACE MACHINING COMPANY

Milwaukee, WI

DISTRIBUTORS SM-SEAHORSE CO., LTD. Shanghai, China

MEMBER

BENEFITS SAFETY RESOURCES

UNTS O C DIS GRAM ember PROion negotiates mional

sociat ith nat The As programs w d t UPS an de i f bene taples, S ovi e r k p i l rs rder to o vendo n i s .com unitie supply opport . s V-belt g n i v s mber cost-sa DA Me for CS

50 | SEPTEMBER.19

NETWORKING

AND TOOLBOX SAFETY TIPS (TSTS) • 230-page CSDA Safety Manual • Safety Handbook in English/Spanish • Safety Videos for concrete cutters • Over 100 Toolbox Safety Tips (TSTs)

AT THE ANNUAL CONVENTION AND QUARTERLY MEETINGS The number one benefit for members has always been the opportunity to network with cutting professionals at the annual convention and quarterly meetings. This networking provides opportunities to forge new relationships and learn from other experienced professionals.

NEXT GEN

CSDA NEXT GENERATION GROUP The group aims to continue the growth of the association while serving the needs and wants of the younger generation, with the goal of continuing to set a standard of excellence.

24/7

THE CSDA WEBSITE AT WWW.CSDA.ORG CONTAINS A WEALTH OF INFORMATION AVAILABLE 24/7 IN THE “MEMBERS” SECTION. IN ADDITION, CSDA’S FACEBOOK PAGE AND DISCUSSION FORUM GROUP PAGE ALSO PROVIDE MEMBERS WITH A CHANCE TO DISCUSS TECHNICAL ISSUES, SELL EQUIPMENT, HIRE EMPLOYEES OR ANY OTHER RELEVANT TOPICS.

TRAINING

TESTIMONIAL

OVER 4,000 INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS HAVE GRADUATED FROM MORE THAN 20 CLASSROOM, HANDS-ON AND ONLINE CSDA TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON CUTTING DISCIPLINES, ESTIMATING, POLISHING AND SAFETY. ONLINE TRAINING AT WWW. CSDATRAINING.COM OFFERS A COST-EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE TO THOSE NOT ABLE TO AFFORD THE TIME OR THE MONEY TO SEND OPERATORS TO CLASSES.

Since 2006, CSDA has been an integral part of our business at Texas Cutting and Coring. The dedication to safety standards and practices have assisted us to develop our employees into true professionals in our industry. The Toolbox Safety Tips (TSTs) have been instrumental in the safety training and awareness of not only our people but also those that are working around us. Last year, we began to become actively involved in the committee meetings and the annual convention, and the outreach and support has been amazing. The information readily shared and the feedback about specifications and processes has been invaluable to formulating our strategies, not only on the business side but also in the field. We plan on continued involvement with CSDA and hope to encourage others to join us!

Ronnie Wilhite, Project Manager/Estimator Texas Cutting and Coring

DUESSCHEDULE REGISTER ONLINE AT WWW.CSDA.ORG GROSS SALES

NORTH AMERICAN CONTRACTOR

POLISHING CONTRACTOR

GPR IMAGING MANUFACTURER DISTRIBUTOR OVERSEAS CONTRACTOR CONTRACTOR

$0 – 1M

$685

$825

$1,480

$1,055

$1 – 2M

$1095

$1,795

$1,345

$2 – 3M

$1,680

$2,675

$2,000

$3 – 5M

$2,255

$5 – 10M

$2,860

$825

$1,375

$440

AFFILIATE

$840

$4,285 $5,800

$3,220

> $10M $3,585 $7,150

For more information about CSDA membership, visit www.csda.org, call 727-577-5004 or email info@csda.org. W WW. C O N C RE TE OPE N IN GS.COM

C O N C RET E O P EN I N G S | 5 1

Calendar 2019-2020 SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

CSDA Spring Board & Committee Meetings Omni La Costa Resort—Carlsbad, CA

CSDA Midwest Chapter Contractor Roundtable Westin Chicago, IL Tel: 727-577-5004 Email: info@csda.org www.csda.org

SEPTEMBER 18-21, 2019 Concrete Show South East Asia 2019 – The 7th Concrete and Construction Show in Jakarta Jakarta International Expo Jakarta, Indonesia Tel: +49-40-3999905-0 Email: contact@merebo.com www.cssea.merebo.com

SEPTEMBER 19-20, 2019 Chicago Build Expo 2019 McCormick Place Chicago, IL Tel: 917-746-7620 Email: alexandra@oliverkinrossevents.com

OCTOBER 7-9, 2019 Infra Oman 2019 Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (OCEC) Muscat, Oman Tel: +968 94041717 Email: media@alnimrexpo.com

Wall & Hand Sawing 201 St. Petersburg College—Clearwater, FL

OCTOBER 14-15, 2019 Slab Sawing & Core Drilling 101

NOVEMBER 15, 2019

ICS Training Facility Portland, OR Tel: 727-577-5004 Email: info@csda.org

Wire Sawing 201

OCTOBER 16-17, 2019 Wall & Hand Sawing 101

DECEMBER 4-6, 2019

ICS Training Facility Portland, OR Tel: 727-577-5004 Email: info@csda.org

The Buildings Show in Toronto

OCTOBER 18, 2019

DECEMBER 11-13, 2019

Wire Sawing 101

World of Concrete Asia

ICS Training Facility Portland, OR Tel: 727-577-5004 Email: info@csda.org

Shanghai New International Expo Center Shanghai, China Tel: (86-21) 6157 3914 Email: anna.zhu@ubm.com

NOVEMBER 8-9, 2019

MARCH 31-APRIL 1, 2020

GPR Certification

CSDA Spring Board & Committee Meetings

St. Petersburg College Clearwater, FL Tel: 727-577-5004 Email: info@csda.org

Omni La Costa Resort Carlsbad, CA Tel: 727-577-5004 Email: info@csda.org

NOVEMBER 11-12, 2019

APRIL 2-4, 2020

Slab Sawing & Core Drilling 201

CSDA Annual Convention

St. Petersburg College Clearwater, FL Tel: 727-577-5004 Email: info@csda.org

Omni La Costa Resort Carlsbad, CA Tel: 727-577-5004 Email: info@csda.org

NOVEMBER 13-14, 2019 Wall & Hand Sawing 201 St. Petersburg College Clearwater, FL Tel: 727-577-5004 Email: info@csda.org

52 | SEPTEMBER.19

St. Petersburg College Clearwater, FL Tel: 727-577-5004 Email: info@csda.org

Metro Toronto Convention Center Tel: 416-512-3815 Email: frank.scalisi@informa.com

Advertising and Readership Circulation 19,000+ minimum, per issue 12,000+ member and prospective member companies made up of contractors, manufacturers, distributors and affiliates

7,000+ general contractors, engineers, architects and government officials who specify cutting, polishing and imaging

Who Reads the Magazine? Concrete Openings reaches cutting, polishing and imaging contractors as well as specifiers of these services, including engineers, architects, general contractors and governmental agencies. Why waste your message on unnecessary circulation? Advertising in Concrete Openings guarantees a targeted audience of industry professionals.

READERSHIP BY PROFESSION

Target the Specialized Industry of Concrete Cutting, Polishing and Imaging Advertising in Concrete Openings magazine is the only way to reach the specialty market of cutting, polishing and imaging contractors who work with concrete, asphalt or masonry because it is specifically targeted to this segment of the industry.

How Do You Reach 19,000+ Concrete industry Professionals? Each issue of Concrete Openings magazine is sent to more than 12,000 operators, equipment manufacturers and suppliers in the concrete cutting, polishing and imaging industry, and more than 7,000 specifiers of these services around the world.

Not a Subscriber? Get your free subscription today! Visit www.concreteopenings.com and click “subscribe.”

W WW. C O N C RE TE OPE N IN GS.COM

52%

Readership Per Issue A poll of Concrete Openings subscribers revealed that 66% pass on their copy of the magazine to at least one other person, with almost 25% stating that the magazine is passed on to four or more people each issue. This translates to an average of four people reading each issue of the magazine for a total readership per year of approximately 60,000.

8% 40%

• Specifiers • Contractors • Manufacturers, Distributors

CSDA Social Media CSDA’s social media pages are packed with all the latest news, updates, photos and videos from the association and Concrete Openings magazine. Look out for exclusive content and become “friends” with others who are looking to network and promote the sawing and drilling industry. Join our growing fan base and stay in touch with the association through your PC, laptop or mobile device. Find direct links to these pages at www.csda.org.

Concrete Openings Website Visitors to the Concrete Openings website can access our advertisers at the touch of a button! As a compliment to your ad placement, we include a direct link to your website on our Advertisers page. Concrete Openings also offers banner advertising opportunities throughout the year and a full, pageturning copy of the magazine, including ads, available for visitors on the website. Visit www.concreteopenings.com for more information.

C O N C RET E O P EN I N G S | 5 3

Advertisers To receive additional information about products advertised in this issue, contact the vendors below. ADVERTISER

PAGE

PHONE

Aquajet Systems

701-373-0062

brittany@ironcladmktg.com

Brokk, Inc.

877-276-5548

peter@brokkinc.com

917-746-7620

alexandra@oliverkinrossevents.com

Chicago Build Expo

Inside Front Cover, 39

Diamond Products

800-321-5336

jpalmer@diamondproducts.com

Diamond Vantage

866-322-4078

sunny@gtdiamond.com

19, 23

DITEQ Corporation

816-246-5515

mikeo@diteq.com

DDMâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Concut

443-521-9379

ghenderson@ddmconcut.com

EDCO Inc.

301-663-1600

moran@edcoinc.com

paul@gelmaxxusa.com

GelMaxx

619-701-7246

Geophysical Survey Systems, Inc. (GSSI)

603-893-1109

harmonj@geophysical.com

Inside Back Cover

Hilti North America

918-872-3079

corrie.brock@hilti.com

28, 29, Outside Back Cover

Husqvarna Construction Products

913-928-1442

cate.stratemeier@husqvarna.com

2, 11

ICS, Blount Inc.

800-321-1240

marketing@icsdiamondtools.com

Lissmac Corporation

518-326-9094

sales@lissmac_corporation.com

Vacuworx

918-259-3050

paulab@vacuworx.com

54 | SEPTEMBER.19

World of Concrete Asia

anna.zhu@ubm.com

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Director’s Dialogue

Job Stories & Photos

PATRICK O’BRIEN Executive Director

SDA’s magazine Concrete Openings has received many favorable comments over the years. In addition to earning revenue for the association, the magazine reaches every corner of the globe to promote the association, its members and the outstanding capabilities contractor members offer specifiers. The staff and the members have worked very hard to earn this reputation. Many think that producing such a quality magazine is a relatively easy task. A number of construction associations have seen CSDA’s magazine and started their own publication. Often they can get job stories and photos to make it happen, but after a few years, getting the material to produce a magazine becomes an insurmountable challenge. Many for-profit magazines have also gone out of business. Concrete Openings has been in publication for over 25 years, so is it just unique? Probably not! A key to publishing a magazine is getting the content for each issue. For Concrete Openings that means getting job story material and photographs from contractors is essential. One might think that any contractor would welcome the opportunity to showcase their expertise to over 20,000 readers. But sadly, day-to-day business demands most contractors face mean submitting job story material is low on their priority list. This obstacle has remained constant for the entire life of the publication of Concrete Openings, and even long before that. Shortly after joining GE Superabrasives in 1982 in a meeting with CSDA, I agreed to make a presentation on sawing and drilling

56 | SEPTEMBER.19

at the World of Concrete 1983. At that time, I knew very little about sawing and drilling, and in order to make the presentation I needed assistance in the form of job stories and photographs to put together a convincing presentation. No problem, as everyone promised to send me photographs and job stories! After a few months, all that was received were a few photographs. I took the initiative and visited contractors around the country to gather the information and take photos. It was all a success in the end, but was foretelling of what was to come with publication of Concrete Openings. Seeking job story information and photos is just as difficult today as it was almost 40 years ago. This has never been more applicable for Concrete Openings. But today with social media marketing, getting this information is even more important to help spread the word about the association and more importantly, the capabilities that concrete renovation contractors offer to specifiers, providing them solutions for their construction projects. I hope that I have relayed the history and the importance of contractors submitting job stories and photographs. Rather than just plead for greater participation, my question to readers of Concrete Openings is what can we do to make this happen? Together, we can continue to make Concrete Openings a success, so lend your voice to provide solutions that work. Our contractors will benefit from greater exposure of how their unique capabilities can solve the problems faced by the construction industry.

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