GCA Construction News Bulletin August 2023

ALL ABOUT SAFETY

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THEDIRECTORS THEEDITORIALS

PRESIDENT

James Martinez

Guam Contractors’ Association

PAST CHAIRMAN

Bill Beery

Tutujan Hill Group

CHAIRMAN

Joe Roberto

East Island Tinting

VICE CHAIRMAN

Matthew Hunter

Dylan Mechanical Construction Services

SECRETARY/TREASURER

Kathleen David

Pacific Rim Constructors

CONTRACTOR DIRECTORS:

Don McCann

Black Construction Corporation

William Best

SmithBridge Guam

AJ Perez

Hawaiian Rock Products

Brian Holm

Hensel Phelps

Soraya Vongjalorn

Vertex Guam

ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS:

Mark Cruz

Mid Pac Far East

Jose Garcia

First Hawaiian Bank

Camilo Lorenzo

Matson Navigation

Geri Leon Guerrero

Adztech Advertising and PR

THETEAM

Guam Contractor’s Association (GCA) in conjunction with Adztech and Public Relations, Inc. publishes the Construction News Bulletin (CNB) monthly. Reproduction of materials appearing in this publication is strictly forbidden without written permission by GCA.

While we always strive for accuracy, we will from time to time overlook mistakes. In order to help us improve the quality and accuracy of this publication, we ask that you take the time to look at the information provided and notify GCA or Adztech of any corrections as needed. Opinions and editorial content of this publication may not necessarily be those of the publisher, production team, staff, GCA members, GCA Board of Directors and advertisers.

For more information about advertising in the GCA Construction News Bulletin contact the advertising department at (671) 477-1239/2239 or email at adztech@teleguam.net.

Distributed to GCA members or can be obtained by stopping by the Guam Contractors’ Association office located at 506 Mariner Ave., Barrigada, Guam 96913

To find out more about how you can become a GCA member contact Guam Contractors’ Association at Tel: (671) 647-4840/41

Fax: (671) 647-4866 or Email: gca@teleguam.net. www.guamcontractors.org

Postmaster. Send address changes to Guam Contractors’ Association, located at 506 Mariner Ave., Barrigada, Guam 96913

PUBLISHER:

James Martinez

PRODUCTION TEAM

LEAD:

Geri Leon Guerrero

AD SALES: Alyssa Roces

PRODUCTION:

Alyssa Roces

Jason Davis

Christopher “Taco” Rowland

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Alyssa Roces

EDITOR:

Adztech

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:

Joanna Rupley Sablan

Rodney “RJ” Ricarte

R.D. Gibson

Tricia Nauta, BOD

GCA STAFF:

Desiree Lizama

Elaine Gogue

Francine Taitague

Trevor Cruz

COVER:

Whether you need a refresher or are new in construction safety, GCA’s upcoming Samoan Joe Annual Safety Conference is a great opportunity for networking and information from local industry professionals.

Guam Contractors Association

CHAIRMAN’S LETTER

Hafa adai Membership!

TO BOND OR NOT TO BOND? That is the question.

Last month during your Membership Luncheon at the Hilton, we were privileged to have representatives from the Guam Housing Corporation provide information, details and several ways to help first time homeowners build single dwelling homes with OR without bonding. It’s great to know our local Government has several programs that would help home ownership more affordable.

How does this help us as contractors and associate contractors? This is the very reason for their presentation. According to the GHC reps. there is a program that in fact help contractors lessen costs by sharing the costs of Bonding.

Imagine for a moment, we have one large member contractor that is able to work with the GHC and ten smaller contractors to build a hundred single dwelling homes. The GHC may have a program for that.

Imagine once more, we have ten member contractors who separately work with the GHC to build one hundred other single dwelling homes. The GCA may have a program for that.

If ever there was a time to communicate with the GHC, that time would be now. And, to answer the question, “To Bond or NOT To Bond?”, Well, the GHC has the answer.

Best wishes,

Joe Roberto Chairman

“When I complained about the sunlight fading the wood on our steps through our large picture window, Kin suggested I call Island Tinting to see what they could do. Tom and his crew came out to the house and in just over an hour, they applied this clear film. He made me stand on the side where they had applied the film and then on the side with no film. The heat difference was amazing. The best part about it is that our power bill has gone down $70 a month because of this film!”

East Hagåtña 477-TINT (8468) / 472-TINT eastislandtinting@guam.net

Kin and Jayne Flores with Tom Roberto

APPRENTICESHIP CORNER

By Francine Taitague Safety, Training and Education Coordinator, Guam Contractors Association

BUILDING A SKILLED WORKFORCE: LOCAL GCA COMPANIES ARE EXAMPLES OF QUALITY APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS

In this space, I’ve shared how your company can start an apprenticeship program and how to pay for it. Apprenticeship is an industry-driven, high-quality career track. Employers develop their workforce, and individual employees obtain paid work experience, classroom instruction, mentorship, and a nationally-recognized NCCER credential.

125 apprenticeships are currently enrolled in the GCA sponsored apprenticeship program under 11 companies. These companies strive to improve the quality of their workforce with on-the-job site and classroom instruction at the GCA Trades Academy.

While many companies excel with their apprenticeship program, I have four examples of local companies who are going above and beyond with the development of their workforce. These GCA member companies serve as outstanding examples for other businesses seeking to establish an apprenticeship program.

My first example is GESI. They joined the apprenticeship program in 2016, and currently have 11 apprentices in the HVAC and electrical fields. I have a good line of communication established with them. They are always asking for status updates, not only with their on the job training hours but also with available GCA Trades Academy classes.

JWS has been in the program since 2010 with nine apprentices in HVAC. They're very good at choosing their apprentices. The apprentices are very active. They submit their reports in a timely manner and also they're really good at going to school and taking classes on time.

Phoenix Pacific has been in the program since 2012. They have 10 apprentices in the Electronic Systems Technician category. The company is very proactive on making sure the apprentices are going to class. The company looks for additional training opportunities on top of apprenticeship.

SE Construction joined the apprenticeship program in 2016. They have eight apprentices in the electrical and HVAC fields. What I appreciate about SE is they invite me to their office to do meetings with their employees about joining the apprenticeship program.

Your company can join the growing community of apprentices in Guam’s construction industry. 125 apprentices are currently employed, getting paid, increasing their skills, and furthering their education.

Guam is fortunate to have a growing number of women in the construction industry. Read on to learn about a couple of talented sisters who are playing their part in the building of Guam.

The Sisters: Meet Grace and Maria Mercado, who decided to pursue their education and careers in engineering. The youngest of the sisters, Grace, was born in the Philippines and moved to Guam with her family when she was five years old. She later received a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering (2014), then in 2015 completed Master's degree in Civil Engineering emphasis on Geotechnical/Materials Engineering, both from Iowa State University. Grace returned to Guam in 2022 and holds an Engineering-In-Training (EIT/ET) license and certification. She is now a Project Manager for a local contractor.

Maria, the oldest sister, also attended college off island, receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from UCLA (2009), and a Masters

All In the Family

By Tricia Nauta, BOD

degree in Biomedical Engineering from San Jose State University (2011). After living in the states for fourteen years, Maria decided to return to Guam. She holds a Project Management Professional certification (PMP) and won the Post Outstanding Support Award from the Society of American Military Engineers (January 2020). Today, Maria is a General Manager.

Construction a Rewarding Challenge: The sisters recognize how the construction industry requires lifelong learning. Grace recognizes how the construction industry is “far from mundane”, and enjoys taking on its challenges. This fits her work motto, “There is always a solution.” Her older sister, Maria, shared “that there will never be a day I know everything about construction,” operating with her work motto: “Trust, but verify” (Ronald Reagan).

Restoration Time: Both Grace and Maria understand the importance of finding time to recharge. When not busy with engineering work, they plan beach excursions and family time. Grace also enjoys traveling, while Maria takes

advantage of local outdoor activities such as scuba diving, camping and music festivals.

All in the Family: Grace finds her inspiration from her elders, including her father and oldest sister. Contrarywise, Maria is inspired by her “walking-talking-assertive” toddler, who reminds her to never take no for an answer. What makes their accomplishments even more special is how their professional and technical expertise supports their father, the General Contractor and President of Techni-Con Inc.

NAWIC Guam: Grace and Maria look forward to learning more about NAWIC. Maria noted how the organization would further help her by making connections and being empowered by other women in construction, a traditionally male-dominated industry. NAWIC Guam commends the Mercado sisters, who exemplify the saying, “Behind the success of every small business, there is a family.”

The industry does not just talk about safety; it is supposed to embody and exemplify it. It flows through our veins. Beyond the buildings that are constructed, the pipes being laid, the wires being connected, or the heavy equipment being transported, at the heart of the industry is the safety of those performing the work.

There are many things to consider regarding safety. It is not a new topic for the industry, especially when it comes down to slips and falls, proper use of personal protective equipment, as well as proper use of tools and machinery. According to the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor and Statistics, “In 2021, nearly 1 in 5 workplace deaths occurred in the construction industry.” That in and of itself would be alarming for anyone with some sort of connection to the industry.

Industry workers and managers, and their companies, know there are an array of safety issues that can arise at projects, among a myriad of potential injuries. This signals the need for further education and training, a chance to network, look at best practices, and even taking away potentially new ideas that can augment and enhance operations and potentially prevent any safety issues or incidents.

For these and other hot topic industry safety topics, the Guam Contractors Association will hold the Joseph Leasiolagi “Samoan Joe” Annual Safety Conference from August 24 to August 25, 2023 at the Hyatt Regency Guam in Tumon, Guam.

Francine Taitague, Safety, Training and Education Coordinator for the Guam Contractors Association, shared, “It's definitely important to have an annual safety conference because it's always great to refresh your knowledge on safety for both the General and Construction Industry.” She added, “Also, if you are new in safety, it's a great opportunity to network with other Safety Professionals and gather information and bring it back to their workplace.”

Taitague added the Conference honors Joseph Leasiolagi "Samoan Joe", a former chairman and

member of the Guam Contractors Association Safety Committee who contributed significantly to the organization and passed away last year. “His safety knowledge and experience has always been an inspiration to the association and his memory continues to live on.”

The conference continues a legacy of promoting safety through education and how important safety is across industries. “This conference is a great opportunity to connect with other Safety Professionals and educate them on risks around them and what are the best ways to conduct themselves safely,” asserted Taitague. Conference topics include Excavation and Trenching, Fall Protection, Personal Protection Equipment Demonstrations, Flagger/Traffic Control, and Mental Health Awareness in Construction, in addition to others.

Mental Health Presentation

Last year, the Construction News Bulletin featured mental health in the construction industry in its May issue. Mental health continues to become a big topic across industries, especially construction. This year, Nadia Holm, CIH, CSP, CHST, the Health and Safety Manager at Environmental Chemical Corporation (ECC) will present on the topic. Holm shared how, “The construction industry can be dangerous, and we are very focused on controlling hazards on the job site, but we need to understand that the biggest threat to construction workers is their mental health.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control website, the construction industry faces an alarmingly high suicide rate. The site stated “In 2016, the suicide rate for men in construction and extraction occupations was 49.4/100,000 – that is almost twice the total suicide rate for civilian working men (16-64 years old) in 32 states (27.4/100,000).”

Holm added how it is beneficial for industry officials to understand how its workers are susceptible to mental illness and suicide. “We also need to develop a culture that supports the mental well-being of workers in our industry,” she started. She continued part of the work includes the need to educate workers in developing coping mechanisms that are healthy, identifying workers who are at-risk, as well as having access to intervention and support services when necessary.

It will be the first time the topic of mental health will be discussed at a GCA Safety Conference, according to Taitague. The conference will also feature an industry safety professional panel sharing insights into their careers, and there will also be a personal protection equipment fashion show. “So a lot of new things are happening this year and we are extremely excited!”

thinking about next year, adding how the training at conferences like these allows for participants to “learn and adapt to changing environments and technology around us.”

Babauta stated, “NMTech’s mission is to strengthen the CNMI workforce” as the construction industry is recruiting constantly. “We are doing our best to educate and certify students that walk through our door to help the construction industry all while practicing safety on the job,” he added.

Building Bridges and Partnerships

What it comes down to is partnerships, and what we do with those partnerships. Babauta shared how the CNMI Safety Conference organizers already have such partnerships with the Guam Contractors Association, UCSD OSHA Training Institute Education Center, and the CNMI Department of Labor OSHA.

Moreover, our neighbors to the north will be holding their inaugural Safety Conference. The CNMI Safety Conference is borne from the partnership between the Northern Marianas Technical Institute, CNMI OSHA, and the University of California in San Diego. It will be held on August 21 and 22, 2023 at the new IHG Crowne Plaza Saipan

Benjamin Babauta of the NMTech, “This conference is to raise awareness in building a culture of safety in all industries,” bringing together local and off-island industry professionals. They will be presenting on topics, including Alliance Agreement Signing, OSHA Record Keeping, Machine Guarding, Trench and Excavation, and Construction, as well as, General Industry Safety. The conference has not even happened yet, and Babauta said the organization is already

Additionally, Taitague shared how events like these would not be possible without their partnerships, the GCA membership, and their extensive list of CORE sponsors, which include numerous GCA members.

These two upcoming conferences present both Guam and Saipan with unique opportunities to not just educate and train, but build, and strengthen new and existing partnerships while collaborating on new ideas and existing best practices throughout the Northern Mariana Islands. Hope you can make it!

Saipan Safety

GCA July Luncheon

July 19th, 2023 Hilton Guam Resort

TakeCare Healthcare Solutions: Your Digital Health Companion

By Rodney “RJ” Ricarte

With TakeCare's smart technology, you have easy access to a wide range of healthcare information and services about your TakeCare GCA Employee Healthcare Benefit Plan. Whether you need to check your benefits, renew prescriptions, or consult with a medical professional, TakeCare has you covered.

1. MyTakeCare Member Portal. The MyTakeCare Member Portal offers 24/7 access to medical and health plan information, along with wellness resources. It's a convenient way to stay informed and take charge of your healthcare. Visit the web portal at https://takecareasia.com/mytakecare-web-portal.

2. TakeCare Mobile App. TakeCare's Mobile App is your on-the-go companion for all things health-related. From receiving alerts and notifications to accessing your insurance card and plan information, it's a comprehensive tool for managing your health. Download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

3. Chat with TIVA: Instant Virtual Assistant. Need quick answers to common health questions? TIVA, TakeCare's Instant Virtual Assistant, is here to help. Accessible through any web browser or device, TIVA provides immediate responses to your queries. Get instant help at https://takecareasia.com/tiva.

4. Securely Manage Payments Online. TakeCare makes paying for medical and dental premiums hassle-free and secure. With their Pay Online service, you can conveniently use major debit and credit cards to make payments without any additional fees. HR managers can also use Online Bill Pay to handle corporate premiums. Sign up for this service by contacting TakeCare.

5. TeleHealth: Your Virtual Medical Consultation. TeleHealth offers a contactless way to consult with medical professionals for non-emergency services. Available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., this service provides you with a qualified TeleHealth staff for consultations. To access TeleHealth, call TakeCare's Medical Referral Services at (671) 300-5995, option 3, and choose "Ask a Nurse/Provider."

6. Convenient Prescription Management. Save time and money on your prescriptions with the Elixir Mobile App. This app gives you 24/7 access to your pharmacy benefits, allowing you to stay on top of your medications effortlessly. Simply visit elixirsolutions.com and click "Register" to get started. Download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

7. Get Healthy with Virgin Pulse. TakeCare members can take advantage of Virgin Pulse, a comprehensive fitness program aimed at improving your overall health. Earn rewards for completing activities, track your steps and activity, receive health tips, and learn how to make positive lifestyle changes. Register at https://tinyurl.com/TakeCareVirginPulse and download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

With TakeCare's digital healthcare solutions, you have the power to take control of your well-being. Whether it's accessing important health information, managing prescriptions, or seeking medical consultations, these services are designed to make your healthcare journey easier and more convenient.

Rodney “RJ” Ricarte is the TakeCare account executive for GCA. He can be contacted at (671) 487-7121 or rodney.ricarte@takecareasia.com.

NEWS LINE

Build Your Safety Culture Through Robust New Hire Safety Orientations and Incident Investigations

A strong health and safety culture doesn’t just happen; you achieve it through planning and execution every step of the way. To get the job done well, you need the right tools, materials and equipment, with upskilling and training tailored to each worker. Most importantly, you must ensure work flows in the right sequence. You need to invest time, talent and resources to perform robust safety orientations with team members and view any unplanned events as opportunities to learn and improve through well-executed incident investigations.

New Hire Safety Orientations

Building a psychologically safe culture requires intentional and consistent action. New Hire Safety Orientations are your opportunity to immerse team members into your safety culture and engage them in a way that is meaningful to them, developing relationships and a sense of belonging.

These orientations should involve leaders and are more than simply paperwork and videos. If your company is just starting your industry-leading safety journey (and culture shift), what a new hire experiences in the field might be different than what you reviewed during onboarding. How you handle

this differential during the implementation phase is important for the future success of that employee. When you implement improvements successfully, everyone experiences the sense of being on the journey together.

Incident Investigations

Incident investigations are traditionally performed following unplanned events such as an injury or property damage. But you can achieve greater success by investigating every unplanned event—whether that unplanned event has a positive or negative outcome. When the unexpected happens, you need to investigate. This includes near misses (near hits, good catches, etc.) as well as finding out why something went exceptionally better than planned. Those investigations are also learning opportunities.

Take your incident investigations a step further; go beyond the standard practices and techniques. if worker error was a root cause of the incident, dig deeper to understand the context and conditions that influenced the workers in that situation. Be curious and create a psychological safe space to engage your team to determine why their actions made sense in the context and conditions of the incident. Only then can you fully learn from the

experience and continue building your health and safety culture.

The Journey to Industry-Leading Results

The roadmap to building a strong health and safety culture begins with improving new hire safety orientations and intentional incident investigations. It seems simple, but the reality is that this journey does not happen by itself. We must be committed to safety as a core value every day and in every situation to achieve industry-leading results. Leaders and all team members must be committed to supporting each other to drive results.

Looking for help building your safety program?

Discover resources available through ABC’s STEP Safety Management System and other health and safety topics at abc.org/safety.

ABC: Members Invested $1.5 Billion in Construction Workforce Education To Upskill 1.3 Million in 2022

Associated Builders and Contractors member contractors invested more than $1.5 billion to provide nearly 1.3 million course attendees with craft, leadership and safety education in 2022, according to its 2023 Workforce Development Survey, down from $1.6 billion in 2021. The annual assessment quantifies the scope of ABC members’ workforce development initiatives to advance their employees’ careers in commercial and industrial construction to build the places where Americans live, work, learn, heal and play.

Key findings include:

• ABC contractors invested an average of 8.0% of payroll on workforce development in 2022, up from 7.4% in 2021, responding to the need for more than half a million additional construction workers in 2023.

• Safety education for more than 700,000 course attendees accounted for the greatest share of spending, at

59%, up from 56% in 2021.

• Trade and specialty contractors boosted their share of the total workforce development investment, growing to 42% in 2022 from 33% in 2021.

“ABC member contractors are building the people who build America by investing billions to cultivate their long-term skill sets, creating a brighter future for both workers and workers’ families,” said Greg Sizemore, ABC’s vice president of health, safety, environment and workforce development.

“ABC member contractors are investing in flexible, competency-based and market-driven education methodologies to build a construction workforce that is safe, skilled and productive. Continually upskilling our people, our most valuable asset, means the merit shop construction industry is ready to build the infrastructure, manufacturing plants, data centers and other buildings

that will keep America competitive in the global marketplace.”

ABC’s all-of-the-above approach to workforce development has produced a network of ABC chapters and affiliates across the country that offer more than 800 apprenticeship, craft, safety and management education programs—including more than 300 government-registered apprenticeship programs across 20 different occupations—to build the people who build America.

Industry consulting firm FMI conducted the 2022 Workforce Development Survey from Jan. 4 to May 5, 2023. Aggregated data was derived by calculating the average amount spent on education by each respondent and multiplying that by the total number of ABC contractor members.

How To Stay Safe in Extreme Heat

Construction is highly labor-intensive, and nothing gets done without our highly skilled and dedicated workforce. While standards tend to treat everyone equally, construction workers are not equally affected by heat those with certain health conditions or circumstances are more susceptible to heat illness. Thus, requirements designed for the least affected workers might not be sufficient to protect those at higher risk. One size does not fit all.

The ramification is that members need to proactively engage this complexity with flexibility. It comes down to

equipping and empowering a crew leader to know the crew on a personal level, check in with them frequently and act with appropriate care. It requires pre-planning and could also include increased rest/water/shade, starting/finishing earlier, and modifying the workflow to perform highest heat work during the cooler part of the day, especially during times of extreme heat. Final planning at the jobsite should include an open discussion during the daily huddle at the beginning of each shift to ensure each crew member has input on the plan, has

buy-in to follow the plan, understands the need to watch out for one another and knows they must communicate any early symptom of heat illness quickly.

ABC has many resources on the subject, including webinars. The  Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the National Safety Council also have tips for staying safe in extreme heat and during the summer in general.

Check out the resources below for more information.

https://www.nsc.org/community-safety/safety-topics/seasonal-safety/summer-safety/heat https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heattips.html

https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/osha3154.pdf

https://www.osha.gov/heat-exposure/water-rest-shade

https://www.abc.org/Safety/Emergency-Preparedness-Safety-Resources#338951966-governmental-agency-quick-links 2022 Webinar

Heat Stress: The Science, Politics and Ramifications  https://register.gotowebinar.com/recording/6748005648988071430

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