In this Issue 1.
President’s Letter
2.
George Harris Memorial
3.
COS SPD Project Updates
9.
Wins and Pursuits
10. Community 15. New Faces and Promotions 18. Living Wall 19. Training Schedule 20. Your Health Matters 21. Safety Corner 23. Photo Contest Winners
SU E IS 14 20
A GE Johnson Construction Company Employee Publication
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As we close out the books on GE Johnson’s Fiscal Year 2014, we are pleased to report, yet again, another profitable year. As I have mentioned in the past, we saw our revenues increase to more than $400 million; we look forward to communicating all the year end results at our Annual Meeting in December. GE Johnson takes great pride in our reputation and our presence in the construction industry throughout the regions in which we work. However, as we become more diverse in our work program, it is more important than ever that our culture shines through. We must always work toward the company’s best interests, helping and supporting each of our jobsites, initiatives, and offices. As we ramp up activity, we must manage not only the opportunities in front of us, but also our current obligations. This company mantra will help the company succeed and keep our jobsites and projects consistent while maintaining our reputation for exceeding the Owner’s expectations remains intact. There are many examples in our history and in our current work where the company has put aside individual goals and differences in order to accomplish the greater good for the company. I want to thank each and every one of you for your participation and involvement in helping GE Johnson Construction Company reach this year’s goals. We will be communicating these via our Dashboard at the next Quarterly Meeting on October 17th at the main office in Colorado Springs. With our confidence in delivering quality service matching a general marketplace upswing, GE Johnson is pursuing several growth initiatives. These growth initiatives will result in opportunities for growth and leadership within our existing employee base. While sometimes growth can be painful, GE Johnson management is taking the time and careful consideration to ensure this is not growth just for growth’s sake. We have taken a
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thoughtful, conscience and business-like approach to addressing these changes in market niche, geographic region and line of business. I am also happy to report that we are tracking consistently with our Operations 150 plan, which we have shared with you previously. One of the most visible aspects of this initiative is the Oklahoma City office. Shannon Rogers and his team have hit the ground running, securing their first project and becoming involved in the pursuit of several other attainable projects in the region. This early success is outstanding, but they will still need the support of the whole company as they continue to establish GE Johnson in Oklahoma. As we have previously stated, Dan Starr, our COO, will be entering “retirement” in early January. I would first like to state that there will be a time that we will fully acknowledge and thank Dan for his wonderful and long career at GE Johnson Construction. We also want to assure you of his commitment and involvement over this transitional period. In typical Dan Starr fashion, we are gaining the benefit of his insight, his years of experience and his protection of the GE Johnson brand. While Dan’s retirement plans are not fully known, we do know he will be taking an immediate 90day leave of absence after which he will consider taking a position on GE Johnson Construction’s Holding Company (to be formed before year end) as a Director of the Board. I know we all agree that Dan’s day-to-day involvement will be missed; however, to capture his experience at the Holding Company level will be invaluable and we are happy to allow him the time to consider that role. I look forward to seeing everyone at the Quarterly Meeting on October 17th at the main office in Colorado Springs.
“It is a rare soul who can carry themselves with poise and grace through both good times and bad, and George did so without skipping a beat. His infectious laughter and gentle presence was felt by all. He helped build the culture within GE Johnson, not only through his keen sense of reading people and seeing talent but also by example. George - Thank you for your contributions to this company, for your everlasting footprint on each of us as individuals, and for the legacy you have left behind. My heart goes out to your family for the loss of such a good man. You will be missed.” - Stella Hodgkins
“A symbol of being a soft-spoken gentleman, and family man. His sense of humor was deep with thought, and he had a great from-the-core boisterous laugh when you could catch him off guard with a joke. He was fantastic at finding and cultivating the right people for the company, and making them feel welcome, and part of the team.” - Scott Henderson
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“George Harris was my first new friend here in Colorado. He recruited me as I was finishing my senior year at Auburn University. Moving to Denver from Auburn, Alabama was a big change for me. George and his family invited me in to their home, brought me to Rockies and Avalanche games, and made me feel welcome in an otherwise unfamiliar new place. I was fortunate enough to travel back to Auburn with George a few times for recruiting trips and got an opportunity to learn more about him on a personal level. He had a genuine passion for his work. He loved meeting new people. He loved his family immensely. He truly cared about helping new-hires (such as myself 2.5 years ago) feel welcome in their new homes. George, you will be greatly missed by all!” - Jeb Sprayberry
Entegris ATC Cleanroom
The Colorado Springs Utilities East Side Service Center is wrapping up a $2.6 million, three-phase renovation and addition. Phase 1 consisted of renovating 2,100 SF into a new training lab, video production room and IT room. Phase 2 renovated an existing space to be used as new back-up data rooms and an additional 3,500 SF mechanical and electrical room along with two new 400kW generators and an FM200 fire suppression system. Phase 3 of the project was a small TI side project to renovate part of the existing call center for the facility.
The $3.7 million clean room project at Entegris is now complete. This project added two new Clean Rooms for the company, which provides materials used in advanced high-technology manufacturing of microelectronics. The scope of work included a large partition wall to separate the production side from the storage side, 2 clean rooms (an ISO4 which allows only 0.07 particles greater than 5 Âľm in a cubic foot of air and an ISO-7 which allows 7.0 particles greater than 5 Âľm in a cubic foot of air), 5 new RTU and an 18 Meg-Ohm Deionized Water Plant.
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CSU ESSC Data Center
The El Paso/Teller County 911 project wrapped up at the end of January, completing a 12,379 SF, twostory addition to the current office space located just southeast of downtown Colorado Springs. The new facility includes a new conference room, office space, and emergency command center that will serve both El Paso and Teller counties. The $3.2 million project was a negotiated GMP that started construction at the end of June 2013. The seven month project was aided by the continuous efforts of HB&A Architects.
Memorial Hospital Boiler Replacement Pre-planning and design for the Memorial Hospital Boiler Replacement project started in the fall of 2012; GE Johnson interviewed for the project and was awarded with a GMP contract shortly after. This project was a negotiated Design/Build effort with Olson Plumbing and Berwick Electric. The project consisted of mechanical and electrical upgrades to the existing central plant at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs, with the main upgrade being the replacement of their existing boilers. Coordination of facility shutdowns and traffic control, both vehicular and pedestrian, has played an instrumental role in the ongoing success of this project.
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EL Paso/Teller County Enhanced 911 Authority Addition
Peak Vista N. Academy
Peak Vista Community Health Centers opened their newsest location in Fountain, Colorado on May 30th and had its ribbon cutting ceremony on June 21st. The roughly $5 million, 14,000 SF building offers primary medical, dental and behavioral health care with 15 exam rooms, 5 dental chairs and additional office space. This project marks another successful partnership between the Colorado Springs Special Projects Division and Peak Vista Community Health Centers.
Following the completion of the Peak Vista Fountain location, we began renovating the former Penrose Community Hospital, originally built by GE Johnson in 1975. The first phase (May 2014 – November 2014) will be a 44,000 SF renovation of existing medical areas into administrative office space. The second phase will involve complete demolition of an existing 24,000 SF section of the building to make room for additional parking. The 2nd phase will run from December 2014 – April 2015. The total cost for this project is $6.2 million.
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Peak Vista Fountain
El Pomar Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Museum The El Pomar Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Museum is an addition to the Carriage Museum which opened just before the Pikes Peak Hill Climb on June 27th. Several unique construction techniques were employed on this project: 30+ feet micro piles; precast concrete floor planks; light weight foam fill to support a simulated roadway that snakes its way up to the mezzanine level; Pikes Peak faux rocks; and hanging cars from the roof trusses and walls. The building addition has a footprint of 122’ x 40’ with an open view to the roof trusses roughly 28’ above the main level. The Hill Climb Museum has permanent and rotating displays (cars and artifacts) to educate visitors about the history of the Hill Climb. Many people that visit Colorado Springs don’t get the chance to drive up the Peak much less see the race. This museum gives all visitors a taste of what it’s like to go up Pikes Peak.
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Penrose Cancer Center Preconstruction efforts for the Penrose Cancer Center Addition began in September of 2011, with a request from the hospital to provide a conceptual estimate for a twostory addition to the existing Cancer Center, which GE Johnson built in 1992. After two years of multiple pricing exercises, construction on the addition began in October 2013 with a FGMP of $4.5 million. The newly constructed space contains a one-story Linear Accelerator Vault and additional offices. A pedestrian bridge connects the second floor to the adjacent, existing medical office building. Concrete was a critical part of the vault construction, as the walls and lid are up to 7’-0� thick to ensure there is no radiation leakage. The project site was logistically challenging due to the limited amount of space available for construction as it is between PenRad and the parking garage. The GE Johnson team implemented just-in-time deliveries to keep the site as clear from excess construction materials as possible. Coordination was crucial to notifying Penrose and the MOB tenants of any lane closures, and ensuring Air Liquide was always able to access the existing oxygen tank farm that was within ten feet of the new building. The Linear Accelerator equipment was delivered on May 17, 2014. Construction was completed on July 1, 2014.
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Pikes Peak Library District – Library 21C GE Johnson teamed with PPLD & Humphries Poli Architects in a Design/Build venture to provide an additional facility for the district’s needs. The project was a negotiated GMP contract valued at $4.45 million and was a complete remodel of an existing 115,000 SF, 2-Story building. The building, called Library 21C, incorporates various innovative spaces such as: Computer Labs complete with new CPU’s; Messy/Clean Labs that include 3D printing capabilities; E-Help Stations & Gaming Rooms. The project’s scope included selective demolition, new interior finishes, MEPF system upgrades/modifications, and general exterior clean-up work. The 9-month project was split into two phases; the first phase completed staff and administration areas while the second phase was focused on public use areas. Early completion of Phase I allowed key Library personnel to move in while Phase II was being constructed. Construction was complete in time for PPLD to showcase their new building at their grand opening event on June 21.
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Blue Val $15M ley ED/Ima ging Proje ct 25,73 5S Emer F, new fre gency e-stan di D and t he Ce epartmen ng facility t and ntral to inc the fu Imag Galle lude ture s i r n y g / epara te Ph Waiting C functions ase 2 B MO onnector to B. Unive rsi Engin ty of W yo ee $85M ring Buildi ming ng Ex pansi on an d Ren New ovatio and p n otent the U ially r W’s enova go Engin eerin al of dev ted space g a elo s to s educa uppo tion a nd Applie ping the rt n d Sci unde ence College o rgrad d research f int ua progr expe am. S o a Tier rience te and 1 c ope i a gradu resea nclu rch c reas and ate a e pabili xpand educa des comm ties, on a stude ed transf tional reas, work orma nt se rese are t audit as, teachin arch labs rvices, st ive orium u , affi g labs liated dent (capa areas city o , core clas , and sroom office/ f1 a pilo s, t child 50), shop, stude a large care f Interv n a t proj cility. iew 1 ect 0/6
University of Colorado Boulder - Darley Commons Cost: $38M Project Start: Summer 2015
The Williams Village project will include a new 100,000+ SF facility serving as a student community center including multiple restaurants, indoor/outdoor gathering spaces, Residence Life facilities and other Housing and Dining Services. The building will also play host to visiting conference attendees during the non-school months. GE Johnson will be deconstructing the majority of the existing Darley Commons building as part of the project.
182 West Meadow Drive
Cost: $6M Project Start: September 2014 This 12,000 SF custom home will be located adjacent to Vail Valley Medical Center in Lionshead, and will be a stunning addition to the neighborhood, targeting completion in late 2015.
Wild Irishman Condos Cost: $1.3M Project Start: Spring 2015
Interior remodel of 60 units spread across 4 buildings. The work involves replacing existing plumbing lines throughout the units that are no longer in good shape and then patching the units back together, all completed in 3 months.
Zuma Re $10M sidence
Keystone Summit Lodge
The 9 ,85 a com 7 SF reside nc pl well a ete gut an e in Aspen ,C sd d to the emolition remodel o O will inclu f the de and r exter interi emov ior sh to the o a e r lo athing reside a . Incl f the exte s nce. udes r i or an ad dition
This 29,000 SF mid mountain lodge will contain dining/ kitchen space and ski patrol facilities with an exterior deck. Our scope includes demolition of the existing wood framed building. This project will be completed in 10 months.
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Cost: $12M Project Start: January 2015
Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region Cost: $6-7M Project Start: June 2015
The expansion and renovation will include 20,000 SF of new space for animal housing, and include extensive interior renovations (including a new lobby and a cat and small animal adoption area), HVAC upgrades and miscellaneous site upgrades.
On December 13, 2013 a student entered Arapahoe High School armed with a shotgun, intending to kill students and faculty at the school. Fortunately, he was stopped before completing his mission as planned, but not before taking the life of 17-year-old Claire Davis. Claire was not on the gunman’s list, but was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Her last action was to ask the student, whom she had known for several years, what he was doing. Confronting the shooter cost Claire her life but possibly saved the lives of many of her classmates and teachers. On August 16, 2014, on what would have been Claire’s 18th birthday, her parents, classmates, friends, neighbors, and volunteers gathered at AHS to dedicate Clarity Commons, a one-acre park on the campus featuring benches, grass berms, mature trees and shrubbery. At the center of the park is a granite pillar, dedicated to the memory of Claire Davis and filled with inspirational messages and quotes. The park provides a quiet area on a busy campus where students and community members can gather for outdoor classes, reflection and meditation. Among the tears and smiles, it was extremely evident that Clarity Commons is a fitting tribute to the memory of a young woman who believed in consciously choosing every day to love. GE Johnson donated preconstruction and construction management services to the project. Led by Dave Kenney, Rebecca Terrazas, and Stella Hodgkins there was an outpouring of support throughout the company. Thank you to all those that helped make this park a reality. Speaking at the dedication, Dave Kenney summed up what this project has meant to the community and to GE Johnson. “As builders we are honored to have participated in something so meaningful. This was much more than just a project, much more than just a park with new landscape and fancy walls, but an opportunity for a contribution to the greater good. This was an opportunity for all of us to help the Davis family and the entire Warrior community take another step through the healing process. Every worker poured their heart and soul into this project, and by looking around at the quality, it really shows how we all felt. We did it for Claire!”
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Thanks to all who accepted the ice bucket challenge and those who donated to the cause.
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Junior Achievement Over the Edge
Race for the Cure
26 GE Johnson Tough Mudder’s
WAY TO GO!
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Movember is Coming!
To enter please register by joining our team at http://us.movember.com/ mospace/6717269 on or before November 5th.
Join the GE Johnson team in support of Movember, by growing your moustache for the entire month of November.
Shave the Date! 11.1.2014
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Last year’s team raised ...we can beat it
$ k
November 1st is coming up fast. Are your razors ready?
A minimum amount of $25 must be raised to be eligible. (That’s just $5 x 5 people)
Prizes will be awarded for the following categories: • Most Money Raised • Best Attempt at a Moustache • Most Unique Moustache • Best looking Moustache • Most Likely to Own a White Panel Van
Submit your clean shaven face photo with a date stamp of November 1, 2014 (or later) to wardj@gejohnson.com On November 29 (or earlier if you’ve given it all you’ve got) submit your finished stash photo to Josh Ward at wardj@gejohnson.com.
supports movember
Save the Date October 26, 2014 Register
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Philip Blakeman, Preconstruction Manager Denver Office »» Graduate of Milwaukee School of Engineering »» Enjoys hiking, mountain biking, snowboarding, rock climbing, trail running, camping as well as grilling, woodworking and gardening »» Has a 4 yr old black lab named Emily »» Grew up in SE Wisconsin
Tyler Hallmark, Project Engineer Intern Cheyenne Regional Medical Center »» Attends Auburn University »» Enjoys golf, camping, college football, snowboarding, traveling and the beach »» Grew up in Birmingham, AL »» Involved in Auburn BSCI Program and the Lee County Literacy Coalition Adult Tutor program
Claudia Buligai, IT Intern Colorado Springs Office »» Attends Pikes Peak Community College »» Enjoys gourmet cooking, wines, reading, spending quality time with her family, listening to lounge music and rock and working out. »» Rescued a Staffordshire bull terrier »» Grew up in Caracal and Bucharest, Romania, Eastern Europe »» Volunteers with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Department
David Hissem, Estimator II Denver Office »» Graduate of Colorado State University »» Enjoys snowboarding, hiking, boating, fishing, hunting, riding ATVs, and camping »» Has 1 dog and 3 cats »» Grew up in Highlands Ranch, Castle Rock and Fort Collins, CO »» Spends his personal time doing house renovations, landscaping and building/ restoring cars/bikes
Adam Franzen, Sr. Project Engineer St. Anthony North »» Graduate of Colorado State University »» Enjoys cycling, woodworking, dual sport motorcycle touring, snowboarding, backpacking and rock climbing »» Grew up in Aurora, CO »» Is involved in Habitat for Humanity
Kathy Ivain-Spritzer, Project Assistant Denver Special Projects »» Attended SD School of Mines and UW »» Enjoys photography, hunting, fishing, camping, shooting, motorcycles, drag races, gardening, canning, and the gym »» She is currently restoring 1947 Ford Sedan and 1930 Ford Model A »» Has 2 dogs and a cat »» Grew up in Huron, SD; Chesapeake, VA; Gillette, WY
Derek Hall, Superintendent Devon Energy »» Attends College Ashford University »» Enjoys hunting »» Has 2 dogs, a black and yellow lab »» Grew up in Guthrie, OK »» Helps coach his kids in sports and is a member of a volunteer fire department
Suzan Kuest, Project Assistant Denver Office »» Graduate of Houston Community College »» Enjoys gardening and cooking »» Has 2 cats and 3 chickens »» Grew up in San Diego, CA, Heidleberg and Manngeim, Germany »» She is involved in the Arvada Chorale
Tyler Hall, Sr. Project Engineer Denver Office »» Graduate of Auburn University »» Enjoys woodworking »» Has 2 dogs, 2 rats and a turtle »» Grew up in Franklin, TN »» Has 6 year old twin boys
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Welcome to the Team! Rachel Maher, Project Assistant Denver Office »» Graduate of Calvary Bible College »» Enjoys biking, treasure hunting (garage sales, thrift stores), outdoor activities, spending time with family, cooking »» Grew up in Colorado - Monument, Last Chance, and Englewood »» She has four children, three of which are living in Brazil where they grew up and where she lived for 20 years Matt Middleton, Sr. Estimator Colorado Springs Office »» Graduate of Oklahoma State University »» Enjoys hiking, gardening, camping, mountain biking, homebrewing, woodworking »» Has a Cat named Wikkit »» Grew up in Shawnee, OK »» Involved in ASHE
In an effort to continue to push the envelope within GE Johnson relative to advancing preconstruction and construction technologies and processes, Steve Eikanger oversees the Systems Integration Group as the Director of Integrated Services. Steve’s primary responsibilities are: »» Lead the Company’s Corporate Strategic direction with regard to “Integrated Project Delivery”. Our industry through advancements in technology and processes is becoming more and more integrated and we need to be on the leading edge of this movement. »» Assume the leadership of the Systems Integration.
Greg Morgan, Preconstruction Manager Denver Office »» Graduate of Pikes Peak Community College »» Enjoys biking, back packing and white water rafting »» Has a Golden Retriever named Bubba and a cat named Oreo »» Grew up in Colorado Springs, CO »» His hobbies involve woodworking, racquetball, and mud races
»» Serve as Client Champion utilizing his background in Operations and Preconstruction. This includes serving as the Preconstruction lead, Design/Build Manager, or Project Executive based on select project needs. »» Collaborate and coordinate with operations, preconstruction and business development leadership to innovate and differentiate our professional services through the application of new processes and technologies.
Congratulations! Ron Doolittle Construction Executive
Ben Aufderheide Senior Project Manager
Korey Klingenberg Senior Project Manager
Michelle Robinette Project Manager 2
Aaron Wallin Senior Project Engineer
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Jason Berning Project Manager 2
Hung Nguyen, Sr. Project Engineer 100 Saint Paul »» Graduate of University of Colorado »» Enjoys working on cars, working out at the gym, and spending time with his family »» Has a Maltese named Teddy »» Born in Hue, Vietnam; grew up in Lakewood, CO »» Involved in the University of Denver’s Bridge Project
Nora Tellez, Receptionist Vail Special Projects »» Enjoys running, hiking and spending time outdoors with her family »» Grew up in Edwards, CO »» Volunteers for Habitat for Humanity »» She was born and raised in the Vail Valley, has a one-year old daughter and is currently taking classes at Colorado Mountain College
Fritz Oettinger, Sr. Project Engineer Vail Special Projects »» Graduate of Colorado State University »» Enjoys camping, snowboarding, bike riding, hunting and climbing 14ers »» Grew up in Pittsburgh, PA »» Involved in the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation »» Among the top 15% in the world at the 2014 CrossFit Open
Reon Williams, Project Engineer Oklahoma City Office »» Graduate of Oklahoma State University »» Enjoys biking and hiking »» Grew up in Grenada »» Moved to the US in 2009 and has traveled to OK, TX and NE »» Vice President of DBIA (OSU Chapter)
Ilze Rodriguez, Estimator I Denver Office »» Graduate of Univ. of Texas at San Antonio »» Enjoys hiking, biking and running »» Grew up in the valley (TX) - near Mexico »» She goes by “L” as people have difficulty pronouncing her name »» Loves to travel covering areas from Guadalajara, Mexico all the way to Beijing, China
Chad Wirsig, Sr. Estimator Colorado Springs Office »» Graduate of Central Missouri State University »» Enjoys spending time with his wife and kids, hiking, fishing, skiing, and tinkering »» Raised on a farm in central Missouri near Truman Lake »» Involved in EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) and PADI advanced open water SCUBA diver
Bret Sexton, Field Engineer Equipment Facility »» Enjoys playing music on the weekends, working on his house and spending time with family and friends »» Has 2 dog adopted from the Dumb Friends League »» Grew up in Riverton, WY and has lived in Denver, Englewood, and Colorado Springs
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Sustainability Specialist Stella Hodgkins has been a huge part of GE Johnson’s effort to be at the forefront of sustainability in the construction industry. But as it turns out, Stella is leading the green wave in the office and in the field. Find out more about her ‘Living Wall’ in this GE Johnson Q&A:
3) How much maintenance do you have to do for the plants?
Currently, I water the soiled-based plants once a week. The planters have an inherent drip system that is fed through a reservoir. The vertical hydroponic section is on a timer to water the plants once a day. The hydroponic solution needs to be changed every few weeks.
1) What gave you the idea for the wall garden?
I love having a lot of plants in a space. It makes the environment feel more alive and takes away some of the sterility of being indoors. I’ve seen examples of living walls in green building projects and was able to find a modular system that could easily be hung in the office, without a ton of additional maintenance or wall protection, so I thought I’d give it a try. 2) What all is planted there, and is it all edible?
The current plants are a mix of indoor, low sun tropicals. I did plants vegetables at first – 4 different types of peppers, 2 types of tomatoes, strawberries, and lettuces. Little did I know, my office was hardly the ideal setting for growing these plants. Within a relatively short amount of time, everything died except a few peppers and a tomato plant. Luckily, our summer sustainability intern, Andrew Gonzales, happened to be a rich resource for organic gardening, having tended his own community garden since the age of 10. Andrew educated me on why the vegetables were not thriving indoors and convinced me to let him design and construct a new and improved living wall. Andrew’s vision, which is currently installed, consists of a vertical hydroponic garden, coupled with a traditional soilbased horizontal planting in wall hung planters.
4) How has having the garden improved your health and your work?
It’s a known fact that plants help remove toxins from the air, while adding oxygen, but that’s very difficult to quantify by just going off of my own experience. The type and quantity of toxins that plants remove vary by plant species as well. What I can say with certainty is that simply walking into my office and seeing all of the plants makes me feel happy. I think the humidity level has raised a bit as well, which is most definitely welcome in our dry climate! 5) What’s the reaction been around the office?
The general consensus has been extremely positive. People have been impressed by the vertical hydroponic system and many have noted a distinct “earthy” smell/ atmosphere in the room – which has been deemed pleasant. Most people ask how it was constructed and what the maintenance consists of. My office has been referred to as a jungle and there have been many comments about there being hidden “edibles.” I just
The vertical section is made up of felt with pockets to hold the plants. A tube feeds water from the top and soaks the felt. Excess water drips through a filter and back into the hydroponic solution, to form a looped system. There is also a water feature planned that has yet to be finished. This will introduce another facet into the design and add a sound element. THE
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tell them that it’s in-line with our company’s goal of expanding into new markets. ;-) 6) How can other GEJ employees start their own gardens?
The wall hung planters I use are from Wooly Pocket. I ordered those on-line. They are self-contained and easily maintainable if you install the right plants for an indoor environment. They’re modular, so you can make it as small or large as you like, with no additional waterproofing of the wall needed. The vertical hydroponic section is a little trickier, but not too difficult to make. The support is a plywood backer with self-adhering waterproofing membrane. Andrew used an environmentally friendly version of membrane that’s not even on the market yet, but you should be able to find something locally. On top of that goes a layer of thick felt, applied with staples. The watering tube is stretched along the top portion of the felt before another layer of felt is adhered on top. Slits are cut into the top felt to hold the plants. Most of the soil is washed away before inserting them into the pockets. This allows you to easily switch out plants if they were to die. There is a metal channel that runs from one side down to the bottom. The horizontal section is sloped toward a bucket that houses the hydroponic solution. Andrew adhered a cone filter on the end of the channel, with a tube that runs to the hydroponic bucket. The bucket houses the solution and a small pump that feeds the water to the plants. The hydroponic solution is made up of water and about 1 tsp each of Type A and Type B hydroponic solution. 7) Anything else?
To help create a more dynamic wall, Andrew cut the vertical backer board into the shape of mountains, including Pikes Peak – my home range! Aesthetics was a key consideration for Andrew and he deliberately varied both the texture and color of the plantings. He added lava rocks and branches to give it a more organic feel. The water feature will consist of 3 vertical lava rocks on one end and will be part sculpture, part natural element. We also planned to include some branches with mushrooms which will be added soon – these will be edible but non-hallucinogenic!
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Mark Your Calendars 10/8 10/9 10/10 10/10 10/17 10/23 10/29 11/6-7 11/12 11/20 12/11 12/12 12/18
Trenching & Excavation COS Training Facility 1-4 Competent Person First Aid & CPR Continuum Hotel/Office Bldg Denver, CO 7:30-3:30 New Hire Safety COS Training Facility Orientation 7:30-4:30 Advanced Strom Water COS Training Facility 8-2 Training Quarterly Meeting COS Office 12:00 New Hire Safety Orientation New Hire Safety Orientation Foreman Core Training Group 12 First Aid & CPR
Denver Office - War Room 7:30 - 4:30 COS Training Facility 7:30-4:30 COS Training Facility 8-5
New Hire Safety Orientation New Hire Safety Orientation S.T.A.R.T
Location TBD, would you like to have training at your jobsite? Denver Office - War Room 7:30 - 4:30 COS Training Facility 7:30-4:30 COS Training Facility 8-2
New Hire Safety Orientation
COS Training Facility 7:30-4:30
If you have hosted any training on site during 2014, please make sure to send your Attendance Sheets to Pamela Abrams before the end of December 2014 so data entry can be completed for each employee training history.
Awareness Every man/woman is at risk.
Healthy lifestyle choices Healthy lifestyle choices may help lower your risk of different types of cancer and other health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis. Although not all these factors lower the risk of breast cancer, they are good for overall health. Everyone should aim to:
One in eight will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.
»» Be physically active (get regular exercise).
Every 13 minutes a woman dies from breast cancer.
»» Achieve and maintain a healthy weight. (Survivors who are overweight or obese should limit high-calorie foods and beverages and increase physical activity to help with weight loss.) »» Eat at least 2 ½ cups of fruits and vegetables every day. »»
Breast cancer is the leading cancer death ages 15 - 54.
Although the effects on breast cancer risk are modest, eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables may lower the risk of heart disease, stroke and other chronic diseases
»» Choose 100 percent whole grain foods (such as 100 percent whole grain breads and cereals, brown rice, millet and quinoa).
It is 100 times more common among women than men.
»» Limit red meat and processed meat. Choose chicken, fish or beans more often.
96 percent survive with early detection.
»» Limit “bad” fats (saturated and trans fats). These are found in foods such as red meat, fatty deli meats, poultry skin, full fat dairy, fried foods, margarine, donuts and microwave popcorn. »» Eat “good” fats (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats). These are found in foods such as olive and canola oil, nuts and natural nut butters, avocado and olives.
For more information: www.nci.nih.gov
»» Limit alcohol intake to less than one drink a day for women and fewer than two drinks a day for men.
Susan G. Komen’s breast self-awareness messages Know your risk Get screened Know what is normal for you and see your health care provider if you notice changes Make healthy lifestyle choices
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Incident investigations are designed to answer the question “why” so that we can prevent future incidents. No one wants to investigate an incident because it is a reminder that injuries impact people. An investigation process is vital to the success of any EHS program because it turns a reactive process into a proactive tool. Investigation processes driven by systematic urgency and discipline prevent future problems when they identify the real cause of the problem—and management takes action to solve the problem(s). We learn from mistakes to avoid future incidents. What can you do to maximize the benefits of the four critical stages in an investigation process? Stage 1: Reporting We cannot correct what we do not know. Effective incident investigation programs encourage personnel to report all incidents, including first-aid injuries, recordable injuries and near hits. When a workforce embraces the importance of reporting, it has an opportunity to correct small problems before they escalate to larger issues. Create a transparent work environment where employees want to share the potential risk they observe so that the project team can make adjustments to prevent future injuries. Incident reporting also has different dimensions. There is the initial report from the injured employee to the supervisor, and then there are the notifications from the supervisor to the appropriate leaders in the organization. Both elements are important. Supervisors cannot correct a problem they do not know about, and management cannot demonstrate its commitment to sustainable improvement without knowledge of the issues. Communication from the injured employee to leadership creates awareness and focus on injury prevention. Critical Considerations Project teams should implement several critical practices with respect to incident reporting: »» Promote the importance of reporting all incidents (e.g., first aid, recordables and near misses).
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»» Eliminate any punitive action for reporting. Workers should feel free to share what they experience. »» Ensure employees are aware that they should report incidents immediately to their supervisor. »» Become familiar with the protocol (Tab I - Incident Reporting and Investigation) that defines who will be notified for all situations. Stage 2: Investigation Effective investigation involves more than filling out a report or checking boxes on the incident investigation form. A paper exercise does not facilitate long-term improvement. Dig deeper and pursue the details that surround an incident. Management support is more important than the investigation tool itself. Become an expert on the collection of information and analyze the impact of each detail. For example, evaluate steps that led to the actual event. Do not focus on the immediate circumstances that surround the event. Look upstream and determine what steps (and details) contributed to the failure. Draw a road map from the start of the injured worker’s day (or before) to the moment of the incident. The goal is to create a storyboard that explains, step-by-step, how and why conditions and behaviors exist. People make choices and conditions exist for a reason. Investigators should peel back the layers of every step to determine what led to the event. A good investigator collects detailed data in stages and organizes notes so that s/he can write a coherent report with ease. The key is to ask questions about each step to populate the event details. Discover why the step made sense to the employee and document everything related to the step. Critical Considerations An effective investigation explores several critical points when analyzing each step of an event; describe examples of: »» Why the action made sense to the employee »» How training impacted each step
»» How communication impacted each step »» How planning impacted each step »» How procedures impacted each step »» How management and supervision impacted each step »» How work practices impacted each step »» How the work environment impacted each step Utilize the value of multiple perspectives to answer the appropriate questions. The employees, direct supervisor, manager and senior manager should always participate in the investigation process; other subjectmatter experts or employee representatives should participate as well. If the supervisor and manager fail to participate, they minimize their accountability for the incident and their lack of visibility contributes to a negative safety culture. Active participation from leadership establishes the importance of the incident.
incident investigation report form. Include target dates for completion and who is responsible for corrections. »» Follow up every week to assess progress. »» Establish a method improvement.
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Stage 4: Communication The communication phase is easy to overlook. Once the investigation is over and the problem is solved, the natural reaction is to move on to the next challenge. Great programs maximize the knowledge gained from the incident experience and communicate the lessons learned. Incidents should not happen in a vacuum, and leaders should tell others about the event to help ensure that a similar incident does not occur. The communication goal is to learn from the incident experience and prevent future incidents by communicating what happened.
Stage 3: Corrective Action Make sustainable corrective actions your goal. The investigation phase will paint a storyboard that led to the incident. Each step in the storyboard represents an opportunity to change the outcome. Corrective actions should address elements of the storyboard that failed or contributed to the incident. Sustainable corrective actions change the appropriate details throughout the sequence of events.
Make Lessons Learned Memorable Following are several ways to make lessons learned memorable: »» Convince workers that it can happen to them.
How do you put corrective actions in place? The event analysis will usually reveal a series of unwise choices or contributory causes that led to the final poor decision that caused the incident. The contributory causes can also include latent organizational weaknesses. Corrective measures should address the source of these weaknesses.
»» Create triggers that will prompt people to think about the incident throughout the day.
»» Ensure that corrective measures address any similar circumstances. »» Track corrective actions on the log provided in the
»» Help employees visualize the consequences. Share examples of related injuries and the impact it has on families.
»» Make workers imagine, think about and feel the impact of the incident. Conclusion The same incident should not happen twice. Put principle to practice and implement the incident investigation process around the four pillars: report, investigate, correct and communicate. When project teams invest in a full circle process that focuses on the small things, they can turn a reactive process into a proactive tool. Minor incidents that occur every day have the potential to become future tragedies. Investigate the small things with relentless consistency!
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Critical Considerations When applying corrective action, consider the following critical points: »» Address all appropriate elements on the storyboard with sustainable corrective actions.
»» Make a topic vivid with the story; share a personal example of how it applies to the audience.
2014 Photo Contest
2014 Photo Contest
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June Winner:
“Caisson Airlift” 100 St. Paul - Brian Lawrenson
July Winner:
“Our Field Service Heroes at the End of this Rainbow” Equipment Facility - Jon Hornby
August Winner:
“Safety Meeting Stretch” St. Anthony North Health Campus - Michael Dziedzic
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2014 Photo Contest
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