Construction Outlook September 2021 by Ucane

SEPT | 2021

UCANE’s 41st Annual Golf Tournament Hosted by

• UCANE L aunching #InvestInWaterMA Campaign to Support Water /Sewer Infrastructure Funding • WWEMA Window: Governmental Policy and the Impacts on Construction Costs

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SEPTEMBER, 2021

Years of Excellence 1954-2021

SEPTEMBER, 2021

IN THIS ISSUE

OFFICERS President MARCELLA ALBANESE Albanese Bros., Inc.

President-Elect RYAN McCOURT

5 President’s Message:

Summer Weather Highlights the Need to Update Our Infrastructure

7 Legislative Update:

• Numerous Ballot Initiatives Potentially Headed to the 2022 Ballot • Baker-Polito Administration Awards $21 Million in Climate Change Funding to Cities and Towns • Boston Mayor Janey Announces New Commissioner of the City’s Environment Department • Baker-Polito Administration Announces Funding to Assist Local Water Quality Management Efforts • News in Brief

McCourt Construction Company

Treasurer BRIAN COONEY

C. C.Construction Inc.

Secretary CHRIS VALENTI

GVC Construction, Inc.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS VINCENT BARLETTA

Barletta Heavy Division

NICK BIELLO

J. D’Amico, Inc.

MIKE BISZKO, III

Biszko Contracting Corp.

21 UCANE Launching #InvestInWaterMA Campaign to Support Water/Sewer Infrastructure Funding 23 Legal Corner:

Massachusetts AG’s False Claims Division Continues to Aggressively Enforce the Law

ANDREW DANIELS

27 In Memoriam:

GEORGE DeFELICE

29 Safety Corner:

J. Derenzo Co.

DeFelice Corporation

JERRY GAGLIARDUCCI

Gagliarducci Construction, Inc.

JOE GIOIOSO

P. Gioioso & Sons, Inc.

DAN HORGAN

R. H. White Const. Co., Inc.

LISA FRENCH KELLEY

W. L. French Excavating Corp.

BILL LEONARD

Aqua Line Utility, Inc.

JOHN OUR

Robert B. Our Co., Inc.

QUERINO PACELLA

RJV Construction Corp.

RICHARD PACELLA, JR. R. M. Pacella, Inc.

BRIAN RAWSTON

Jay Cashman, Inc.

Stephen Vogel, WES Construction Corp. The Little Things

33 Don’t Stay Silent About Unsafe Behavior on the Job 38 UCANE’s 41st Annual Golf Tournament Hosted by Milton CAT 51 Insurance Perspective:

Common Employer Benefits Mistakes

55 In Memoriam:

John S. “Jack” Tassinari, Tascon Corporation

57 Get to Know Your UCANE Associate Members: Taylor Oil Company

59 WWEMA Window: Governmental Policy and the Impacts on Construction Costs 63 Technology in Construction:

A More Effective Process for Inspecting Equipment and Generating Repair Requests

FRED ROGERS

65 How to Win the War for Talent!

ERIK SVEDEN

Editor: Jeff Mahoney, Senior Editor: Anne Klayman, Associate Editor Suzanne Hatch, Magazine Designer/Assistant Editor: Sherri Klayman, Head Writer/Assistant Editor: Mike Lenihan Construction Outlook Chair: Marcella Albanese Editorial Board: Marcella Albanese, Ryan McCourt, Brian Cooney, & Chris Valenti

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JEFF MAHONEY

Executive Director

CONSTRUCTION OUTLOOK published monthly by the Utility Contractors’ Association of New England, Inc., 300 Congress Street, Suite 101, Quincy, MA 02169; Tel: 617.471.9955; Fax: 617.471.8939; Email: jmahoney@ucane.com; Website: www.ucane.com. Statements of fact and opinion are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of UCANE and the Construction Outlook editorial board and staff. Subscriptions are included in dues payments for UCANE members. Presorted Standard postage paid at Brockton, MA. POSTMASTER, please send form #3579 to Construction Outlook, Crown Colony Office Park, 300 Congress Street, Suite 101, Quincy, MA 02169.

Summer Weather Highlights the Need to Update Our Infrastructure Another summer is now behind us, and while we are still dealing with pandemic related issues, I hope everyone remained busy and was also able to enjoy a more normal summer. One element of summer that has become increasingly normal is extreme weather. We had multiple heat waves, along with soaking rains and tropical storms, resulting in several floods. Many areas of the State have already experienced their wettest years on record, and we still have four months left in the year. We have come to expect this type of disparity in the weather over the last few years, regardless of the season. The need for climate resiliency is yet another critical reason why we need a significant investment in our water infrastructure.

CANE continues to emphasize that our drinking water and wastewater infrastructure systems are outdated. We track water main breaks throughout the state, which we hear about on almost a daily basis. Most of these breaks are caused by old pipes, which are ill equipped to handle the disparities in weather. The storms over the last few years have only served to highlight how old and woefully inadequate our infrastructure is. This magazine has reported on the CSO issues along the Merrimack River and the millions of gallons of raw sewage that are spilled into the river during storms, because several treatment plants along the river are too old and are not equipped to handle the storm surges that occur. Recently, during tropical storm Ida, well over 100 million gallons of raw sewage was spilled into the river. Several other CSOs also occurred throughout the State. These type of incidents should not be happening in 2021, yet they regularly do. The encouraging news is that we now have an opportunity for a once-in-a-generation investment in our infrastructure. The State Legislature is currently debating how to spend the close to $5 billion allocated to Massachusetts through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). When Congress passed the ARPA as part of COVID relief, they specifically said that a portion of the funds be spent on water infrastructure. Governor Baker recommended $400 million for the State Revolving Fund (SRF) program and the Clean Water Trust (CWT), which continSEPTEMBER, 2021

ues to be the main source of funding for water infrastructure in the State. We want to thank Governor Baker for recommending this investment, and we will advocate for that amount to be the minimum that be spent, as much more is needed to address the $18 billion to $21 billion funding gap Massachusetts faces. At the federal level, Congress is moving towards a large scale infrastructure bill. The current bill contains $55 billion for water infrastructure across the country, so Massachusetts and New England could also see a significant influx of monies through this legislation as well. MassDEP reports that applications for projects to be approved by the CWT in 2022 total close to $2 billion, which leaves little doubt that the need is there for additional funds. UCANE is taking nothing for granted. We continue to be proactive by promoting an additional investment in our members and our industry. We recently hired Denterlein, a highly respected Boston public relations firm, to work with us on an ongoing campaign to continue to make water infrastructure a top priority for our local, state, and federal leaders, as well as the general public. There will be much more to come during the upcoming weeks and months, but as we launch our campaign, you can read more about our vision for it on page 21. These drinking water and wastewater projects are critical to public health and economic development, and it is imperative that our elected officials take advantage of the opportunity being presented through these additional funding measures. n

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SEPTEMBER, 2021

Mark Molloy, Esq., Cascade Strategies LLC

Numerous Ballot Initiatives Potentially Headed to the 2022 Ballot

he Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (AGO) announced at the end of August that 17 ballot initiative proposals have met the requirements outlined in the Massachusetts constitution and may proceed to the next step in the process. The AGO certified the 17 petitions, including 16 proposed laws and one proposed constitutional amendment. The certified petitions cover 15 topics, as some petitioners submitted multiple petitions on the same subject. Thirteen (13) of the initiative petitions were rejected because they did not meet the requirements outlined in Article 48 of the Massachusetts Constitution. The initiative petition process is established by Amendment Article 48 of the Massachusetts Constitution as a way for people to propose laws and constitutional amendments for approval by voters. Initiative petitions first must be prepared by the petitioner, signed by at least 10 registered voters, and submitted to the AGO by the first Wednesday in August. Generally, initiative petitions are filed in odd-numbered years to appear on the ballot at the next statewide biennial election (held in even-numbered years). The AGO then determines if the petition meets the state’s constitutional requirements and can be certified and usually announces which petitions are certified by the first Wednesday in September. Among the petitions approved, the following matters are eligible for moving forward: • A petition initiative to define the classification of gig economy workers such as those who work for Uber and Lyft; • A petition initiative to allow for the sale of fireworks in the Commonwealth; • A petition initiative preventing the Commonwealth from entering into the Transportation & Climate Initiative (TCI); • A petition initiative allowing for “happy hour” in the state; SEPTEMBER, 2021

•

A petition initiative to ban hospital CEOs from receiving compensation from or serving on the board of a company that develops, manufactures, or sells medical devices or pharmaceutical drugs. • A petition initiative to impose financial penalties on certain hospitals and create a fund to expand Medicaid reimbursement and maintain certain essential health services. Petitioners must now collect 80,239 signatures for their petition and file collected signatures with local election officials for certification 14 days before the first Wednesday in December. Signed petitions must then be filed with the Secretary of State’s Office by the first Wednesday in December. If enough signatures are collected, the measure is then sent to the Legislature in January of the next year. The Legislature can pass the measure, propose a substitute, or take no action. If the Legislature does not pass the measure as filed before the first Wednesday in May, the petitioner must then collect 13,374 more signatures and file them with local election officials for certification 14 days before the first Wednesday in July and with the Secretary by the first Wednesday in July. After enough signatures are filed, the measure is then placed on the ballot for the next statewide general election. The process for proposed constitutional amendments is different, requiring approval by at least 25 percent of two joint sessions of the Legislature before appearing on the November 2024 ballot. To review the Attorney General’s determination on each of the filed matters, please visit: https://www. mass.gov/info-details/ballot-initiatives-filed-for-the2022-biennial-statewide-election-proposed-lawsand-2024-biennial-statewide-election-proposedconstitutional-amendments. continued on page 9

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Legislative Update continued from page 7

Baker-Polito Administration Awards $21 Million in Climate Change Funding to Cities and Towns

t the end of August, the Baker-Polito Administration announced it had distributed $21 million in grants to cities and towns through the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program, representing a doubling of the program budget since last year. According to a press release from the Governor’s Office, this brings total awards through the MVP program to over $65 million to date. The grant program, which was created in 2017 as part of Governor Charlie Baker’s Executive Order 569, provides communities with funding and technical support to identify climate hazards, develop strategies to improve resilience, and implement priority actions to adapt to climate change. As of the latest round of funding, 93% of Massachusetts cities and towns, or 328 municipalities, are now enrolled in the MVP program. The program pairs local leadership and knowledge with a significant investment of resources and funding from the Commonwealth to address ongoing climate change impacts, such as inland flooding, storms, sea level rise, and extreme temperatures. Of these funds, $20.6 million was awarded to 66 cities, towns, or regional partnerships to implement projects that build local resilience to climate change in the Commonwealth’s fifth round of MVP Action Grant funding. Additionally, $400,000 was awarded to 16 towns to pursue a community led planning process to identify vulnerabilities to climate change and priority actions. When complete, these municipalities will be eligible for the next round of implementation funding.

to implement priority on-the-ground projects. Projects are focused on proactive strategies to address climate change impacts and may include retrofitting and adapting infrastructure, actions to invest in and protect environmental justice communities and improve public health, detailed vulnerability assessments or design and engineering studies, stormwater upgrades, dam retrofits and removals, culvert upgrades, drought mitigation, energy resilience, and projects that focus on implementing nature-based solutions such as wetland restoration and floodplain protection. To see the list of municipal awardees and projects funded, please visit: https://www.mass.gov/ news/baker-polito-administration-awards-21-million-in-climate-change-funding-to-cities-andtowns. continued on page 11

The most recent $21 million in awards will go towards MVP Planning Grants and Action Grants. Planning Grants support communities in working with a state-certified technical assistance provider to lead a community-wide planning workshop to identify key climate-related hazards, vulnerabilities and strengths, develop adaptation actions, and prioritize next steps. Results of the workshops and planning efforts inform existing local plans, grant applications, and policies. Communities are then eligible for competitive MVP Action Grant funding

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Legislative Update continued from page 9

Boston Mayor Janey Announces New Commissioner of the City’s Environment Department

he start of August saw Boston Mayor Kim Janey announce the appointment of Dr. Alison Brizius as Commissioner of the City’s Environment Department. In this role, Dr. Brizius is now responsible for supporting the Department in achieving its mission of enhancing environmental justice and quality of life in Boston by protecting air, water, climate, and land resources, as well as preserving and improving the integrity of Boston's architectural and historic resources. Dr. Brizius will assume the role previously held by former Commissioner Carl Spector, who retired after 16 years with the Environment Department.

for the City of Boston, a position she has held since 2017. She manages the Environment Department's work on climate adaptation and resilience, greenhouse gas reduction, air and noise pollution, wetlands protection, parking freezes, and solid waste. Prior to her position with the City, Dr. Brizius was the Executive Director of the Center for Robust Decisionmaking on Climate and Energy Policy (RDCEP) at the University of Chicago, a multi-institutional interdisciplinary center founded to improve society's ability to respond to climate change and energy supply challenges. She received her Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Chicago.

Dr. Brizius has extensive background in supporting the City of Boston in mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change. Dr. Brizius is currently the Director of Climate and Environmental Planning

As Environment Commissioner, Dr. Brizius will oversee programs related to climate mitigation and adaptation, environmental protection, historic presercontinued on page 13

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Legislative Update continued from page 11 vation, and other aspects of sustainability. Dr. Brizius and her colleagues in the Environment Department are responsible for steering the City of Boston toward the goals outlined in Boston’s Climate Action Plan Update, which outlines strategies to reduce carbon emissions and prepare for the impacts of climate change. Among related programs, the Environment Department includes the Air Pollution and Control Commission, the Conservation Commission, and the Boston Landmarks Commission. Dr. Brizius began her new role on Monday, August 2. On a related note, Mayor Janey also recently appointed Reverend Mariama White-Hammond as Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space for the City of Boston. The Cabinet includes the Environment Department and the Parks and Recreation Department. As Chief, Rev. White-Hammond oversees policy and programs on energy, climate change, sustainability, building safety, historic preservation, and open space. For more information about the City of Boston’s Environment Department, please visit: https://www. boston.gov/departments/environment. continued on page 15

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Legislative Update continued from page 13

Baker-Polito Administration Announces Funding to Assist Local Water Quality Management Efforts

o address water quality impairments in local water bodies, the Baker-Polito Administration announced the award of $216,078 in grants to five projects across the Commonwealth to conduct nonpoint source assessment and water quality management planning work. The projects, selected this year by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), are based in the cities of Amesbury, Lawrence, and Methuen, and in the towns of Ashfield, Buckland, Hanover, Hawley, and Medway. The term “nonpoint source pollution” refers to contaminants that are carried to a waterway due to precipitation and stormwater runoff from the land or infiltration into the soil. Common types of nonpoint source pollution include phosphorus and nitrogen from lawn and garden fertilizers, bacteria from pet waste and waterfowl, oil

and grease from parking lots and roadways, and sediment from construction activities and soil erosion. The grants are funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through Section 604(b) of the federal Clean Water Act. Since 1998, MassDEP has funded 116 projects under the 604(b) Water Quality Management Planning program, totaling more than $5 million to address nonpoint source pollution problems. Projects receiving funding are: Spicket River Nutrient and Pathogen Reduction – $50,000 (City of Methuen). The city will partner with the City of Lawrence, the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, the Merrimack River Watershed Council, and GroundWork Lawrence to investigate and develop solutions for continued on page 17

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SEPTEMBER, 2021

Legislative Update continued from page 15 pathogen and nutrient impairments in the Spicket River. Green Stormwater Infrastructure at Medway Middle and High Schools – $35,769 (Town of Medway). The town will partner with the Charles River Watershed Association to develop seven conceptual best management practices (BMP) design plans for future implementation at the Middle and High Schools to reduce phosphorus pollution to Chicken Brook and provide groundwater recharge. Comprehensive Watershed Based Planning for a Sustainable Future – $70,540 (City of Amesbury). The city will develop a communitywide comprehensive plan of prioritized water quality restoration recommendations that can be used as a road map over the next 10 years, with a focus on climate change impacts, sustainability and longterm resiliency, and agricultural/backyard farming pollution abatement. Watershed-based plans will be developed or updated for the Powwow River and Lake Gardner, Back River and Lake Attitash watersheds. North River Headwaters Bacterial Source

SEPTEMBER, 2021

Tracking – $21,269 (Town of Hanover). The town will partner with the North and South Rivers Watershed Association and the Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Program to conduct an iterative bacteria sampling program to determine sources of high bacteria counts identified during a previous sampling program in 2019, to conduct outreach to the community and determine solutions to restore water quality. A Healthy Watershed-Based Plan for Clesson Brook Watershed – $38,500 (Franklin Regional Council of Governments). The regional council – involving the communities of Buckland, Ashfield and Hawley – will develop this watershedbased plan for Clesson Brook, which is in the Deerfield River Watershed, to identify projects to protect the watershed and address current nonpoint source threats. A robust community outreach campaign will also be executed. To learn more about the Commonwealth’s nonpoint source assessment and water quality management planning work, please visit: https://www. mass.gov/info-details/grants-financial-assistancewatersheds-water-quality. continued on page 19

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Legislative Update continued from page 17

News in Brief

•

FY21 Revenue Collections Total $34.137 Billion; Exceed Estimated Benchmark. Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR) Commissioner Geoffrey Snyder announced that preliminary June 2021 revenue collections total $3.687 billion as of August 3, 2021, which is $1.11 billion or 43.1% more than benchmark, but $1.139 billion or 23.6% less than the actual collections in June 2020. However, June 2020 actual collections were impacted by the extension of the Fiscal Year 2020 personal income tax filing deadline from April 15, 2020, to July 15, 2020. In addition, personal income tax collections received after the close of Fiscal Year 2020 were recorded as June 2020 revenue. Revenue collections for Fiscal Year 2021 were $34.137 billion, $5.047 billion or 17.3% above benchmark and $4.528 billion or 15.3% over the actual amount collected in Fiscal Year 2020. Baker Administration Proposes Unemployment Insurance Fund Plan. Under legislation filed by Governor Charlie Baker, employers would see their long-term obligation to replenish the state's unemployment insurance fund cut by $1 billion. Given the aforementioned revenue surplus from fiscal year 2021, the legislation proposes to spend almost $1.57 billion in surplus tax collections – particularly where revenues exceeded expectations for the year by roughly $5 billion. The proposal to offset the cost of the unemployment benefits paid out over the course of the past 16 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic comes as the business community has been pressuring the Baker-Polito Administration and the Massachusetts legislature to use federal relief funding to pay down that long-term debt. Framingham Looking to Shore Up Water and Sewer Losses. The City of Framingham will need to spend an additional $2 million to address a deficit in the city's water and sewer enterprise funds. According to a report in the Framingham Patch, the City will use $6.35 million from a total $27 million total stimulus allotment to replace water and sewer fund revenue losses, but will need an additional $1.9 million from the stimulus pot. The additional deficit is likely due to lower usage related to the coronavirus pandemic. A consultant hired by the

SEPTEMBER, 2021

Framingham City Council said in May that the problems in the fund stems from outdated rates and years of inconsistent increases. •

Boncore Announces Move to Major Trade Association. Senator Joe Boncore announced that he will be resigning his position as State Senator for First Suffolk and Middlesex and assuming the position of Chief Executive Officer for the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MassBio). The resignation of the current Senate Chair for the Joint Committee on Transportation will set off a scramble for his seat in a special election. Senator Boncore, long thought of as a consensus seeker and constituent-oriented legislator, will share the leadership of MassBio with Ms. Kendalle Burlin O’Connell, who will continue as President and Chief Operating Officer of the trade association. State Representative Adrian Madaro and Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards are expected to compete for the soonto-open Senate seat. n

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UCANE Launching #InvestInWaterMA Campaign to Support Water/Sewer Infrastructure Funding Campaign to stress billions of dollars in unmet needs—“Don’t let out of sight mean out of mind” for critical underground water assets!

ith state and federal officials now determining where to invest billions of dollars in infrastructure funds, this month UCANE will be launching a new public relations and social media campaign with a simple but powerful message: Don’t forget about our water and sewer infrastructure. Called #InvestInWaterMA, which will also be the social media hashtag, the campaign is drawing support from a growing coalition of business, environmental, labor, and civic groups. Through news releases, social media posts, op-eds, speaking tours, local events, and potential broadcast appearances, UCANE will use #InvestInWaterMA to highlight: • the critical importance that safe, reliable drinking water and sewer infrastructure play in protecting Massachusetts residents’ health • how well-maintained water infrastructure preserves the Commonwealth’s rivers, lakes, harbors, and other natural resources, and eliminates and mitigates flooding and combined-sewer overflows • the role water infrastructure plays in promoting jobs and economic development, with every $1 invested generating up to $14 in new

tax revenues (Source: UMass Collins Center report) UCANE President Marcella Albanese, President of Albanese Brothers Inc., Dracut, MA said: “Most of our infrastructure is immediately visible and we can see when it is deteriorating. Our campaign is all about reminding people it’s just as important to assure that our underground water and sewer infrastructure is bringing us clean, safe water supplies, stopping floods, and protecting our environment.’’ UCANE Executive Director Jeff Mahoney added: “One of the key slogans for our campaign is ‘Don’t let out of sight mean out of mind.’ Our campaign is about keeping a constant drumbeat going and emphasizing to our federal, state, and local officials how important it is to make investing in water infrastructure a top priority.” The campaign will build on public relations and media-outreach efforts that UCANE has been ramping up this year. Later this month, UCANE will be announcing a new page on our website where people and organizations from throughout Massachusetts can register to become supporters of the #InvestInWaterMA campaign and receive updates and action alerts.

We look forward to your support to help us keep the #InvestInWaterMA message front and center as infrastructure investment decisions are being made. n SEPTEMBER, 2021

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Massachusetts AG’s False Claims Division Continues to Aggressively Enforce the Law As many of you are aware, the Massachusetts Attorney General established a “False Claims Division” in 2015. The Attorney General’s Office has been aggressively enforcing the laws of the Commonwealth to “ensur[e] that Massachusetts contractors are the national model for quality and integrity” and has reportedly recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in enforcement actions. The Attorney General’s Office recently settled with another Massachusetts construction company for alleged violations of state law.

s reported in an August 2021 press release, the South Shore-based company allegedly “knowingly misrepresented” the status of furloughed employees. Not only did the company continue to employ the workers, the company allegedly: failed to pay the employees prevailing wages in connection with public construction projects; failed to pay overtime required by Massachusetts law; and submitted falsified certified payroll records to several municipalities misstating the number of hours worked and rates paid. The Attorney General expressed her view that the “company lied to our state agencies and municipalities and cheated its workers out of the wages they earned while it constructed taxpayer-funded playgrounds for our communities.” The settlement will reportedly require the construction company – as well as two of its executives – to do the following: SEPTEMBER, 2021

• Pay $280,000 for alleged violations of the Massachusetts False Claims Act; • Pay $30,000 in civil citations for alleged fair labor violations; • Engage an “independent monitor” (approved by the Attorney General’s Office) to “establish and implement an ethics and compliance program for three years to ensure the company is complying with state laws and regulacontinued on page 25

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Legal Corner continued from page 23

(2) implementing the program and training employees. Given the state’s focus on promoting “integrity and accountability in public contracting,” such efforts are a necessary part of doing business in the Commonwealth. n

tions” and audit the company’s payroll records; and • Conduct annual trainings for all personnel on the state’s wage and hour laws. According to the Attorney General, “[c]ompanies that Call Your Nearest GENALCO Warehouse do business in MassachuFor These Supplies setts have a responsibility HYDRAULIC GRADE 8 STROBE LIGHTS OIL NUTS & BOLTS WEATHER CAPS to operate with honesty and AIR CLEANERS integrity, and my office will GREASE FITTINGS BUCKET TEETH hold accountable those who HYDRAULIC HOSE BUCKET LIPS don’t.” EQUIPMENT PAINT BUCKETS Notably, the case arose CUTTING EDGES out of an April 2020 whisCHAIN SLINGS tleblower action. This highBACKUP BELLS AIR, OIL & FUEL AND ALARMS lights the importance of: FILTERS EXTREME ROTARY PRESSURE GREASE ASPHALT CUTTERS (1) maintaining a robust, GENALCO inc. 1-877-436-2526 written legal compliance 70 years of service to New England Industry www.genalco.com program that includes emNeedham Heights, MA Springfield, MA West Haven, CT Warwick, RI FAX 781-449-6643 FAX 413-781-3771 FAX 203-934-2580 FAX 401-736-9769 ployee training; but also

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I n M emoriam

Stephen Vogel

WES Construction Corp.

e are deeply saddened to announce the passing of long time UCANE member and friend, Stephen Vogel on August 5, 2021, after a successful career as President of WES Construction Corp., and later joining Umbro & Sons Construction.

Steve was a loving husband to his wife Sandy for over 50 years. Their faithful love, and their tender care for each other in the face of his illness will remain a special gift and memory. He was also the devoted father to his children Michael Vogel and his wife Elizabeth of Carol Stream, IL; Michelle Kleinsasser and her husband Zack of Dedham, MA; Daniel Vogel and his wife Campbell of Alexandria, VA; and Melissa Vogel of Boston, MA. He was the loving grandfather to 15 grandchildren. Steve’s legacy of steady love and quiet faith lives on in the lives of his children, grandchildren, and many others who cared for him.

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Steve graduated from Boston College with a degree in Accounting, completed additional studies in Civil Engineering at Northeastern University, and served in the Army National Guard. For many years, he worked in the family business, WES Construction, ultimately serving as President, and later, he joined Umbro & Sons Construction. In all these roles, he was known for his sound judgment, his hard work, and his loyal presence as a good buddy and mentor to his coworkers. The Officers, Board of Directors, Members, and Staff of UCANE extend their deepest sympathies and condolences to the entire Vogel family. Steve’s years of experience and knowledge of our industry brought him the unequaled respect of his peers who feel a deep and personal sadness at his passing. n

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Patrick W. Saltmarsh Tim Hunt, CHST Dir. of Envt’l, Safety Health and Safety Corporate Director W. J. L. Derenzo French Excavating Corp. Companies

The Little Things The saying that the little things make the biggest difference cannot be more true when it comes to safety. When it comes to safety inspections, the little things are often referred to as low-hanging fruit. What do the little things look like on a jobsite? One of the more important little things happens well before the first shovel hits the ground.

critical determining factor in how well a project progresses is the pre-planning involved before any boots hit the ground. Every project has a kickoff meeting with the controlling contractor (GC/ CM). The site-specific protocols and procedures are reviewed, and the schedule is discussed. One meeting that is even more important than that is the internal one with the estimating department, operations, safety, and the project supervisor. That meeting is the handoff between what was planned for the project and how to execute that plan. During that meeting, the project team walks through the project from beginning to end to identify potential safety hazards and bottlenecks and discusses solutions to issues that arise. Once boots hit the ground on a jobsite, the first few days and weeks establish the routine for all. Starting each day with a pre-task discussion for the activities that are planned to be accomplished is essential. The pre-task discussion is just that, a discussion. The supervisor leads the crew through the tasks scheduled to be completed, the hazards associated with those tasks, and how to mitigate the dangers and protect themselves so that they all go home safely at the end of the day. Framing this in the form of a discussion allows everyone to speak up and ask questions and even chime in if they have a better idea of how to do something or notice that something was initially missed. Often when a project begins, the risk of falling objects may not be present. However, everyone wears their hard hats because it is a site requirement. The same goes for safety glasses, boots, and even gloves (many projects are including gloves to their list of minimally required PPE). Set the bar high to start, and everyone coming on board works SEPTEMBER, 2021

to meet that bar. If that bar is set too low and things are allowed to slip, then the effort it takes to make everyone change to meet the minimum standards is so much that you will always be playing catch up instead of being out in front of things. One of the easiest “little things” items is paperwork. The project must have a well-written and throughout site-specific safety plan. The JHA’s should be reviewed with the project team and available for all to see. We already discussed the daily pre-task (daily huddle, or whatever it’s called for your company). The weekly toolbox talks, checklists, worksheets, permits; any paperwork generated on the project must be documented and submitted to the appropriate parties. Most contract language requires the GC/CM to receive copies of all safety paperwork as it is completed, get in the habit of ensuring that everything is written out, and those in attendance are documented. Remember, if continued on page 31

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Safety Corner continued from page 29 it’s not documented what was discussed and who was there, it’s hard to argue that it ever took place. Do it right the first time. If something happens and paperwork was required, it is impossible to go back in time to complete it. With paperwork turning to digital documents and time/date stamping, you cannot simply go back and complete it. The opportunity to do it right the first time is lost. Lastly, it is in these little things that change happens. Lasting change occurs incrementally. The little things add up, and over time they become the drivers for significant change. Get in the habit of taking care of the little things that you can control. Safety is everchanging, and to ride the wave; you need to be out in front of it with change. I like to think of it as steering a boat; it’s a rough ride if you only look at what’s ahead of you and make changes quickly. However, when you planned well and did the little things right initially, you can look ahead and make minor adjustments to maintain your course. When people talk about traveling to the past, they worry about how small changes would make a big difference later on. The problem is that barely anyone in the present thinks that they can radically change the future by doing something small. Do the little things right now and see what you can change. n

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Don’t Stay Silent About Unsafe Behavior on the Job

So you see a colleague violating a safety procedure while operating a vacuum excavator or directional drill, or breaking an office ethics protocol.

iven most people’s propensity for avoiding conflict, it’s undoubtedly tempting to just let things slide. After all, who wants to be perceived as that person on the office team or field crew — the one who thinks they’re perfect and always calls out other people on the error of their ways? Fortunately, you can have it both ways — as in, speak out and hold people accountable while still maintaining good workplace relationships. The trick is to do it with the right motivation and attitude, and to hopefully work at a place where management builds a culture where accountability is prized, says Joseph Grenny, the co-founder and co-chairman of VitalSmarts, a national leadership training organization. If you’re one of those people who finds speaking out is as difficult as cleaning a sewer line with a toothbrush, you’re not alone, notes Grenny, who’s also a four-time New York Times bestselling co-author of business books. (Titles include Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High; Crucial Accountability: Tools for Resolving Violated Expectations, Broken Commitments, and Bad Behavior; and Influencer: The New Science of Leading Change.) “We’ve spent more than 30 years talking about

SEPTEMBER, 2021

the consequences of avoiding crucial conversations, which is absolutely ubiquitous in the workplace,” he observes. “So many of the common complaints in our lives have roots in our inability to handle these crucial conversations.”

IT’S NOT EASY Why is speaking out so hard to do? Part of it stems from the way we’ve been hard-wired to think pessimistically about outcomes from confrontations. “That mentality served us well in prehistoric days when we were constantly faced with physical threats,” he says. “But it doesn’t serve us as well now, when we have to deal more with social challenges.” Moreover, the worst outcomes we can imagine rarely ever happen, he adds. In other instances, employees feel like it’s not their place to tell others what to do or how to act. Or they figure it won’t do any good. Or they don’t know what to say or how to say it without being offensive. But in the long run, there are obvious downsides to ignoring such transgressions. For starters, if you don’t talk things out, you’ll probably act it out, creating a downward spiral of trust and repressed anger continued on page 35

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Don’t Stay Silent continued from page 33 that can destroy team morale. “It all gets expressed one way or another through things like sarcasm and resentment,” he says. Second, problems avoided typically turn into recurring issues that can create damaging ripple effects in the workplace — which puts everyone’s safety at risk. “It becomes a chronic problem through the unwitting consent of people around them who don’t say anything,” he notes. Of course, there’s always a chance things can go sideways when someone speaks out about something in the workplace. “But if you don’t say anything at all, it never goes well either,” Grenny says. “Things such as employee retention and strong engagement are all strongly tied to workplaces where people speak up about emotionally and politically risky things.”

KIND REMINDERS So how does one go about handling these delicate situations? First of all, don’t wait and don’t go to your boss first. Research performed by VitalSmarts shows that in high-performance organizations, issues get handled between peers and at the moment they occur, Grenny says.

“Escalations [going to a supervisor] almost always end in failure,” he explains. “They’re unnecessary political and social behaviors that drag down the process of managing a fairly straightforward and logical process.” Also keep in mind that to achieve good results, it pays to ensure your motives are right — a mindset Grenny calls “kind to remind.” In fact, Grenny says the best indicator of how a crucial conversation will go is the reason you want to have it in the first place. If you want to punish, belittle, or prove you’re right, expect it to go badly. “Too often we behave in ways that prevent the outcome we want,” he says. On the other hand, good things happen when you speak from a sense of kindness. “Positive intent is a huge indicator of how well things will go,” he explains. “Before you open your mouth, you need to pause and think about what you really want. If it’s a legitimate concern, ask yourself what you want for the other person so you’re not coming from a selfish place.”

ACCEPT COMPLAINTS GRACEFULLY If you’re on the receiving end of the criticism, it’s crucial to assume what Grenny calls an “attitude of continued on page 37

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gratitude.” In other words, politely accept any reminders to follow certain safety rules and assume they’re being expressed with good intent. Companies can help enforce this mindset by creating a culture of accountability — a place where it’s the norm to say, “OK, thanks for the reminder,” whenever someone speaks out about a safety violation. “When such a response becomes a cultural norm, it reduces the emotional stakes involved,” Grenny explains. “It’s not hard to create such a social contract, but very few organizations do it. It takes training and presentations and leaders who are willing to reinforce and model it. “It’s kind of like getting a train started. It requires enormous energy at the beginning to get it started. But after that, it’s easy to sustain.” Last but not least, after people speak up, they then need to let things go, understanding that they cannot control the colleague’s response. “Don’t turn it into an ego match or a test of wills,” he advises. “Deliver the message, and then look out for your own safety.” “Most of us in those moments attach our selfworth to whether or not the other person agrees with us or complies. But we don’t need to do that. Just do

what you’re supposed to do in a graceful way and let them handle it how they handle it.” If this approach doesn’t work, then it’s OK to take the matter up the ladder to a supervisor or someone in human resources or a safety department — whoever has responsibility for the respective issue. In the long run, inaction is not the best option. When handled the right way, speaking out trumps silence. As Grenny points out, “The inability to do so adversely affects every workplace outcome we care about.” Written by Ken Wysocky. Reprinted from Dig Different. n

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UCANE’s 41st Annual Golf Tournament Hosted by

After missing last year’s golf outing because of COVID-19, UCANE members and their guests were enthusiastically awaiting this year’s event. Originally scheduled for July 12, Mother Nature threw a curve ball at us for that date by dumping four inches of rain onto the fairways. UCANE and Brookmeadow Country Club quickly regrouped and reset the date for August 18. Undeterred by the change of date, our group of dedicated members, and part-time golfers, all showed up bright and early in Canton anxious to continue the tradition and excited to once again be experiencing a day of camaraderie with their fellow UCANE members.

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The Golfers Arrive

Sports Celebrity Challenge

As always, Ryan MacDonald, and the staff at Brookmeadow had the course in superb condition and the golf carts were all lined up in the early morning and waiting for riders. As our more than 144 golfers began arriving at 8:00 a.m., they were greeted by UCANE Executive Director Jeff Mahoney and UCANE staff members. Each golfer first received a “Goody Bag” sponsored by P. Gioioso & Sons, Inc., that was stuffed with golf related items donated by a host of UCANE members and friends. Next was a Continental Breakfast sponsored by ATS Equipment, Inc. in the Brookmeadow lounge, and a chance to catch up with friends before the shotgun start at 9:00 a.m.

In addition to all the great prizes that could be won with a lucky shot, our golfers had the opportunity to meet former New England Patriots player Patrick Pass. Patrick was a Fullback and Special Teams’ standout with New England from 2000-2007, and a three-time Super Bowl Champion. Now living in North Providence and coaching the Worcester Pirates of the Arena Football League, Patrick engaged in great conversation with our golfers who not only had an opportunity to challenge Patrick’s golfing skills, but got to take a group photo with him as well. Thanks again to UCANE member Core & Main for sponsoring our guest celebrity, a great Patriots ambassador, and aspiring golfer, and to Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers/Iron Planet for sponsoring the fun memories on the 15th hole!

Let the Games Begin As the golfers approached each tee, they could see all of the UCANE companies that graciously sponsored and supported our golf tournament. The company names and logos were displayed prominently on professional Tee and Green signs donated by Roadsafe Traffic Systems. In addition, there was added excitement at almost every hole where a good shot could win a golfer some great prizes: • $25,000 Hole-in-One sponsored by McCourt Construction Company • $10,000 Putting Contest sponsored by Dagle Electrical Construction Corp. • Gorilla Hammer Hole-in-One sponsored by Gorilla Hammer Hydraulics • Chevy Silverado Hole-in-One sponsored by McLaughlin Chevrolet • Golf Ball Cannon Shoot – Sponsored by C&S Insurance • Cadillac CRV Hole-in-One sponsored by Cadillac of Norwood • Closest to the Pin sponsored by Concrete Systems, Inc. • “Beat the Pro” against former N. E. Patriot Fullback Patrick Pass sponsored by Core & Main • Photos with Patrick Pass sponsored by Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers/Iron Planet

SEPTEMBER, 2021

Cold Drinks and Lunch The weather for our tournament was outstanding. Golfers could quench their thirst from the Cold Drink Carts that circled the course sponsored by GVC Construction, Inc., National Trench Safety, T-Quip Sales and Rentals, Inc., United Concrete Products, and F.W. Webb Co. Golfers could keep continued on page 41

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Golf Tournament continued from page 39 their strength up with the delicious Barbecue Lunch offered at the turn, sponsored by Patrick DiCerbo-Northwestern Mutual, J.J. Kane Auctioneers, Mabbett and Associates, Inc., RJV Construction Corp., United Rentals Trench Safety, and Veterans Business Supply.

Back to the Clubhouse After 18 challenging but fun holes, each foursome turned in their scorecard (best-ball match) and returned to the clubhouse lounge where they enjoyed a cocktail and some laughs at the Social Hour sponsored by Ferguson Waterworks, HUB International, Liddell Brothers, Inc., and United Rentals Trench Safety. At 3:30 p.m. it was time to go upstairs to the dining room where a first-class New England Lobster Clambake dinner was being served. Headlining the menu were two pound steamed lobsters complete with clam chowder, garden salad, roasted potatoes, rolls, pulled pork, and corn-on-the-cob. Sponsoring the feast was UCANE member E.J. Prescott, Inc. As the hungry golfers enjoyed their lobsters, UCANE Executive Director Jeff Mahoney announced the winners of the best ball format tournament and the closest to the pin and long drive winners. Then,

with the help of the UCANE staff, Jeff began the raffle and eventually distributed over 40 amazing prizes highlighted by a 55-inch TV which was sponsored by Scrap-It, Inc./Minichiello Bros., Inc. Smiles gleamed throughout the room as nearly every table had a winning ticket!

Thank You to UCANE Members All-in-all, despite Mother Nature’s earlier attempt to derail this year’s event, UCANE’s 41st Annual Golf Tournament was a resounding success and a long deserved respite for our members and guests from so many months of social distancing and working remotely necessitated due to COVID-19. UCANE extends it’s sincere thanks to our members and friends who not only supported this year’s Golf Tournament, but who have been there for us throughout this pandemic as our industry, and the country, strive to get back to normalcy. continued on page 43

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Guest Sponsors JAY CASHMAN, INC. (4) PATRICK DiCERBO - NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL (2) Barbecue Lunch PATRICK DiCERBO - NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL J.J. KANE AUCTIONEERS MABBETT & ASSOCIATES, INC. RJV CONSTRUCTION CORP. UNITED RENTALS TRENCH SAFETY VETERANS BUSINESS SUPPLY Social Hour FERGUSON WATERWORKS HUB INT. NEW ENGLAND LIDDELL BROTHERS, INC. UNITED RENTALS TRENCH SAFETY Cold Drink Carts GVC CONSTRUCTION, INC. NATIONAL TRENCH SAFETY T-QUIP SALES & RENTALS, INC. UNITED CONCRETE PRODUCTS F. W. WEBB COMPANY Golf Prizes ALBANESE D&S, INC. BADGER DAYLIGHTING (2) BARLETTA HEAVY DIVISION DeFELICE CORPORATION FEENEY BROTHERS UTILITY SERVICES All Signage ROADSAFE TRAFFIC SYSTEMS

PUTTING GREEN SPONSORS: Albanese Brothers, Inc. (2) American Shoring Inc. (2) Aqua Line Utility, Inc. Barletta Heavy Division Biszko Contracting Corp. Jay Cashman, Inc. Commonwealth Construction & Utilities, Inc. K. DaPonte Construction Corp. DeFelice Corporation DeSanctis Insurance Agency, Inc. Equipment Corp. of America (ECA) W. L. French Excavating Corporation Hinckley Allen LLP

K & K Excavation Co., Inc. KJS, LLC Lorusso Heavy Equipment, LLC S. M. Lorusso & Sons, Inc. Ludlow Construction Co., Inc. Massachusetts Ready Mix LLC Milton CAT (2) Operating Engineers Local 4 Pawtucket Hot Mix Asphalt (2) E. J. Prescott, Inc. Taylor Oil Company C. N. Wood Company, Inc. The Zanelli Enterprise, Inc. Tim Zanelli Excavating, LLC

TEE SPONSORS: Allegiance Trucks AAA Work Trucks (5) A. F. Amorello & Sons, Inc. Badger Daylighting (3) Baltazar Contractors, Inc. A. R. Belli, Inc. (2) Dennis K. Burke, Inc. C. C. Construction, Inc. C.J.P. & Sons Const. Co., Inc. C&S Insurance Agency Celco Construction Corp. (2) N. Cibotti, Inc. (2) CleanBasins, Inc. (2) Concrete Systems, Inc. (2) Cullen, Murphy & Co., P.C. (2) Dagle Electrical Const. Corp. (2) K. DaPonte Construction Corp. (2) Darmody, Merlino & Co., LLP (2) Patrick DiCerbo - Northwestern Mutual (4) The Dow Company (2) Eastern States Ins. Agency, Inc. (2) FED. CORP. (2) Feeney Bros. Utility Services (2) GTA Co., Inc.

Gagliarducci Const., Inc. (2) Green Environmental, Inc. L. Guerini Group Inc. (2) I. W. Harding Const. Co., Inc. Hayes Pump, Inc. HUB International New England (2) Ideal Concrete Block P. A. Landers, Inc. Lawrence-Lynch Corp. (2) Liddell Brothers, Inc. (5) Lockwood Remediation Technologies LLC Lorusso Corporation MBO Precast, Inc. (2) Mabbett & Associates, Inc. (3) Marsh & McLennan Agency, LLC Metro Equipment Corp. (2) Milton CAT (2) Ocean State Oil (2) Robert B. Our Co., Inc. (2) R. M. Pacella, Inc. (2) Podgurski Corp. J. A. Polito & Sons Co., Inc. (2) Power Line Contractors, Inc. (2) E. J. Prescott, Inc. H. R. Prescott & Sons, Inc. (2)

Putnam Pipe Corp. RFS Corporation (2) RJV Construction Corp. (2) Rain for Rent - New England (2) Rapid Flow/Vacuum Excavation, Inc. (5) Riley Brothers, Inc. Scituate Concrete Products Corp. (2) Schmidt Equipment, Inc. Scrap-It, Inc./Minichiello Bros. Inc. Shea Concrete Products (2) Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Brokerage, Inc. Stiles Company, Inc. Taylor Oil Company Travelers (2) Twelve Points Retirement Advisors Umbro & Sons Construction Corp. Veterans Business Supply (2) WES Construction Corp. (2) W. Walsh Co., Inc. D. W. White Const., Inc. (2) Woodco Machinery, Inc. (2) Xylem, Inc. (3) R. Zoppo Corp. (2)

RAFFLE SPONSORS: BROOKMEADOW COUNTRY CLUB Golf for 4 FED. CORP. Pair of Anti-Gravity Lounge Chairs HILB NEW ENGLAND Set of Golf Clubs LORUSSO CORPORATION 4 Red Sox Tickets - Pavilion Seats MJ-HAMMER Cornhole Set PATRICK DiCERBO NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL 2 Boxes of Golf Balls RAIN FOR RENT - NEW ENGLAND YETI Cooler Variety Pack SANDY BURR COUNTRY CLUB Golf for Four SCRAP-IT, INC./MINICHIELLO BROS., INC. 55-Inch TV

SHEA CONCRETE PRODUCTS, INC. 4 Red Sox Tickets TAYLOR OIL COMPANY 2 Red Sox Tickets UNITED CONCRETE PRODUCTS, INC. 4 Red Sox Tickets D. W. WHITE CONSTRUCTION, INC. Golf for Four at the Back 9 Golf Club, Lakeville, MA

GOODY BAG SPONSORS: P. GIOIOSO & SONS, INC. Goody Bags ACME SHOREY PRECAST CO., INC. RITCHIE BROS. AUCTIONEERS Travel Mugs Koozies B2W SCRAP-IT, INC./MINICHIELLO BROS., INC. Chapstick Golf Balls & Foam Coasters C&S INSURANCE AGENCY STILES COMPANY, INC. Cup Inserts Hand Sanitizer & Note Pads CENTINEL FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC T-QUIP SALES & RENTALS, INC. Golf Towels Tape Measures DAGLE ELECTRICAL CONST. CORP. TAYLOR OIL COMPANY Pen Lights Golf Ball Caddy DIG SAFE SYSTEMS, INC. TENNA LLC Hats, Pens, Rulers, & Key Chains Golf Hats & Magnetic Ball Markers GORILLA HAMMER/TECH HYDRAULICS UNITED CONCRETE PRODUCTS, INC. Golf Balls/Notepads Chip Clips MABBETT & ASSOCIATES, INC. VETERANS BUSINESS SUPPLY Golf Towels & Poker Chip Ball Markers Golf Towels MILTON CAT Guzzle Bottles

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Common Employer Benefits Mistakes

Have you faced any of these common issues? We thought it might be helpful to share a few of the common mistakes we see some organizations making in the employee benefits arena. They are usually based on a misunderstanding of the circumstances of the situation. Once reviewed in more detail, a different course of action is appropriate. By reviewing these here, we will be able to assist our clients, before they make these common mistakes. Many times employers are not completely clear on all of the circumstances when it is appropriate to offer COBRA. For instance, some employers do not offer COBRA upon loss of eligibility. This occurs most frequently when an employee is out on leave. If an employee is out on an extended leave that is not protected by FMLA, they are typically not eligible for benefits under the eligibility rules of the plan. Employers should review their plan documents to be sure it defines when eligibility is lost, then apply those rules to the situation. Some employers do not realize that the ADA, STD, LTD, and Worker’s Compensation, do not require an employer to continue to provide health insurance. Employers sometimes extend coverage beyond the plan’s loss of eligibility date. Frequently, employers are trying to “be nice” and extend the leave. But going on a leave (not protected by FMLA), or failing to return from an FMLA-protected leave, falls under the COBRA qualifying event of “reducSEPTEMBER, 2021

tion in hours.” Therefore, COBRA should be offered when eligibility is actually lost, upon the reduction in hours. Extending the coverage beyond the plan’s actual eligibility date puts the employer at risk of the carrier not paying the incurred claims. As an alternative, employers could offer to pay for COBRA coverage for a period of time. (Note: There is an exception if an employer is using the look-back measurement period and the employee has qualified for a stability period.) There is another COBRA related mistake that is commonly made: offering COBRA upon Medicare entitlement. Under the Medicare Secondary Payer Rules (MSP), an active employee’s Medicare entitlement or eligibility does not normally cause loss of plan eligibility due to MSP rules. Employers cannot condition eligibility on Medicare entitlement. The problem is that the employee might drop employer coverage voluntarily when entitled to Medicontinued on page 53

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Insurance Perspective continued from page 51 care. This does not trigger COBRA for spouse and dependents. To continue coverage for the spouse or dependents, the employee would have to remain enrolled in the group health coverage and Medicare. The employer’s plan would be primary. The third mistake we frequently see, and remind our clients about, is that some employers with a fully insured medical plan and an HRA, forget that they must pay the PCORI fee on their HRA plan. As you probably know, self-funded employers are responsible for the PCORI fee for their health plan and the HRA, each unique life is only counted once, by July 31 each year. For the fully insured plan, the PCORI fee is paid by the insurance carrier. But the HRA associated with the fully insured plan is also subject to the fee. Employers will pay the fee only for the participant and not for dependents.

incentive is tobacco related, and reduces the employee contribution to $150 per month, we would use the $150 contribution to measure affordability. For Employer Reporting, $150 would be entered on Line 15 of Form 1095-C, regardless of whether the individual is a tobacco user or not. We hope you find these examples helpful to prevent you from making some common employer mistakes. Employee Benefits can be extremely confusing nowadays, with all the detailed requirements based on well–intended legislation. Many employers seek assistance to be sure they are understanding the requirements thoroughly and acting in compliance. Boston Area Written by Joan Greenwell, VP, Employee Benefits Locations

Practice Leader Starkweather Benefits Solutions. n 2 Dexter Street Everett, MA 02149 Boston Area Boston Area Locations Locations 431 Second Street

A final mistake we hear emEverett, MA 02149 ployers ask about frequently is 2 Dexter Street 2 Dexter Street Everett, MA 02149 Everett, MA 02149 how to determine Wellness Incentive Affordability. There is a lot of 431 Second Street 431 Second Street confusion about how to do this Everett, MA 02149 correctly for Affordability for the Everett, MA 02149 BOSTON AREA LOCATIONS ACA 4980H purposes. Unless the 100 Fremont Street 2 Dexter Street 431 Second Street wellness rate is based on tobacco, Worcester, 01603 Everett, MAMA 02149 Everett, MA 02149 it is necessary to use the (higher) non-wellness rate to determine affordability. For example, in a situation where the wellness incentive is not tobacco related, let’s say the regular required monthly employee contribution is $250 per month. The potential wellness incentive (NOT based on tobacco) reduces the contribution to $150 Minichiello Bros./Scrap-It, Inc., per month. For purposes of afford-

Minichiello Bros./Scrap-It, Inc.

ability, we must use the $250 conServes over 2500 customers a week and is one of New England’s largest Serves over 2500 customers a week and is one New England's largest buyers, tribution to measure, and it cannot buyers, sellers, and processors of scrap metal. Forour overgoal 60 years goal sellers and processors of scrap metal. For over 60 years has our remained remained the same - to in provide the best along prices in thetop industry along with exceed 9.83% of the employee’s the same - tohas provide the best prices the industry with notch top notch service! Fred Rogers at 617-595-5505 Callcustomer Fred Rogers at Call 617-595-5505 household income for customer 2021. service! Minichiello Bros./Scrap-It, Inc., Therefore for Employer Reporting, Minichiello Bros./Scrap-It, Inc., $250 should be enteredServes on Line over 2500 customers a week and is one New England's largest buyers, 15 of Form 1095-C, regardless of processors sellers and of scrap metal. For overa60week years ourisgoal Serves over 2500 customers and onehas Newremained England's largest buyers whether the individual satisfies the the same - to provide the best in theof industry along with notch sellers and prices processors scrap metal. Fortop over 60 years our goal has remain customer Callsame Fred -Rogers at 617-595-5505 wellness program requirements orservice! the to provide the best prices in the industry along with top notch customer service! Call Fred Rogers at 617-595-5505 not. However, if the Wellness Incentive is tobacco-related, it is treated differently. If the required monthly contribution is $250 per month, but the potential wellness SEPTEMBER, 2021

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I n M emoriam

John S. “Jack” Tassinari Tascon Corporation

t is with great sadness that we announce that longtime UCANE member and friend Jack Tassinari passed away on August 11, 2021 after a brief illness at the age of 67. John S. "Jack" Tassinari was President of Tascon Corporation, (Tassinari Construction) in Rockland, MA. He was raised in Braintree and following graduation from High School, he studied business at Burdett College but, a builder by trade, he began a long career in the construction industry. In 1985, he founded Tascon Corporation and it became a family business. Always active in the community, Jack maintained lifelong friendships and helped many people through the organizations to which he belonged. He was an active member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Co. of Massachusetts and The United States Coast Guard AUX. A man who always lived his life to the fullest, Jack found time for personal activities as well as quality time with his

family. He enjoyed the outdoors; big game fishing, boating, hunting, world traveling, golfing, wine making, and his summer home in Falmouth. Jack was the beloved husband of 42 years to Susan E. (Wallace) Tassinari, the loving father of John S. Tassinari Jr. and his wife Laurie of Abington, Jeffrey R. Tassinari and his fiancee Kristin Demontigny of South Weymouth, Christopher G. Tassinari of Hanover, and predeceased by Christian W. Tassinari. Loving Grandpa to Lucas, Isabella, and Madison. Devoted brother of Robert R. Tassinari Jr. of Braintree. Donations in Jacks's memory may be made to Cops for Kids with Cancer P.O. Box 850956 Braintree, MA 02185. The Officers, Board of Directors, Members, and Staff of UCANE extend their deepest sympathies and condolences to the entire Tassinari family. Jack’s years of experience and knowledge of our industry brought him the great respect of his peers, who feel a deep and personal sadness at his passing. n

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Untitled-6 1

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The Perfect Excavation: • Pre-mark the location of intended excavation using white stakes, paint or flags. • In MA, ME, NH and RI, notify Dig Safe® at least 72 hours in advance.* • In Vermont, notify Dig Safe® at least 48 hours in advance.* • Notify non-member facility owners. • Maintain the marks placed by underground facility owners. • Use caution and dig by hand when working within 18” of a marked facility. • If a line is damaged, do not backfill. Notify the affected utility company immediately if the facility, its protective coating, or a tracer wire is damaged. • Call 911 in the event of a gas leak, or if a damaged facility poses a risk to public safety. • Know your state’s excavation requirements. • Go to digsafe.com for educational material and current laws.

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Get to Know Your UCANE Associate Members On-Site Fuel Deliveries Construction Marine Truck Fleets Diesel - Gas - Biofuel Tank & Pump Rentals Diesel Exhaust Fluid

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Taylor Oil Co. has been providing fuel products to America’s builders since 1909. With eight offices from Maryland to Massachusetts and over 150 Trucks on the road every day, we are the Northeast’s most experienced and dependable On-Site Fueling Company. Keep your equipment and crews working and we will provide the fuel and lubricants you need when and where you want them.

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WWEMA Window: Governmental Policy and the Impacts on Construction Costs There are a few current governmental policies that have impacted the construction cost of water and wastewater infrastructure over the last several years. Some are older policies that were established many years ago and some are newer policies that were implemented to help U.S. manufacturers compete in these markets against foreign manufacturers. There is some discussion now in Washington to implement more policies such as a $15 minimum wage and revisions to the Made in America requirements for purchases using federal money, both direct and indirect.

he intent of this conversation is not to take a pro or con position on these policies, but to inform the reader about how current policies and potential future policies are impacting construction costs in the water and wastewater infrastructure market.

To begin this conversation, one must remember that the federal government has a number of funding programs that municipalities can apply to for low interest loans, grants, and partial forgiveness of loans. USDA Rural Utility Service and Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) monies are examples of such funding programs that are available for water and wastewater improvement projects. If a municipality gets some of this funding, there are certain requirements or protocols that must be adhered to when the project is built. Examples of these protocols are paying workers at rates established by the Davis-Bacon Act for various trades and buying products that meet the American Iron and Steel (AIS) requirements, as outlined by Congress in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014. Direct federal procurement is governed by the 1933 Buy American Act (BAA) and its subsequent amendments. The takeaway from the above is that the various payment and purchasing protocols are, in general, adding construction costs to the project that some smaller utilities will have to repay over time. In some cases, the added costs are driving smaller utilities away from badly needed assistance from federal programs. While larger utilities may not be impacted to the same degree as small utilities because they have several sources of fund-

SEPTEMBER, 2021

ing, including a larger ratepayer base and access to the bond market, they will be impacted nonetheless. However, the impact of these requirements will be greatest on those utilities least likely to have the resources to comply with them. There are ongoing discussions in Washington to increase the minimum wage and to modify the Buy American Act and potentially expand the American Iron and Steel provisions for the SRFs. For those who deal with direct federal procurement, you are strongly encouraged to review and comment on the proposed changes to the BAA that were published in the Federal Register on July 30, 2021. Comments are due by September 28, 2021 and a public meeting was scheduled for August 26, 2021. In addition, the Senate passed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act on August 10, 2021 that expands not only Buy American Act requirements but also greatly expands domestic content requirements continued on page 61

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WWEMA Window continued from page 59

rates from the existing customer base.

for indirect federal funding, such as that received by U.S. EPA for the SRF and WIFIA programs. Rather than the list of covered iron and steel products that we have complied with over the last seven years, the bill seeks to expand iron and steel requirements to all manufactured goods such as pumps, motors, filtration, and membrane systems, as well as impose a percent of domestic content on all manufactured products.

Washington should attentively listen to a wide range of folks in the infrastructure market, also known as stakeholders, to make sure that, with all the proposed legislation being considered, there is not too much of a negative impact on the ratepayer. The proposed ideas for infrastructure bills, minimum wage bills, and Buy American bills should have some “connected dots” so that one bill by itself doesn’t impact another bill to the point the community needing an infrastructure upgrade cannot afford it.

At a minimum, if such legislation is successful, expect to see potentially significant changes to the AIS compliance for water infrastructure improvement projects using federal dollars. The latent impact of this will be to drive construction costs up and further exacerbate an already challenged supply chain. Serious questions also remain as to whether the water sector will even be able to compete with sectors such as roads, bridges, and transit for the finite iron and steel capacity currently available in the U.S. The end result of this is that the utility ratepayers (water customers) will have to pay higher rates for their water and sewer bills. There are certainly potential benefits for U.S. workers and U.S. manufacturers at the root of these changes, which are good goals. However, there does need to be a recognition by the policymakers that nothing is free and that if no further thought is given to these changes, the ratepayers or customers of these utilities will eventually pay the higher cost for these changes, if they can even source the products and technologies they need to continue to protect public health and the environment. What additional actions could be considered? Some ideas are to increase the portion of grant vs. loan in the federal funding, extend the loan periods out a few more years, or agree to keep the interest rate on these federal loans at the lowest rates possible at the time of the loan. If you are not familiar with these loan programs, it’s useful to know the SRF loans are designed to be self-sustaining. The utility pays back the loan and interest to the SRF and generates growth or at the least attempts to maintain a certain principal value in the loan that other utilities can use over time. You can also assume that “grant” money and “forgiveness loan portions” mean exactly that — it is money given to the project construction cost that is not required to be repaid by the borrower. These grant and forgiveness loan vehicles are offered to the utilities most in need, such as ones that are recognizing a declining population rate and may struggle to cover the costs of badly needed infrastructure upgrades with the collection SEPTEMBER, 2021

While the likely influx of new money and the recognition of the special needs of particularly small utilities is greatly appreciated, let’s make sure expanded federal requirements and more strings attached to the money doesn’t make it untenable for the water sector. The goal here is to get infrastructure moving, people back to work at well-paying jobs, and to continue to ensure the U.S. leadership role in protecting public health and the environment. Let’s not construct barriers that keep those goals from being achieved! Written by Allen Walker. Reprinted with permission from Water Online (www.wateronline.com) and Water & Wastewater Equipment Manufactures Association (WWEMA). n Est. 1926

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Greg Norris, B2W Software, Inc.

A More Effective Process for Inspecting Equipment and Generating Repair Requests Inspecting equipment may not be a favorite activity of operators, drivers, or foremen, but there are good reasons to do them and great ways to do them more effectively with a little help from technology.

quipment inspections keep people safe. An effective process also keeps expensive assets on the job, increasing uptime, and utilization rates while minimizing the cost of repairs. Unfortunately, the process of inspecting equipment and generating repair requests often gets bogged down by paper forms and a slow, error-prone transfer of information from the field to the shop. Software applications deliver proven advantages at the two critical phases in the process, and those advantages are compounded when the applications talk to each other. Step One: Capturing Inspection Data Paper forms were once the best option for equipment inspections. They remain the norm for many contractors. Drawbacks of a paperbased process, however, begin with having the right forms available. Foremen or project managers must maintain a large library of forms to cover each piece of equipment or resort to generic forms. The former is cumbersome. The latter makes forms longer and more difficult to complete and can limit the ability to capture important data specific to each asset. An application for electronic forms and reSEPTEMBER, 2021

Software allows contractors to improve equipment safety, uptime, and repair costs by completing inspections with electronic forms and generating repair requests automatically.

porting gives contractors the ability to customize forms for any purpose, including equipment inspections, in minutes to record the exact information they want and need. The latest forms are easy to access online and easy to fill out on a mobile device, increasing the likelihood that they get completed thoroughly and on time. Features like pre-populated dropdown menus, check boxes, radio buttons, and required fields make filling out forms easier and faster and they improve the accuracy and structure of the data. Timestamps and GPS locations, electronic signatures, and photo or video attachments continued on page 64

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Technology in Construction continued from page 63 also increase the value and validity of form data. These capabilities just can’t be matched with paper. Step Two: The Hand-off to the Shop Once an inspection is completed with an electronic form, the advantages over a paper process continue. Paper forms typically pass through several hands and are notorious for riding in pickup trucks for several days before getting from a jobsite to the office or shop. Many never reach their intended destination. When they do, handwriting can be hard to decipher, resulting in mistakes, incomplete information, or the need for inefficient back-andforth conversations between the operations and maintenance teams. Electronic forms are submitted with a click. Information about defects or required repairs gets to the people that can do something about them instantly, so the work gets done faster and more efficiently. In many cases, small problems can be corrected before they become bigger and more expensive problems. Construction companies gain further efficiency and accuracy when they link an application for electronic forms with software for managing equipment maintenance. Data on the inspection forms can then trigger repair requests to be created automatically by the maintenance software, avoiding redundant manual data transfer that takes time and opens up opportunities for errors. With the right software com bination, mapping fields from the inspection forms to the repair request format and defin ing the conditions under which

repair request will be generated automatically is relatively straightforward. Accurate electronic data from the inspection forms, including descriptions, and photos can then flow directly into the repair requests. This type of equipment inspection workflow is easy to adopt and brings electronic immediacy and automation to a routine process. Contractors can eliminate errors, uncertainty, and miscommunication between the field and the shop, and make it easier for their maintenance teams to prioritize and schedule repairs for maximum efficiency, uptime, and safety. n

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SEPTEMBER, 2021

How to Win the War for Talent! During times when the economy is robust and there’s plenty of good construction work available, what holds your company back from reaching its’ full profit or growth potential? As your company grows, business owners and managers tend to get busy doing too much themselves. And then they reach the maximum level of what they can do or manage on their own. The only apparent option is to hire people to help accomplish the increasing workload and expand to jump on the additional opportunities available. Why Hire? You hire people because you want to grow and can’t get all the work done yourself. To build a winning team, you want to put the right players in the right positions with the right talent to allow your business to grow and profit. As the head coach and leader of your team, what must be one of your top priorities to win? You must develop and implement a pro-active program to build a great place to work that attracts and retains the best talent available in the marketplace.

A few weeks ago, we received this hiring question: “George, we operate in Tennessee and the surrounding states. We build and remodel fast food restaurants. Each project takes 10-14 weeks. Our crews leave our area Monday morning and return Friday afternoons so they’ll have weekends at home. They are paid additional for these nights away. We have a difficult time finding experienced employees. We believe we could easily double our sales volume without adding much additional fixed cost but need field superintendents and carpenters to do the work. We offer a ‘competitive’ wage for our area with benefits beyond most competitor's. We have advertised in local newspapers, craigslist, recruiting websites, and placed signs in high traffic areas. We have worked through head-hunters, but they haven’t found anyone close to our location. We have considered radio and television ads but have not pulled the trigger. We are just not finding any people we want to offer a job to. And it seems we are finding only inexperienced people who appear to just want a paycheck. Do you have additional suggestions for how to find skilled people

SEPTEMBER, 2021

in today's marketplace? Thanks for your advice! Mike Randle of RB Construction.”

Can’t Find Any Good Trained Help? Get over it! Unemployment today is basically zero and all the good people are working where they likely want to work. You must admit, there are plenty of good people with the right talent in your marketplace willing to work. They just don’t want to work for your company, don’t know much about your company, and aren’t being offered anything exciting to attract them to work for your company. And they don’t want to be away from their family week after week when there are other jobs where traveling is not required. Mike - To get people to want a lifestyle your company requires takes an extremely high pay package significantly above ‘competitive’ wage and benefits. Remember, to attract people to consider working for continued on page 67

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Burke Lubricants half-page ad 7-31-20.qxp_Dennis K Burke Inc 8/2/20 7:45 PM Page 1

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How to Win continued from page 65 your company, you are competing with every other competitor and similar type of business in your area. For example, field construction workers are only paid when there is work and good weather. While large company manufacturing employees, truck drivers, mechanics, and service technicians work all year with full benefits, vacation and holiday pay, healthcare, stock options, and a full retirement package. Years ago, I was presenting a program at a major conference on how to find and retain good help. One frustrated attendee asked how he could win over new employees to work for his roofing company. I asked how much he offered workers and learned he only paid five dollars over the minimum wage with no benefits or paid vacation. How could he hope to build a strong team of workers installing hot roofs in the hot sun in the heat of summer in Florida? Step one to find and attract good help: THINK! Who in their right mind would want to work for what you offer!

Make Talent Your Top Priority! A top priority for company leaders must be to find, attract, retain, develop, train, motivate, inspire, and keep talent wanting to work for your company. Do you spend enough time recruiting, finding and hiring top talent? In other words, does your company have: 1. Someone responsible for finding and hiring enough talent to manage and perform all the potential work you can win? 2. An ongoing pro-active talent recruitment program? 3. Hiring incentives or a budget to attract the best talent? 4. A budget to retain and train top talent? 5. The top pay and benefit packages available? 6. A program to build a great place to work. 7. Opportunities for career growth and a secure future?

8. A defined written training and advancement ladder? 9. A program for non-English speaking employees? 10. A program to become the employer of choice?

Are You Afraid to Hire? The number one reason companies don’t grow is fear of hiring. Managers are often afraid of making a bad hiring decision and therefore don’t take a chance on hiring new people. But without people, continued on page 69

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SEPTEMBER, 2021

How to Win continued from page 67 companies can’t grow or make more money. And to make matters worse, many business owners tolerate poor performers and avoid the pain of holding people accountable or firing those who don’t achieve results, perform required tasks, or do what they’re expected to do. Rather than do what they should, weak managers are slow to delegate, don’t let go, and micromange good people who have potential. This personality type also restricts leaders from hiring when they need to expand or improve their team. As Peter Drucker once said: “The ability to make good people decisions represents the last reliable source of competitive advantage, since very few companies are good at it!” Winning professional head coaches realize their job is dependent on their ability to build a winning team by finding, recruiting, developing, and retaining the best talent available. Losing coaches (and business managers) tend to hire low price inexperienced players versus full-value well paid professionals. The head coach formula for success is to hire the right players, pay top dollar, train hard, focus on top talent, reward results, and fire fast.

How to Find, Attract & Hire Top Talent! 1. Determine what players you need to hire or replace. Draft out your work flow chart and make sure someone is assigned to every position required to complete all of your projects without anything falling through the cracks. Many tasks can be handled by one person. Often hiring assistants will allow people to leverage their time, add more value, and handle more by focusing on important work versus performing administrative tasks. Rate your existing talent to determine if the right players are in the right positions doing the right things for the money they earn. Often companies get designed around what people are good at rather than what talent is needed.

2. Put someone in charge of your hiring program. Assign a hiring coordinator responsible to manage the hiring program including placing ads, set and screen interviews, be available for applicants, keep recruitment files, know compensation packages of local competitors, sort and rate resumes, schedule interview appointments with supervisors, attend local hiring fairs, stay in touch with local training schools, and seek qualified recruiters.

3. Pay top dollar. Offer above market benefits to attract the best talent. A coaching client sent me this hiring problem email regarding the situation he faces. “George - I’m having a really hard time finding a good superintendent for a reasonable salary. I currently have one but we’re starting to get more projects and need help. It’s tricky because I attract clients that have “limited budgets,” so it’s hard for me to price out job with any money for supervision. Anyways, where do you find good people? I’ve tried the popular online websites over and over. And Craigslist people seem to be all ex-convicts. I know there are other sites, but do you have any other recommendations? - JL, Lany Construction.” The classic chicken or the egg dilemma: Hire and pay top dollar so you can grow your company and make more money. Or wait until you get enough backlog to pay someone what it takes to work for you when you think you can afford it. Your choice: invest in your future now or stay put and stop complaining about all the work you can’t do. I’m confident if JL would take a risk, not be afraid to hire, and offer top dollar and benefits, he could find a good superintendent.

4. Attract top players. Seek players with full charge experience, talent, intelligence, potential to perform or learn, willing to work hard, a positive winning team attitude (played high school sports), consistent, responcontinued on page 70

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SEPTEMBER, 2021

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How to Win continued from page 69 sible, loyal, determined, have their personal act together, competitive, committed, technically competent, motivated, and willing to learn and improve. Remember: people won’t change much. Look for what they are, not what you hope they can become. And have your “A” players help you make hiring decisions.

5. Promote and reward recruiting. • •

• •

Make recruiting a top priority for everyone. Pay recruiting referrals - Offer a hiring bonus to new employees and a referral bonus to your employees of $500 to $1,000 for referrals who come to work. Pay it over six months to make sure new employees work out. Offer employee referral incentives to subcontractors or suppliers. Give everyone recruiting business cards.

6. Make it easy for recruits. •

Allow field foreman to hire on the spot. Give them a few questions to screen new hires including: name, address, social security number, and driver’s license. Put them to work now and check them out later. You can always terminate them later after the office screens them.

•

• • • •

Use a simple short application form. Don’t make applicants fill-out a lengthy application located on some website that’s hard to find unless you want them to not apply. Have an employee applicant voice mail extension with a recorded message. Hold a first short interview and screening process on the phone. Have a posted regular time for applicants to apply. Always take a photo of applicants to remember them.

7. Develop and manage a talent outreach program. • • •

Give seminars or workshops at your shop on weekends for potential applicants. Get involved at high schools and trade schools. Offer summer intern jobs, part-time jobs, and craft training.

8. Place compelling ads in all the right places. • •

Online. Job signs, banners, and truck signs in English continued on page 71

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SEPTEMBER, 2021

How to Win continued from page 70 and multi-languages. •

Always have a hiring phone number and email.

•

Put a hiring page on your website with exciting videos explaining how great it is to work for you.

•

Place ads in multi-language newspapers & websites.

•

Have hiring brochures available and post on job trailers, in trucks, and at jobsites.

•

Promote your signing bonus.

9. If all else fails, pay professional recruiters. Offer the standard 20% of first year pay, do not give them an exclusive, and get a guarantee that recruited people last more than six months or they will replace them at no additional cost.

Hiring is tough! Therefore, without making recruiting a top priority, it won’t happen. When I ask how many business owners need to hire more people, almost everyone says they do. And then when

I ask if they’re currently running a hiring ad, almost none of them say they are. Remember, hope is not a winning strategy. Only you can fix your hiring and talent development problems. You know what to do. Don’t be afraid of taking a risk and doing what’s required to achieve the results you want to achieve. n George Hedley CPBC is a certified professional construction BIZCOACH and popular speaker. He helps contractors build better businesses, grow, increase profits, develop management teams, improve field production, and get their companies to work. He is the best-selling author of “Get Your Construction Business To Always Make A Profit!” available on Amazon.com. To get his free e-newsletter, start a personalized BIZCOACH program, attend a BIZ-BUILDER Boot Camp, or get a discount at www. HardhatBIZSCHOOL.com online university for contractors, Visit www.HardhatPresentations.com or E-mail GH@HardhatPresentations.com.

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Advertisers’ Index ATS Equipment, Inc. .............................................................40 American Shoring, Inc........................................ Ins. Back Cvr. B2W........................................................................................54 Badger Daylighting................................................................24 BakerCorp..............................................................................15 Benevento Companies..........................................................69 Boro Sand & Stone Corp.......................................................60 Brennan Consulting...............................................................58 Dennis K. Burke, Inc..............................................................66 C&S Insurance Agency..........................................................20 Concrete Systems, Inc...........................................................34 Core & Main.............................................................................4 Cumberland Quarry Corp......................................................54 Dagle Electrical Construction Corp....................................... 14 Darmody, Merlino & Co., LLP................................................62 Dedham Recycled Gravel......................................................31 DeSanctis Insurance Agency, Inc. ........................................52 Dig Safe System, Inc.............................................................56 Jack Doheny Company..........................................................58 The Driscoll Agency...............................................................27 Eastern States Insurance Agency, Inc.................................. 41 Eastpoint Lasers, LLC...........................................................58 T. L. Edwards, Inc..................................................................62 Ferguson Waterworks............................................................68 Genalco, Inc...........................................................................25 Gorilla Hydraulic Breakers.....................................................56 L. Guerini Group, Inc..............................................................19 Hinckley Allen LLP.................................................................30 John Hoadley & Sons, Inc.....................................................67 Hydrograss Technologies Inc................................................66 Ideal Concrete Block..............................................................26 Industrial Safety & Rescue....................................................13 JESCO...................................................................................25 P. J. Keating Company...........................................................36 P. A. Landers, Inc...................................................................67 Lawrence-Lynch Corp............................................................55 Lorusso Corp.........................................................................13 Lorusso Heavy Equipment, LLC............................................32 Mass Broken Stone Company...............................................37 Milton CAT...............................................................Back Cover Monroe Tractor....................................................................... 17 NSI Contracting .....................................................................35 National Trench Safety..........................................................46 Norfolk Power Equipment, Inc...............................................56 North American Crane & Rigging LLC....................................8 North East Shoring Equipment, LLC.....................................62 Northland JCB/Alta Equipment Company.............................12 Northwestern Mutual................................................................9 Ocean State Oil......................................................................70 Palmer Paving Corp...............................................................60 Pawtucket Hot Mix Asphalt....................................................52 E. H. Perkins Construction Co., Inc.......................................72 Podgurski Corp......................................................................31 E. J. Prescott, Inc................................................Ins. Front Cvr. Putnam Pipe Corporation......................................................37 Rain For Rent-New England..................................................42 Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers......................................................22 Rodman Ford Sales, Inc..........................................................2 Schmidt Equipment, Inc...........................................................1 Scituate Concrete Products Corp..........................................44 Scrap-It, Inc............................................................................53 Shea Concrete Products, Inc. ...............................................16 SITECH New England............................................................18 Starkweather & Shepley Ins. Brokerage, Inc........................28 Taylor Oil Company...............................................................68 Tenna..................................................................................... 11 Tonry Insurance Group, Inc...................................................61 United Concrete Products.....................................................71 United Rentals Trench Safety................................................10 Watertown Ford Commercial.................................................64 Webster One Source.............................................................60 C. N. Wood Co., Inc. ...............................................................6 Woodco Machinery, Inc.........................................................50

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Construction Outlook September 2021

Articles inside

Don’t Stay Silent About Unsafe Behavior on the Job

Legal Corner

Insurance Perspective

UCANE Launching #InvestInWaterMA Campaign to Support Water/Sewer Infrastructure Funding

Technology in Construction

President’s Message

Get to Know Your UCANE Associate Members