EHC Team Meeting

EHC Team Meeting

May 25, 2018 | Uncategorized

Our Team Meeting

for May focused on CPR and AED usage.

Diana Boulton

Owner-American First Response
presented a refresher course in these first aid measures.

The EHC team

was enthusiastic to revisit this subject as safety and being prepared for emergencies is a top priority for East Harding.
Lighthouse Academies Gymnasium Update!

Lighthouse Academies Gymnasium Update!

May 25, 2018 | Uncategorized

The new construction

of the 15,400 sf gymnasium is moving along nicely.

The interior framework

is being installed and sheetrock is already being hung.

The electrical wiring

is in place and the ductwork for the HVAC is also being installed.

We are pleased

with the progress made and look forward to the next stage drawing us closer to completion.

Be Proactive!

Be Proactive!

May 18, 2018 | Insights

Proactive

Versus Reactive Safety Approach

Many of the safety rules and procedures that are in place were “written in blood”, meaning they came about from a previous incident that caused an injury, property loss incident, or a fatality.

When we implement a safeguard

after an incident occurs we are taking a reactive approach to safety. We can look at the majority of rules and procedures that we follow today as a proactive approach towards safety, however many of them came from a reactive position.

Something bad

had to happen first before many of the rules and procedures were put into place.

Being proactive

is the best way to approach safety in the workplace. Addressing and eliminating hazards before work begins.

Many workers in some companies would rather take a reactive approach with some hazards rather than being proactive and eliminating them up front. This mindset puts everyone onsite and the company as a whole at risk for an incident or injury.

BE PROACTIVE

BE SAFE / STAY SAFE

  -Keith Broadway
Safety Director-East Harding Construction

Backing Up Safely!

Backing Up Safely!

May 11, 2018 | Insights

Operating heavy equipment

 or a motor vehicle is inherently a hazardous task, however, backing up creates more risk for incidents to occur. According to the National Safety Council,  backing accidents cause 500 deaths and 15,000 injuries per year. All too often unnecessary backing is responsible for injuries or property damage incidents.  It is important to consider the hazards of backing and what can be done to mitigate these hazards.

Hazards of Backing

With increased blind spots, backing leaves drivers and operators at more risk for error resulting in damage or injury. The most serious incident occurring due to backing is fatalities of ground personnel. OSHA states that dump trucks followed by semi-trucks and ordinary pickups are responsible for the majority of back over incidents in the past 10 years on the job. Outside of struck-by incidents involving ground personnel, there are many other hazards to consider. A few hazards include:

Less visibility/ more blind spots
Fixed objects
Moving equipment or vehicles
Uneven terrain (construction sites)

Best Practices

 and Safeguards to Mitigate the Hazards of Backing

The single best way to prevent backing-related incidents is to eliminate backing as much as possible. Most work areas and tasks can be setup in such a way that backing up is not necessary. Preplanning of movements is another way to eliminate unnecessary backing.

Look for pull-through parking before choosing to park where your first move is backing up. Always try to position yourself so that you can easily pull forward out of a parking spot.

Best Practices

If you need to back up after being in a fixed position, complete a walk around of your vehicle. This allows you to be aware of what is in your blind spots prior to making a move.

Install backup cameras on equipment and vehicles.

Use a spotter when appropriate. If backing is necessary and there are hazards such as other ground personnel or fixed objects in the area then a spotter may be necessary. Always consider the additional hazards created when a spotter is used in a work area with moving equipment or vehicles.

Mark fixed objects so they are more visible to those operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment in a work area.

Place protective barricades to protect critical or expensive equipment from struck-by incidents.

Summary

Backing can almost always be eliminated or greatly reduced when proper preplanning is used. Elimination should always be the first choice before relying on less effective safeguards such as backup cameras or a spotter.

  -Keith Broadway, Safety Director East Harding Construction
Be Safe!

Be Safe!

May 4, 2018 | Insights

Common Slip, Trip, and Fall Incidents

Falls from elevation are often deadly or result in serious injury and may include falls from ladders, falls off of mobile equipment, falls from roofs or other elevated structures, etc.. Wet floors due to moisture is also a common cause of slip incidents at work. Trips can be caused by a multitude of reasons including poor housekeeping, changes in elevation, improper footwear, etc.

Actions to Prevent Slip, Trip, and Fall Incidents

· Always use fall prevention or protection for work over 6ft in the construction industry. Protect workers by using proper guarding of any holes or wall openings using guardrails to prevent falls. Where guardrails are not feasible, use proper personal fall arrest system equipment using a full body harness and a self-retracting lanyard attached to an approved anchor point with 100% tie-off.

 

· Proper housekeeping is very important in preventing slip, trip, and fall incidents. Objects on the ground create a hazard for anyone walking or working in the area. Maintain clearly defined paths for walking in the work area. Have lay down yards for tools and equipment out of the way of employee foot traffic.

· Address any wet, slippery walking surfaces in your work area. Post signs of any hazardous surfaces until the situation is taken care of completely.

· When climbing up or down a portable or fixed ladder ensure that you use proper techniques such as using three points of contact and keeping your belt buckle within the sides of the ladder. Do not lean to reach objects- this can throw off your balance increasing the risk of a fall.

 

BE SAFE / STAY SAFE

 

-Keith Broadway, Safety Director
East Harding Construction

Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Main Library

Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Main Library

May 3, 2018 | Uncategorized

New Design Unveiled...

Van Tilbury, President & CEO-East Harding Construction, attended the unveiling of the Design Plans & Vision for the new Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Main Library on Tuesday, May 1.

East Harding Construction

was named Construction Manager in February 2018 and is looking forward to another successful project in Pine Bluff.

The New Design

is modern and exciting and will be a milestone for the growth and revitalization of the community.

 

The Library

is expected to provide a host of learning opportunities for people of all ages, including a computer lab and training sessions.

 

Construction

is expected to begin in the fall of 2018.

Library Director Bobbie Morgan says she expects to cut the ribbon on the new building in February 2020.