Brilliant Expansion Project

Workplace Violence

2006-02-18T09:00:00.000-08:00

Workplace Violence - Raising the issue and spotting the red flags - Washington Business Journal
Keep your eyes open for those who:

* have a history of violence
* are considered loners
* experience rapid weight gain or loss
* show sudden deterioration in productivity and performance
* become accident prone and reckless
* exhibit poor hygiene
* sabotage property
* have attendance problems: sickness, tardiness, leaving early
* exhibit high stress levels, crying, death of family, divorce, financial problems, excessive personal calls
* constantly make slighting references to others
* spread rumors and gossip
* consider themselves to be superior
* are never happy with what is going on
* need to constantly force their opinion on others
* have a compulsive need to control others
* think that other employees are out to get them
* are essentially paranoid
* are consistently unreasonable and argumentative and refuse to cooperate
* make others feel uneasy
* are belligerent toward customers and clients
* refuse to obey policies
* think there is a conspiracy to all functions of society
* own firearms and have interests in military, law enforcement or underground military groups
* don't take responsibility for any of their behaviors or faults or mistakes; it's always someone else's fault
* take legal action against the company, constantly filing one grievance after another
* blow everything out of proportion
* have hate and anger issues on and off the job, whether they're with co-workers, family, friends or the government
* applaud certain violent acts portrayed in the media such as racial incidents, domestic violence, shooting sprees, executions
* make statements like "he will get his" or "what goes around comes around" or "one of these days I'll have my say"
* suddenly stop making any kind of disparaging statements or behaviors and become introverted
* pay attention to the details, but lack people skills
* sexually harass others
* have had trouble with the law, even just a minor incident
* are addicted to alcohol, prescription or street drugs
* are romance-obsessed
* have drastic changes in belief systems
* express feelings of hopelessness
* display violence towards inanimate objects.

Safe Ladder Use

2006-02-17T07:31:00.000-08:00

WorkSafe British Columbia has published a booklet titled "Safe Ladder Use". The booklet is one of its Construction Safety Series.
WorkSafeBC.com - Construction - Construction Safety Series
This 12-page booklet focuses on ladder safety and fall protection for residential construction. (Scroll to bottom of the page to download the PDF - 498kb)

WorkSafeBC.com - Construction Safety

2006-02-10T20:07:00.000-08:00

WorkSafe British Columbia has published a well-illustrated and easy-to-read
booklet titled "Safe Ladder Use". The booklet is one of its Construction
Safety Series.
WorkSafeBC.com - Construction - Construction Safety Series
This 12-page booklet focuses on ladder safety and fall protection for residential construction. (Scroll to bottom of the page to download the PDF - 498kb)

Skanska leads in rail project for Ground Zero

2006-01-29T14:43:00.000-08:00

Skanska leads in rail project for Ground Zero
Skanska USA Civil, the Queens-based unit of Swedish construction firm Skanska AB, is one of the leading firms in a joint venture that won a $1.1 billion contract to build a rail transit hub at Ground Zero.

The joint venture, named Phoenix Constructors, comprises Skanska and Aliso Viejo, Calif.-based Fluor Corp. as the lead companies with a 32.5% interest each, along with Watsonville, Calif.-based Granite Construction Inc. and London-based Bovis Lend Lease.

Hazards exposed: A look through the OSHA lens

2006-01-28T17:57:00.000-08:00

Hazards exposed: A look through the OSHA lens - Minnesota OSHA
The following photos of imminent danger situations were taken by Minnesota OSHA staff members during 2002 and 2003. An imminent danger is any condition or practice that presents a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could occur immediately or before the danger can be eliminated through normal enforcement procedures. MNOSHA becomes aware of these situations through reports received from employees, the general public or direct observation by an investigator.

Photo 10
"Best of the worst"*

January Safety Meeting, open forum and tool draw

2006-01-24T17:37:00.000-08:00

Hazards of Manually Lifting Balloon Framed Walls

2006-01-14T05:12:00.000-08:00

Hazards of Manually Lifting Balloon Framed Walls - U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA's) Calumet City Area Office investigated an accident where the weight of a balloon framed wall became too heavy for the employees raising the wall, and the wall collapsed back onto the employees. OSHA's Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) data from July 1999 through July 2004 recorded 21 additional incidents involving the collapse of balloon framed walls. As a result of these 22 incidents, five employees died and 28 employees were injured, 16 of whom required hospitalization.

Balloon Framing

Balloon framing involves the placement of framed walls (generally over 10 feet in height) that run the entire vertical length from the structure's floor sill plate to the roof. Balloon framed walls have been raised for years using manual labor. However, over the years framed walls have become heavier due to contemporary construction designs. Many contractors have developed guidelines for employees raising such walls. However, these guidelines are not consistent and often rely heavily on the foreman guessing the weight of the wall and estimating the number of employees necessary to perform the lift.

Study: 15 Percent of U.S. Work Force Under the Influence of Alcohol

2006-01-12T19:28:00.000-08:00

Study: 15 Percent of U.S. Work Force Under the Influence of Alcohol - Occupational Hazards
The study, conducted by the University of Buffalo Research Institute on Addictions, estimates that 2.3 million workers (1.8 percent of the work force) have consumed alcohol at least once before coming to work and 8.9 million workers (7.1 percent of the work force) have drank alcohol at least once during the workday. Most workers who drink during the workday do so during lunch breaks, though some drink while working or during other breaks, according to the study.
==========
Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace - U.S. Department of Labor
Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace is a U.S. Department of Labor initiative that raises awareness about the impact drugs and alcohol have on the workplace and provides information on how to establish drug-free workplace programs that protect worker safety and health.

Australia: 90 meters up, why no safety harness?

2006-01-08T15:31:00.000-08:00

this fatality was referenced by WorkSafeBC - Safety at Work Construction Information - Sun Jan 8, 2006 -- additional info was obtained by querrying Google News for "scaffolder"

Why no harness - By LARISSA CUMMINGS, Daily Telegraph, Australia
"I was a scaffolder myself and I've seen too many people killed," he said. "They were the only two sons I had and now half my family's dead.

"I didn't want to let them go into scaffolding, but Paul wanted to follow in my footsteps."

Mr Hughes said he was aware his son was not wearing a safety harness but said it was virtually impossible for a scaffolder to work while clipped to one.

"When a bloke is building scaffolding, he needs the freedom of his body to do that job," he said.
========
Mr Whitehead said Mr Hughes's death could prompt the industry to introduce intermediate decks for scaffolders, similar to those being used in Victoria.

"This will be the catalyst for a major shake-up of the building industry," he said.

---------------------------------------
Scaffolder's death prompts calls to scrap IR changes - ABC Regional Online, Australia
The construction union says such tragedies could happen more frequently because new legislation will give unions less access to inspect workplaces.

Mr Hughes' father, Frank, says he is devastated by the loss.

'Every man that comes to a job, his birth right is to come home from a job,' he said.

'I learned that a very, very long time ago because I've been in the building industry all my life and I learned that a long time ago if you go to work, you're entitled to come home.'

Happy New Year from CHC

2006-01-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

Ted Chant always says:

Skanska has a world wide motto:

the staff and management of Columbia Hydro Contractors would like to remind you how to beat the cold:

Turkey dinner at the carpenters shop lunch room

2005-12-22T22:04:00.000-08:00

$32 Million Injury Award

2005-12-16T17:15:00.000-08:00

$32 Million Injury Award - By STEPHANIE REITZ, The Hartford Courant
Worker Paralyzed By Falling Beam At Construction Site In 1994

The injury prompted a lawsuit that took more than 10 years to wind through court where, on Thursday, a jury awarded Pelletier more than $32.1 million in his workplace safety negligence case against Sordoni Skanska Construction Co. of New Jersey.

The company's attorneys said Friday they will appeal the verdict.

Unless the verdict is overturned, Pelletier could also receive up to $8 million in interest in addition to the $32.1 million, since the company rejected Pelletier's offer several years ago to settle the case for $6 million.

Pelletier, 54, won a precedent-setting decision before the state Supreme Court in 2003 for the right to sue Sordoni Skanska, which unsuccessfully argued it could not be held responsible for Pelletier's injuries because he worked for one of its subcontractors.

Since then, his case has been cited several times in claims brought by injured workers statewide.

read additional commentary at Confined Space

Forest death toll angers union

2005-12-15T18:30:00.000-08:00

Forest death toll angers union - By MARK HUME, The Globe and Mail
To Mr. Hunt, Western Canada director of the United Steelworkers, the death came as a double blow because not only does he represent unionized loggers in B.C., but he recently launched a major campaign to make the woods safer.

Since a Steelworkers-sponsored forest fatality summit in Vancouver 10 days ago, three more loggers have died on the job.

power poles being lifted by chopper

2005-12-11T18:46:00.001-08:00

Summit plans crackdown in the woods

2005-12-10T17:26:00.000-08:00

Summit plans crackdown in the woods - Vancouver Sun
'What the hell is going on out there,' said moderator Jack Munro, former head of the IWA, now merged with the Steelworkers. 'We have reported 41 forest industry deaths and the year is not yet finished.'

'What kind of insane world does this forest industry live in when a sub-contractor faller is working alone to clear a right-of-way on a Sunday with his wife who was working as a safety spotter?' Munro asked, citing the lonely death Nov. 13 of faller James Warner, who died when he was struck by a falling snag. His wife discovered his body.

Munro said 'cardinal rules,' like never working near a snag, appear to have been forgotten.

The fatalities summit was organized by the Steelworkers in response to growing awareness of the death and injury rate in the forest sector.

'We don't think and never have thought that it is okay to go to work and die,' Steelworkers western regional director Steve Hunt said.

Photos of hazards in the workplace

2005-11-28T18:39:00.000-08:00

Photos of hazards in the workplace - safetyphoto uk
The purpose of this web site is to provide practical information that might be helpful to NEBOSH, occupational health/safety students and others, whilst taking part in their studies. It brings together in one place, photographs of hazards, poor working procedures and near misses in the workplace.

"Swedish Hard Hat" order form, no kidding

2005-11-27T10:53:00.000-08:00

Visor, "Swedish Hard Hat"

Rally calls for safer logging practices

2005-11-26T19:48:00.000-08:00

Rally calls for safer logging practices - By Sandra McCulloch, Victoria Times Colonist
Talk of logging companies upgrading their safety programs brought only scoffs from many of those gathered in Chemainus on Thursday.

"I'm here to support safety awareness for the B.C. loggers because too many have died this year," said rally organizer Glynis Eve, whose husband was a logger for 23 years. Eve is founder of the Vancouver Island Loggers Safety Support Group.

"We are not the enemy, we are an independent group of concerned citizens," she said.

Changing to longer stretches of working days -- to six or 10 days in a row from five days -- is making loggers tired and prone to accidents, she said. She vowed the group will act "to ensure our loved ones' place of employment returns to the respectable camps they once were."

Recent changes are putting loggers at risk, said Scott Baird, who has worked in the logging industry, as has his family. "Because we've gone to contract logging, corners are being cut and safety is the first sacrifice [companies] seem to make."

Cathedral Grove Vancouver Island

2005-11-25T18:11:00.000-08:00

CathedralGrove.se
The Swedish website project on Cathedral Grove explores - primarily by means of visual representation - the relationships between environmental politics and history; between environmental activism and vested interests; between environmental ethics and science; between European and North American cultural identities. The project is motivated by a concern over the degradation of nature by the global wood products industry, and reflects on the non-sustainable consumption of natural resources and its devastating consequences on the ancient forests and indigenous peoples of the world. The Cathedral Grove website is an appeal to help protect the last old growth forests in North America, those rare and endangered places that have hitherto escaped the tsunami of imperialism, resource exploitation and population expansion triggered by Europeans.

plywood-pete's world map of visitors

2005-11-24T19:31:00.000-08:00

Site Meter - Counter and Statistics Tracker
try this new Site Meter feature we just added this week: click the link above and let the world map load and mouse over the dots to see where visitors are coming from....

"Nobody trusts WCB"

2005-11-21T19:15:00.000-08:00

Faller dies on job -- forestry death rate doubles '04 - By Gordon Hamilton, Vancouver Sun
Forest licensees say a culture of risk-taking in the logging sector and a shortage of skilled workers are factors in the rising death toll.

But loggers say conditions have changed in the bush and companies and provincial agencies like WorkSafe B.C. have yet to respond to the new reality of small owner-operator contractors.

The self-employed contractors face pressures to produce more for less, yet are considered employers rather than employees by Worksafe B.C. Their premiums skyrocket if they report safety violations.

Fallers also say they are being required to work under increasingly difficult circumstances as companies rely on an on-and-off pattern of employment and lay-offs known as "lurch-logging." Lurch logging is where workers are hired by contractors for the duration of a specific contract rather than having full-time jobs with forest companies.

Lurch logging is leaving them exhausted and uncertain of steady work, said faller Bill Boardman, a safety advocate and close friend of Gramlich.

"They bring us in like gypsies, stack us on the hill and work us until the job is done," he said of current logging methods.

...Continued

"Nobody trusts WCB," Brown said referring to WorkSafe B.C. "Why? Because they [faller contractors] don't want their rates to go up. They don't want to get in trouble because WCB puts them through the ringer.

"Until that changes," he said, "people will be out there working when they shouldn't be working, when they should be laying at home in bed healing. That wasn't Ted's case but those are the problems."

Brilliant Oct. 21 safety meeting - Skanska safety week

2005-11-20T14:36:00.003-08:00

so its 6:45 am - graveyard is tired, day shift is just starting, afternoon shift is no where in sight, open forum is truncated and management is defensive - Pete says it will be run better next time - no accidents for the week tho' so that's a plus for the workers
(commentary and photos by Doc)

Working in the Dark

2005-11-18T05:00:00.000-08:00

Working in the Dark - Grading and Excavation Contractor
Regarding the key to successful work in darkness, Eldridge points out that good lighting is essential because operating and moving around heavy equipment demands good visibility and concentration for everybody at the site. He adds that his workers seldom attempt anything as precise as fine-grading at night because however good some lighting systems are, they are not quite the same as daylight for such applications. Most contractors seem to agree with that.

Good lighting for nighttime construction work is essential, and there are standards set for the amount necessary - set nationally by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration. You can find those standards, explained and recorded, at the Web site www.osha.gov. It is mandatory that all local standards for lighting and noise be met during any night work. The risks you take by trying to avoid any regulations are not only financial, though they should be deterrent enough; in some communities there is an inspector on-site to make sure you have enough light. The determining factor appears to be the amount of adequate light available for a certain work area, and contractors who have experience in night work tend to learn how much is required and practical and where to find the right lights. If your excavation involves moving along a road, street, or airstrip, for example, you might discover that two trailer-mounted units, hauled along as the work progresses, are enough. Some projects, because of their area and the different jobs going on (e.g., surveying before you excavate), might require more than 20 lighting systems.

a typical scene on the dark side:

2005-11-17T19:22:00.001-08:00

Pete Walton was making a safety inspection in the powerhouse last Tuesday.

He entered the powerhouse sump area where several Skanska supervisors were talking to a crew of cement finishers.

One supervisor, Mats, is pretending to read a blueprint and Bengt, the other Skanska line manager is hanging upside down from the ceiling.

The safety rep asked what are you guys doing?

The first Skanska supervisor says “Can't you see I yam vreading some blueprints?”'

The supervisor then says “and my construction manager from Sveden he is slightly cvazy. He seems to tink he is a light bulb.”

At that point Pete says, "Since Bengt is an employee of Skanska, don't you think you should get him down from there before he hurts himself?'

Mats then looked over at the safety rep and said, “Vat?!...And have the cement finishers vork in the dark?”

Average Swedish family "cannot afford a house" - they must be working under the Allied Hydro agreement also.....

2005-11-16T17:10:00.000-08:00

Average family "cannot afford a house" - The Local, Sweden
Average families where both parents are in blue-collar jobs on a collective wage agreement are no longer able to afford to buy a house in most parts of Sweden, according to a new report.

For the second year in a row the National Association of Homeowners has studied the living costs of families with children. This year's figures show that a couple whose income is based on average trade union salaries would not be able to buy a small house in 270 of Sweden's 290 districts.

If one of the parents ended up working only 75% of the time or became unemployed, they would not be able to afford a property anywhere in the country.

"We believe that blue-collar workers should be able to afford to live in their own house," said the vice-director of the association, Elisabeth Österman.

"Unfortunately the research shows that it's hard. The main problem is the property tax, which needs a fundamental rethink."

Families in the Stockholm suburb of Danderyd face the highest housing costs at an average of 15,970 kronor per month. At the other end of the scale, a family in Ragunda pays an average of 4,045 kronor per month.

According to the report, housing expenses eat up between 16% and 58% of a trade union member family's disposable income, compared to between 12% and 46% for a professional family.

Give us our knives or the fish gets it -- Swedish version

2005-11-13T08:42:00.000-08:00

Sweden's Nessie loses its special protection - Scotsman.com News
A NESSIE-like mythical monster, believed by some to have lived for hundreds of years in the murky depths of a Swedish lake, is now fair game for hunters - if they can find it - after authorities agreed to lift its endangered-species protection.

Hundreds of people claim to have spotted a large serpent-like creature in Lake Storsjon in the north-western province of Jamtland, and in 1986 the regional council put it on a list of endangered animals.

But a government watchdog challenged the decision, saying such protection was hardly necessary for a creature whose existence has not been proven.

The council has now agreed to remove the listing, but declined to rule out that there is a monster living in the 300ft-deep lake. "It exists, inasmuch as it lives in the minds of people," said Peter Lif, the council's chief legal adviser.

The so-called Storsjo monster was first mentioned in print in 1635. Some people describe the creature as a snakelike animal with a dog's head and fins on its neck. But no clear image of it has been captured on camera.

Storsjo monster aficionados said lifting the endangered species protection was a mistake, and appeared insulted. "We are not fanatics," said Christer Berko, of the Storsjo Monster Association. "We see this as very interesting phenomenon that we unfortunately have not been able to prove."

Remembrance Day 2005

2005-11-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

Remembrance Day 2005 - United Transportation Union
Take the time to attend the ceremonies this year and offer your thanks to a group of men and women who suffered greatly so that Canadians from all walks of life could maintain their freedom.

Had the results of the war been different, there might not be the opportunity to say thanks to those who protected this country and its people.

Encounters With Canada Blog - Veterans Affairs Canada

It's more than just a 'holiday' - edmontonsun.com
NDP MP Peter Stoffer said declaring the Year of the Veteran has done much to build respect for Canada's veterans.But he's disappointed some people still see Nov. 11 as a 'holiday.'

'You'd think for Remembrance Week, and for Remembrance Day, we would actually take a full day to reflect upon what happened in those terrible years, and I think some people still don't get it,' he said.

British Columbia Recognizes Cancer as an Occupational Hazard for Firefighters

2005-11-10T14:28:00.000-08:00

click for full text of article - Occupational Hazards
"The core of a workers' compensation system is that it must be responsive to workers' and employers' needs," Labour and Citizens' Services Minister Mike de Jong said. "The contributions our firefighters make in communities all over B.C. should never be underestimated, and it's important we support them in every way we can."

This change to the Workers Compensation Act creates what is called a "rebuttable presumption." This means the onus will be on WorkSafeBC – the Workers' Compensation Board – or the employer to bring forward proof to establish why an injured worker should not be eligible for compensation rather than placing the burden of proof on a sick firefighter.

"This is an important day for B.C.'s firefighters," said Al Leier, president of the B.C. Professional Fire Fighters' Association. "Having the risk of cancer recognized as one of the hazards of our job is welcome news."

Steve Malekow and the Powerhouse roof beam

2005-11-09T13:46:00.000-08:00

Hi Pete
Please find attached the photo I created of me holding the Powerhouse roof beam.
You have my permission to post it in the Photo Gallery of the Columbia Power Corporation Website.

Yours truly,
Steve Malekow

Know Your Knots

2005-11-09T13:20:00.000-08:00

Know Your Knots - NY Dockbuilders Local Union 1456
6 knots in flash animation

Get Killed On The Job and You're Fired!

2005-11-08T19:37:00.000-08:00

click for full text: Get Killed On The Job and You're Fired! commentary by Jordan Barab, Confined Space
Now I'm sure to get a comment from someone asking how I could possibly have a problem with a "zero-tolerance safety policy." The problem is bloody pocket syndrome which Steelworkers union health and safety director Mike Wright describes as "steelworkers who may have as little as a cut on their hand while on the job and in fear of retribution will hide it and wait until after their shift to go to the hospital."

After all, if you get injured, it means you must have violated some kind of safety rule, otherwise you wouldn't have gotten hurt. And if you violated a safety rule, you're outta here. To quote Mr. Williams III again, "There is no warning system. There is no probation. You are gone."

As we have said over and over (and over and over) again here at Confined Space, most workplace accidents are caused not by careless workers or "complacencies," but by unsafe working conditions. Blaming accidents on employees, disciplining and firing them for any injury or safety violation doesn't encourage employees to look for, report and analyze the root causes of workplace accidents and close calls, but to hide them.

high angle rescue photos

2005-11-06T10:01:00.000-08:00

Brilliant Intakes mock rescue November 3
click images for full size photos

Skanska knives, the story so far...

2005-11-05T21:00:00.000-08:00

first announced as a safety incentive, held back as a production bonus bribe, then back ordered and kept under lock-and-key, lately described as ratty knock-offs or scheduled for delivery before years end -- the rumours continue...

... and cryptic ransom notes have started to appear around the job site:

Brilliant photos via Skanska

2005-10-31T09:03:00.000-08:00

Brilliant photos in a Flash slide show format and can be viewed by clicking the "Sunday" link

the 6 photos can also be accessed at the Skanska safety week web page near the bottom under the title Picture of the Day

MAKING ZERO ACCIDENTS A REALITY

2005-10-23T19:53:00.000-07:00

MAKING ZERO ACCIDENTS A REALITY
Skanska is committed to providing a safe working environment for all workers on our sites, with the primary objective of zero accidents.

Our vision is to be a world leader in construction-related safety performance driven by a philosophy of countinual improvement.

Safety Week is our opportunity to build on the success of last year's Safety Day - to demonstrate that we can all work in a safe environment on a continual basis. After all, everyone has the right to leave work each day in the same condition that they arrived.

view global Skanska accidents map, graph and clock (Flash 7)

See examples of safety measures and learn more about safety equipment.
Read more »
Get a glimpse of the action at our sites during the week.
View the pictures »
Comment on safety issues in Skanska and in the industry.
Mail us »

Skanska Malta JV Safety Week

2005-10-23T19:35:00.000-07:00

Skanska Malta JV Safety Week 24th-28th OCTOBER 2005
Mater Dei Hospital Project, Malta
SMJV emphasize a lot on having the worksite clean and well organized as this goes hand in hand with health, safety and environmental efficiency. The use of scaffolds when working at heights above 2m and personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling various chemicals in particular hazardous chemicals are mandatory.

The team sees that under no circumstances an opening is left uncovered. Guardrails are erected and maintained by two permanently employed Skanska carpenters and whenever removed for temporary access, they are immediately refitted.

Skanska Safety Week 2005

2005-10-21T16:40:00.000-07:00

Last year on Safety Day, Skanska achieved close to 1,000,000 working hours without any reported accidents. This year, we are aiming even higher.

The week of October 24-30 is Skanska Safety Week. Throughout the company – at locations around the globe – Skanska’s job sites will have one goal in common: one week, zero accidents. Because we believe that if we can achieve one day or one week without accidents, then it must also be possible to have no accidents at all.

Visit Skanska.com

How can we be safer?

Job Action in the Kootenays Sends Clear Message to Campbell Government

2005-10-19T21:53:00.000-07:00

BC Federation of Labour
'Job action today by union members in the Kootenays sends a clear message to the Campbell government to negotiate, not legislate,' said B.C. Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair.

Thousands of private and public sector union members were off the job today in the East and West Kootenays to protest Bill 12.

'From mines, to mills, to municipal halls -- the tremendous demonstration of the labour movement today should not be ignored by the Liberal government,' Sinclair said. 'There is an opportunity here for some real bargaining to take place and I strongly encourage the government to take it.'

Sinclair thanked the East and West Kootenay Labour Councils for their hard work in ensuring today's protests were a success.

Skanska Safety Day, held on October 20, 2004

2005-10-13T16:55:00.000-07:00

Skanska.com from the Wayback Machine Internet Archives

An injury-free workplace - that’s the goal when Skanska intensifies its focus on safety. With a new Safety Strategy Skanska aims to become the world leader in safety performance, through consistent improvements towards the goal of zero accidents.

A safe work environment not only eliminates accidents. It also raises the level of quality, improves productivity and increases the value for the customer.

New Safety Strategy

The strategy includes issues like management focus, continual improvement and performance follow-up. The target, of course, is the injury-free workplace. To achieve this, safety is top of the agenda of all Skanska’s operational site meetings from Seattle to Warsaw. This, along with regular site-specific safety hazard analyses and mandatory personal protection equipment such as hard hats and high visibility vests, are requirements included in the new strategy.

“By following the Skanska Safety Strategy, we can achieve our vision of an injury-free workplace in all our markets - and ensure that every individual who works on a Skanska site gets home safely at the end of each day. This is not only a matter of values, but also of performance and responsibility,” says Stuart Graham, Skanska’s President and CEO.

The Skanska Safety Day, held on October 20, high-lighted the safety work in the various parts of Skanska and aims to raise awareness of Skanska’s new Safety strategy.

Activities included toolbox talks and managers on all levels participating in safety inspections on site.

The Skanska Safety Day also tied in with the European Week for Safety and Health at Work, the theme for this year being Building in Safety.

News Flash -- Ted Chant finds correct Blueprints -- starts building tour boat

2005-10-09T07:52:00.000-07:00

This reporter has learned that the Brilliant Expansion Project has been changed at the last moment due to a computer glitch that printed out the wrong design plans. The artist's concept shown here reflects the new design of The Brilliant Excursion Project. The powerhouse will be still completed as drawn, but the rebar will be cut away at the gate guides and scroll case base and then the entire structure will be floated away from the tailrace launching dock. A paddle wheel generator will be installed to supply sufficient electricity to power the tour boat. When the Keenleyside dam is removed (deconstruction starts in November) for the first time in 86 years a flat bottom stern wheeler will travel the Arrow Lakes from the TransCanada highway to within a Trudeau salute of the American border. No sturgeon were harmed in the redesign.

For more information contact Wally Penner, Executive Director, Community and Regional Affairs at the Castlegar Columbia Power Corporation office 250-365-8532

Brilliant Cranes

2005-10-08T13:14:00.000-07:00

Helicopter photos - Powerhouse

2005-10-07T19:03:00.000-07:00

photos by Keith Paul / George Lupieri

Helicopter photos - Intakes

2005-10-06T19:23:00.000-07:00

photos by Keith Paul / George Lupieri

Brilliant faces: site wide safety meetings

2005-10-05T20:02:00.000-07:00

Pete Walton - (photos by d@ve)

Steelworkers reach tentative settlement with Teck Cominco

2005-10-04T18:30:00.000-07:00

Vote Tuesday: Steelworkers reach tentative settlement with Teck Cominco - Canada Newswire
A strike that started July 19 could be over soon if members of two locals of the United Steelworkers accept a settlement reached early Monday with Teck Cominco Ltd.

No details of the settlement will be released until members of Local 480 (1,140 production and maintenance employees) and 9705 (170 office and technical employees) have an opportunity to review them.

Report finds high rate of tree faller deaths in British Columbia

2005-10-03T19:37:00.000-07:00

Report finds high rate of tree faller deaths in British Columbia - AP, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
McKibbin said he was told by fellow fallers that they are often afraid to complain about unsafe practices.

'Fallers who ignore safety are rewarded with more work and extended shifts. They (contractors) find a younger, more ignorant man on the crew to do it,' he said.

Board inspectors, McKibbin said, must give one-day notice of when they want to inspect a site, thereby giving the contractor time to 'clean things up.'

WorkSafeBC spokeswoman Donna Freeman said fallers and any other workers who feels their workplace is dangerous have a legal right to refuse do unsafe work.

Tree Fallers Report Cites Lack of Safety Measures for Carnage in B.C. Forests - Western Fallers Association
Tree fallers have the most dangerous job on the planet. Four have lost their lives so far in 2005. Eleven fallers have suffered serious injuries. In the past 10 years, 58 fallers have died in B.C. forests.

FREE TOURS OF THE BRILLIANT EXPANSION PROJECT

2005-09-27T18:37:00.000-07:00

Columbia Power Corporation, Columbia Basin Trust and the Brilliant Expansion Consortium are pleased to announce the first Brilliant Expansion Project Community Day on Sunday, October 2nd, 2005. This free event is located at the Brilliant Dam near Castlegar, and is open to everyone.

Free tours of the Project will be conducted, starting with Senior's tours from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m., and tours for the general public running from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Along with the tours, children's activities will be available and free entertainment and refreshments will be offered throughout the day.

Plans are to take visitors by bus across the Brilliant Dam, and then proceed on foot through the access tunnel to the powerhouse site, where they will re-board the bus for the trip back to the Brilliant Dam. Proper footwear is required and visitors are asked to leave their pets at home. Because parking on site is limited, visitors are encouraged to carpool to this event.

read more...

Most creative waterstop weld

2005-09-26T18:34:00.000-07:00

and the award goes to Afternoon shift!
L. Voykin and D.Livingston 03.16.05

Global workplace deaths vastly under-reported, says ILO

2005-09-26T18:24:00.000-07:00

Global workplace deaths vastly under-reported, says ILO - International Labour Organization
'Occupational safety and health is vital to the dignity of work', said ILO Director-General Juan Somavia. 'Still, every day, on average, some 5,000 or more women and men around the world lose their lives because of work-related accidents and illness. Decent Work must be safe work, and we are a long way from achieving that goal.'

Brilliant Intakes - photos 1669, 1670, 1671

2005-09-24T15:46:00.000-07:00

Brilliant Intakes - photos 1666, 1667, 1668

2005-09-23T05:11:00.000-07:00

Photos by Pete Walton

Forest union threatens 'death' strikes

2005-09-22T19:56:00.000-07:00

Forest union threatens 'death' strikes - by Gordon Hamilton, CanWest News Service
VANCOUVER -- Forest workers say they are considering shutting down the entire forest industry for a day of mourning every time a logger dies on the job in a bid to focus attention on the industry's unacceptably high number of fatalities.

Twenty-seven workers have died in the B.C. forest industry this year, according to Darrell Wong, president of Local 2171 of the Steelworkers Union, which passed last week a resolution calling for such a shutdown.

'If the whole industry were to shut down every time somebody was killed, then safety would suddenly become a very high profile issue,' said Wong, who represents loggers working on the B.C. coast.

Brilliant rod busters

2005-09-21T16:37:00.000-07:00

rodbusters - scroll case - afternoon shift, April 8, 2005

photos by Doc Livingston

Skanska and Ikea join up to build "flat pack" homes

2005-09-19T20:08:00.000-07:00

BoKlok brings smart living to the UK
BoKlok is a concept developed in Sweden by Skanska and IKEA. BoKlok homes are popular across Scandinavia where over 2000 people own a BoKlok home.

IKEA BoKlok Flatpack houses spread Swedish gospel

Skanska.com: "BoKlok (LiveSmart) is growing. The UK will be the first market outside the Nordic region to receive "flat pack" homes, a concept developed and owned jointly with IKEA.

maybe Brilliant should have been a consortium of Skanska and Lego?

Steel starts - Saturday 10 Sept crane pick

2005-09-18T11:52:00.000-07:00

here are the last 3 pictures (1665, 1664 and 1663) in the series of the Sat. Sept 10 crane pick... click each image for a much larger image

all the photos in this series are by Pete Walton

images 1662, 1661, 1660 in series...

2005-09-17T16:29:00.000-07:00

images 1659, 1657, 1656 in series...

2005-09-16T20:17:00.000-07:00

images 1655, 1654, 1653 in series...

2005-09-15T17:21:00.000-07:00

images 1652, 1650, 1649 in series...

2005-09-14T16:13:00.000-07:00

images 1648, 1646, 1645 in series...

2005-09-13T18:55:00.000-07:00

Mats Alexanderson examines the gate guides -

2005-09-11T15:22:00.000-07:00

but there's something strange about the tailrace perspective...

Powerhouse News and Review

2005-09-11T12:53:00.000-07:00

Safety Rep. Don Wilson has pointed out (and rightly so) that the forklifts are for all the trades and that Don Lapinski has to start using the stair towers to access the top of the powerhouse.
+++++++

Theresa Johnson has requested (AGAIN!) that the chairs from the 1st Aid Shack NOT be taken every time there is a shortage of scaffold screwjacks.
++++++++

Site security observed a Brilliant worker taking equipment off-site for personal use. This is not to be tolerated as Skip Brewster needs those hay bales for stopping the rocks from falling when scaling above the workers in the intakes.

The impact of overtime and long work hours on occupational injuries and illnesses

2005-09-06T20:24:00.000-07:00

The impact of overtime and long work hours on occupational injuries and illnesses: new evidence from the United States - Dembe et al., Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Results: After adjusting for those factors, working in jobs with overtime schedules was associated with a 61% higher injury hazard rate compared to jobs without overtime. Working at least 12 hours per day was associated with a 37% increased hazard rate and working at least 60 hours per week was associated with a 23% increased hazard rate. A strong dose-response effect was observed, with the injury rate (per 100 accumulated worker-years in a particular schedule) increasing in correspondence to the number of hours per day (or per week) in the workers' customary schedule.

Ted Chant visits Brilliant

2005-09-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Ted is suitably impressed with the new outrigger support pad for the 440 Ton crane that will be in place on ~~August 18~~ ~~August 28~~ Sept 6 and he hopes to stop by for a few more minutes later in the fall.

Hurricane Katrina - How to Help

2005-09-02T11:40:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Katrina - Canadian Red Cross
Hurricane Katrina - American Red Cross
Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund II - AFL-CIO's Union Community Fund

I made a donation today via the Canadian Red Cross Katrina fund as the AFL-CIO site (above) has no Canadian address function, and the Canadian Labour Congress has no reference to Katrina as of 11 AM Friday...
fraternally, d@ve livingston

updates: Hurricane Relief News Briefs AFL-CIO

Brilliant Powerhouse construction from the highway viewpoint

2005-09-01T20:27:00.000-07:00

Alberta, Canada: Workplace Injury Rates at Record Low

2005-08-30T05:14:00.000-07:00

Alberta, Canada: Workplace Injury Rates at Record Low - Occupational Hazards
The Occupational Injuries and Diseases in Alberta 2004 Summary includes information on the Work Safe Alberta initiative; a provincial summary of LTC rates by industry sector; demographics of injured workers and the nature of their injuries or disease; and occupational fatalities accepted by WCB. It is available online at http://www.gov.ab.ca/hre/whs/publications/statistics.asp

3 Intake Pictures - 27 Aug 2005

2005-08-29T20:25:00.000-07:00

3 more Intake Pictures - 27 Aug 2005

2005-08-29T20:20:00.000-07:00

Securing Hole Openings

2005-08-27T10:28:00.000-07:00

BRILLIANT EXPANSION PROJECT
Safety Program
9.0 Securing Hole Openings

Scope:
Hole openings are common in the construction of buildings and are considered one of the most dangerous situations a worker can be exposed to due to the fact they are often covered up without proper securement leading to a fall through these openings. The following procedure will eliminate this hazard when properly implemented.

(WCB Regulation Part 4.59)
(1) A pit or other opening in a floor, walkway, roof or other area accessible to workers, which is a danger to workers, must be securely covered with a cover of adequate size and strength or guarded by fixed or movable guardrails, which must be identified as such and kept in place except when necessarily removed to work in the opening or pit.

Procedure:
1. Hole Openings to be covered with minimum of _ inch plywood, which is then secured by nailing down.
2. If not able to nail down plywood, affix 2x2 inch minimum, wood pieces to the plywood as such to match the inside dimensions of the hole opening.
3. All covers to be well marked and the word “HOLE” clearly visible on the cover.

Ensure all hole covers are properly maintained on a regular basis so the word hole is visible and the covers are secured.

==================
Preventing Falls of Workers through Skylights and Roof and Floor Openings - NIOSH Publication No. 2004-156

Memo - Brilliant Expansion Blog/Website

2005-08-19T20:09:00.000-07:00

DATE: August 17, 2005

TO: All Personnel

FROM: Peter Walton

SUBJECT: Brilliant Expansion Blog/Website
__________________________________

All personnel are invited to log into the Brilliant Expansion Blog, which was built by Dave Livingston (Carpenter in Carpenter Shop) and is maintained by Dave and Myself. Please feel free to comment on current issues and see some cool pictures, which will be updated almost daily. Keep it light and have fun with it.

http://plywood-pete.blogspot.com

Powerhouse picture from crane

2005-08-16T15:13:00.000-07:00

Picture taken on August 16, 2005 from blue crane.

(note: click image for larger photo)

Heat Stress is main topic at site-wide quarterly safety meeting

2005-08-11T18:59:00.000-07:00

Source: CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)
Heat Stroke
Cause: If a person's body has used up all its water and salt, it will stop sweating. This can cause body temperature to rise.
Symptoms: High body temperature (over 41 deg C) and any one of the following: the person is weak, confused, upset or acting strangely; has hot, dry, red skin; a fast pulse; a headache or dizziness. In later stages, a person may pass out and have convulsions.
Treatment: CALL AMBULANCE. This condition can kill a person quickly. Remove excess clothing; fan and spray the person with cool water; offer sips of cool water if the person is conscious.
Prevention: Reduce activity levels and/or heat exposure. Drink fluids regularly. Workers should check on each other to help spot the symptoms which often precede heat stroke.
read more
===========================

Cal/OSHA Submits Heat Stress Regulations to State
Occupational Hazards - 08/01/2005
'With 2 months left in the heat season, it is imperative that action be taken immediately to protect those who work outside,' California Department of Industrial Relations Director John Rea said. 'Among the provisions of the regulations the real key is education for both employees and supervisors. The best way to battle heat illness is to avoid it in the first place, and proper education helps achieve that goal.'

The regulations will apply equally to all who work outdoors in conditions that induce heat stress -- from the farm worker to the roofer to the laborer paving the highway.
read more

The Brilliant Expansion Project

2005-08-10T17:17:00.000-07:00

Skanska website
For the first time, Skanska builds a water power plant in Canada. The expansion of the Brilliant Dam is a project that involves extreme environmental and socio-economic care.

Skanska was awarded the project due to an innovative suggestion of design change. Originally, the intention was to construct the Brilliant Dam Expansion as an open channel, but Skanska proposed a tunnel instead, with the advantages of minimizing the environmental disturbance and better management of the construction risks. Furthermore, the tunnel reduces the visual impact and the volumes of excavated rock.

Skanska Memo # 404 (revised): the lunchroom should be on site within 2 weeks ...

2005-08-07T13:00:00.001-07:00

click here for afternoon shift rodbusters working in scrollcase back in April

Mats Alexanderson proudly announces that bygget följer tidsplans ... er, kanske

2005-08-07T12:48:00.000-07:00

happy workers are shown doing a little chipping in the intakes on Saturday

Ed Cunningham finds a way to move rebar when the blue crane goes down

2005-08-07T12:32:00.000-07:00

Skanska Memo # 392: Breaks will now be taken at the work station

2005-08-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

welcome and night pour photo

2005-08-07T11:35:00.000-07:00

Hi, welcome to the online forum for discussing issues of health and safety at the Brilliant Dam. Use the comment links to let us know your thoughts about the project and share your ideas on how to improve safety on the jobsite. You may post anonymously if so inclined but feel free to indicate your trade and/or shift.

I set this weblog up for Pete Walton, the Skanska safety rep, not knowing if his sense of humour and dedication are compatible with blogging. If all goes as planned he will co-edit this site and answer your questions and address your safety concerns here. Or he could fire me, a thought that must have crossed his mind on numerous occasions. For the record, Plywood Pete was not my creation and has no resemblance to anyone who wears red cruiser vests on the Brilliant expansion project.

Here is a link to a night pour photo from March 2005.
fraternally, dave "doc" livingston, carpenter