Archive for March, 2012

How Construction Workers Can Stop Storm Water Pollution

Friday, March 30th, 2012

Construction sites can result in the discharge of significant amounts of sediment and other pollutants. Because of this, a well thought out Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) is key in controlling runoff and sediment while also minimizing erosion.

As part of this plan, Best Management Practices or BMPs describe the controls and activities used in storm water pollution prevention. BMPs can be divided into two categories:

  1. Structural BMPs: These include silt fences, sedimentation ponds, erosion control blankets, and temporary or permanent seeding
  2. Nonstructural BMPs: These include picking up trash and debris, sweeping up nearby sidewalks and streets, maintaining equipment, and training site staff on erosion and sediment control practices.

Furthermore, most SWPPPs are more than just suggested practices; they are actually written documents describing each step of a construction sites pollution prevention and implementation. These plans include:

• Descriptions of the site

• Major phases of the planned activity

•Roles and responsibilities of contractors and subcontractors

• Inspection schedules and logs

•A place to document changes and modifications to the construction plans

•Associated storm water pollution prevention activities

The Clean Water Act and Associated Federal Regulations (Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations)

These regulations require all construction site operators performing clearing, grading, and excavating to obtain coverage under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for their storm water discharges.

If you have any questions about Storm Water Runoff and Pollution Prevention or if you have a construction project that you need completed right the first time, please contact Reliable Contracting by calling 410-987-0313 or visit our website.

Reliable Contracting maintains a reputation as a leader in the construction industry. Our clientele includes builders, developers, individuals and government agencies. With projects ranging in cost from $10,000 to over $10 million, Reliable can be seen working on Maryland’s roads, highways, airports, office parks, shopping centers, hospitals, churches, and residential neighborhoods earning our reputation by providing clients with consistent quality and dedication to their projects.

Reliable Contracting Company serves the following and surrounding Counties: Annapolis, Queen Anne’s, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Baltimore City, Calvert, Caroline, Charles, Howard, Prince George, St. Mary’s, Talbot, and Washington D.C.

You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Sources:

Developing Your Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan

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Impacts of Storm Water Runoff

Friday, March 23rd, 2012

Simply put, storm water runoff, which occurs naturally, is rain or snowmelt that flows over land and does not percolate into the soil. Manmade surfaces, such as roads, sidewalks, and parking lots, can greatly alter the natural hydrology of the land by increasing the volume, velocity, and temperature of runoff and by decreasing its infiltration capacity.

  1. In nature, storm water is absorbed by the soil, which acts as a natural filter, removing harmful toxins. Then, the now harmless storm water seeps into streams, ponds, lakes, and underground aquifers.
  2. In urban areas, storm water falls directly on cement and asphalt pavements and has nowhere to filter out harmful contaminants. As a result, those contaminants are washed into waterways without undergoing natural filtration.

This is a very serious problem that can result in severe stream bank erosion, flooding, and the degradation of the biological habitat of these streams.

Other Ways Storm Water Runoff Impacts Us

  • Reducing infiltration can lower ground water levels
  • Reducing infiltration can affect drinking water supplies
  • As storm water runoff moves across surfaces, it picks up trash, debris, and pollutants such as sediment, oil and grease, pesticides and other toxins.
  • Changes in ambient water temperature, sediment, and pollutants from storm water runoff can be detrimental to aquatic life, wildlife, habitat, and human health.

Storm Water Runoff and the Construction Industry

The soil exposed by construction is especially vulnerable to excessive erosion. In fact, runoff from an unstabilized construction site can result in the loss of approximately 35–45 tons of sediment per acre each year (ASCE and WFF, 1992). This excess sediment clouds the water and reduces the amount of sunlight that is able to reach underwater plants, clog fish gills, smother aquatic habitats, etc.

If you have any questions about the Storm Water Runoff or if you have a construction project that you need completed right the first time, please contact Reliable Contracting by calling 410-987-0313 or visit our website. And be sure to check back here next week to learn how construction workers can stop storm water pollution.

Reliable Contracting maintains a reputation as a leader in the construction industry. Our clientele includes builders, developers, individuals and government agencies. With projects ranging in cost from $10,000 to over $10 million, Reliable can be seen working on Maryland’s roads, highways, airports, office parks, shopping centers, hospitals, churches, and residential neighborhoods earning our reputation by providing clients with consistent quality and dedication to their projects.

Reliable Contracting Company serves the following and surrounding Counties: Annapolis, Queen Anne’s, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Baltimore City, Calvert, Caroline, Charles, Howard, Prince George, St. Mary’s, Talbot, and Washington D.C.

You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Sources:

Developing Your Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan

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Posted in Construction Zones, Reliable Contracting, Safety Tips, Storm Water Runoff | No Comments »

Highway Construction: Safety Tips for Drivers

Friday, March 16th, 2012

Highway construction is an incredibly dangerous industry. Just check out the following statistics:

-The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reported that one in ten construction site workers are injured every year.

-The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that there are roughly 150,000 construction site accident injuries annually.

-In 2009, there were 667 work zone fatalities National Work Zone Car Crash Statistics.

-According to the National Work Zone Car Crash Statistics, approximately one work zone fatality occurs every 10 hours (2.3 a day) and approximately one work zone injury occurs every 13 minutes (110 a day).

-Crashes in highway work zones have killed at least 4,700 Americans – more than two a day – and injured 200,000 in the last five years alone (National Work Zone Car Crash Statistics).

-Still, about 85% of people killed in work zones are motorists, not workers (National Work Zone Car Crash Statistics).

To better ensure the safety of both motorists and workers, speed limits are decreased in construction zones and heavy fines are imposed for any motorists exceeding those speed limits. Still, accidents happen.

The problem is that driving conditions drastically change when entering a highway construction zone. These conditions are worsened by poor visibility brought on by adverse weather and nighttime construction.

To better protect yourself and construction workers, be sure to do the following when entering a highway construction zone:

  1. slow down and use caution
  2. Observe and obey all signs
  3. Make sure your lights are on (even during the day) to increase visibility
  4. Do not brake suddenly
  5. Maintain a safe distance with the vehicle in front of you
  6. Be prepared to change lanes as directed
  7. Keep an eye out for construction workers

Remember to do your part and stay safe in highway construction zones!

If you have any questions about the Construction Industry or if you have a construction project that you need completed right the first time, please contact Reliable Contracting by calling 410-987-0313 or visit our website.

Reliable Contracting maintains a reputation as a leader in the construction industry. Our clientele includes builders, developers, individuals and government agencies. With projects ranging in cost from $10,000 to over $10 million, Reliable can be seen working on Maryland’s roads, highways, airports, office parks, shopping centers, hospitals, churches, and residential neighborhoods earning our reputation by providing clients with consistent quality and dedication to their projects.

Reliable Contracting Company serves the following and surrounding Counties: Annapolis, Queen Anne’s, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Baltimore City, Calvert, Caroline, Charles, Howard, Prince George, St. Mary’s, Talbot, and Washington D.C.

You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Sources: Why you should Slow Down for Highway Construction

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Associated Equipment Distributors Study on Infrastructure Investment

Friday, March 9th, 2012

A new study, commissioned by the Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) and conducted by researchers at the College of William and Mary’s Thomas Jefferson Program in Public Policy, provides concrete evidence as to the positive impact infrastructure investment has on the economy and government tax receipts.

AED Study Findings

 • One dollar spent on infrastructure construction produces roughly double ($1.92) the initial spending in direct and indirect economic output.

• A dollar in aggregate public infrastructure spending will generate $3.21 in economic output (GDP) over a 20-year period. 

• Each dollar spent on infrastructure generates roughly 35 cents in indirect economic activity for manufacturers, 20 cents for professional and business services providers, and 10 cents for the finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing sector.

• Over 20 years, one dollar in aggregate infrastructure spending generates 96 cents in taxes.

o Each dollar invested in highways and streets returns approximately 35 cents in tax revenue, of which 23 cents accrues at the federal level.

o Investing $1 in sewer systems and water infrastructure generates $2.03 in tax receipts ($1.35 for the federal government).
“The bottom line is that there’s a big difference between investment and wasteful spending,” said Associated Equipment Distributors President and CEO Toby Mack. “When the federal government pays to build a road or sewer, it’s like a business buying a bulldozer or computer. It’s a productive asset that will spur economic activity and generate revenues for years to come.”

The full report is available at The Economic Impact and Financing of Infrastructure Spending.

If you have any questions about the Construction Industry or if you have a construction project that you need completed right the first time, please contact Reliable Contracting by calling 410-987-0313 or visit our website.

Reliable Contracting maintains a reputation as a leader in the construction industry. Our clientele includes builders, developers, individuals and government agencies. With projects ranging in cost from $10,000 to over $10 million, Reliable can be seen working on Maryland’s roads, highways, airports, office parks, shopping centers, hospitals, churches, and residential neighborhoods earning our reputation by providing clients with consistent quality and dedication to their projects.

Reliable Contracting Company serves the following and surrounding Counties: Annapolis, Queen Anne’s, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Baltimore City, Calvert, Caroline, Charles, Howard, Prince George, St. Mary’s, Talbot, and Washington D.C.

You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Sources:

New AED Study Shows Infrastructure Investment Aids Economy 

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Construction Employment Hits New Heights

Friday, March 2nd, 2012

While many may have loved the unseasonably warm winter we have had thus far in 2012, perhaps none loved it more than those in the construction industry. 21,000 new jobs were added in January alone, raising employment to a new two-year high, according to analysis of new federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America.

Still, some are erring on the side of caution.

“Although it’s great news that the industry has added 52,000 jobs in the past two months, the unemployment rate in construction is still double that of the overall economy, and construction employment remains at 1996 levels,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “It will take another month or two to see if the recent job growth reflects a sustained pickup or merely acceleration of homebuilding and highway projects that normally halt when the ground freezes in December and January.”

While construction employment is 11 percent above last January (2011), it is still 28 percent below its peak level of 7,726,000 in April 2006.

Important Construction Employment Statistics

• The industry’s unemployment rate in January was 17.7 percent (not seasonally adjusted), down from 22.5 percent in 2011.

• The unemployment rate was still double the all-industry rate of 8.8 percent.

• Heavy and civil engineering construction employment grew by 2.6 percent or 21,000 jobs from January 2011 to last month.

•Nonresidential building and specialty trade contractors increased employment by 2.0 percent (17,000 jobs).

•Employment among residential building and specialty trade contractors rose by 2.1 percent (41,000 jobs).

If you have any questions about the Construction Industry or if you have a construction project that you need completed right the first time, please contact Reliable Contracting by calling 410-987-0313 or visit our website.

Reliable Contracting maintains a reputation as a leader in the construction industry. Our clientele includes builders, developers, individuals and government agencies. With projects ranging in cost from $10,000 to over $10 million, Reliable can be seen working on Maryland’s roads, highways, airports, office parks, shopping centers, hospitals, churches, and residential neighborhoods earning our reputation by providing clients with consistent quality and dedication to their projects.

Reliable Contracting Company serves the following and surrounding Counties: Annapolis, Queen Anne’s, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Baltimore City, Calvert, Caroline, Charles, Howard, Prince George, St. Mary’s, Talbot, and Washington D.C.

You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter

 Sources:

Construction Employment Hits 2 Year High

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Posted in Construction Employment, Reliable Contracting | No Comments »