Archive for the ‘Safety Tips’ Category

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The Benefits of TMPs: Lessening Construction Site Injuries

Thursday, January 10th, 2013

When it comes to construction zone on highways, or any other roadway for that matter, safety is of the utmost importance. That is why transportation engineers across the nation are constantly trying to improve highway safety. And they may have stumbled upon something that actual works… Transportation Management Plans (TMPs)

The Benefits of TMPs

According the FHWA Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule (23 CFR 630 Subpart J), “A TMP lays out a set of coordinated strategies and describes how these strategies will be used to manage the work zone impacts of a project. The scope, content, and level of detail of a TMP may vary based on the agency’s work zone policy and the anticipated work zone impacts of the project.”

After implementing a TMP, Michigan’s I-69 saw accidents decrease by 16% during construction.

“The TMP process gives us the opportunity to better plan for and manage our work zones,” said Julie Johnston, Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) work zone delivery engineer. As a result, we are able to identify potential impacts that previously might not have been recognized and identify innovative strategies to manage those impacts through the coordination of construction design and delivery.”

Other states are seeing comparable results with the use of TMPs and several of the below Safety Techniques:

  • extra-wide crossover lanes
  • emergency pull off lanes
  • extended acceleration lanes
  • portable message boards
  • split-lane merges
  • low-profile pavement marking
  • And more!

If you have any questions about Transportation Management Plans (TMPs) or if you have a construction project that you need completed right the first time, please contact Reliable Contracting, Anne Arundel County’s largest site-work contractor, by calling 410-987-0313 or visit our website. Reliable Contracting now boasts more than 400 employees, 100 trucks and 250 pieces of earthmoving equipment!

You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Source: To Lessen Work Zone Impacts: Try TMPs

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Reliable Hosts Trench Rescue Training for County Fire Departments

Tuesday, October 2nd, 2012

Reliable Contracting recently hosted the Anne Arundel County Fire Department Collapse and Rescue Team’s four-day training session at Reliable’s Millersville quarry. The event – sponsored by the Utility Contractor’s Association, of which Reliable is a member – brought together several rescue units from all over the state of Maryland to learn safe procedures and practices with the industry’s newest tools for extracting victims of a trench wall collapse.

Reliable prepared the site by excavating both straight and “L” trenches, which the fire departments used to simulate perilous situations.

This was just part of the Utility Contractor’s Association’s ongoing work with local fire departments. In addition to the aforementioned training session, the Association is also working on the creation of an emergency contact list consisting of local utility contractors and rescue squads to help speed up response time in critical situations.

When it comes to emergency rescue, every second matters!

If you have any questions 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 is now Anne Arundel County’s largest site-work contractor, boasting more than 400 employees, 100 trucks and 250 pieces of earthmoving equipment.

You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter

 

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Reliable Contracting: Safety is our Goal

Thursday, August 30th, 2012

Safety, dependability, and conscientiousness…

These are all virtues that Reliable Contracting stands for. And to further our commitment to these ideals, we at Reliable Contracting, have enacted two very important safety initiatives.

  1. SAFETY FIRST: You may have noticed the “SAFETY IS OUR GOAL” decals now adorning each and every Reliable Contracting vehicle. These are now in place because we recently enlisted the help of SAFETY FIRST, a safe driver call center, to better monitor our drivers. If SAFETY FIRST receives a complaint, it will be processed and forwarded to the Safety Department at Reliable Contracting within minutes to allow our safety personnel to properly deal with each safety concern.


  2. Safety Reviews: Here at Reliable Contracting, we like to conduct periodic safety reviews at our welding and maintenance shops. These reviews have resulted in several recent equipment and process modifications designed to reduce the risk of accident or injury on the job.



If you notice unsafe behavior, an unsafe situation, or have an idea to make our business safer…SPEAK UP! We need your help to make Reliable Contracting the safest construction company around and to make every day a SAFE DAY!

If you have any questions 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 and can be seen working on Maryland’s roads, highways, airports, office parks, shopping centers, hospitals, churches, and residential neighborhoods.

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

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Admixtures Change PCC Performance :: Concrete Contractor in Maryland

Thursday, June 28th, 2012

The most widely used structural material for transportation infrastructure and pavements in Portland cement concrete, or PCC. And in order to achieve a PCC mixture that is workable, durable, and of high quality, mineral and chemical admixtures must be applied.

All about Admixtures

  • Chemical Admixtures: The most common chemical admixtures are air-entraining agents, water reducers, superplastics, retarders, and accelerators. All of these admixtures can affect PCC in several ways, including: managing its rate of early hydration and regulating its fluid properties.
  • Mineral Admixtures: Common mineral admixtures include fly ash, silicia fume, and microsilicia. These admixtures are added to concrete to enhance its workability; to improve resistance of concrete to thermal cracking, alkali-aggregate expansion, and sulfate attack; and to enable a reduction in cement content or water.

Concrete Contractor in Maryland

Do you have a concrete project that you need completed right the first time?

Reliable Contracting’s three concrete crews can install curb and gutter for any project from large shopping centers to residential developments. In addition, we can perform all types of flat work to finish off your project, including aprons, dumpster pads and sidewalks.

Interested in scheduling Reliable Contracting for a job? Contact us by calling 410-987-0313 or visit our website.

We currently have crews available for work. Contact us today to schedule your estimate before we are completely booked solid!

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:

A Concrete Solution

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Posted in Concrete Contractor, Construction Contracts, Construction Zones, Demo Project, Safety Tips, Types of Asphalt | No Comments »

National Work Zone Awareness Week :: Maryland Highway Construction

Friday, June 8th, 2012

The fact that work zone fatalities are the lowest they have been in 30 years is cause for celebration. But, as U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood points out, this is certainly no time to ease up on work zone safety awareness efforts.

“We’ve made a lot of progress reducing fatalities for construction crews working on our nation’s roads, but even one death is too many,” said Secretary LaHood. “It’s critical for drivers to slow down, look for changes in traffic patterns and watch for the men and women who are working to improve our nation’s highways and bridges.”

National Work Zone Awareness Week Kickoff

National Work Zone Awareness Week is an annual campaign designed to promote motorist and worker safety and mobility issues in work zones.

“Dedicated workers are building and maintaining the roads and bridges we rely on every day to get us where we need to go safely,” said Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez. “The least we can do as drivers is to keep them safe by obeying posted speed limits. We must also pay extra attention in work zones, which means putting away our cell phones and watching out for any changes to normal road conditions.”

Highway Safety Statistics

  • Work zone fatalities reached their highest point in 2002, 1,186 deaths.
  • In 2010, highway work zone fatalities fell to 576-the least since 1982.
  • Work zone fatalities have been cut in half over the last 10 years.
  • In 2010, states reported 37,000 work zone-related injuries.
  • On average, four people are injured in a work zone every hour.

For more information on National Work Zone Awareness Week, visit http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/outreach/wz_awareness.htm or contact Reliable Contracting by calling 410-987-0313 or visit our website.

Interested in scheduling Reliable Contracting for a job?

We currently have crews available for work. Contact us today to schedule your estimate before we are completely booked solid!

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:

U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Reminds Drivers to Pay Special Attention in Work Zones Across the Nation

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Road Construction Safety Tips :: Reliable Contracting of Maryland

Thursday, May 31st, 2012

Road construction is all around us, from the back roads of Southern Maryland to the city streets of Baltimore, the highways, and every road in between. Consequently, construction projects and road work like this produces physical obstacles and other such hazards for drivers, increasing the risk of an accident.

Accident Liability and Construction Crews
If an accident occurs because of improper warnings, contradicting signs or signals, poorly lit construction zones, or other such negligence, the government jurisdiction responsible for the roadway construction could be held liable. This is because construction crews have a responsibility to properly warn drivers of impending traffic changes to help keep traffic flowing as smoothly as possible.

Still, while construction crews are required to utilize proper signage, reflective barricades, flashing lights, and other warnings to alert drivers, sometimes it is not enough to prevent accidents.

Potential Road Construction Hazards
• Merging: When lanes are closed, drivers may be required to merge into fewer lanes without much notice. This sometimes creates problems, especially during periods of heavy traffic.
• Little Room for Error: With construction sites, barricades, and walls, there is little room for driver error. And in such close quarters, one little mistake can cause a big problem.
• Debris: A byproduct of construction is debris. And while construction crews do what they can, from time to time, pieces of debris end up in the roadways.

Please be safe and stay alert when navigating construction sites!

If you have any questions about Road Construction Hazards 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.

Interested in scheduling Reliable Contracting for a job?

We currently have crews available for work. Contact us today to schedule your estimate before we are completely booked solid!
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:
Road Construction Hazards

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Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater :: Reliable Contracting

Thursday, May 17th, 2012

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania recently signed a $2 billion agreement allowing the city to use green infrastructure – including porous pavements, rain gardens, grassy swales, and more – to better manage stormwater flows. These green alternatives will supplement traditional pipes and concrete infrastructures.

This is all part of the city’s “Green City, Clean Waters” plan, which is designed to protect and enhance urban watersheds by managing stormwater with greener techniques.

How Green Infrastructures Work

These methods intercept rain water at the source, retaining it and allowing it to flow into the ground. This then allows the soil and plants to recycle the water back into the atmosphere, preventing it from becoming stormwater runoff.

The EPA’s Role in this 25 Year Partnership

  • EPA will provide technical assistance to Philadelphia. This includes identifying and promoting higher-performing green infrastructure designs.
  • The EPA will join forces with the city of Philadelphia in several demonstration projects, such as greening a school’s gardens and revitalizing a low-income neighborhood with green designs.
  • The EPA will provide technical assistance and will help monitor the effectiveness and benefits of this program.

“Where other cities are challenged by very expensive commitments for tunnels, tanks, and other gray infrastructure, we have worked with the state and the EPA to take this greener, more fiscally prudent approach that will realize multiple benefits,” said Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter (D).

If you have any questions about the EPA’s Agreement with the City of Philadelphia 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.

Interested in scheduling Reliable Contracting for a job?

We currently have crews available for work. Contact us today to schedule your estimate before we are completely booked solid!

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:

EPA, Philadelphia Sign $2 Billion Agreement To Use Green Infrastructure to Manage Flows

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Concrete Contractor Safety :: Reliable Contracting of Baltimore, Maryland

Tuesday, May 1st, 2012

When it comes to any sort of construction project, safety should be a top priority. The same goes for concrete contractors and the wide range of services these contractors offer, including site development, concrete finishing, and everything in between. The combination of heavy machinery, large building materials, traffic, etc. makes each and every job site dangerous. This is why it is important to have a construction safety plan in place.

Still, countless construction workers are injured or even killed every year because of job site accidents.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a sub-cabinet of the US Department of Labor, over 5,700 people were fatally injured in the workplace in 2008 alone. Of these 5,700, the construction industry accounted for nearly 1,000 lives, 17% of all workplace fatalities.

How does this concern you?

It is important to review the safety records of any commercial concrete company before considering that company for any project you may have. Hiring a concrete contractor that places safety first will avoid unnecessary delays, fines, and worker injuries.

Concrete contractors with solid safety records – like Reliable Contracting – will have no problem providing their safety records.

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.

If you have any questions about Concrete Contractor Safety 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 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:

Commercial Concrete Contractor

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EPA Emissions Regulations (Tier 4) and Compliant Systems

Wednesday, April 18th, 2012

Meeting the growing need around the world to replace and expand sewer and clean-water infrastructure is tough, especially when you take into account the new United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Emissions Regulations, also known as Tier 4. The EPA Tier 4 standards are designed to reduce emissions by as much as 90 percent or more, according to the EPA.

Thankfully, there is a solution: the AXIS guided boring system by Vermeer.

This trenchless system eliminates many of the steps associated with traditional opencut installation techniques, speeding up installation and requiring fewer operators.
“This new system came to market because methods used in the past were rudimentary and slow,” says Ryan Erger, product specialist for the AXIS system. “We integrated several technologies into one system that allows contractors to install underground pipeline with extreme accuracy at a fast rate, all the while helping to reduce the environmental footprint.”

Benefits of the Axis System

  • The system integrates a closed-circuit camera into the drill head, allowing the operator to constantly monitor the drilling process.
  • The excavated material is removed by a high-powered liquid-ring vacuum driven by a John Deere PowerTech PVX 6068H Interim Tier 4/Stage III B engine. These engines feature cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) for NOx control and an exhaust filter for reducing particulate matter.
  • Excavated materials are collected in a vacuum tank, eliminating the hassle of manually handling the spoils in the launch pit.

“The cooled EGR and exhaust filter technology approach provides a simple and proven solution requested by our customers,” says Doug Laudick, manager of product planning at John Deere Power Systems. “We believe cooled EGR provides our customers with the best value for Interim Tier 4/Stage III B.”

If you have any questions about Tier 4 Compliant Systems 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:

Interim Tier 4 Equipment That’s Up to the Underground Challenge 

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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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