Dec13 CO by Concrete Openings Archive

DECEMBER 2013 THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF CSDA

JAN. 21–24, 2014 FREE REGISTRATION PAGE 49 CSDA 2014 CONVENTION PAGE 55

Imaging Contractor Finds Hidden Objects Below Bay Area Rail Stations

UTILITIES LOCATED IN NEW YORK STATE IMAGING CAPABILITIES IN CONCRETE WIRE SAWING AIDS FLORIDA BRIDGE REPLACEMENT W W W. C O N C R E T E O P E N I N G S . C O M

PRESIDENT’S PAGE

JUDITH O’DAY CSDA President

s the New Year approaches, we once again have a chance to “look both ways”—back at where we have been and what we have accomplished, and forward to the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. This year has produced a slow, but growing economy together with some very significant weather events. It appears that 2014 will bring more of the same. The difference between surviving and thriving in times like these seems to be based, at least in part, on how we choose to respond. Some companies respond by diversifying into areas that offer synergy, using personnel already trained in several disciplines and employing much the same equipment to do complementary work. Others pull back, refocusing on their core competencies—the work that they are exceptional at or that offers the bulk of their income and/or profitability. Whatever the choice, a serious evaluation of efficiency, productivity and process will serve a company well. The investments made to maintain equipment in prime condition and keep a well trained workforce have never been more important. Maintenance and training programs are great ways for companies to stay at the top of their game in a competitive world. A well-trained and knowledgeable work force allows for the right application of equipment, technology and techniques to each job. This can enhance not only profits, but also customer satisfaction, which has been proven to be one of the most cost

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effective marketing strategies available. Since 1995, the CSDA Training Program has offered a range of classroom, hands-on and now online courses to help businesses succeed. January 2014 sees this program combined with a major industry event, giving business owners the opportunity to make investments in equipment and employee training in one place. World of Concrete is an international trade show that brings together industry professionals and provides a platform for them to interact. It presents a vast array of equipment, technology and training in a single location. Manufacturers, distributors and contractors alike have the opportunity to not only see (and test) the latest technologies being offered, but also the “tried and true” equipment and techniques that have served the industry for years. As a 38-year cosponsor of the show, CSDA will again have a significant presence at this, the 40th World of Concrete. As well as exhibiting in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, the association has three training classes scheduled, will hold its first Board meeting of the year on site and the CSDA Next Generation group will hold a networking reception. I encourage all to attend and take advantage of CSDA’s free registration (some restrictions apply) offered via www.csda.org. Take the opportunity to join CSDA members and other industry professionals at World of Concrete 2014 to prepare for the road ahead.

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THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF CSDA

CSDA OFFICERS

CONCRETE CASES

President, Judith O’Day Terra Diamond Industrial joday@terradiamond.com Vice President, Kevin Baron Western Saw, Inc. kevinb@westernsaw.com Secretary/Treasurer, Mike Orzechowski DITEQ Corporation mikeo@diteq.com Past President, Jim Dvoratchek Hard Rock Concrete Cutters, Inc. jimd@hardrockconcretecutters.com Executive Director, Patrick O’Brien Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association pat@csda.org

CSDA BOARD OF DIRECTORS (Terms expiring in 2014)

Hide and Seek

Kevin Baron Western Saw, Inc. kevinb@westernsaw.com Tim Beckman Cutting Edge Services Corporation beckman@cuttingedgeservices.com Paul DeAndrea DeAndrea Coring & Sawing, Inc. paul@deandreacoring.com Steve Garrison Hilti, Inc. steve.garrison@hilti.com Donna Harris Concrete Renovation, Inc. donna.cri@sbcglobal.net

A Look Below the Surface

Ron Rapper Husqvarna Construction Products ron.rapper@husqvarna.com

CSDA BOARD OF DIRECTORS (Terms expiring in 2015) Ty Conner Austin Enterprise tconner@austin-enterprise.com Matthew Finnigan National Concrete Cutting, Inc. matthewf@nationalconcretecuttinginc.com

Imaging Contractor Finds Hidden Objects Below Bay Area Rail Stations

Utility and Sewer Lines Located Using Imaging Technology

Bayway to go!

Bridge Replacement Project Aided by Concrete Cutting

Mike Greene Greene’s, Inc. mikeg@greenesinc.com Greg Lipscomb Diamond Products Limited glipscomb@diamondproducts.com Sid Kilgore Dixie Diamond Manufacturing skilgore@dixiediamond.com

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Hot Off the Press

Bringing Down the Wall for Printing Company’s Expansion

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CONCRETE OPENINGS MAGAZINE Official Magazine of the Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association Volume 22, Number 4 ISSN: 1093-6483 Concrete Openings magazine is published by O’Brien International, Inc., four times each calendar year in March, June, September and December. Editorial contributions are welcomed and advertisements are encouraged. Please contact the Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association 100 2nd Avenue South Suite 402N St. Petersburg, FL 33701 Tel: 727-577-5004 Fax: 727-577-5012 WWW.CSDA.ORG Magazines, newspapers and private individuals are welcome to reproduce, in whole or part, articles published herein provided that acknowledgements are made in the following manner: “Reprinted courtesy of the Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association, Concrete Openings magazine, Issue Date.” No alterations should be made in the text of any article. PUBLISHER Patrick O’Brien ASSOCIATE EDITOR Russell Hitchen CONCRETE CASE CONTRIBUTORS Geno Cotrone

C O N T E N T S 20 The Business of Business

Imaginary Creatures: The Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot and Employers Too Small to be Impacted by the Affordable Care Act

34 Safety Counts Getting Personal: PPE for Contractors in the Concrete Industry

38 Tech Talk

Look Deeper: Understanding the Capabilities of GPR Imaging in Concrete

48 Social Media Focus

Why You Need a LinkedIn Company Page

50 Polished Perspective

The Key to Sustainability – Part II

54 Core Health

Time to Get Horizontal: Why Sleep is So Important

57 OSHA/CSDA Alliance Latest

Antonio Guzman John Robinson Rassoull Salaam EDITORIAL REVIEW COMMITTEE

58 Industry Bits 64 Certification

Skip Aston Rod Newton Pat Stepenski The information and recommendations in this magazine are provided for use by fully qualified, professional personnel. The Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association and the publisher disclaim any responsibility as to their use by readers and shall not be liable for damages arising out of the use of the foregoing information.

65 Membership 68 Calendar 72 Director’s Dialogue

All bylined articles published in this magazine represent solely the individual opinions of the writers and not necessarily those of the Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association.

20 Cover Photo: The Bay Area Rapid Transit System, California.

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Photo courtesy of Eric E. Johnson/Konomark.

Hide and

Imaging Contractor Finds Hidden Objects Below Bay Area Rail Stations

Sections of a concrete patio were to be removed from the main terminal building. 6 | D E C E MBE R.1 3

Operators performed GPR imaging in station buildings and outdoor parking areas.

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d Seek

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A total of 34 BART stations required some form of retrofit to protect passengers and staff in the event of a major earthquake.

s part of a $1.2-billion project to improve the resilience of a California rail system in the event of an earthquake, a series of retrofits are being made to parts of the 40-year-old system. However, various installations of utilities and additional structures over the years means there is an unknown number of objects hidden from view. To avoid damaging these objects during retrofits at three locations, a CSDA member was given the job of finding and recording their locations.

The original Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system was completed between 1972 and 1976 to serve commuters in the San Francisco Bay Area. Today, the system carries around 360,000 commuters every day and consists of 44 stations connected by 104 miles of track.

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The blue lines indicate BART routes. Green lines indicate known earthquake fault lines.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;The use of GPR allowed us to locate non-conductive lines and utilities not identifiable using the other scanning methods.â&#x20AC;?

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A recent U.S. Geological Survey statistical analysis concluded that the Bay Area is likely to be hit by a major earthquake sometime within the next 30 years. Because the BART system crosses over and runs close to several fault lines, it is also likely that a major seismic event will heavily impact the system. To safeguard the public’s significant investment in the system and ensure their safety, BART initiated the Earthquake Safety Program. Portions of the original system—74 miles of track, 34 stations and various buildings and structures—are being upgraded by using the latest seismic standards to improve the structural integrity of BART facilities. The Program is scheduled for completion in 2018. The retrofit project involves the core drilling of reinforced concrete slabs and structures for the installation of strengthening bolts and dowels, particularly concrete bent caps. Before this work could commence, however, several buried utility lines had to be identified and their positions mapped so that they would remain undamaged during these cutting tasks. The general contractor for the retrofits, Robert A. Bothman Inc. of San Jose, California, chose a specialist subcontractor that could offer scanning and imaging services—local CSDA member Safe2Core. “The people at Robert A. Bothman were looking for someone that not only used more conventional scanning methods, like electromagnetic and radio detection, but also used imaging techniques with Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR),” said Antonio Guzman, owner of Safe2Core. “The use of GPR allowed us to locate non-conductive lines and utilities not identifiable using the other scanning methods.” In addition to the benefit of locating non-conductive utility lines, imaging with GPR offered a faster and more accurate way of collecting and displaying data than other methods. In general, the non-destructive testing and scanning of hidden

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objects in concrete is a better option than simply relying on outdated drawings or records to conduct cutting or breaking work. Safe2Core’s scanning tasks on the BART Earthquake Safety Program combined GPR and electromagnetic detection to correctly locate and identify all targets at two rail stations: Hayward and San Leandro. As part of a separate project on the BART system, the contractor also provided scanning and GPR imaging services at the Oakland station around the same time. The contractor was tasked with scanning 38 locations inside station buildings and outside on station car parks where the retrofits would be installed. While the specified areas measured just 100 square feet, operators scanned all station areas to locate and map utility lines between bent caps. This work was done in August 2013. Scanning operators began by performing an electromagnetic inspection of the stations and verifying utility lines that were marked on “as built” drawings. Station operations were not to be interrupted by the work, so the contractor used cones and caution tape to keep rail users from entering scanning areas. Once complete, GPR equipment supplied by Geophysical Survey Systems, Inc. (GSSI) was set up with 1.6 MHz and 2.6 MHz antennas to inspect up to 16 inches deep in reinforced concrete. This allowed the operators to locate small utility lines that may otherwise have been obscured by steel reinforcement using larger antennas. It took two operators four days to complete the first phase of GPR imaging. Next, the team from Safe2Core utilized a 400-MHz antenna to survey the specified areas of the three stations and locate objects positioned up to 5 feet deep. The use of different antennas was crucial for this project. Some interior areas of the three BART stations contained highly congested sections of utility runs, which rendered other utility location

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Imaging Insight from CSDA Many CSDA members have embraced technological advancements in the industry and added GPR to expand their sawing and drilling operations into full service companies. Some have even created separate divisions or businesses. Now, with a new member category for imaging contractors, the association is well placed to represent those who offer GPR as a primary or additional revenue stream.

This form of non-destructive testing enabled station operations to continue as usual.

methods useless due to high levels of interference. GPR was the only technology that allowed operators to distinguish between the different types of lines and materials. This second phase was completed over three days at the Hayward, Oakland and San Leandro stations. During the scanning and imaging work, Safe2Core encountered one main obstacle—the type of steel reinforcement used in the stations’ concrete slabs. A 6-inch wire mesh was buried in the slabs, which created a lot of interference in the GPR wave because of its close spacing. Another difficult part of the work was accurately identifying a large quantity of utilities running at varying depths and several directions. The use of three different types of GPR antennas provided the imaging contractor with a

The CSDA Imaging Committee was formed earlier this year with the purpose of promoting the use of imaging technologies, primarily focusing on GPR. Currently, the committee is updating the current CSDA Best Practice CSDA-BP-007 Ground Penetrating Radar for Concrete Scanning and is working on the creation of a new document for the proper depiction/ marking of existing subsurface embedments. Both documents should be available to the industry by March 2014. A long-term goal for the committee is the creation and establishment of a training and certification program for GPR imaging. Committee Chairman Mark DeSchepper (Construction Solutions, Paola, KS) Vice Chair Emily Hammer (Hard Rock Technologies, Chicago, IL) Committee Goals • Address industry needs for training and certification related to imaging and GPR service providers. • Develop industry Specifications and Best Practices for imaging contractors and specifiers. • Create materials and set a syllabus for a CSDA imaging training class. Upcoming Meetings December 5, 2013 March 11, 2014

Park City, Utah Tucson, Arizona

For more information, call CSDA at 727-577-5004, email mdeschepper@construction-solutions.com or info@csda.org. The results of the scanning and imaging work will assist in the installation of strengthening devices on buildings and structures.

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A 400-MHz antenna was used to locate and identify utilities buried up to 5 feet deep in reinforced concrete.

solution to both of these issues. By using these three antennas, operators were able to divide the imaging work by depth ranges and obtain clearer images of all hidden objects. The team from Safe2Core completed all scanning and imaging tasks at the three BART stations over a seven-day period, covering around 80,000 square feet. Operators used a 1.6-MHz StructureScan Mini, a 2.6-MHz StructureScan HR and a SIR-3000 unit with a 400-MHz antenna, all from GSSI. Employees were provided with all standard items of personal protective equipment for the work. “I am very satisfied with the outcome of this project. It shows how important the use of GPR is on utility locating projects,” explained Guzman. “We were originally chosen to scan two stations in Hayward and San Leandro, but when the general contractor saw how well the work went we were given Oakland station as well. This is an ongoing project for the BART system, and it has been indicated that we will be offered more work in the future,” he added. The scanning and imaging work was completed within budget and the specified time frame. Because of the advancements in utility locating and GPR imaging, this CSDA member was able to seek out hidden objects easily and without disrupting important transport links in the San Francisco Bay Area. The BART Earthquake Safety Program remains on schedule for completion in 2018. The team from Safe2Core hopes to continue its scanning and imaging work before concrete core drilling techniques are used to install the station retrofits. REVIEW AND COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE AT: WWW.CONCRETEOPENINGS.COM/FORUM.CFM

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COMPANY PROFILE Safe2Core is based in San Jose, California and has been a CSDA member since 2012. The company has been in business for eight years, has 12 employees and eight trucks. Servicing the state of California and completing projects nationwide, Safe2Core offers the services of GPR imaging, utility location and core drilling.

RESOURCES General Contractor: Robert A. Bothman GPR Imaging Contractor: Safe2Core San Jose, California Phone: 408-266-7050 Email: antonio@safe2core.com Website: www.safe2core.com Methods Used: GPR Scanning, Utility Location

A LOOK BELOW

THE SURFACE Utility and Sewer Lines Located Using Imaging Technology

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Operators scanned 9,670 linear feet of surface in the specified areas.

Opposite Page: GPR imaging and utility detection helped to identify hidden objects beneath soil, concrete and asphalt.

o help a general contractor discover exactly what was below the surface of almost 10,000 linear feet of state highway and greenery near the city of Middletown, New York, a specialist Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) imaging company was called to action.

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In May 2013, Atlantic Subsurface Imaging, a company under the umbrella of CSDA member Atlantic Concrete Cutting, Inc. in Mount Holly, New Jersey, was asked to survey and locate objects beneath parts of New York State Route 17M, not far from Middletown. Beneath the surface was an unknown quantity of utility lines that had to be identified and considered for the design and installation of a new sewer system. Any damage to unidentified utility lines would have caused severe disruptions throughout the city, so the imaging work had to be extremely accurate to avoid such complications.

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The general contractor for the work, Alpine Environmental Consultants of Montgomery, New York, needed Atlantic Subsurface Imaging to identify water, sewer, gas, electric, telephone and any other service lines that ran parallel or intersected with the route of the existing sewer system. This would allow engineers to design a new sewer system that would not interfere with these lines. The specialty contractor used a combination of GPR imaging and electromagnetic equipment with scanning techniques to meet the specifications of the general contractor. “An alternative method to GPR imaging on this job would have been to use the existing hard copy schematics and records for the underground sewer system and utility routes,” said Rassoull Salaam, project manager and lead technician for Atlantic Subsurface Imaging. “The problem was that the existing drawings and records were out of date and did not indicate any recently installed utilities. It would have been impossible to plan an excavation route for the new sewer system without interfering with some of these utilities, as they were placed at varying depths. A non-destructive method like GPR imaging was necessary.” The locating of utilities started at a proposed sewer pump station approximately 2,000 feet west of an intersection at Route 6 and Route 17M. From there, the proposed route took the team north and led them The equipment was used to cover an average of 460 feet per hour. to the grounds of the City of Middletown Wastewater Treatment Facility. The route was planned so that work began at the location of the proposed sewer pump right of way. This would make sure that all underground utility services station. This was because this area had the least amount of traffic and that crossed roadways were correctly identified. buildings. There were 11 manholes along the route, which the contractor A utility locater from Vivax-Metrotech was used to identify and map accessed to confirm some utility runs. It was specified that ASI would out existing property utility services to the main supply. Each utility service locate and mark out underground utilities from curb to curb and 15 feet and main was identified on the surface using spray paint in accordance beyond each side, all within the New York Department of Transportation’s to The American Public Works Association (APWA) Uniform Color Codes.

END

Color Utilities RED

Electric power lines, cables, conduit and lighting cables

ORANGE Telecommunication, alarm or signal lines, cables or conduit

START

Map of the scanning/imaging route

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YELLOW Natural gas, oil, steam, petroleum or other gaseous or flammable material GREEN

Sewer and drain lines

BLUE

Water

APWA Color Codes

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The team from Atlantic Subsurface Imaging used a SIR 3000 GPR unit with 400 and 270 MHz antennas supplied by CSDA member Geophysical Survey Systems, Inc. (GSSI) to identify nonmetallic utilities. This included sewer lines and other unknown subsurface obstructions. Any unknown obstructions detected by the GPR equipment were identified by a mark of fluorescent spray paint on the surface. An operator moved the unit between points, covering an average of 460 feet each hour and at depths of up to 8 feet below the surface. The obvious danger while working on public roadways comes from vehicle traffic. ASI coordinated with the general contractor to have flaggers direct traffic away from the scanning team. Warning flags were placed ahead and behind the equipment to alert motorists of workers in the road, but the operators also remained vigilant of distracted or unobservant drivers. These safety precautions enabled ASI to complete all scanning and imaging work without incident. Another challenge encountered by the team from ASI, was locating sewer services through different materials. Small plastic piping for these services was buried beneath different types of soils, concrete and asphalt, making it sometimes difficult

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All electrical, gas, telephone, sewer and water lines were identified with APWA uniform color codes.

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The results have helped engineers with the design of a new sewer system.

to locate. This was especially problematic in areas of wet soil. In these situations, the team slid a metallic snake line through an area of cleanout and traced the line using a radio-detecting RD4000 utility locator. Atlantic Subsurface Imaging completed all imaging work in three work days, performing 9,670 linear feet (approximately 1.8 miles) of surface imaging over various materials. This was a successful project for the contractor, finishing all work within budget and on time. “I was satisfied with the project. Naturally, my biggest concern was the safety of the operators. The majority of the work was done on a busy roadway with many intersections, but the flaggers did an excellent job. They directed all traffic around us and the scanning was completed without any interruptions or incidents,” said Salaam. “I believe Atlantic Subsurface Imaging was selected for this project because we specialize in GPR imaging, a technique that was necessary to identify all unknown obstructions within the work area. This form of non-destructive testing saved the City of Middletown a lot of money that would have been spent on excavation crews and road closures,” he added. The findings of this contractor’s scanning work have provided the City of Middleton with key information that will help engineers form a strategy for the installation of a new sewer system. The use of GPR and utility locating equipment helped to determine what was beneath the surface, making sure the design phase of this new project can be completed as accurately as possible.

REVIEW AND COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE AT: WWW.CONCRETEOPENINGS.COM/FORUM.CFM

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COMPANY PROFILE Atlantic Subsurface Imaging operates under its parent company Atlantic Concrete Cutting, Inc., a 22-year CSDA member based in Mount Holly, New Jersey. The subsurface imaging company has been in business for 10 years, has one truck and has three employees. Atlantic Subsurface Imaging offers the services of GPR and utility location within New Jersey and surrounding states. Atlantic Concrete Cutting Inc. is a CSDA Certified Company and a CSDA Certified Operator company with DBE / WBE certifications issued by numerous state agencies and authorities.

RESOURCES Customer: Alpine Environmental Consultants GPR Imaging Contractor: Atlantic Subsurface Imaging, LLC Mount Holly, New Jersey Phone: 609-261-7246 Email: rsalaam@atlanticsubsurfaceimaging.com Website: www.atlanticsubsurfaceimaging.com Methods Used: GPR Imaging, Electromagnetic Testing

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THE BUSINESS OF BUSINESS

Imaginary Creatures: The Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot and Employers Too Small to be Impacted by the Affordable Care Act By Andy Adams

hat do these creatures have in common? None actually exist, but many people sure seem to think they do. Take the last one in that list, for example; an employer too small to be impacted by the Affordable Care Act. You will not see people selling T-shirts with its likeness printed on them, nor will there be any tours offered to discover the “real thing,” but you may hear an awful lot of people who claim they own such a business or work for one. It is true that one particular part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a mandate that only applies to employers with more than 50 full-time or “full-time equivalent” employees. Employers well below this line will not be subject to the mandate to offer health insurance benefits or offer “affordable” health insurance coverage in 2015 (when the now-delayed mandate takes effect) or thereafter. However, that is where the exemptions under the ACA end for small employers. Indeed, the vast majority of regulations that apply to health insurance under the ACA apply to all group health insurance plans, especially those that are “fully-insured” and extra-especially to those that are considered “small group” (defined as less than 100 in some states and less than 50 in other states like Texas). Small employers that currently offer group health insurance plans will see big changes to their plan costs and plan designs starting January 1, 2014. But what are those changes? COMMUNITY-RATED PREMIUM RATES After January 1, 2014, small group health insurance premium rates will no longer be based on claims experience. The carriers will be required

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to offer the same rates for the same plans to all buyers. The carriers will be allowed to set their own rates (compared against other carriers), but they can only alter the rate offered based on geographic location, age demographics and smoking status. Currently, carriers consider the health claims of a group as well as demographics such as age and gender. Carriers can pass on premium increases as much as 6 to 1 based on the age demographics of a group. That will be

limited to 3 to 1 after January 1st and gender may not be considered. Some groups will see this as a positive change. Currently, groups that have poor health experience or older demographics are paying higher premiums due to their claims experience. These community-rated premiums may save them a little money. Groups that have good claims experience and/or skew younger, in general are paying lower premiums. These small

groups may see large increases as a result of the community-rated premiums. So what sort of increases should employers expect? We are just now seeing these renewals and a group that is paying average premiums is likely to see anywhere from a 15% to 30% change in premium rates next year. ESSENTIAL HEALTH BENEFIT REQUIREMENTS Small group health plans will now have to offer a defined array of benefits. The ACA mandates 10 different benefits that must be offered. Many of these benefits are already provided by most small group health plans. However, some of them represent new and potentially costly expansions of coverage. These include: pediatric oral and vision care, mental health and substance abuse coverages and maternity (covered on most small group plans but on very few individual plans). NEW FEES AND TAXES All groups, including small ones, will see a 5% increase in 2014 simply due to additional taxes and fees imposed by the ACA. For example, the health insurance carriers are being assessed fees based on their market share and they are passing these costs onto their consumers. In addition, the ACA requires the assessment of a fee called the Transitional Reinsurance Fee. This is a $63 annual fee for every member (not employee) of the plan. This is designed to offset the additional expenses of covering new purchasers of insurance with preexisting health conditions. It is also designed to be a “temporary” fee, though there is a question mark about exactly how temporary it will be. NO PRE-EXISTING CONDITION EXCLUSIONS This requirement will apply to all plans regardless of size. It is also one of the more politically popular aspects of the ACA, but it will undoubtedly increase the costs of health insurance. The fee described above is designed to offset some of these costs, but it is anyone’s guess whether that fee will be adequate. CAP ON COST SHARING The maximum allowable out of pocket expense for all plans after January 1, 2014 will be $6,350 and $12,700 for families. Most plans today have deductibles much lower than this amount, but the maximum out of pocket limit can often be higher. The original law contained a cap of $2,000 on deductibles for small group health plans, but this has been waived due to the inability of plans to reach the bronze-level of coverage without higher deductibles.

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THE BUSINESS OF BUSINESS 90-DAY MAX WAITING PERIOD

Introducing:

The world’s smallest giant

Starting in 2014, businesses that qualify can receive a 50% tax credit for two years if they purchase health insurance through the health exchange. However, it is only available for businesses with fewer than 25 employees. Businesses with fewer than 24 employees with average annual wages of less than $50,000 may be eligible. Businesses with fewer than 10 employees are only eligible if their average annual wages are less than $25,000. A tax professional can help determine if a business qualifies.

labor force with other employers that offer benefits. Moreover, the ability of employees to pay for their full portion of the health premiums with pre-tax dollars is also an advantage that reduces the actual premium costs paid by the employer. Finally, the employees working for these companies will not receive the termination of their benefit plans as welcome news without a sizable increase in salary to offset the cost of finding coverage on the open market or exchanges. That increase in salary will mean increased taxes for both employees and employer. Employers need to consider all the tax implications when determining which course to take, but what about the premium and costsharing subsidies that employees may be eligible to receive? It is true that employees without benefits will be able to obtain health insurance from federal and state insurance exchanges and on the private market, but very few of them will actually be eligible for a subsidy big enough to beat the employer’s subsidy for insurance (usually covering between 60% and 100% of the employee-only premium). However, there may be exceptions for employees with wages placing them under 200% of federal poverty level (around $23,000 for an individual). This can become a complicated analysis, so what is the bottom line? Big changes are coming to employers, even if they have far fewer than 50 employees. These changes are going to help costs only if the employer is already paying higher-thanaverage rates due to poor claims experience, or if their geographic location is in a region with high health insurance costs (e.g., New York and California). Employers should consider this when bidding jobs in the next six months. Here is something else for employers to consider: self-insurance. Gone are they days when carriers would only consider groups over 100 or even 250 for self-funded insurance programs. Large national carriers are currently preparing self-funded options for groups as small as five. Will these programs be right for everyone? They may very well be if the employer has good claims experience and wants to avoid 75% of the things discussed above. The carriers are expecting this market to boom for smaller companies. Maybe it can help your group health program.

SHOULD YOU JUST GO WITHOUT BENEFITS?

The information contained in this article was correct at the time of submission.

After January 1, 2014, the maximum waiting period an employer can require before eligibility for coverage will be 90 days. This will even impact plans with current 90 day waiting periods, as those typically allow eligibility for benefits only after the 1st of the month after 90 days. Next year, such a plan will not comply with the law because it could require a wait of more than 90 days. ERISA SECTION 105 NON-DISCRIMINATION RULES WILL APPLY TO FULLY-INSURED HEALTH PLANS Few people are paying attention to this right now because in 2011 the IRS delayed enforcement of this aspect of the ACA until regulations are written. The regulations have yet to be published. But, eventually the IRS will get around to issuing these regulations. What will they do? The rules will make it very difficult to offer a “carve-out” insurance plan among a single company or a group of companies with the same ownership. If you have a health plan that is only offered to subsets of your employees and not offered to all your employees, you need to be aware of this regulatory release. These are the significant changes that will impact even small groups starting January 1, 2014. The creature known as An Employer Too Small To Be Affected by the Affordable Care Act is really just a myth. There isn’t even grainy camera footage. None of these changes will help save premium dollars. All of them will tend to add to the cost of health insurance over time. So, the cost burdens on small businesses will increase. WHAT ABOUT THE TAX CREDITS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES?

CONSTRUCTION

BROKK 60 – A SMALL WONDER IN REMOTE CONTROLLED DEMOLITION With Brokk 60, we take another giant leap in safe and effi cient demolition for confi ned spaces. This little giant is stronger, offers faster movements, a new control system and an even lower profi le. The low weight makes the machine ideal for indoor jobs on weak fl oors and can even be transported in a standard passenger elevator. Brokk 60 is one size bigger in everything. Except just the size. Meet us at World of Concrete Jan 20-24, 2014, at booth # C4327.

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Small employers DO avoid the mandate to offer health insurance. Accordingly, they could drop their health plans without facing any additional costs in penalties. Many of them will consider doing just that, but it may not be a simple decision. If the business is currently offering benefits, there is probably a good reason to continue doing so. Perhaps it is difficult to recruit or retain quality employees without offering a benefit plan. This is particularly true if a business is competing for

Andy Adams is General Counsel & Vice President of Adams Insurance Service, Inc. in Houston, Texas. Adams is a full service insurance broker for all commercial casualty lines, bonding and group benefits. Andy blogs on the trials and tribulations of the Affordable Care Act at www.adamsinsurance.com. He will present at the 42nd CSDA Convention and Tech Fair in Tucson, Arizona, March 13-15, 2014.

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Bayway to Go! Bridge Replacement Project Aided by Concrete Cutting

The old 2,200-foot Pinellas Bayway Bridge was to be replaced.

n excursion to the coastline of St. Pete Beach, Florida has become much easier thanks to the construction of a new 2,200-foot-long bridge. This new structure forms part of a $40-million project to replace the existing bascule bridge, drastically improving commute times for residents and tourists alike. In order to complete the new construction, a specialist contractor was needed to modify pilings and help remove the old bridge. The cutting work enabled the removal of over 13 million pounds of concrete. In February 2012, the Florida Department of Transportation began work on the new, 65-foot-tall, fixed span, fourlane concrete bridge as part of the Pinellas Bayway Bridge

Photo courtesy of Orion Marine Construction, Inc.

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The 720-foot-long concrete pontoon needed to be cut in half.

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Replacement project. The existing bridge was built in 1962, connecting Isla del Sol and St. Pete Beach, near the city of St. Petersburg. The age of the bridge, coupled with the cost of ongoing maintenance and repairs, was the main reason for its replacement. In addition, the drawbridge design only cleared the water by 12 to 15 feet and caused regular interruptions for road users when raisedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;especially during the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s peak tourist season. The Tampa, Florida office of Orion Marine Construction, Inc. was the general contractor for the bridge replacement project. During construction of the new eastbound spans,

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C A S E S

Operators used a wire saw system to cut 2-foot-square piles to elevation.

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Deck slabs were cut using slab saws and a modified skid steer with a 91-inch blade.

CSDA member Accu-Cut Concrete Services, Inc. of Palm Harbor, Florida was brought in to cut 368 prestressed concrete piles to elevation at 23 separate locations for the foundations of the structure. When the eastbound spans were completed and open to road users in March 2013, the sawing and drilling contractor returned to help remove the old bridge and begin cutting in excess of 300 piles for the construction of the westbound span. “We had worked with Orion on many successful projects, small and large, so we were always confident that the bridge demolition work would go according to plan,” said John Robinson, owner of Accu-Cut. First, the cutting contractor had to come up with a way to cut the 2-foot-square piles to a set elevation in the water. Each of the 23 cutting locations consisted of 16 piles set out in four rows of four, forming a square pattern. Depending on the tide, the top of some piles would be submerged or protruding from the surface. Accu-Cut fabricated a diamond wire saw system on a frame, which would clamp onto the pile by remote control to perform a push cut through the 2-foot-square cross sections. This patent-pending system was dubbed the “Stingray Saw” due to its shape and ability to cut underwater. Working from floating work barges, operators positioned the Stingray around each pile and began cutting. It took between 10 and 20 minutes to cut each one using a 5-meter (16.4-foot) length of diamond wire from Diamond Products and General Tool, taking two months to complete all 368 cuts. Employing a wire saw to cut the piles was the best option available, as the general contractor required the work to be done with speed and efficiency, but with low noise and minimal debris. This resulted in limited disruption to local marine wildlife and residents of nearby waterfront properties. Cutting the piles with diamond wire met all of these require-

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The 91-inch-diameter blade helped the contractor cut through slab sections with diaphragms and girders attached, some as thick as 40 inches.

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ments and kept the intracoastal ways as clean as possible. Some hydraulic hammering and blasting techniques were used by the general contractor later in the project for the demolition of the bascule piers. While the detonation itself was quick, the initial setup and the cleanup of debris was slow and laborious. Several months later, the team from AccuCut returned to the Pinellas Bayway jobsite. This time, operators would be cutting and removing elements of the existing 2,200-foot-long bridge, including concrete bridge decks, diaphragms and pier caps. The existing two-lane bridge deck was 40 feet wide, had 47 spans and was held up by 48 pier caps and support piles. Of these 47 spans, 40 measured 48 feet long, so the cutting contractor devised a plan to make three cuts lengthways along the deck at 10-foot intervals. This created 160 cut sections measuring 48 feet long and 10 feet wide that were easier to remove by crane. The remaining seven spans were 72 feet long, each with six girders and five diaphragms. Operators made five cuts lengthways on these spans to create six 72-foot by 6.6-foot pieces with a girder attached to each. The deck slab was typically 8 inches thick, but in areas with diaphragms the slab thickness increased to 40 inches. Therefore, Accu-Cut needed a machine and blade that could cut through this depth of concrete. Two operators used 66- and 74-horsepower walk-behind slab saws from Diamond Products to cut the 8-inch slab sections. Meanwhile, for the diaphragm cuts, the contractor modified a skid steer to include a saw that could accommodate a 91-inch-diameter blade from Diamond Products. This skid steer saw is also patent-pending. Over a five-month period, the team from Accu-Cut performed over 8,500 linear feet of slab sawing and made 633 diaphragm cuts using the modified skid steer. Small areas of each slab section were left uncut, as it would be several weeks before the general contractor could set up to break and remove them. In total, the cutting team created 188 cut sections measuring up to 72 feet by 10 feet and the majority were at least 8 inches thick. The average weight of these sections was 55,000 pounds. All cut sections were taken from the work area to an off-shore site and used to form an artificial reef. To remove some of the larger pier caps, two Hydrostress wire saws were mounted directly to the cap itself. Operators made two horizontal pull cuts to detach U-shaped concrete sections weighing 65,000 pounds each. The sections were rigged and transferred to a larger work Operators made three cuts lengthways through the 8-inch-thick slab. 2 8 | D E C E MBE R.1 3

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The new bridge stands 65 feet above the water, allowing boats to pass underneath, eliminating the need for a drawbridge.

barge by crane, before being removed from site. Accu-Cut performed 480 square feet of wire sawing to remove the larger pier caps on the old bridge structure, then went on to make 258 wire saw cuts through 20-inch-square piles to remove the smaller onesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;another job for the Stingray Saw. It took between four and five hours to cut the larger pier caps and two hours for the smaller ones. Because the entire bridge was over water, it was crucial that the contractor controlled and collected slurry while minimizing debris. All slurry created from wet cutting was collected in wet vacuums to be disposed of safely off site. Wire sawing work for the removal of the pier caps required the use of floating work barges. All employees were provided with the necessary personal protective equipment and life jackets, which were worn at all time on the jobsite. Tools and equipment had to be transported to and from the mainland on weekends, adding to the setup and take down times each week. Besides the usual safety hazards associated with concrete cutting and working on the water, operators had to be wary of onlookersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; on land and sea. The old Pinellas Bayway

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Accu-Cut cut through 480 square feet of concrete to remove the pier caps of the old bridge.

The new bridge is scheduled for completion in fall 2014.

Bridge had pedestrian walkways and was a thoroughfare for tourists and residents, so some would stop and watch the demolition work from close range. In addition, boaters, jet ski riders and paddle boarders would also steer close to the work area to see what was happening. Cutting work had to be temporarily stopped until people moved on and it was safe to continue. Due for completion in the fall of 2014, construction of the new bridge’s westbound spans remains on schedule. Accu-Cut is scheduled to finish cutting an additional 300+ piles to elevation by January 2014, working ahead of construction crews to keep the job on track. The demolition of the old bridge was completed on time and within budget. Angelo Soldati, project manager for Orion Marine Construction, Inc., is extremely pleased with Accu-Cut’s work. “John and his team have always done great work for us. They are out on the jobsite when we need them and do whatever it takes to keep the project on schedule,” he said. “The demolition work on the old Pinellas Bayway Bridge could not have gone any better.”

REVIEW AND COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE AT: WWW.CONCRETEOPENINGS.COM/FORUM.CFM

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Photo courtesy of Orion Marine Construction, Inc.

COMPANY PROFILE A CSDA member since 2002, Accu-Cut Concrete Services, Inc. has been in business for 23 years and is based in Palm Harbor, Florida. The company employs eight operators, four trucks and offers the concrete cutting services of slab sawing, wall sawing, hand sawing, wire sawing, core drilling and grinding. Accu-Cut is a CSDA Certified Operator company.

RESOURCES General Contractor: Orion Marine Construction, Inc. Sawing and Drilling Contractor: Accu-Cut Concrete Services, Inc. Palm Harbor, Florida Phone: 727-787-4843 Email: accucut@tampabay.rr.com Website: www.accucutconcrete.com Methods Used: Slab Sawing, Wire Sawing

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SAFETY COUNTS

Getting Personal: PPE for Contractors in the Concrete Industry

azards exist in every workplace in different forms: sharp edges, falling objects, flying sparks, chemicals, noise and a myriad of other potentially dangerous situations. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that employers protect their employees from workplace hazards that can cause injury. Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, is designed to protect employees from serious workplace injuries or illnesses resulting from contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical or other workplace hazards. Besides face shields, safety glasses, hard hats and safety shoes, PPE includes a variety of devices and garments such as goggles, coveralls, gloves, vests, earplugs and respirators.

EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITIES Using PPE is often essential, but is generally the last line of defense after engineering controls, work practices and administrative controls. Employers should carry out assessments of their workplace to determine if hazards are present that require the use of PPE. If such hazards are present, employers must select the appropriate PPE and require that all employees use it, communicating selections and selecting PPE that fits properly. Employers must also train employees who are required to wear PPE on the following: • Proper use of PPE • Awareness of when PPE is necessary • Knowledge of what type of PPE is necessary • Understanding the limitations of PPE in protecting employees from injury • Don, adjust, wear and doff of PPE • Proper maintenance of PPE

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EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES While employers are responsible for the provision and appropriate training associated with the use of PPE, employees must take responsibility for the correct use of PPE on the jobsite and the reporting of any and all defective items. Employees in the sawing, drilling, polishing and imaging industries should make note of the following: 1. Safety glasses must be worn when sawing, drilling, polishing or performing other work operations such as demolition or imaging, especially when required by the customer’s safety rules.

5. 6.

Approved hard hats must be worn when overhead exposures exist and when working on mandatory hard hat jobs. Hearing protection must be worn when cutting, coring, drilling, polishing and when working on any other high-noise level operations. Dust masks / respirators must be worn when engaged in any dust-producing activities that cannot be controlled through engineering controls. Over-the-ankle work boots or rubber safety boots must be worn at all times. High-visibility vests must be worn when working on or near a roadway.

A full-body harness must be worn by any employee working in a personnel basket of an articulating boom lift and must be properly tied off. A full body harness must also be worn when working at any height over 6 feet (1.83 m). 8. Dielectric rubber boots and rubber gloves must be worn when working where there is a possibility of contact with power sources. Dielectric rubber boots and gloves must also be worn when working in wet conditions and using electrical equipment. 9. Clothing: • Loose-fitting or torn clothing is not allowed on the job • Sweat pants are not allowed on the job • Long pants are required • Shirts with sleeves are required OSHA requires that many categories of PPE meet or be equivalent to standards developed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Employers who need to provide PPE must make certain that any new equipment procured meets the cited ANSI standard. Existing PPE stocks must meet the ANSI standard in effect at the time of its manufacture, or provide protection equivalent to PPE manufactured to the ANSI criteria. Any employee-owned PPE should also conform to the employer’s criteria, based on their hazard assessment, OSHA requirements and ANSI standards.

USEFUL LINKS OSHA Website: www.osha.gov Doc No. (s): OSHA 3077, OSHA 3151 ANSI Website: www.ansi.org Doc No. (s): ANSI Z87.1-1989, ANSI Z89.1-1986, ANSI Z41.1-1991. CSDA provides a number of safety resources to protect industry professionals. Members have access to over 100 Toolbox Safety Tips that cover a wide array of topics, including, but not limited to, PPE, fall protection and respirators. In addition, the association has developed a 230-page safety manual to assist contractors in establishing safety and health programs for the benefit of both employees and owners. The manual is intended to provide a starting point for developing company-specific safety programs. It is divided into a Field Safety Manual, Reference Section and Q & A section. For more information, visit www.csda.org or call 727-577-5004.

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The Husqvarna WS 482 HF wall saw - want to make an entrance?

The Husqvarna WS 482 HF wall saw boasts more power, a larger blade capacity (63") and the best powerto-weight ratio on the market. The saw features a powerful, water-cooled electric motor, which generates an impressive 25 hp to the bladeshaft. Its two-speed gearbox delivers a wide RPM range to handle blades at their optimal performance level. In addition to its powerful motor, the saw is operated by radio remote control. This allows total control of the sawing process and freedom to move around the workplace. Power and control enable the WS 482 HF to handle many different applications. To learn more, visit us at World of Concrete. Indoor booth C4305 and Outdoor booth O31700. HUSQVARNA CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS 17400 West 119th Street • Olathe, Kansas 66061 • T 800-288-5040 • F 800-825-0028 • www.husqvarnacp.com 2077 Bond Street • North Bay, Ontario P1B 4V6 • T 800-461-9589 • F 800-825-0028 • www.husqvarnacp.ca Copyright © 2013 Husqvarna AB (publ.). All rights reserved. Husqvarna is a registered trademark of Husqvarna AB (publ.).

TECH TALK Tech Talk is a regular feature of Concrete Openings magazine, focusing on equipment, maintenance and technical issues of interest to concrete cutting, polishing and imaging contractors. Readers wishing to have a particular subject addressed can call or email CSDA with their suggestions at 727-577-5004 or rhitchen@concreteopenings.com.

Look Deeper: Understanding the Capabilities of GPR Imaging in Concrete By Matt Dragon

oncrete imaging with Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is one of the fastest growing segments in the professional concrete cutting and coring industry. Based on recent data, an estimated 350 imaging systems are sold to sawing and drilling contractors every year. It is not uncommon for a cutting contractor in a metropolitan area to own more than two systems and employ three or more trained field technicians. Most companies have at least one sawing and drilling operator who is also trained as a GPR technician, meaning the contractor can arrive on site, scan with GPR and commence cutting and coring operations all in one visit. The number stated above is the result of Figure 1: GPR Wave Reflecting Off an Embedded Object a growing demand for advanced, non-intrusive scanning before any material is cut or cored. Specifiers of concrete cuttingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;architects, engineers, general contracBefore exposing these pitfalls, it is important to understand what tors and government representativesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;are turning to a technology that GPR is and how it works in concrete. reduces risks associated with damaging hidden objects below the Radar is an electromagnetic pulse that travels through all materials surface. It provides the contractor and specifier with real-time data except for steel. The pulse looks like a wave, which travels at different rather than having to rely on layout drawings that may be several iteraspeeds depending on the material it is passing through. The speed of tions out of date. Cutting through a PT cable, conduit or other critical the wave is known as the dielectric value. When the wave moves from utilities can have a disastrous impact on the success of a job. one material to another, it reflects energy back to the radar antenna or Concrete imaging is a great fit for cutting contractors who are antenna array. This reflection is used to create an image of the target on looking to provide an additional service for their customers, and is the display of the radar system, as shown in Figure 1. also a vital tool for property owners who want to avoid damaging their In this example, the wave is reflecting off rebar. Positioning of investments. these reflections on the radar system display is done by setting an assumed speed (dielectric) for the wave to travel through concrete, in SO, WHEN IT COMES TO AVOIDING CRITICAL TARGETS addition to measuring the time it takes for the wave to travel down and IN CONCRETE, IS IMAGING WITH GPR COMPLETELY back from the target. FOOL-PROOF? If the speed and the time of travel are known, the depth or distance Unfortunately, the answer is no. There are some instances of the target can accurately be positioned on the system display. where GPR will not produce results that are 100% exact. Any cutting In the case of Figure 1, not only is the rebar imaged, but so is the contractor looking to work with this technology should educate thembottom of the concrete. In simple terms, the average dielectric value selves about how these instances occur. This will manage customer of concrete is 6.5 and the dielectric value of air is 1 (assuming this is a expectations by establishing realistic goals for the imaging work. This suspended slab). Therefore, because of this difference there is a change is by no means a new concept. For many years, contractors have got in speed. Therefore, the bottom of the slab creates a reflection back to to know the capabilities of their tools and equipment so that they can the GPR antenna or antenna array and produces an image. under promise and over deliver. The process of scanning concrete is performed in two different Each GPR system on the market today has its limitations, which data collection modes: line scan and grid scan. Line scan is the is largely due to the development of the principle technology rather collection of data by passing the radar antenna or antenna array than the standard of current equipment. Each system has its strong over the concrete to image targets as a cross-sectional view. This and weak points, each of which should be considered before making a method requires scanning and marking targets as they are revealed purchase. This article focuses on the limitations of GPR technology and in each line of data. identifies known pitfalls associated with it.

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It is often difficult to obtain good GPR scan data in green concrete. This is due to the amount of moisture present in the material. This increased conductivity allows the radar signal to attenuate and not penetrate. It is best to postpone the imaging of green concrete until the material has had ample time to cure. In cases where this is not possible, an operator should follow the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding the adjustment of system dielectric value. This is especially important when accurate depth measurements are specified.

Examples of Line Scans Grid scanning is a method used to collect data in a grid format. This grid format results in a top-down image of targets in the concrete. The targets appear as they would if a picture was taken before the concrete was poured over them. This image can often be enhanced on site by changing colors or contrast levels. The grid scan format is an effective analysis tool when considering complicated slabs or when low amplitude targets like PVC conduits are present. Understanding how targets in concrete are created is the first step to understanding what limitations radar scanning has when generating line and grid scan images.

Example of data collected from green concrete. Note that targets closer to surface are clearer than deeper targets 3.

Examples of Grid Scans

COMMON ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH SCANNING CONCRETE 1. Targets positioned under steel rebar are sometimes difficult to image. This is due to a scanning “dead zone” under the steel. Typically, the clearance between the steel and the other target is around 2 inches but this may not be the case every time. To resolve this issue, it is recommended the operator collect grid scan data— especially if it has been indicated that there may be unidentified conduits in the concrete. On-site data migration would also help with the analysis.

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Interference from cell phones or other radio frequencies.

Example of interference 4.

Pan decking will not allow radar to pass through it. It reflects radar energy and produces a bright glow on the display, hiding PVC targets lower in the pan. Locating PVC conduits in the bottom of a pan deck can be more accurately achieved with a higher frequency antenna or an antenna array.

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T E C H TA L K

Air voids can be seen on GPR displays, but they do not allow the radar pulse to re-connect with the slab and continue generating data. Typically, anything over 0.5 will cause problems when attempting to collect data at greater depths. It is important to determine ahead of time if a contractor has used any foam in the concrete slab. Foam presents a similar reading to air in radar data.

Radar cannot determine the diameter of a target. It can, however, show the size difference of targets relative to each other within the scan data. If it is important to ascertain the diameter of an object, like rebar for example, the use of magnetic induction instruments is recommended.

7. Radar will not pass through steel. Examples include pan decking, tightly-spaced mesh less than 4 inches apart or multiple layers of offset rebar creating the effect of tightly-spaced mesh. Additionally, there can be issues imaging layers deep within a slab. This is due to top-layered targets distorting the radar reflections.

Radar will not discriminate between two closely spaced targets. Higher frequency antennas or an antenna array will help when considering tightly spaced targets.

Radar needs to have a difference in dielectric values to image layers or targets. This issue is a fundamental part of the technology. A real world example of this is PVC and concrete. PVC and concrete have very similar dielectric values, making PVC hard to detect when buried in concrete. The reality is that when radar locates a conduit, it is imaging the difference between the dielectric of concrete and the air in the conduit. Remember, dry concrete normally has a dielectric value of 6.5 and air is 1. Therefore, it is more logical to detect the dielectric difference between the concrete and the air in the conduit rather than try to identify the conduit itself.

Understanding issues associated with imaging concrete will not only help contractors better prepare for jobs, but will also help them explain the limitations of this technology to customers. Many imaging systems available today will either have features to help overcome these issues or provide a strategy to limit their occurrence. A good example is grid scan collection and software analysis of data. Regardless of the equipment, there is a human component that should be considered. Proper training and practice is critical to the success of any scan. As with many parts of the concrete cutting and coring industry, finding an employee with a willingness to learn and a commitment to performing high-quality work is key.

Matt Dragon is a national account manager for CSDA member Hilti, Inc. based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is responsible for the development of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s measurement and detection opportunities, and has over six years experience working with GPR equipment. Matt currently serves as the chair of the CSDA Next Generation Committee and is a member of the associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Imaging Committee. He can be reached at 603-366-8404 or by email at matthew. dragon@hilti.com.

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A print and multimedia provider was upgrading to a new printing press.

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An upgrade to a new, high-capacity printing press left the California branch of a graphics company with one major problemâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; where to put it. There was sufficient space in the buidling, but it meant the removal of a 64-foot-wide, 40-foot-tall and 12-inchthick reinforced concrete fire wall. The company needed a way to take out the wall without damaging the rest of the structure. The solution was concrete cutting with diamond tools.

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Hot Off the Press Bringing Down the Wall for Printing Companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Expansion

Established in Pewaukee, Wisconsin in 1971, Quad Graphics started with a rented press and a borrowed binder. Today, the company is ranked as the one of the largest print and multimedia providers in the world, with over 50 locations on three continents. The printer was planning to replace an old press at its Merced, California location with a new, larger model that would increase production. The 12-inch-thick concrete masonry unit (CMU) wall was built to separate and protect the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paper inventory from any possible fires, leaks or other hazards in the production area. In order to accommodate the new press, however, the paper inventory had to be moved to another part of the building and the wall removed.

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Operators made 8-inch-diameter picking holes through the 12-inch-thick wall.

The 64-foot-wide by 40-foot-tall CMU wall was cut into 58 sections for removal.

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Quad Graphics employed general contractor Thomas C. Williams, Inc. to manage the project, and discussions began about how to bring down the fire wall. The use of concrete breakers would have created too much noise, vibration and debris inside the building, especially as printing operations were to continue on other presses close to the work area. Saw cutting the wall with diamond tools was seen as a much better alternative, as this would keep these three elements at much lower levels, maintain the structural integrity of the building and allow printing operations to continue uninterrupted. CSDA member G Seven of Sonora, California, was chosen to do the work. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had previously worked for Thomas C. Williams, Inc. on other sawing and drilling projects. The general contractor knew of our wall sawing experience and was confident in our abilities to complete the removal of the CMU wall,â&#x20AC;? said Geno Cotrone, owner of G Seven. Standing 40 feet from floor to ceiling, the 64-foot-wide reinforced concrete wall was too tall to bring down in large pieces. The sawing and drilling contractor came up with a plan to cut more manage-

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K2DiamondWireSaws1/2Pg_K2DiamondAd-10/08 10/9/13 2:48 PM Page 1 able sections free that could be removed by the general contractor using a fork lift. The layout created by the cutting contractor’s team split the wall into 58 pieces averaging 5.7 feet long by 6 feet wide. To minimize safety hazards associated with removing cut concrete sections at height, the contractor measured pieces toward the top of the wall much smaller than those near the bottom. The top two rows of the CMU wall sections were marked out to be 6 feet long by 4.7 feet wide when cut, weighing approximately 4,200 pounds each. Operators worked from a raised work platform and used a 4-speed hi-cycle core drill from Diamond Tech, Inc. to make two 8-inch-diameter holes through each marked section. These holes were positioned so that a front reaching forklift could be threaded through and stabilize each piece before it was completely cut free. It took one operator 30 minutes to core through the 12-inch-thick wall and create one hole, creating 126 holes in total. A hi-cycle wall saw from GDM Technologies with an inverter from 400 Hertz Engineering was used to make the cuts. The saw was fitted with a 30-inch-diameter blade from Diamond Products and set up on a track to perform a series of 6-foot vertical cuts along the top row of marked sections. All vertical cuts were completed by wall saw and slurry was collected by wet vacuums. After all top row cuts were done, the track-mounted saw was set up to make 5-foot horizontal cuts that would free each piece. The forklift was positioned to stabilize each section while it was being cut, then used to remove the cut section from the work area. The general contractor was responsible for transporting all cut pieces from the jobsite to a safe disposal area. Over the course of 30 days, the team from G Seven cut and removed 58 pieces of reinforced concrete with some sections measuring 9.3 feet long and weighing over 9,300 pounds. A total of 30 vertical and 14 horizontal cuts were made through the 12-inch-thick concrete wall, equal to 664 linear feet of wall sawing. The general contractor removed 2,565 cubic feet of concrete from the jobsite. There were many challenges on this project. First, the work was done from a scissor lift at a working platform height of 34 feet, so operators were provided with the necessary training, personal protective equipment and fall protection for working at height. “Our biggest safety concern was the height we were working at and the weight of the sections being removed. Also, we were

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conscious that the pick holes we created would reduce the structural integrity of the sections if we cored through the rebar. We had to be careful to avoid splitting too much rebar so that the pieces remained intact when removed,” explained Cotrone. In terms of the actual cutting work, the contractor found that a sprinkler pipe ran parallel to the wall, but with a clearance of several inches from the ceiling. This made extraction of the 4,200-pound piece on the top row of cuts difficult, as operators could only

work on the same side of the wall as the pipe. G Seven came up with a plan to remove these sections by coring the picking holes lower in the cut sections, insuring that the headache rack of the forward reach lift cleared the sprinkler pipe during extraction. In addition, electrical conduit penetrated the wall and could not be disconnected. The cutting team marked out cut lines to work around the conduit and carefully chip out any remaining concrete. One additional safety requirement on this project, was that G Seven obtain a Hot

C O N C RET E O P EN I N G S | 4 5

C O N C R E T E

C A S E S

All 4,200-pound cut sections were removed from the work area by the general contractor.

The removal of the reinforced CMU wall was completed in 30 days.

Work Permit from the plant’s maintenance department and assign fire watch personnel. This was because sparks created by the cutting of rebar presented a fire hazard close to the printing equipment and paper supplies. The cutting team took part in the printing company’s safety program to prepare for the work. Because of the preparation and diligence of G Seven, the project was completed on time, within budget and without incident. “We are very pleased with the way the project turned out. There was the potential for serious problems but we tackled each situation with professionalism and experience,” concluded Cotrone. “I would like to thank Noah Williams, president of Thomas C. Williams, Inc., for choosing us for the job and Ron Cheek, our engineering contact at Quad Graphics, for his help and cooperation.” The Merced, California location of Quad Graphics now has its new printing press installed thanks to the work of this CSDA contractor member. The benefits of sawing and drilling with diamond tools are headline news! REVIEW AND COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE AT: WWW.CONCRETEOPENINGS.COM/FORUM.CFM

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COMPANY PROFILE G Seven has been in business for four years and joined CSDA in 2011. Based in Sonora, California, the company employs three operators, two trucks and services all of the California and Arizona. G Seven offers the concrete cutting services of slab sawing, wall sawing, hand sawing, core drilling, breaking and removal.

RESOURCES General Contractor: Thomas C. Williams, Inc. Sawing and Drilling Contractor: G Seven Sonora, California Phone: 209-532-2277 Email: geno@g--seven.com Methods Used: Wall Sawing, Core Drilling

C O N C RET E O P EN I N G S | 4 7

SOCIAL MEDIA FOCUS

Why You Need A LinkedIn Company Page By Sue Ann Kern

hances are, you already have a profile on LinkedIn. Chances are, you already know that LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional social network with more than 200 Million registered users in more than 200 countries. Chances are, you already know that executives from every Fortune 500 company are represented and approximately two new professionals sign up every second. What you may not know, is that there are more than 3 million LinkedIn Company Pages. Did you know that these company pages show up on web search results, so having a company page is an important part of your SEO strategy? LinkedIn Company Pages are a great tool to promote your business. Having a LinkedIn Company Page is not only important for others to view and learn about what you do and who you are, but can be very valuable when you are researching other companies that you want to do business with. Here are a few simple steps to take advantage of LinkedIn Company Pages and promote your business, your products and your services.

USE KEYWORDS AND PHRASES When you create your company page, use keywords that will help your page show up in searches and be aware of the character limits for these fields: • Company Name: 100 maximum characters • Description: 200 minimum and 1500 maximum characters • Specialties: 256 maximum characters • Website URL: 256 maximum characters

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BE SURE THAT YOUR EMPLOYEES LINK TO THE CORRECT PAGE

FEATURE YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

When you or your employees do not link to your official company page in the “Experience” section, then a new LinkedIn Company Page is created. To be consistent, let your employees know which company page to link to so that extraneous pages are not created and won’t cause confusion. Also, this will give a more accurate view of your company when people view their connections to company employees.

LinkedIn Company Pages allow you to create a mini-profile for each of your products and services. This allows each product or service to stand out on its own, provide unique and specific images and information, and get its own references. Just like requesting recommendations for your personal profile, don’t be shy in asking for recommendations for your products or services.

BE CREATIVE WITH YOUR COVER PHOTO

POST. SHARE. REPEAT

Your cover photo sets the tone for your company page, similar to the décor in your office reception area. It can also be likened to the cover photo on Facebook Business Page, but without the restrictions. You can add calls to action, your website or draw attention to other items of interest like upcoming events. Consider using an image that fits with the theme of your website landing page and your Facebook Page. This presents visitors with a consistent appearance and feel, adding to your credibility.

Have you recently seen a news article or video that is related to your industry? Share it! LinkedIn users will follow your company and share your posts if you provide information that is interesting and important to them and their businesses. When someone visits your company’s page, these updates will show up on the screen and will also show up in the news feeds of those who follow your page. Share new product information or request input from your followers to help develop a new product, but don’t post solely about what you sell. Consider the following rule of thumb: for every “salesy” post, share three or four “newsy”

posts. Post a few times a week, but not multiple times each day. Businesses that post updates excessively are subject to review by LinkedIn and may have their page deleted. You can attach files such as Adobe PDFs, Microsoft PowerPoint presentations or image files. Notice that there is not an “attach link” field. To attach a link, type in the link then, after the link appears, you can delete the link from the text. The URL and thumbnail will remain attached to the post. When the “Company Update” shows up in your profile feed, you can share the update with your connections, with individuals and with your groups. Engage your employees and encourage them to share your company’s updates with their connections as well.

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TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LINKEDIN JOBS Looking for a dynamic individual to fill an important job? Post it on your company page. LinkedIn provides an unsurpassed reservoir of talented professionals, and the website’s job search tool is robust. Not only do jobs appear in a LinkedIn search, but they also appear in web search results and also on specific Twitter feeds like @lijobs_mgmt or @lijobs_mktg (search Twitter for LinkedIn Jobs). You will also be able to see who has viewed your job posting along with a ranking of 1-10 generated by LinkedIn. There is a charge for job postings, which varies by location and the posting expires after 30 days. However, once you post a job, you and your colleagues can share the job in your network and on any groups you belong to. LinkedIn is an exceptionally effective way to network, showcase your personal expertise and to discover and share interesting news. Likewise, LinkedIn Company Pages provide an equally effective way to communicate information about your products and services, create advocates and generate leads for your business. Follow a few company pages, like CSDA and Face It! Social Media, then utilize the above tips to get started with your own.

Sue Ann Kern is a trainer, consultant and

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professional speaker on social media. Through her company, Face It! Social Media, she helps businesses and individuals to promote their products, services and themselves through Social Media. Kern earned her degree in Electrical Engineering and spent the early part of her career as a digital designer and programmer. She has presented to the CSDA membership at the CSDA Convention and held a workshop on the subject of social media. Sue Ann can be reached at 435-201-8610 or by email at sueann@faceitsocialmedia.com.

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As a Cosponsor of World of Concrete 2014, CSDA is pleased to offer readers of Concrete Openings free registration to the Las Vegas trade show and exhibition in January. For those readers with smartphones, use the QR Code to start the free registration process.

For everyone else, visit www.csda.org and click on the World of Concrete banner when it appears in the window.

JAN. 21-24, 2014

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POLISHED PERSPECTIVE

The Key to Sustainability – Part 2 By Andy Bowman

Part I of this article was published in the September 2013 issue of Concrete Openings. Please refer to this issue or visit www.concreteopenings.com to view online.

Case Study Continued . . . The discovery phase of this program included a criterion of replication. It was important to produce similar polished surfaces throughout the country in a controlled environment. It was critical that the same test methods be used throughout the discovery phase and that progress was monitored on a daily basis. During site evaluations, the lowest profile tested was equivalent to a 150-grit metal bond. A 3-head planetary grinder with an adequate amount of tooling was used as the base for the polishing process. Of the five locations evaluated, it was determined that only two used the same process so four test pads were produced for this phase. Each test area was confined to 100 square feet. All elements of the specification were followed, including the same chemical densifiers, sealers, grinding/polishing equipment, and the final gloss reading was to achieve a minimum 40 gloss using a Horiba IG320. After the initial tests were completed, the areas were kept free of foot traffic for a 72-hour period to comply with the requirements of the polish guard manufacturer. The floors were then opened up to normal traffic. A copy of the manufacturer’s maintenance requirements were posted in the test area and cleaning crews complied with these instructions. A 90-day period separated the initial and final round of tests—the time frame in which the customer had originally experienced a significant reduction of gloss. After 90 days in service, the testing process was repeated at each location as per the original evaluations.

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Applications Application

Test Area 1 2 3 4

P P 150 Grit P P P P 200 Grit P P P 400 Grit P P P P 800 Grit P P P P 1500 Grit P P P P 3000 Grit P Polish Guard/Burnish P P P P 100 Grit

Gloss Readings At Start of Test Period

After 90 Days

After Cleaning

Original Profile Reading

After 90 Days

Scratch Profile Readings

Industry First Sets the Standard for Surface Texture The concrete polishing and surface preparation industry now has vital new resources, including a first of its kind, to measure job success—all thanks to CSDA. In response to requests by architects and engineers to resolve consistency issues associated with quality levels achieved by polished concrete surfaces, the association has released two technical documents—an industry Standard and a Best Practice. CSDA Standard ST-115 Measuring Concrete Micro Surface Texture is a collaborative effort between the CSDA Polishing and Standards & Specifications Committees. It identifies approved instrumentation for measuring surface texture and provides a benchmark measurement procedure for contractors and specifiers to follow. The document covers important steps in the production of a quality floor system and gives useful guidelines associated with the testing and inspection of a finished concrete surface. In addition to all this, CSDA-ST-115 includes a standard process for documenting surface texture readings, a list of industry terms and definitions and a section on codes, symbols and charts to assist concrete polishers. “The release of this Standard could not have come at a better time,” says Andy Bowman, chair of CSDA’s Polishing Committee. “Some see the polishing industry as an unorganized group in need of consistent language, definitions and universal criteria. Now, CSDA has created a document with defining vocabulary that provides a consistent message throughout the industry. The challenge was to take artistic-minded techniques and adapt them to a more scientific approach. I feel we have achieved that.” The accompanying Best Practice, CSDA-BP-015 Green Polishing and Grinding Practices, has been devised to help concrete polishing and grinding contractors create a detailed plan for performing their work in a more environmentally-friendly manner. It provides guidelines and recommendations for companies to employ on the jobsite, in the office or in the shop. “These new documents are the culmination of hard work and dedication shown by members of CSDA’s Polishing Committee. The result is two robust industry documents that polishing contractors can refer to on any job,” says CSDA Executive Director Patrick O’Brien. “One provides the industry with finite rules for measuring the surface texture of a concrete floor system, as well as giving set parameters to create high-quality polished concrete floors with consistency. The other informs and educates polishing businesses about green practices, a constant hot topic within the concrete industry.” To view either of these new documents, visit www.csda.org and click on Standards, Specifications, Tolerances and Best Practices. For more information, call 727-577-5004 or email info@csda.org.

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POLISHED PERSPECTIVE Suggested Maintenance Polish Guard

Test Area

Burnishing Frequency

Application

Rate (sq ft/gal)

1 1x Per Week

Thin Coat

2,000

2x Per Month

2x Per Week

Thin Coat

2,000

2x Per Month

2x Per Week

Thin Coat

2,000

1x Three Weeks

1x Per Week

Heavy Coat

1,000

1x Per Month

The 90-day tests began with a visual inspection using the same high-wattage light as before, and the surfaces were checked with the profile meter. In test area #1, the 150-grit scratch pattern could be easily seen with the naked eye and there was no evidence of any polish guard remaining on the surface. Before the area was prepared, the gloss reading was 37 and increased to 48. Now the reading was 16 after just 90 days of use. The surface was cleaned with a soft cotton rag saturated with acetone and another scratch profile test was performed. The reading had increased from 37 to 53. This pattern continued for the other three test areas, some faring better than others (see table above). After the profile readings, the areas were thoroughly cleaned with an auto scrubber and the polishing process repeated. This determined each area’s ability to restore the gloss and finish to their original prepared condition, and the results were positive (see table). Another 90-day period was observed to determine the necessary amount of daily, weekly and monthly maintenance necessary to maintain a minimum 40 gloss for the life of the polished floor system. Gloss readings were taken at the end of each day and the following processes were found to be the optimum ways to maintain the floors as specified: NOTE: Normal floor cleaning with an automatic scrubber was recommended for each area, using the manufacturer’s recommended floor cleaner and maintenance pads. These recommendations were based on the areas encountering a high volume of foot traffic, as observed during the test period, and were designed to minimize signs of abrasion and a loss of gloss.

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Frequency

With testing complete, the recommended procedure to remedy polished concrete surfaces at the evaluation sites was established. The customer was provided with a detailed specification for each site, which included a details for daily, weekly, and monthly floor care maintenance procedures. Corrective work was conducted at the evaluation sites and a 90-day period observed to determine the value of the new maintenance procedure. During the final evaluation process, we discovered that the floors were retaining a much higher level of gloss and the store managers confirmed that the maintenance program specified was being followed to the letter. During the evaluation project for this end user, we were able to dissect and examine specific components of the polishing process and how each component had an effect—positive or negative. We were also able to look at the measured amount of resin transfer being injected into the surface at various levels of refinement. The conclusion was a direct connection between the completion of the proper refinement steps and polished floors that retained their gloss longer. Furthermore, continual maintenance helped to keep them looking great over an extended period of time.

Andy Bowman is the owner of Adaptive Concrete Innovations based in Rose Bud, Arkansas. He has 13 years experience of concrete polishing and is the lead trainer for CSDA’s Concrete Polishing training class. Bowman can be reached at 419-408-5906 or by email at abowman@gmiengineeredproducts.com.

CORE HEALTH

Time to Get Horizontal: Why Sleep is So Important By Erin O’Brien

e all know that eight hours of sleep a night is recommended by most doctors and healthcare professionals. Rarely do most of us hit this target, especially business owners and operators working in the concrete renovation industry. Whether the reason is stress, long shift hours or professional and personal responsibilities, the eight-hour sleep goal is one not achieved by most. Sleep is frequently the first thing sacrificed when there just never seems to be enough hours in the day. Sleep is more important than most realize. This article will discuss the proven benefits of getting enough sleep and the determents of not getting enough. Retrospective bias is a term used by psychologists. It is used to explain the reason why people tend to remember the past differently than it actually played out, often romanticizing it into something it wasn’t. In the case of sleep, we often forget how lousy we feel when we don’t get enough. So our retrospective bias keeps us up at night staring at computer screens and TVs, staying late at the office or getting up early for work, when our bodies should be sleeping. Sleep experts and multiple studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between sleep and certain hormones in the body that affect everything from muscle growth to body fat to cognitive function. Here are three of the most important findings from some of these studies and their relationship to the amount of sleep a person logs each night.

SLEEP AND GROWTH HORMONE Growth hormone aids in bone and muscle growth and recovery. In children and young adults, a lack of sleep can slow the growth of muscles and not allow for a person to reach

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their full height potential. In adults, a lack of sleep can slow muscle recovery and slow down recovery from injury, with the possibility of the person never fully recovering. Growth hormone is released when you sleep. Fifty to 60 percent of growth hormone is released by your body at night while you are asleep, and most of that release occurs during the first half of the night. Growth hormone has another function – fat reduction. When adequate amounts of growth hormone are released by the body, it stimulates the release of triglycerides from fat cells. Triglycerides can be used for energy production, so by breaking these fat cells down your body is burning fat to produce energy. If a person does not get enough sleep on a regular basis, their injury recovery time will be

slower. If they are trying to build muscle, it will take longer, be more difficult and they will not burn fat as efficiently, leading to potential weight gain or difficulty losing weight.

SLEEP AND LEPTIN Leptin is a hormone that suppresses your appetite and regulates insulin. Your body releases leptin at night while you sleep to avoid you waking up in the middle of the night looking for a meal. If you are not getting enough sleep, and therefore not getting enough leptin, you may find yourself standing in front of the refrigerator at 3am looking for a snack. Reduced levels of leptin can also increase your cravings for certain foods during daytime hours. Research suggests there may be a connection between obesity and a lack of sleep,

one that could cause the other in a vicious cycle—eating too much because you are not sleeping enough. Researchers have observed that people who don’t sleep well put on a lot of weight in the long term.

SLEEP AND CORTISOL Cortisol is a steroid hormone used most in “fight or flight” type events, where our bodies need to react quickly to a potentially dangerous situation. Normally, cortisol levels in our bodies are low. Unlike growth hormone and leptin, we do not want high amounts of cortisol in our system. Two things that raise cortisol levels are stress and prolonged, intense physical activity. One thing that reduces cortisol levels is sleep. Cortisol is the worst thing to have in your body in the long term. It stops you from using the energy from food properly, and it causes you to put on weight, especially in the abdominal area, and break down muscle tissue. It also reduces cognitive function, raises blood pressure and suppresses thyroid function. So again we see that not getting enough sleep can cause weight gain and lower muscle mass, among other problems. Good sleep is basically a way of reducing cortisol levels. Sleep resets your levels, especially if you have a stressful job or lifestyle. With reduced cortisol levels from getting enough sleep, along with higher levels of growth hormone and leptin, our bodies can more effectively build and repair muscle, maintain a healthy blood pressure and burn fat more frequently and effectively. Even if you can’t get the recommended eight hours of sleep a night, seven hours is better than six and six is better than five. Business owners or operators who get less than five hours of sleep a night, even on an occasional basis, are more likely to have a higher body fat percentage, slower recovery times to injury and illness and a host of other potential problems caused by inadequate sleep and high stress levels. Take care of your body, and make sure getting horizontal for eight hours every night is one of your highest priorities.

Erin O’Brien, MS, ATC is a Certified Athletic Trainer and Marketing Director for O’Brien International, the association management company that manages the Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association. O’Brien received her Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training from Ohio University and her Master of Science degree in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology from the University of Florida. She is also a Certified Level 1 CrossFit Instructor and member of CrossFit9 in St. Petersburg, FL. She is a regular contributor to Concrete Openings magazine. She can be

For More Information Tel: 727-577-5004 www.csda.org

reached at erin@csda.org or 727-577-5002.

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C O N C RET E O P EN I N G S | 5 5

iTrain NEED A TRAINING UPGRADE? Join CSDA at World of Concrete in Las Vegas, Nevada

ESTIMATING CLASS January 20–21, 2014 Course Code CSDAMT

CONCRETE POLISHING January 22–23, 2014 Course Code CSDAPWTH

WALL SAWING

January 22–23, 2014 Course Code CSDAWTH

CSDA BOOTH

January 21–24, 2014 Central Hall #C4435

Get Free* Attendee Registration For WOC ‘14 via www.csda.org or Call 727-577-5004 *Some restrictions may apply.

OSHA/CSDA Alliance Latest The Alliance between the Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association (CSDA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is now in its eighth year and has produced 16 safety-related documents, yet some readers may be unaware of what this program offers the industry.

FATAL OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES DOWN AGAIN

OSHA/CSDA ALLIANCE AT WORLD OF CONCRETE 2014

Preliminary results from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries released today show a reduction in the number of fatal work injuries in 2012 compared with 2011. Last year, 4,383 workers died from work-related injuries, down from a final count of 4,693 fatal work injuries in 2011. Based on preliminary counts, the rate of fatal workplace injuries in 2012 was 3.2 per 100,000 fulltime equivalent workers, down from a rate of 3.5 per 100,000 in 2011. “I am greatly encouraged by the reduction in workplace fatalities, even in a growing economy. We can and must to better. Job gains in oil and gas and construction have come with more fatalities, and that is unacceptable. That’s why OSHA has undertaken a number of outreach and educational initiatives, including a campaign to prevent falls in construction,” said Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez.

Federal and local representatives from OSHA will be at CSDA booth #C4435 during the World of Concrete trade show and exhibition in Las Vegas on January 21-24, 2014. The OSHA representatives will be on-hand to provide advice and guidance, while Board and committee members, and contractors from CSDA will be present to share information about the industry, the association and discuss the benefits of being part of an Alliance program.

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For more information about the OSHA/CSDA Alliance program, or to view documents released by this partnership, visit www.csda.org and click on the “OSHA Alliance” link under “Safety” or call 727-577-5004.

C O N C RET E O P EN I N G S | 5 7

INDUSTRY BITS Makita Introduces First 4-Stroke Power Cutter The Makita EK7651H is the world’s first 4-stroke power cutter. Using Makita MM4™ engine technology, the cutter requires no 2-stroke oil, simplifying operation and preventing piston seizure due to improper mixing. MM4™ also eliminates the need for a separate mixed oil/fuel can. The EK7651H produces just 97.2 decibels of noise and consumes an average 0.45 gallons of fuel per hour. This new cutter has an automatic engine decompression valve, which is engineered into the cam gear to reduce pull start force by 40% compared to other cutters in its range. A pressure-compensated carburetor with vented choke plate adjusts automatically to prevent flooding. The EK7651H also features an integrated aluminum wheel kit that retracts when not in use, preventing unexpected movement during idle. For more information, call 714-522-8088 or visit www.makitausa.com.

Dixie Diamond Offers Range of Small-Diameter Core Bits Dixie Diamond Manufacturing is pleased to offer a range of small-diameter core bits for professional concrete core drilling contractors. The bits range in size from 0.375 to 1.875 inches in diameter. Designed for wet cutting, each bit is 14 inches long and can achieve a drilling depth of 12 inches in concrete. The U-shape crown segment design offers fast drilling and is laser welded to the metal tube. These bits can drill hard concrete with reinforcement and similar materials. For more information, call 800-654-7224 or visit www.dixiediamond.com.

Two New Floor Grinders Introduced by DITEQ DITEQ introduces two new grinders to its line of surface preparation equipment. Like the TG8 floor grinder, these machines are manufactured at DITEQ’s headquarters in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. The 12- and 18-inch diameter grinders are available in single or variable-speed models and have electric and gas versions for polishing or grinding in outdoor or indoor work areas. The two grinding machines include a TEQ-Lok plate for mounting assorted TEQ-Lok tools. Both machines come with DITEQ’s two-year equipment warranty as standard. For more information, call 866-688-1032 or visit www.diteq.com.

Concut Introduces 74-Horsepower Rider Saw Concut, Inc. has added the C-74DR diesel rider saw to its line of concrete slab saws. With a 74-horsepower, turbo-charged Deutz diesel engine, the saw is designed for high production work on highways, runways and other large jobsites. The C-74DR can run 14- to 60-inch-diameter blades to achieve a maximum cutting depth of 26.5 inches. A hydrostatic transmission ensures smooth movement in both forward and reverse directions. The dual hydraulic motor wheel drive provides traction and a travel speed of up to 320 feet per minute. The saw’s multiposition control panel allows the user to sit and operate the saw from either the right or left-hand side of the saw, and a 4-speed gearbox provides a true neutral setting for safe movement while running. The C-74DR measures 55 inches tall, 38 inches wide and weighs around 2,200 pounds. For more information, contact Tom Monaghan at 800-243-5888 or email tom@concutusua.com.

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CSDA 2014 Annual Meeting Notice The annual meeting of the members of the Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association will take place at 11:00 AM on Saturday, March 15, 2014 at the Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa in Tucson, Arizona, for the purpose of receiving reports, transacting business and electing Officers and directors. For more information, call the CSDA office at 727-577-5004 or email info@csda.org.

New Heavy-Duty, Low-Vibration Floor Scabbler From CS Unitec CS Unitec’s new multi-headed, concrete floor scabbler is desgined for concrete keying and laitance removal without damaging the substrate below. The MHS 11 (Model 159.6051) is designed with 11 one-piece piston tungsten carbide-tipped bush hammer heads that supply 24,200 total light blows per minute. This heavy-duty, pneumatic floor scabbler has a cutting width of 9.83 inches with a production capacity of approximately 100 square feet per hour. Model 159.6051 includes a vacuum dust shroud to reduce hazardous dust and maintain worksite cleanliness. The floor scabbler employs a three-point vibration damping system for operator comfort and has an acceleration equivalent level of 4.96 meters per second squared. The unit can operate from a single compressor, consuming 55 cubic feet per minute of air at 90 pounds per square inch. For more information, 800-700-5919 or email info@csunitec.com.

Bosch Launches New Heated Jacket for Use on the Jobsite Bosch Power Tools is pleased to announce the launch of the company’s first heated jacket with battery holster/ controller USB power backup. The PSJ120 12V Max heated jacket is designed to keep outdoor contractors and mobile technicians warm and protected from the elements. The water and wind resistant jacket also has a convenient built-in 12-volt battery backup power source—the BHB120—to keep USB-compatible cell phones and other electronic devices charged for use. The jacket features three core heat zones—two chest and one back—that can provide up to six hours of heated runtime. A three-level heat controller button on the jacket’s chest lights up to denote the heat setting. The PSJ120 has a full-zip, adjustable sleeves, reflective features for increased visibility and is offered in six sizes, from small to 3XL. For more information, visit www.boschtools.com or call 877-267-2499.

Hilti Appoints Dragon as National Account Manager for Detection Hilti, Inc. is pleased to announce the addition of Matthew Dragon to its North American organization as a national account manager. In this role, Matthew will be responsible for developing measuring and detection opportunities. Matthew brings much experience to his new role, having spent over six years selling and supporting ground penetrating radar and related equipment for use in the concrete construction Dragon and renovation markets. Prior to Hilti, Matthew worked for Geophysical Survey Systems, Inc. (GSSI), Alpha Analytical Laboratories and Clean Harbors Environmental Services. He currently serves as the chair of CSDA’s Next Generation Committee. For more information, contact Matthew at 603-366-8404, email matthew. dragon@hilti.com or visit www.us.hilti.com.

New Rider Saw Launched by Merit Engineering Merit Engineering is proud to announce the release of its much-anticipated rider saw. The company describes this new model as the only ride-on with independent rear wheel suspension. The rider saw measures 60 inches long, 41 inches wide and stands 55 inches tall. It features two back wheels with independent drive motors, a blade capacity range from 14 to 60 inches and a repositionable control panel that enables the driver to cut from the left or right of the machine. The rider saw also has an interchangeable front end, which allows users to move easily from a groover or grinder setting to a 4-speed gear box for standard concrete cutting. For more information, visit www.meritsaw.com or call 928-771-0575.

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I N D U S T R Y

B I T S EDCO Launches Redesigned Floor Grinders Equipment Development Company (EDCO) is pleased to announce the launch of the company’s redesigned concrete floor grinders. EDCO invented its first concrete grinder over 50 years ago, and the company aims to maintain the quality of its products with these new grinders. This Wedge-Less line of concrete floor grinders uses an exclusive leveling system and the working height of the machines adjusts and accepts many new grinding accessories. The Wedge-Less grinders have new multi-accessory discs, eliminating the need for wooden wedges that hold accessories in place. Other standard features include an adjustable dust shroud, laser-cut wright trays, EDCO’s exclusive multi-vac port and a redesigned handlebar. For more information, call 301-663-1600 or visit www.edcoinc.com.

Expert Equipment Introduces QuickConnect Spacers Expert Equipment Company introduces two new quickconnect spacers to its core drilling equipment lineup. The 4-inch and 6-inch models are compatible with the recently introduced Type 6 quick-connect cam lock motor mount for the Cardi roller carriage. This system allows the operator to change from a 14-inch standard setup to a 22- or 26-inch setup within seconds. The spacers will fit the Cardi T9-475, T9-500 and Vortex 625 core drills. They do not require any other hardware and can be mounted with the hexagonal handle of the roller carriage. For more information, call 713-797-9886 or email info@expertequipment.com.

Kwikcore Anchorless Coring System Introduced by EXCO EXCO, Inc. is now taking orders for its patented Kwikcore anchorless coring system. This coring accessory is EXCO’s second product offering, following the launch of the company’s portable coring machine at World of Concrete 2013. The anchorless coring system is a smaller, more refined unit than its predecessor. The base unit can accommodate a 12-inch-diameter core bit, but the use of an optional extension cage will increase its capabilities to 16 inches in diameter. This electric unit can be mounted on the majority of existing demolition robots and excavation machines with no extra hydraulic circuits required. It also has a remote feed feature and two mounting locations—one on the side and one on the top—to provide a wide range of coring positions. For more information, contact Edward Lounsberry at 215-510-2240 or email elounsberry@mecoconstructors.com.

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Husqvarna Appoints Two Husqvarna Construction Products announces the appointment of Ryan Yonkers as a district sales manager for Ohio. Yonkers has been in the construction industry for 15 years. He worked as a supervisor for a concrete contractor in Ohio for 11 years, five of which he was also responsible for sales and estimating. His Yonkers Milz last job was outside sales for construction supplies and light equipment. Donnie Milz previously held the position of Husqvarna’s district sales manager for North Carolina, but has now been appointed the company’s surface preparation specialist for the Southeast. For more information, call 800-288-5040 or visit www.husqvarnacp.com.

I N D U S T R Y

B I T S

DITEQ Appoints New District Sales Manager DITEQ Corporation is pleased to announce the addition of Brian Gustafson as a district sales manager for the company’s range of tools and equipment. Brian is based in Chicago and will cover Illinois, Wisconsin and parts of Indiana and Michigan. Brian brings over Gustafson thirty years of experience in construction sales and the professional market. For more information, contact Joann Miller at 866-688-1032.

awards January 22, 2014 10 AM, Booth #C4435

Concut Announces New Territory Sales Manager for the Midwest Concut, Inc. is pleased to announce that Jeff Mallory has joined its sales team as territory sales manager for the Midwest. Jeff combines a strong technical background with past experience of running his own tool distribution business. In his new role, Jeff will lead Concut’s sales efforts in the Midwestern states including Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Michigan. Jeff will work with professional sawing and Mallory drilling contractors, as well as with Concut’s distribution partners in the region. For more information, contact Tom Monaghan at 800-243-5888 or email tom@concutusa.com.

New Diamond Wire from K2 K2 Diamond is proud to introduce its new highperformance blue diamond wire for wire sawing contractors. This impregnated, vulcanized, springtype blue diamond wire has been designed specifically for high production rates in a variety of tough cutting applications. The blue wire’s specification is VW 4 VX and has 40 beads per meter (12 beads per foot). Each 10.5-millimeter diamond bead is manufactured with high grade powders and diamonds. The wire is available in custom lengths. For more information, contact Mike Nelson at 800-539-6116 or email mike.nelson@k2diamond.com.

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I N D U S T R Y

B I T S Bosch Expands Click & Go Storage System with L-Rack The L-Rack is the newest addition to Bosch Power Tools’ Click & Go™ storage system. It features convenient singleclick stacking and can be used to add additional storage to L-Boxxes or create a custom organization system. The L-Rack is available as a standalone system or as individual pieces. The standalone system comes with one i-boxx53 thin tray, two LST72-OD drawers, three L-Rack shelves and one L-Rack-T top carry handle. Alternatively, users can purchase the L-Rack-S and L-Rack-T, which are compatible with L-Boxxes and L-Boxx trays. The Click & Go storage system is available in five sizes and is fully customizable with foam, plastic inserts, drawers and Exact-FitTM insert trays. Every L-Boxx quickly fits together with one-click stacking for easy handling and transport with the L-Cart and L-Dolly. For more information, visit www.boschtools.com or call 877-267-2499.

CSDA Member Wins Small Business Award Thanks in part to the exponential growth of subsidiary Merit Engineering & Equipment Company, a CSDA member company, G&F Concrete Cutting, Inc. has been named one of Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses. This honor is bestowed upon a select group of businesses listed in The Inner City 100—a ranking of the fastest-growing companies located in America’s inner cities. The 10,000 Small Businesses program identifies businesses that are poised for growth and that have demonstrated a commitment to creating jobs within their communities. The program offers participants practical business and management education, access to capital and business support services. G&F is tapping Goldman Sachs’ exporting expertise as they attempt to fulfill the international demand for concrete cutting equipment manufactured by Merit. As part of the honor, the president of Merit Engineering & Equipment Company, Rita Ferguson, attended the Inner City 100 Symposium in Boston, a two-day event featuring seminars for Inner City 100 CEOs and senior managers at Harvard Business School. For more information, call 928-771-0575 or email r.ferguson@meritsaw.com.

Adaptive Concrete Innovations Launches T-Meter Adaptive Concrete Innovations is pleased to launch the T-Meter, a measurement device for reading concrete surface texture. The T Meter is capable of reading concrete texture using three parameters: Surface Texture Grade (STG), as described in CSDA Standard ST115, Roughness Average (Ra) and Concrete Surface Profile (CSP)on a scale of 1-6 as defined by the International Concrete Repair Institute. The T Meter is competitively priced and designed to be a mobile and easy to use device. For more information, contact Andy Bowman at 419-408-5906, email bb@aciconcrete.net or visit www.aciconcrete.net.

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Hilti Introduces Line of Early Entry Diamond Blades Hilti is pleased to introduce its line of DC-EU ultra early entry diamond blades for the professional user. This new line of blades has been designed for cutting concrete within the first few hours of being poured and are sold without skid plates. Featuring up to three times more diamonds than some other early entry blades, and with taller diamond segments than its predecessors, Hilti’s early entry blades are designed for fast cutting. For more information, contact Hilti customer service at 800-879-8000 in the U.S., 800-363-4458 in Canada, or visit www.us.hilti.com in the U.S. or www.hilti.ca in Canada.

I N D U S T R Y CSDA Member Appointed Chair of Industry Training Committee Julie White, the managing director of U.K.based CSDA member D-Drill Master Drillers, Ltd., has been appointed chair of the National Specialist Contractors’ Council’s (NSCC) Training Committee. The organization brings together the common aims of 29 specialist trade organizations within construction and is the voice of more than 7,000 contractors across the U.K. White will spearhead the NSCC’s work on skills and is reigniting her campaign to see the creation of a national database of apprentices White in the construction industry. A big believer in apprenticeships and training, White reports that 45 percent of D-Drill’s current staff has completed the company’s apprenticeship scheme. For more information, visit www.nscc.org.uk or email juliewhite@d-drill.co.uk.

B I T S

Good things do come in small packages...

e ing th c u d o Intr

17VXE Specifications: Electric Powered Performance:

bucket capacity: 1.6 cu. ft. bucket width: 18” operating weight: 4-post 3,583 lbs. transportation weight: 4-post 3,417 lbs. -1 swing speed: 9.5 min travel speed (low/high): 1.3/2.5 mph 0 gradeability: 30 ground pressure: 3.8 psi Max bucket digging force: 5,447 lbs.

MOTOR: rueland 15 H.P. 3PH. 480v Boom swing system

39”

type: boom offset with hydraulic cylinder swing angle (l/r): 55 0/80 0 hydraulic system pressure: 3000 psi pump: 2 piston/2 gear type/hydraulic flow: 4.5 gal/min x 2 + 3.2 gal/min

K2 Diamond Appoints New Sales Manager K2 Diamond is pleased to announce the addition of Craig Warneke as the company’s Northeast Territory sales manager. He will be responsible for all sales and service for the Eastern Seaboard, from Maryland to Maine. Warneke brings to K2 over 35 years of experience and knowledge of the diamond tool and concrete cutting equipment industry, having previously worked for Sutton Diamond, New England Diamond, Sprague & Henwood and Edmar Abrasives. Craig can be reached at 310-308-3814 or by email at craig. warneke@k2diamond.com. Warneke

Construction Equipment Industry Meets Members of the European Parliament The Committee of European Construction Equipment (CECE) is a European network consisting of a secretariat in Brussels and 16 national association offices in 14 different European countries. On October 16, CECE and CEMA, the European association representing the agricultural machinery industry, met in Brussels, Belgium for a conference titled “Towards a competitive industrial production for Europe.” Held every two years, the joint summit provides a platform for business leaders of this sector to meet and discuss industry matters with representatives of European institutions. This year, a panel discussion with politicians, legislators and industry leaders looked at the possibilities of a better set of “smart” sector specific regulations: How to make relevant product legislation more realistic, coherent, internationally aligned and most of all stimulating for innovations and competition instead of costly and burdensome. A second discussion focused on the conditions for keeping a competitive production of construction equipment in Europe. The EU member states want to boost the weight of industrial production in Europe to 20% GDP by 2020. At the end of the event, the presidents of CECE and CEMA signed a manifesto with a 10-point action plan for a strong industrial production in Europe. For more information, visit www.cece.eu.

50” With the widest ranging expandable tracks in its class the 17VXE can access the tight spaces you need to reach!

www.ihices.com 800.538.1447

SURFACE PREPARATION, RESTORATION, PROFESSIONAL SAWING EQUIPMENT & HAND HELD TOOLS

EQUIPMENT DEVELOPMENT CO., INC. CUT • REMOVE • REPAIR • RESTORE • INSTALL

GRIND WEDGE-LESS WITH SLIDE-ON ACCESSORIES CHANGE TOOLS IN LESS THAN 30 SECONDS

DS-18

C-10

DS-18 and C-10 Ideal for slab cutting, patch repairs, traffic loop installation, trenching, restoration and repair, crack repair

DRILL RIGS

VISIT US @ WOC JANUARY 20-24

BOOTH NO 031035, LAS VEGAS, NV

Ideal for Plumbers, Railing installers, Sign installers, Welders and Concrete core engineers

AMERICAN OWNED AND OPERATED

1-800-638-3326 • contrxsystems.com • edcoinc.com

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CERTIFICATION OPERATOR CERTIFICATION

COMPANY CERTIFICATION

Companies listed here have invested time and money to send their operators to CSDA’s Operator Certification. If you are committed to professionalism in the concrete cutting industry, consider sending your operators through the training programs offered by the CSDA.

The CSDA Company Certification Program is the first of its kind in the industry. This program has been created for cutting contractors to provide owners, architects, engineers, general contractors and government officials with a valuable pre-qualification tool that acknowledges sound business practices. It is available to all sawing and drilling contractors.

ABC CUTTING CONTRACTORS BIRMINGHAM Bessemer, Alabama

DELTA CONTRACTORS & ASSOCIATES, LLC Baltimore, Maryland

ABC CUTTING CONTRACTORS MOBILE Daphine, Alabama

DIXIE CONCRETE CUTTING CO. College Park, Georgia

ACCU-CUT CONCRETE SERVICES Palm Harbor, Florida

EAST COAST CONCRETE SPECIALITIES, INC. Jessup, Maryland

ANDERS CONSTRUCTION, INC. Harvey, Louisiana

ELMER’S CRANE & DOZER, INC. Traverse City, Michigan

ATLANTIC CONCRETE CUTTING, INC. Mt. Holly, New Jersey

HAFNER & SON, INC. Danielsville, Pennsylvania

AUSTIN ENTERPRISE Bakersfield, California

HARD ROCK CONCRETE CUTTERS, INC. Wheeling, Illinois

B.T. RENTALS LIMITED Woodbrook, Trinidad & Tobago

HARD ROCK SAWING & DRILLING SPECIALIST CO. Keshena, Wisconsin

CENTRAL CONCRETE CUTTING, INC. Edgar, Wisconsin

HOLES INCORPORATED Houston, Texas

CHICAGO CUT CONCRETE CUTTING Chicago, Illinois

HOUSLEY DEMOLITION CO., INC. Visalia, California

COBRA CONCRETE CUTTING SERVICES CO. Arlington Heights, Illinois

INTERNATIONAL DRILLING & SAWING, INC. Montgomery, Alabama

CONCRETE CUTTING & BREAKING CO. Jacksonville, Florida

J-RAY CONTRACTORS, LLC Marrero, Louisiana

CONCRETE CUTTING SPECIALISTS, INC. Freeland, Michigan

JACK DOHERTY CONTRACTING Woburn, Massachussetts

CONCRETE PENETRATING CO. Dallas, Texas

K.C. CORING & CUTTING CONSTRUCTION, INC. Kansas City, Missouri

CONCRETE RENOVATION, INC. San Antonio, Texas

L&S FORMLESS CURB COMPANY Hanover, Pennsylvania

CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS REMOVAL, INC. St. Augustine, Florida

LIUNA LOCAL 506 TRAINING CENTRE Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada

CORE SOLUTIONS LTD. Maraval, Trinidad & Tobago

M6 CONCRETE CUTTING & CORING Wichita, Kansas

CORING & CUTTING OF SPRINGFIELD, INC. Nixa, Missouri

PENHALL COMPANY/CONCRETE CORING COMPANY OF HAWAII Aiea, Hawaii

DI-TECH INTERNATIONAL, INC. Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

QUICK CUTS CONCRETE CUTTING SERVICES, LLC Belvidere, Illinois

GREENE’S, INC. Woods Cross, Utah

CORING & CUTTING SERVICES, INC. Bentonville, Arkansas CORING & CUTTING SERVICES, INC. Jacksonville, Arkansas CUT-RITE CONCRETE CUTTING CORP. Pawtucket, Rhode Island CUTTING EDGE SERVICES CORP. Batavia, Ohio D.M. CONLON/DAN-KEL CONCRETE CORING, SAWING & SCANNING Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

ROUGHNECK CONCRETE DRILLING & SAWING Morton Grove, Illinois SUPER CITY CONCRETE CUTTING Ocean Grove, Victoria, Australia TRUE LINE CORING & CUTTING OF CHATTANOOGA, LLC Chattanooga, Tennessee TRUE LINE CORING & CUTTING OF KNOXVILLE, LLC Knoxville, Tennessee

DARI CONCRETE SAWING AND DRILLING Raleigh, North Carolina

TRUE LINE CORING & CUTTING OF NASHVILLE, LLC Nashville, Tennessee

DEANDREA CORING & SAWING, INC. Henderson, Colorado

WOLF INDUSTRIAL SERVICES San Francisco, California

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ATLANTIC CONCRETE CUTTING, INC. Mount Holly, New Jersey AUSTIN ENTERPRISE Bakersfield, California CENTRAL CONCRETE CUTTING, INC. Edgar, Wisconsin COBRA CONCRETE CUTTING SERVICES CO. Arlington Heights, Illinois CONCRETE RENOVATION, INC. San Antonio, Texas CUTTING EDGE SERVICES CORP. Batavia, Ohio DEANDREA CORING & SAWING, INC. Henderson, Colorado

HARD ROCK CONCRETE CUTTERS, INC. Wheeling, Illinois HOLES INCORPORATED Houston, Texas ONLINE CONCRETE CUTTING SERVICES PTY. LTD Seven Hills, New South Wales, Australia WESTCOAST CUTTING & CORING, LTD. Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada

MEMBERSHIP NEW MEMBERS The Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association is a nonprofit trade association of contractors, manufacturers and affiliated members from the construction and renovation industry. Diamond tools for projects requiring sawing, drilling, selective demolition, cutting and polishing offers the construction industry many benefits including lower total project costs, precision cutting, maintenance of structural integrity, reduced downtime, reduced noise, dust and debris, limited access cutting and the ability to cut heavily-reinforced concrete. Founded in 1972, CSDA has 500 member companies worldwide.

North American Contractor

Polishing Contractor

DRILLCORE, LLC Midlothian, Virginia

INDIANA FLOORING CARPET ONE Anderson, Indianapolis

PRIMATE CONSTRUCTION, INC. Humble, Texas

Affiliate

RW CONCRETE SAWING, INC. Dorr, Michigan SUPERIOR CORING & CUTTING Daly City, California

Steer Your Business

to New

Horizons

MAKITA USA, INC. La Mirada, California

The opportunity to network with industry professionals at the annual convention and quarterly meetings has often been cited as the number one CSDA member benefit. The 42nd Annual CSDA Convention and Tech Fair is scheduled for March 11-15, 2014 at the Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa in Tucson, Arizona.

RISE AND SHINE ENGINEERING SERVICES Doha, Qatar

MEMBER TESTIMONIAL I grew up going to CSDA conventions with my father, Jim Dvoratchek, and saw how his involvement in the association benefitted his concrete cutting business. I also saw that by being an active member of CSDA, he was helping the industry move forward. When I started a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) company, my father reminded me of these benefits, so I was encouraged to join.

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CSDA 2014 CONVENTION & TECH FAIR TUCSON, ARIZONA • MARCH 11–15 WESTIN LA PALOMA RESORT & SPA

GLOBAL POLISHING SYSTEMS Henderson, Nevada

Overseas Contractor

I knew that other concrete cutting companies were adding Ground Penetrating Radar to their range of services, so the association gave me a platform to network at annual and quarterly events. Since this time, CSDA has added an Imaging Contractor category to its membership and set up an Imaging Committee. I was pleased to take up the role of vice chair for this new committee. I also attend CSDA Next Generation Committee meetings and events, where I can talk with other young professionals, meet new owners looking to network and help shape the future of CSDA.

MEMBER BENEFIT CONVENTION

The Convention agenda includes: • Presentations • Roundtable discussions • The Tech Fair • Board, committee and group meetings • Social events • Optional activities • Team building sessions

Emily Hammer

CSDA has given me the ability to network with other GPR contractors, meet manufacturers one-on-one and gain insight into this new technology. Now, with the addition of the CSDA Imaging committee, I have the opportunity to give back to the industry through my involvement. Emily Hammer Hard Rock Technologies, Inc. Prospect Heights, Illinois emily@hardrocktechnologies.com

Contractors can take advantage of informative and motivational sessions on the agenda, while manufacturers, distributors and affiliate companies can take part in the tabletop Tech Fair and connect with contractors in a more personal setting. Attendees are given several opportunities to mingle and network with peers from all over North America and beyond. There are discounted registration options available for first-time Convention attendees and new members to CSDA. Join the association in Tucson, Arizona and steer your business to new horizons! For more information about the CSDA 2014 Convention and Tech Fair, or other member benefits and partnerships available through the association, visit www.csda.org or call 727-577-5004.

C O N C RET E O P EN I N G S | 6 5

Membership Application COMPANY INFORMATION

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

COMPANY

START UP DATE

ADDRESS

AVERAGE ANNUAL GROSS INCOME $

CITY ZIP/POSTAL CODE

PHONE

YEARS IN BUSINESS

STATE/PROVINCE

ANNUAL GROWTH RATE

COUNTRY

NO. BRANCH LOCATIONS

FAX

CONTRACTORS: NO. TRUCKS

NO. EMPLOYEES

PRINCIPALS/OWNERS OF BUSINESS

WEB ADDRESS

OTHER PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIPS

OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE OTHERS PARTICIPATING IN CSDA ACTIVITIES

CONTRACTORS ONLY—CHECK BELOW TO IDENTIFY THE SERVICES YOU OFFER, WHICH WILL BE LISTED IN THE PRINT AND ONLINE DIRECTORIES:

PRINCIPAL BUSINESS ACTIVITY

FLAT SAWING

CORE DRILLING

WALL SAWING

SELECTIVE DEMOLITION

CURB CUTTING

GROUND PENETRATING RADAR

WIRE SAWING

CONCRETE POLISHING

SURFACE PREPARATION

SLURRY RECYCLING

MEMBERSHIP DUES SCHEDULE PLEASE CIRCLE YOUR DUES AMOUNT GROSS SALES NORTH AMERICAN CONTRACTOR

POLISHING CONTRACTOR GPR IMAGING CONTRACTOR MANUFACTURER DISTRIBUTOR OVERSEAS CONTRACTOR AFFILIATE*

$0–1M

$575

$750

$1,225

$895

$1–2M

$940

$1,520

$1,140

$2–3M

$2,255

$1,690

$3M–5M

$1,420 $750 $1,910 $1,250

$5–10M

$2,400

$4,880

>$10M

$3,035

$6,065

$3,640

$395

$710

$2,725

*AFFILIATE: A person, firm, corporation, society, government agency or other organization providing services to the concrete sawing, polishing and scanning industry.

MEMBERSHIP DUES

PAYMENT CHECK ENCLOSED (US FUNDS AND DRAWN ON A US BANK) VISA MASTERCARD DISCOVER

COMPANY ANNUAL DUES (FROM ABOVE)

ADDITIONAL BRANCH LOCATIONS ($130 PER LOCATION)

CSDA WEBSITE HOTLINK ($100) LINKS DIRECTLY TO YOUR COMPANY WEBSITE

CARD NO. EXPIRATION DATE

3-DIGIT VERIFICATION (CSC)

NAME ON CARD BILLING ADDRESS

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP TOTAL

SIGNATURE

CSDA • 100 2ND AVENUE SOUTH, SUITE 402N, ST. PETERSBURG, FL 33701 • TEL: 727.577.5004 • FAX: 727.577.5012 • E-MAIL: INFO@CSDA.ORG • WWW.CSDA.ORG

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BENEFITS Networking at the Annual Convention and Quarterly Meetings The number one benefit for members has always been the opportunity to network with industry professionals at the annual convention and quarterly meetings. This networking provides opportunities to forge new relationships and learn from other experienced professionals.

Representation with Governmental Organizations CSDA has an Alliance with OSHA to advance the safety of cutting contractors. This partnership included issuing Best Practice and Toolbox Safety Talk documents, joint exhibitions at trade shows, review of safety materials and round tables.

Discount Programs The Association negotiates member benefit programs with national vendors in order to provide cost-savings opportunities for CSDA Members.

CSDA Website The CSDA Website at www.csda.org contains a wealth of information available 24/7 in the “Members” section. The online discussion boards also provide members a forum to discuss technical issues, sell equipment, hire employees or any other relevant topics.

Concrete Openings CSDA Training and Certification Programs Over 3,000 members have graduated from more than 20 classroom, hands-on and online training programs. In addition, CSDA has certification programs for companies and individual operators. See pages 8 and 9 for more details.

CSDA Safety Resources and Toolbox Safety Tips (TSTs) The 230-page CSDA Safety Manual, CSDA 57-page Safety Handbook and five safety DVDs are designed specifically for concrete cutters, polishers and scanners. They are available to members at a significant discount. TSTs can be used in employee safety meetings and can be an important part of your company’s safety program. CSDA has released over 100 TSTs since the program began. A new TST is released every month.

World of Concrete Co-Sponsor Members receive free registration and significant discounts on educational seminars fees. CSDA also supports the industry by exhibiting at this event and sponsoring seminar sessions.

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ConcreteOpenings at www.concreteopenings.com is the only professional magazine dedicated to concrete cutting with a circulation of 18,000 per issue. Members can advertise at significant discounts and use the opportunity to have their job stories reach almost 7,000 architects, engineers, general contractors and government officials.

CSDA Next Generation Committee The committee aims to continue the growth of the association while serving the needs and wants of the younger generation, with the goal of continuing to set a standard of excellence.

Mentor Program New Members can receive personalized assistance from a current CSDA Board or Committee member during their first year of membership.

Market Intelligence • Helps you plan, measure, understand trends and markets. • 3rd party non biased market research • Surveys and reports

Other benefits and programs can be reviewed by visiting the CSDA Website at www.csda.org or call the CSDA office at 727-577-5004.

C O N C RET E O P EN I N G S | 6 7

CALENDAR 2014 JANUARY 20-21

JANUARY 22

CSDA Estimating Class Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, NV Tel: 727-577-5004 Email: info@csda.org www.csda.org

CSDA Next Generation Reception Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, NV Tel: 727-577-5004 Email: info@csda.org www.csda.org

JANUARY 22-23

JANUARY 21-24 World of Concrete Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, NV Tel: 972-536-6379 www.worldofconcrete.com

JANUARY 22 CSDA Board Meeting Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, NV Tel: 727-577-5004 Email: info@csda.org www.csda.org

JANUARY 22 Concrete Openings Awards Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, NV Tel: 727-577-5004 Email: info@csda.org www.csda.org

CSDA Concrete Polishing Class Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, NV Tel: 727-577-5004 Email: info@csda.org www.csda.org

FEBRUARY 22-25 NDA Annual Convention The Mirage Las Vegas, NV www.demolitionassociation.com

MARCH 4-8 ConExpo – Con/Agg 2014 Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, NV www.conexpoconagg.com

MARCH 11-12 CSDA Spring Meetings The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa Tucson, AZ Tel: 727-577-5004 Email: info@csda.org www.csda.org

MARCH 13-15 CSDA Convention and Tech Fair The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa Tucson, AZ Tel: 727-577-5004 Email: info@csda.org www.csda.org

MARCH 13-15 Concrete Show India Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, India www.concreteshowindia.com

JUNE 5-6 CSDA Summer Meetings New Orleans Marriott New Orleans, LA Tel: 727-577-5004 Email: info@csda.org www.csda.org

JUNE 12-14 IACDS Annual General Meeting Madrid, Spain Email: info@csda.org www.iacds.org

SEPTEMBER 4-5

JANUARY 22-23 CSDA Wall Sawing 101 Training Class Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, NV Tel: 727-577-5004 Email: info@csda.org www.csda.org

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CSDA Fall Meetings Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront Portland, OR Tel: 727-577-5004 Email: info@csda.org www.csda.org

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 3 Concrete Décor Show Fort Worth Convention Center Fort Worth, TX Tel: 877-935-8906 Email: bent@protradepubinc.com www.concretedecorshow.com

ADVERTISING AND READERSHIP

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF CSDA

Concrete Openings Website

Target the Specialized Industry of Concrete Cutting, Polishing and Imaging Advertising in Concrete Openings magazine is the only way to reach the specialty market of cutting, polishing and imaging contractors who work with concrete, asphalt or masonry because it is specifically targeted to this segment of the industry.

How Do You Reach 18,000+ Concrete industry Professionals? Each issue of Concrete Openings magazine is sent to more than 11,000 operators, equipment manufacturers and suppliers in the concrete cutting, polishing and imaging industry, and more than 7,000 specifiers of these services around the world.

Who Reads the Magazine? Concrete Openings reaches cutting, polishing and imaging contractors as well as specifiers of these services, including engineers, architects, general contractors and governmental agencies. Why waste your message on unnecessary circulation? Advertising in Concrete Openings guarantees a targeted audience of industry professionals.

Concrete Openings has its own website. Advertisers have direct links to their websites placed on our Advertisers page as a complimentary addition to ad placement. A full page-turning copy of the magazine, including ads, is also available for visitors to read on the website. Visitors to the site can now access our advertisers at the touch of a button. The Concrete Openings Website also has banner advertising opportunities available throughout the year. Visit www.concreteopenings.com for more information.

Readership Per Issue A poll of Concrete Openings subscribers revealed that 66% pass on their copy of the magazine to at least one other person, with almost 25% stating that the magazine is passed on to four or more people each issue. This translates to an average of four people reading each issue of the magazine for a total readership per year of approximately 60,000.

52%

8% 40%

• Specifiers • Contractors • Manufacturers, Distributors

Circulation 18,000+ minimum, per issue 11,000+ member and prospective member companies made up of contractors, manufacturers, distributors and affiliates 7,000+

Not a Subscriber? Get your free subscription today! Visit www.concreteopenings.com and click “subscribe”.

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF CSDA

W WW. C O N C RE TE OPE N IN GS.COM

READERSHIP BY PROFESSION

general contractors, engineers, architects and government officials who specify cutting, polishing and imaging

Do you “Like” CSDA? CSDA is on Facebook, and we hope you “like” it! The CSDA page is packed with all the latest news, updates, photos and videos from the association and Concrete Openings magazine. Look out for exclusive content and become “friends” with others who are looking to network and promote the sawing and drilling industry. Join our growing fan base and stay in touch with the association through your PC, laptop or mobile device.

C O N C RET E O P EN I N G S | 6 9

ADVERTISERS To receive additional information about products advertised in this issue, visit the advertisers page on concreteopenings.com, or contact the vendors below. PAGE

ADVERTISER

Brokk, Inc.

877-276-5548

peter@brokkinc.com

CS Unitec, Inc.

203-853-9522

info@csunitec.com

Chicago Diamond Supply

630-442-3937

info@chicagodiamondsupply.net

Concut, Inc.

253-872-3507

suemayer@concutusa.com

46, Inside Front Cover

Diamond Products

800-321-5336

jpalmer@diamondproducts.com

Diamond Tools Technology

612-408-9253

mark@diamondtoolstechnology.com

21, 35

DITEQ Corporation

816-246-5515

jmiller@diteq.com

Dixie Diamond Manufacturing

678-296-3751

skilgore@dixiediamond.com

EDCO-Equipment DevelopmentCo., Inc.

301-663-1600

moran@edcoinc.com

Exco, Inc.

215-244-0731

elounsberry@mecoconstructors.com

Expert Equipment Company

713-797-9886

expertequipment@sbcglobal.net

GDM Technologies/Terra Diamond

801-990-9034

gdmsaws@yahoo.com

GelMaxx

619-701-7246

info@gelmaxx.net

Geophysical Survey Systems, Inc. (GSSI)

603-893-1109

harmonj@geophysical.com

GMI Enineered Products

419-408-0497

abowman@gmiengineeredproducts.com

Inside Back Cover

Hilti North America

918-872-3079

claire.combs@hilti.com

36, 37, Outside Back Cover

Husqvarna Construction Products

913-928-1442

cate.stratemeier@husqvarna.com

ICS, Blount Inc.

503-653-4644

joet@icsbestway.com

IHI Compact Excavator Sales

800-538-1447

dave@ihices.com

K2 Diamond

800-539-6116

mike.nelson@k2diamond.com

Makita

714-522-8088

whart@makitausa.com

Merit Engineering & Equipment Company

928-771-0575

r.ferguson@meritsaws.com

Pentruder, Inc.

562-445-6429

terry@pentruderinc.com

Quanzhou Jinli Diamond Cutting Tools Co., Ltd

86-595-22492620

info@jinli-diatools.com

Reimann & Georger Corporation (RGC)

716-895-1156

peter.kowalczyk@rgcproducts.com

Warrior Diamond, Inc.

610-828-6606

nate@wdblades.com

Western Saw, Inc.

805-981-0999

cole@westernsaw.com

CUTTERS CORNER This classified section is for use by anyone who wants to sell or buy used equipment, post help wanted ads or advertise business opportunities. Anyone interested in placing ads should send copy to Concrete Openings Classifieds, 100 2nd Ave S, Ste 402N St. Petersburg, FL 33701. Copy can also be faxed to 727-577-5012 or emailed to rhitchen@concreteopenings. com. Cost: $100 for 10 lines for members; $200 for non-members. Additional lines $10 each. Copy must be in the CSDA office no later than the first day of the month preceding publication

POSITION FOR HIRE

Salesman/Estimator wanted. The Washington, D.C. branch of Dot Diamond Core Drilling is in search of a highly motivated individual to cover DC, Maryland, Virginia and surrounding areas. The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s services include all types of concrete cutting, highway grooving, grinding and selective demolition. Competitive salary, company matched 401K, insurance and company vehicle included. For more information or to submit a resume, contact Matt Nolan at mattn@dotdrilling.com.

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PHONE

CSDA Members at WOC 2014 To see which CSDA members will be exhibiting at the Las Vegas show, January 21-24, 2014, use your smartphone to scan the QR Code and a list will appear. For those of you without smartphones, simply visit www.csda.org or www.concreteopenings.com and look for the link on the home page.

DIRECTOR’S DIALOGUE

Polishing Progress

PATRICK O’BRIEN Executive Director

ne year ago, CSDA created a new membership category and focus on polishing concrete. Members saw this segment of the construction industry expanding rapidly but also in need of assistance in creating a professional image to meet the needs of the specifier community. The CSDA Polishing Committee was created to focus the association’s efforts in the areas of training, safety, standards/specifications and marketing. CSDA held its first successful polishing training course at World of Concrete 2013 and a follow-up course is scheduled for World of Concrete 2014. The course covers the different types of concrete grinders, hand polishers, vacuum systems, burnishers and auto scrubbers on the market as well as providing hands-on instruction on set-up, operation, troubleshooting and the differences between wet and dry polishing. The committee then started to address the standards and specifications needed to improve the professionalism of the industry and help the industry to grow. Existing specifications like CSDA-PC-113 Polished Concrete were reviewed and updated. It was clear that more documentation was needed to handle requests by specifiers, such as architects and engineers, to resolve consistency issues associated with quality levels achieved by polished concrete surfaces. The committee worked to produce vital new resources in the form of two technical documents—an industry standard and a Best Practice.

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The first of its kind Standard, CSDA-ST-115 Measuring Concrete Micro Surface Texture, is a collaborative effort between the CSDA Polishing and Standards & Specifications Committees. It identifies approved instrumentation for measuring surface texture and provides a benchmark measurement procedure for contractors and specifiers to follow. The document also covers important steps in the production of a quality floor system and gives useful guidelines associated with the testing and inspection of a finished concrete surface. This standard also details a process for documenting surface texture readings. Now, CSDA has created a standard that provides a consistent message for contractors and specifiers in the industry. In addition, the committees issued Best Practice CSDA-BP-015 Green Polishing and Grinding Practices to help polishing contractors create a detailed plan for performing their work in an environmentallyfriendly manner. It provides guidelines and recommendations for companies to employ on the jobsite, in the office or in the shop. CSDA has made tremendous progress in just a short period of time. A new member category has been created, a new committee formed, industry leading standards established and a training program introduced. This is quite an accomplishment that has come to be expected of the dedicated leaders that serve CSDA as committee members, Board members or Officers. Thanks for another super job, CSDA!

Ready, set, DRILL. When operators need a machine to handle heavy-duty core drilling jobs, the Husqvarna DM 340 drill motor is the right tool. It was designed to provide optimal performance when drilling with 2" to 16" bits. The gearbox is water-cooled for reduced wear, and the three speeds make it easy to set the optimum drilling speed. The Elgard™ feature indicates, via an LED, when the machine is overloading. This prevents motor damage and increases product life. It can be used with the AD 10 automatic drilling system to increase production and bit life. The DM 340 drill motor is powerful and smart.

Visit us at World of Concrete to see how we can Make Your Mission Possible. Indoor booth C4305 and outdoor booth O31700. HUSQVARNA CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS 17400 West 119th Street • Olathe, Kansas 66061 • T 800-288-5040 • F 800-825-0028 • www.husqvarnacp.com 2077 Bond Street • North Bay, Ontario P1B 4V6 • T 800-461-9589 • F 800-825-0028 • www.husqvarnacp.ca Copyright © 2013 Husqvarna AB (publ.). All rights reserved. Husqvarna is a registered trademark of Husqvarna AB (publ.).