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Volume 11, Issue 4 July | August 2015
AGC GEORGIA ANNOUNCES 2015 WINNERS OF BUILD GEORGIA AWARDS Getting up to Speed on Intelligent Transportation Systems
GEORGIA
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CONTRACTOR
w w w. t h e g e o r g i a c o n t r a c t o r . c o m Editor-in-Chief: Roland Petersen-Frey Managing Editor: Daniel Simmons | (770) 521-8877 Art Director: Pamela Petersen-Frey | (770) 521-8877
The Georgia Contractor is published bi-monthly on a calendar year basis. It is a magazine designed around the construction industry associations and their members. It is supported by associations and their members. Executive, editorial, circulation, and advertising offices: 1154 Lower Birmingham Road, Canton, Georgia 30115 • Phone: (770) 521-8877 • Fax: (770) 521-0406 E-mail: rfrey@a4inc.com. Send address changes to your association and/or to A4 Inc. Opinions expressed by the authors are not necessarily those of any of the associations or publisher nor do they accept responsibility for errors of content or omissions and, as a matter of policy, neither do they endorse products or advertisements appearing herein. Parts of this magazine may be reproduced with the written consent of the publisher.
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On The Cover ~ Brent Scarbrough & Company wins BUILD GEORGIA SPECIALTY AWARD 2015 for Chattahoochee River Sitework. The DeFoor’s Island project on the Chattahoochee River was a unique project where safety was of paramount importance. Because of the fluctuating river levels, safety protocols were strictly enforced, and a boat with a captain patrolled the island during working hours. Island access was one of the greatest challenges. The river levels had to be monitored so that employees could be ferried across the water when the levels were low enough for crossing. Large stones that met Corps of Engineers’ specifications had to be imported, and long reach excavators that could extend across the water strategically placed each stone for the bank revetment process. To read more about the BUILD GEORGIA AWARDS 2015, have a look at pages ten to 17 of this issue of Georgia Contractor magazine.
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CONTENTS 7
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Getting up to Speed on Intelligent Transportation Systems AGC Georgia Announces 2015 Winners of Prestigious Build Georgia Awards
ADVERTISEMENTS
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How Legislation Affects Utility Contracting
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Redevelopment of Fort McPherson
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Natural Wilderness Areas Need Buffer Zones to Protect from Human Development
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50 Years of Success for IEC Atlanta!
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OSHA Issues New Standard for Confined Spaces in Construction: Is Your Company Ready?
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Georgia Contractor Breaking News Georgia Contractor
Atlanta Technical College...............................................................................................................................................................26 Capital City Machine Shop...............................................................................................................................................................6 Chattahoochee Technical College ..................................................................................................................................................3 CLP .......................................................................................................................................................................................................29 Georgia 811.........................................................................................................................................................................Back Cover Georgia Power Company ..................................................................................................................................Inside Front Cover Georgia Trade School .........................................................................................................................................................................6 IEC...........................................................................................................................................................................................................9 Metro Power .......................................................................................................................................................................................19 New South Construction ................................................................................................................................................................23 RHD Utility Services .........................................................................................................................................................................21 July | August 2015
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Getting up to Speed on Intelligent Transportation Systems On the cusp of an evolution By Jim Barbaresso | National Practice Leader - Intelligent Transportation Systems | HNTB Corporation
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ntegrating intelligent transportation systems into existing projects and as stand-alone solutions is helping departments of transportation, toll authorities, and transit agencies to improve safety, as well as overcome congestion, funding shortages, and lack of right-of-way access. Advances in connectivity and automation are driving this evolution. Consider that human errors account for nearly 90 percent of all highway crashes, and those crashes cause between 30 and 50 percent of all peak-period delays. Minimizing the human influence in driving performance through smarter infrastructure and vehicles can produce a two-fold benefit. Not only will it save lives and reduce injuries but the use of ITS will improve the traveling public’s mobility. Evolving ITS technology will make travel along our nation’s transportation corridors and in our vehicles more reliable, predictable, faster, and safer. In turn, it will improve accessibility to jobs and foster more efficient movement of goods, as well as the growth of recreational opportunities and educational options.
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A national movement Loosely defined, ITS involves the application of advanced communications and information technology to our vehicles and transportation systems, making them smarter and the driving experience more efficient. Nearly every highway, toll, transit, airport, and rail project in the United 6
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Jim Barbaresso States incorporates some aspect of ITS. In fact, the domestic market is estimated at $48 billion per year. It is clear from their significant presence at the 2014 ITS World Congress that state departments of transportation are interested and actively seeking technology solutions. Florida recently awarded a contract to HNTB Corporation to research, design, and implement automated vehicle pilot programs and develop a business climate conducive to AV applications. Michigan, in conjunction with the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, U.S. Department of Transportation, and U.S. auto manufacturers, implemented the Safety Pilot Connected Vehicle Program, the largest-ever road test of connected vehicle crash avoidance technology, in Ann Arbor in 2012. The Michigan DOT is supporting the development of connected vehicle technologies that will enable vehicles to communicate with infrastructure and other vehicles to improve safety and mobility.
Further, MDOT has launched a ‘Connected Corridor’ program in Southeast Michigan and has been an active partner in several national connected vehicle programs, including the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ Footprint Analysis. Soon, the University of Michigan and MDOT will unveil ‘M-City’—a unique environment for testing connected and automated vehicles. ‘MCity’ will include multiple roadway cross-sections, intersection designs, including round-abouts, signals, signs, and even mechanized pedestrians to simulate different driving scenarios. So far, the response from partner organizations has demonstrated the need for such a test environment. A preferred alternative Transportation departments, toll authorities, and transit agencies are choosing ITS because they recognize it can render a higher return on investment than traditional highway expansion projects in several categories. Safety. Active traffic management systems in the Seattle area provide motorists with advance notice of traffic conditions using variable speed limit signs, lane management signs, and overhead message signs that alert drivers to congestion or collisions. The use of ITS in Seattle has thus reduced collisions and congestion and enhanced emergency response and emergency management. For safer, more efficient evacuations, transportation engineers in met7
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ropolitan Washington, D.C. are devising ways to give transit vehicles priority access at traffic-controlled intersections where no police assistance is available. Capacity. In urban areas where space is constrained and expansion isn’t an option, owners can squeeze more capacity from existing systems through ramp metering, dynamic message signs or adaptive signal control. Unlike conventional signal systems, adaptive traffic signal control collects real-time traffic information and then adjusts the signal-timing plan to facilitate maximum throughput at an intersection. Only two to three percent of traffic signals in the United States have this technology. According to the Federal Highway Administration, DOTs can expect improvements in efficiency ranging from ten percent to as much as 50 percent in areas where signals are particularly outdated. Stopgap. ITS improves performance of existing assets and buys time until sufficient resources can be found for expansion/improvements. Reliable travel times. State DOTs are providing reliable travel-time information on freeways in major metropolitan areas. In some cases, whole corridors are covered. The I-95 Corridor Coalition on the East Coast provides comprehensive and continuous travel-time information on freeways and arterials using probe technology that stretches from New Jersey to Florida. Systematic. The FHWA encouraged adoption of ITS when it elevated congestion management solutions to priority status in its ITS planning and deployment strategy. The FHWA has asked DOTs not to simply consider segment-by-segment improvements, but to find solutions to improve the entire trip length. For example, a DOT may only have enough funding to widen 2 miles of an 18-mile corridor. 8
By adding ITS to the entire corridor, the DOT improves the entire system, versus simply a single segment of the system. Greener. ITS offers tremendous environmental benefits. More efficient movement of traffic reduces stopping, idling, congestion, and emissions. Considering all of the efficiencies gained by ITS, its rate of return is much greater than simply adding capacity. That’s not to say owners shouldn’t consider capacity improvements, but they may benefit from using ITS in conjunction with or ahead of those improvements. Incorporating ITS in the solution can increase a facility’s useful life or improve a corridor’s function while under construction.
termine if it is adequately equipped to collect, store, analyze, and disseminate the data. If it isn’t, identify the resources needed. Offering open data about real-time traffic conditions and transportation options will spur innovative ways to get information into the hands of travelers. Step 2: Gear up institutionally. Infrastructure deployment will lag without guidance on policy, business models, and funding. The following will help agencies tackle those and other challenges; • Visualize how and when ITS may be rolled out, as well as a deployment business model. •
Creating a program Agencies have, at most, five years before connected vehicles take center stage. Most need all of that time to prepare. Here are some basic steps that can be taken in the development of a program. Step 1: Ready your technology. Technical considerations will include maturity and robustness of equipment, interoperability standards, application development, security, and communications. To begin: • Ensure your communications systems are robust enough to accommodate the ‘fire hose’ of data connected vehicles will generate, so it can be leveraged from a performance measurement and management perspective. •
Target areas where communication devices would be located (e.g. high-crash locations or heavily congested corridors).
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Build a bullpen of professionals, including system integrators, network designers, network security specialists, data analysts, and software/application experts.
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Inventory your back office to de-
Tie ITS with agency goals. If freight movement is an agency priority, look at heavily traveled freight corridors and identify corresponding ITS solutions. For example, one Australian port incentivizes commercial truck drivers to leave during nonpeak hours by promising them greenlight priority on the first ten-mile leg of their journeys until they reach that country’s version of an interstate highway. A similar concept is envisioned for Miami.
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Apply for federal grants.
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Collect information about the benefits, emphasizing safety and costs needed to help justify investment decisions.
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Beyond testing, agencies should think about security and privacy issues associated with wireless communications and data networks, the potential for malicious activity, as well as insurance and liability issues.
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Get advice from industry associations and other DOTs that are exploring connected vehicle adoption, such as Florida and Michigan. Georgia Contractor
Step 3: Educate internal and external stakeholders. Establish realistic expectations about connected vehicle technology:
and at a much lower cost than installing it under a separate project. •
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Sign up for webinars and attend workshops to understand the implications of ITS and how you can leverage the technology.
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Meet with stakeholders to understand their needs and perspectives on this topic.
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List the resources your agency will need to execute an effective communication and public outreach program that will foster a greater understanding of the technology and its benefits.
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Piggyback projects. If you are widening a corridor, for example, as the New Jersey Turnpike Authority recently did in its Interchange 6 to 9 Widening Program, capitalize on the opportunity by also installing fiber optic cables. Ten years from now, when the Turnpike Authority needs that infrastructure to accommodate connected vehicles, it will be in place
Help shape the next transportation reauthorization—offer your opinions and insights about connected and automated vehicles to legislators in your state.
A new era in transportation Expect change in the next five years and expect it to be significant and disruptive. The industry will need to adopt new methods for traffic signal timing, traffic analyses, information dissemination, and roadway design criteria. We’ll see significant changes in current engineering and operational concepts, algorithms, the transportation workforce, and traffic control systems. Adoption will take time, especially with limited resources, but it will occur. Watch for additional supporting materials The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and the USDOT, with HNTB’s assistance, are creating a tool kit to help state DOTs and local agencies estab-
lish implementation priorities for connected vehicle infrastructure. The tool kit will help agencies determine where to locate ITS devices along the roadway, how far apart to place them, whether those devices should be stationed at high-crash locations or highcongested areas, etc. v In January 2015, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a solicitation for the first wave of connected vehicle pilot deployment. The pilot deployment program will be conducted in three phases: Phase 1 - concept development Phase 2 - design/build/test Phase 3 - maintain and operate Pilot deployments are important because they will shake out the details and bugs that will certainly manifest as ITS ramps up. Proposed deployments should have: • A clear concept • A problem-resolution premise • An effective security management solution • Multiple applications • Scalability • Multimodality • Measurable results Contract awards resulting from the solicitation will cover the performance of Phase 1 only. Further, only awardees of Phase 1 contracts will be eligible for Phase 2 and Phase 3 cooperative agreements. About the author: Jim Barbaresso is the national practice leader - Intelligent Transportation Systems for HNTB. He has more than three decades of industry experience and has successfully planned, implemented, and managed everything from small ITS feasibility studies to some of the largest and most visible ITS programs in the United States. In 2014, Barbaresso chaired the ITS World Congress.
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AGC Georgia Announces 2015 Winners of Prestigious Build Georgia Awards The Associated General Contractors of Georgia (AGC Georgia) recently held its annual Build Georgia Awards ceremony recognizing member firms for construction excellence on projects completed throughout Georgia.
he awards program is designed to recognize outstanding achievements by Georgia construction firms and honors the talented and dedicated men and women in the office and field who make up the state’s construction industry. Their skill, integrity, and responsibility combined with a spirit of innovation and tremendous pride produce the buildings that contribute to the quality of life enjoyed by the people who live, work, pray, learn, and play in communities throughout Georgia. Eligible projects for this year’s award program were completed in 2014. General contractors and specialty contractors competed in several categories depending upon the size of their firm, the type of project delivery method used, and the type of construction. Award winners were judged on criteria including innovation in construction techniques, safety performance, use of sustainable building practices, excellence in project management and scheduling, and dedication to client service. Highlighted on the next seven pages are the First Place winners.
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Company Name: Balfour Beatty Construction Project Title: 131 Ponce Midtown Apartments Project Location: Atlanta Project Architect: Davis Architects Project Engineer: M2 Structural Engineering, P.C. and Phillips Gradick Engineering, P.C. Project Owner: Faison Photo Credit: Rion Rizzo
SPECIALTY AWARD Brent Scarbrough & Company Costco Sitework Special attention was given to a high profile waterway feeding into Lake Lanier adjacent to the site. Erosion control methods prevented any contaminated run-off from the worksite into the lake.
Company Name: Batson-Cook Company Project Title: Northside Hospital Ground Floor Surgery Renovation & Addition Project Location: Atlanta Project Architect: Howell Rusk Dodson Project Owner: Northside Hospital Photo Credit: Krstiy Appleton
Company Name: Batson-Cook Company Project Title: Cancer Treatment Centers of America Southeastern Region Medical Center Fiscal Year 2014 Project Location: Newnan Project Architect: Dewberry Architects Project Owner: Cancer Treatment Centers of America Photo Credit: Aerial Photography
Company Name: The Beck Group Project Title: Lenox Renovation: Façade-Entry-Food Ct. Project Location: Atlanta Project Architect: Beck Architecture Georgia, LLC Project Engineer: The Structural Alliance Project Owner: The Retail Property Trust Photo Credit: David Whitcomb
Company Name: Brasfield & Gorrie Project Location: Atlanta Project Title: College Football Hall of Fame and Chick-fil-A Fan Experience Project Architect: tvsdesign, Building Design Architect; Gallagher & Associates, Exhibit Architect Project Engineer: Kimley-Horn, Civil; SYKES Consulting Inc., Structural; Syska Hennessy Group, MEP Project Owner: Atlanta Hall Management Photo Credit: Ashton Staniszewski 10
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Company Name: Carroll Daniel Construction Co. Project Title: Brenau Downtown Center Project Location: Gainesville Project Architect: Reynolds Architects, PC Project Engineer: Bowman Engineering Project Owner: Brenau University
Company Name: Garbutt Construction Company Project Title: Mercer Medical Office Building Project Location: Macon Project Architect: McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture Project Owner: Mercer University Photo Credit: Tim Vacula
Company Name: Choate Construction Company Project Title: Atlanta Tech Village Project Location: Atlanta Project Architect: Gensler Project Engineer:KSi - structural, LAI - exterior civil landscaping, Gray & Postell, MEP Project Owner: Atlanta Tech Village, Thomas Paz, Owner's Rep. Photo Credit: Atlantic Archives
Company Name: Garbutt/Christman, LLC Project Title: Ennis Hall Restoration Project Location: Milledgeville Project Architect: Lord Aeck Sargent Architecture Project Owner: Georgia College & State University Photo Credit: Tim Vacula
Company Name: Choate Construction Company Project Title: One West Victory Project Location: Savannah Project Architect: HKS, P.C., Tim Haas & Associates Inc., Gunn Meyerhoff Shay Architecture Project Engineer: Tim Haas & Associates Inc., AHA, Saussy Project Owner: One West Victory, L.P., Frances Bohn
Company Name: Gay Construction Company Project Title: Ponce City Market - Base Building & Site Work Renovations Project Location: Atlanta Project Architect: Surber Barber Choate & Hertlein Architects Inc. Project Engineer: Barrett Woodyard & Associates, Inc., Eberly & Associates and Browder+LeGuizamon & Associates Inc. Project Owner: Faison Photo Credit: Rick Carswell
Company Name: Collins & Arnold Construction Co. LLC Project Title: New Holland Market Project Location: Gainesville Project Architect: CR Architecture + Design (Kroger) and McMillan|Pazdan|Smith (retail shops) Project Engineer: Hall Engineering Inc. (site only) Project Owner: Pacolet Milliken Enterprises Inc. Photo Credit: Rion Rizzo
Company Name: Green Heart Enterprises Project Title: US Airways/American Airlines Ticket Counter Co- Location Project Location: Atlanta Project Architect: Creative Eye, LLC Archietects & Planners Project Engineer: Engineered System & Services Project Owner: US Airways
Company Name: Cork Howard Construction Company Project Title: Chatuge Regional Hospital Project Location: Hiawassee Project Architect: CDH Partners Project Owner: Union General Hospital LLC Photo Credit: Vision Quest Photography
Company Name: Hogan Construction Group, LLC Project Title: Wolf Creek Library Project Location: Atlanta Project Architect: Leo A Daly Project Owner: Atlanta-Fulton County Public Libraries Photo Credit: Framework Photographic
Company Name: Cork Howard Construction Company Project Title: AmericasMart Bldg 1, 15th Floor Project Location: Atlanta Project Architect: John Portman & Assoc. Project Owner: AmericasMart Real Estate LLC Photo Credit: Vision Quest Photography
Company Name: Hogan Construction Group, LLC Project Title: Stoddard's Range and Guns Project Location: Atlanta Project Architect: Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh Associates Project Owner: Ransom Stoddard Atlanta, LLC Photo Credit: Framework Photographic
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Company Name: Holder Construction Project Title: Agnes Scott College Cambell Hall Renovation Project Location: Decatur Project Architect: Lord Aeck & Sargent Project Engineer: Andrews, Hammock & Powell Inc Project Owner: Agnes Scott
Company Name: McCarthy Building Companies Inc. Project Title: Kaiser Permanente Southwood Comprehensive Medical Center Project Location: Jonesboro Project Architect: Gresham Smith and Partners Project Owner: Kaiser Permanente Photo Credit: Phillip Spears
Company Name: Holder Construction Project Title: Allied Health Building at Georgia Gwinnett College Project Location: Lawrenceville Project Architect: tvsdesign Project Engineer: Smith Carter Architects and Engineers Project Owner: Georgia Gwinnett College
Company Name: New South Construction Co. Inc. Project Title: Pace Academy - Arthur M. Blank Family Upper School Project Location: Atlanta Project Architect: Collins Cooper Carusi Project Engineer: Uzun & Case Engineers, Johnson Spellman & Associates, Eberly & Associates, Barnett Consulting Eng. Project Owner: Pace Academy Photo Credit: Creative Sources Phtographic
Company Name: JCI Contractors, Inc. Project Title: Crisp County Primary School Project Location: Cordele Project Architect: James W. Buckley and Associates Inc. Project Engineer: Pruett & Ford, Inc./Electrical Design Consultants, Inc./ W. Hunter Saussy III, PC Project Owner: Crisp County Board of Education
Company Name: New South Construction Co. Inc. Project Title: Georgia State University - CURVE Project Location: Atlanta Project Architect: Collins Cooper Carusi Project Engineer: Covington Air Systems/ Sole Source Electrical Project Owner: Georgia State University Photo Credit: Brilliance Photography
Company Name: JE Dunn Construction Company Project Title: Charles R. Drew Charter School Junior and Senior Academy Project Location: Atlanta Project Architect: Perkins + Will Project Engineer: Civil: Pharr Engineering; Structural: Uzun and Case; MEP: Newcomb and Boyd Project Owner: Cousins Foundation Photo Credit: Jonathan Hillyer
Company Name: New South Construction Co. Inc. Project Title: Schuetz Manufacturing Facility Project Location: Carl Project Architect: Ruark & Wyatt Architects Project Engineer: Willett Engineering Company Project Owner: Schuetz Containers Systems Inc. Photo Credit: Brilliance Photography
Company Name: J.M. Wilkerson Construction Co. Inc. Project Title: Ponce City Market-The Flats Apartments Project Location: Atlanta Project Architect: Stevens & Wilkinson Project Engineer: Jordan & Skala Engineers, Inc & Browder + Leguizamon & Associates, Inc. Project Owner: Jamestown, LP
Company Name: Parrish Construction Group, Inc. Project Title: Houston Healthcare Pavilion Renovation Project Location: Warner Robins Project Architect: CDH Partners Inc. Project Owner: Houston Hospitals Inc. Photo Credit: Parrish Construction
Company Name: Lusk & Company Inc. Project Title: Lloyd W. Chapin Building Renovation Project Location: Atlanta Project Architect: Lord Aeck & Sargent Inc. Project Engineer: Lily Young & Associates, Palmer Engineering, Long Engineering Project Owner: Georgia Institute of Technology Photo Credit: df-photographe
Company Name: Parrish Construction Group Inc. Project Title: Talbot Central Campus Project Location: Talbotton Project Architect: SRJ Architects Project Owner: Talbot County Schools Photo Credit: Parrish Constr.
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Company Name: Parrish Construction Group Inc. Project Title: E. Rivers Elementary School Project Location: Atlanta Project Architect: Collins Cooper Carusi Architects Project Owner: Atlanta Public Schools
Company Name: R. K. Redding Construction Inc. Project Title: Roopville RD. Baptist Church Worship Ctr. Project Location: Roopville Project Architect: CDH Partners Inc. Project Engineer: CDH Partners Inc. Project Owner: Bryant Turner, Associate Pastor, Music & Admin Photo Credit: Douglas McGukin
Company Name: Piedmont Construction Group Inc. Project Title: Tubman African American Museum Project Location: Macon Project Architect: Verner Johnson, Inc., Museum Architects and Planners Project Engineer: Design Build with subcontractors Emcon Services and All-State Electrical Contractors Project Owner: Tubman African American Museum Photo Credit: Cheryl Parker
Company Name: R. W. Allen, LLC Project Title: St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church Project Location: Grovetown Project Architect: Azar+Walsh Architects, LLC Project Engineer: Cranston Engineering, P.C./Electrical Design Consultants/Pruett, Ford & Assoc./Pi-Tech Inc. Project Owner: Roman Catholic Diocese of Savannah Photo Credit: Steve Bracci
Company Name: Piedmont Construction Group Inc. Project Title: Darton College - Cordele Campus Project Location: Cordele Project Architect: SP Design Group Project Engineer: Mechanical- Spencer Bristol Engineering Inc. Structural- GW Design Group, LLC Civil- Carter & Sloope Project Owner: Cordele Crisp Co. Industrial Development Council
Company Name: Warren Associates, Inc. Project Title: Fort Hawkins Visitor Center Project Location: Macon Project Architect: Adams & Day, Architects Project Owner: Fort Hawkins Commission
Company Name: The Pinyan Company Project Title: Savage Trial Attorneys - Drayton Tower Project Location: Savannah Project Architect: Hansen Architects Project Engineer: RWP Engineering Project Owner: Brent Savage Photo Credit: Briana Wunderli
Company Name: Warren Associates Inc. Project Title: Rehabilitation of the Band Stand and Round Building - Central City Park Project Location: Macon Project Architect: Daly Smith Architect Project Owner: Bibb County, Georgia
Company Name: Prime Contractors Inc. Project Title: Hardman Farm Restoration Project Location: Sautee Nachoochee Project Architect: Wakefield Beasley & Associates Project Owner: Georgia Department of Natural Resources Photo Credit: Prime Contractors
Company Name: Warren Associates Inc. Project Title: Thomas Jackson Juvenile Justice Center Project Location: Macon Project Architect: Cooper Carry Inc. Project Owner: Bibb County, Georgia
Specialty Awards Contractor Projects
Company Name: RA-LIN and Associates Inc. Project Title: Saddle Creek Distribution Center Project Location: Atlanta Project Architect: Southern A&E Project Owner: Saddle Creek Logistics Photo Credit: Aerial Innovations
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Speir and Associates Electrical Contractors Inc. Project Title: Middle Georgia State College Recreation & Wellness Center Eckardt Electric Project Title: Rock Tenn Data Center Renovation Harrison Contracting Co. Project Title: Avalon Mixed-Use Development Metro Waterproofing, Inc. Project Title: College Football Hall of Fame Brent Scarbrough & Company Project Title: Costco, Chattahoochee River, Niagara Water Bottling Facility, E Rivers Elementary Rawlins Mechanical Contractors Inc. Project Title: CHOA Scottish Rite Bed Expansion Mayberry Electric, Inc. Project Title: PulteGroup, Lenovo Georgia Contractor
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he utility construction industry is literally digging out of the economic hole. (No pun intended). Many factors come into play regarding this hopeful surge in this industry sector. As forecasters predicted, we wouldn’t see an upswing until mid-2015 and while there were a few utility construction projects here and there, we were not seeing the projects coming in as fast as many would have hoped. Funds from GEFA for municipal water and wastewater infrastructure helped some local communities and contractors. You will read more about one of these projects later on in this article. While many were still finishing up projects in other states, Georgia legislators were busy trying to address the state’s infrastructure needs. Prior to the session, it was reported that Georgia ranked 49th in transportation funding and that over 17 percent of the state’s bridges were rated as structurally deficient. In passing of HB 170, an estimated $1 billion per year for transportation funding will be raised by a .26 per gallon excise tax on gasoline; .29 per gallon excise tax on diesel fuel; $200 annual fee on personal electric vehicles; $300 annual fee for commercial electric vehicles; $50$100 annual fee for heavy trucks; $5 per night hotel room tax, and elimination of tax credit for aviation fuel and electric cars. They also approved roughly $1.1 billion in loans for construction projects and equipment purchases in the 2016 budget, as well as a $175 million bond package that will be used to repair bridges across the state and for transit. While this posed a problem for some as a perceived tax increase, the end result will be a boost to Georgia’s construction economy and collecting monies from those who travel through our great state on their way to other destinations doesn’t hurt us either. So whether it is an uptick in housing or commercial development,
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By Vikki Consiglio | Executive Director | GUCA and Michael Moon | Communications Director | GUCA
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Vikki Consiglio money for municipal infrastructure and/or highway projects, this will always result in the need for utility construction which means more business for utility contractors. This helps create jobs which are much needed in our state. And as of this writing, it has been reported from the Georgia Department of Labor that the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance declined by 450, or 3.2 percent, to 13,753 in May. Most of the decrease came in construction, manufacturing, and retail trade. Although the econ-
omy has still been pretty tight over the past year and until it gets back to comfortable levels, GUCA members still find ways to perform at accelerated levels and outdo the competition every year. They approach each job site with a goal and they accomplish it. A few challenging projects presented themselves this past year, and GUCA members were there to get the job done. V.C. Summer Nuclear Power Station; Jenkinsville, South Carolina GUCA member C.A Murren and Sons Company Inc. is currently working at V.C. Summer Nuclear Power Station in Jenkinsville, South Carolina, performing the installation of 5,800 LF of 36” HDPE pipe waterline for SCANA Energy. The pipe is being butt fused together utilizing McElroy fusion equipment. This piping is part of the Waste Water System for the ongoing construction of new Units Two & Three reactors. The piping runs from a blow down sump, which collects
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water from the plants’ cooling towers, along a newly constructed right of way to a discharge structure in Parr Shoals Reservoir. Included in the scope is the excavation and backfill of approximately 20,000 CY of material and preparation of a road bed over the top of the entire length of the piping installation. Additionally, the pipe will be fed through a jack and bore passing underneath a Norfolk Southern mainline track, and a pipe bridge will be installed over a 13.8 KV buried power line feeding the existing plant. The project began in February 2015 and has a current contract value of approximately $5.7 million. The project is expected to be completed in mid-summer 2015. As with any nuclear project, many special requirements exist and must be accounted for to perform this work. These special requirements extend into safety, quality, security, nuclear safety, and even the types of personnel and equipment that are allowed on the project. Even with the experience of completing several successful projects at Plant Vogtle Nuclear Generating Plant in Waynesboro, Georgia, there are always unanticipated challenges associated with nuclear work. To successfully execute this work, C.A. Murren performed extensive planning prior to the start of the project, and has had to maintain a very close ongoing relationship with the general contractor, CB&I. Since the start of the project, there have been engineering issues, changes to field conditions, and unforeseen additional personnel certifications that had to be navigated with the customer to move the project forward. Many of these requirements are unique to the nuclear environment. One of the more unique requirements, and one that is part of the project’s nuclear safety requirements, is the area around the pipe bridge and 13.8 KV line. This area has an exclu20
sion zone, not just for heavy equipment, but also for personnel on foot due to the potential to disrupt the operating unit if it is disturbed. Overhead in this area are numerous high voltage transmission lines that limit the ability to utilize heavy overhead lifting equipment to position the pipe bridge in place. Since using a crane to position the 80’ long pipe bridge is not possible, C.A. Murren is utilizing a unique strategy comprised of several excavators, bulldozers, and a creative rigging layout to position this pipe bridge over top of this exclusion zone and power line. SCE&G, the project’s owner, is also monitoring this work very closely, and its timing is being coordinated with other activities at the active plant to ensure that no power generating disruptions occur. Even though challenges have occurred, the project is on track to be completed on time. City of Dallas North Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements; Dallas, Georgia GUCA Member P. F. Moon and Company Inc. is constructing the City of Dallas, Georgia, North WWTP expansion project in Dallas, Georgia. Construction began in July 2014 and has a 565 day completion schedule. The project is essential due to the rapid growth in Dallas and Paulding County as well as the age of the existing
wastewater treatment plants in the city. The new upgraded plant will enable the city to decommission its West Side WWTP and consolidate their resources to one large plant. The plant will treat domestic waste from the city as well as the surrounding areas in Paulding County. The challenge on this project is to work within a plant originally constructed over 30 years ago and keep the existing plant running without interruption, while then bringing new equipment online and making tie-ins to the existing plant piping systems. Prior to any new work beginning, clearing of the site had to be completed, the existing plant effluent flow had to be rerouted, and existing pipelines needed to be removed from service. The plant’s volume will more than double its current capacity after construction is complete. The new plant is being built adjacent to the existing water pollution control plant within the city. The project has consisted of clearing and grubbing, extensive site grading (excavation and backfill of the site), and rock excavation to required grades. In addition, construction of the following will take place: a submersible influent pump station, reinforced concrete head works with an influent bar screen and compactor, grit removal equipment and flow monitoring equipment, a concrete oxidaGeorgia Contractor
standby power system. The construction cost of $14.1 million is being funded primarily through a Georgia Environmental Finance Authority low interest loan. The construction of the plant has provided a boost to the local economy with the addition of 30 new construction jobs as well as the sale of building materials and other raw materials such as concrete, crushed stone, and lumber from several local vendors. GUCA members Heyward Inc., Templeton & Associates Engineering Sales and EcoTech Inc. supplied the bulk of the process equipment. GUCA members JDS Blasting, LLC performed the rock blasting work, Llamas Coatings is performing the painting work, and East Electrical Contractors is performing the electrical systems work. The Tindall Corporation provided the precast manholes and concrete structures.
C. A. Murren jobsite at V C Summer tion basin with aeration equipment and instrumentation monitoring, submersible mixers and flow diversion gates, two concrete circular clarifiers with mechanisms, Stamford baffles and effluent weirs and baffles, a reinforced concrete splitter box, a reinforced concrete aerobic digester with diffused aeration, a reinforced concrete tertiary filter tank with cloth media disk filter units, a concrete ultraviolet disinfection tank including installation of new UV equipment, a concrete chemical tank farm enclosure with fiberglass chemical storage tanks, a reinforced concrete sludge pumping station with four (4) sludge pumps, a concrete parshall flume structure, a reinforced concrete cascade aeration structure, a 3600 sqft masonry administration building including a new laboratory and administrative offices, a masonry sludge dewatering building and a new belt filter press and conveyor with a drive through loading bay, a masonry sludge pump station structure, a chemical July | August 2015
pump building with chemical feed pump skids, a digester blower concrete slab with a metal canopy including positive displacement blowers, installation of a skid mounted reuse water pump system, plant process piping systems, miscellaneous metals installations, electrical systems installation including a fully automated SCADA system as well as a new
Credits: Information on jobsites provided by Justin Reid, C.A. Murren & Sons Company Inc. and Keith Steen, P. F. Moon and Company Inc. Aerial photo credit Aerial Photography Inc. Writing contributors include Vikki Consiglio, Executive Director and Michael Moon, Communications Director of Georgia Utility Contractor Association.v
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Redevelopment of Fort McPherson By Brian Hooker | Executive Director | McPherson Implementing Local Redevelopment Authority
etro Atlanta places high hopes in the large-scale redevelopment of former industrial properties— Atlantic Steel in Midtown, GM in Doraville, Ford in Hapeville, Sears/City Hall East in the Historic Fourth Ward, and Atlanta’s Beltline railroads. We value these generational opportunities to create walkable urban places that bring new development, preserve local history, and attract much-needed jobs. The redevelopment of Fort McPherson represents another tremendous opportunity, but carries with it different challenges based on its location. In locations like Midtown and the Historic Fourth Ward, gutsy developers have focused on attracting a combination of residents, office tenants, and supporting retail. While those developers take risks, they see the disposable incomes of nearby residents and visitors can support their investments from Day One. The vision for the Doraville plant redevelopment includes all of the above, starting with a film and television studio. The Redevelopment Authority’s vision for Fort McPherson is no different. We seek to build a walkable, urban community of commercial mixed-use development anchored by the new Tyler Perry Studios. But Fort Mac is in a community south of I-20 widely known to have suffered from redlining, mortgage fraud, and predatory lending for years. The median household income here is just above the poverty line, and nearly a third of households within a three-mile radius earn less than $15,000 per year. These make the area unattractive to most developers and their lenders. But Tyler Perry sees this area differ-
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Troop Row at Fort McPherson ently, and he seeks to invest over $100 million building a world-class film and television studio. The prospect of a film studio leading the redevelopment of Fort McPherson has provoked some public anxiety, conjuring images of closed compounds within which economic opportunity is contained, rather than shared—understandably so, as the film-studio industry does not have a track record, locally or nationally, of spurring development in adjacent disadvantaged communities. Here, too, Tyler Perry sees things differently. He has said to the Redevelopment Authority and community representatives that he will support new retail investment in the area to benefit the film studio and surrounding community. While this may sound good, is there an example our community can expect from a redevelopment driven by a film studio anchor? Like Fort Mac, the former Ford plant redevelopment is south of I-20. It may be particularly instructive as we consider what’s possible at the former Army post. It is easy to see now
Porsche’s logic of developing adjacent to our region’s most significant economic engine, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. But back in the throes of the Great Recession, when the developer undertook this project, it wasn’t as clear what would drive economic activity. Porsche’s decision to buy and develop its headquarters on much of the site is eerily parallel to what’s happening at Fort McPherson. Porsche has built a largely fencedoff compound—plus a user experience that will draw visitors from not just our region, but from around the world. There has been discussion over time about the balance of the property attracting office, retail, and hospitality investment. But when Porsche said it was taking a leap to the south side of the city not known for corporate relocations, the idea other investment would follow wasn’t guaranteed. Today, the expectation is not only that we will see such investment on the balance of the site, but that this is just the beginning of the build-out of Atlanta’s Aerotropolis. Georgia Contractor
Fort McPherson’s Porsche is Tyler Perry Studios—including a visitors’ experience in the form of a film studio tour. The economic reality of the surrounding neighborhoods today simply will not support—and has not attracted—the office, residential, and retail redevelopment other parts of the
July | August 2015
city and region are experiencing. But Tyler Perry Studios’ investment can be the catalytic boost so badly needed in that part of Atlanta precisely because of his stated support for new retail investment to benefit the film studio and surrounding community. We are counting on Tyler Perry
Studios following through on its stated intention to support adjacent businesses. We are banking on the film studio’s vision of supporting a 150room hotel. We need those adjacent businesses and that hotel to attract office development. We need all that new economic activity to drive the creation of jobs. It also promises to create more revenue for improved government services in the area. Our work in realizing this opportunity will require us to leverage the investment in the film studio, connect to nearby redevelopment inspired by the Atlanta Beltline, and tie in to the airport not so far away. It will demand we overcome perceptions of crime and neglect that may have touched but didn’t vex the sites in Doraville, Hapeville, Midtown or the Old Fourth Ward. Consider how long some of those sites sat undeveloped. Think about all you’ve heard about overcoming the challenges those sites had. And then think again whether we need to seize this opportunity.v
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Natural Wilderness Areas Need Buffer Zones to Protect from Human Development University of Georgia researchers look at ways to protect biodiversity, untouched lands By Sandi Martin espite heavy development, the U.S. still has millions of acres of pristine wild lands. Coveted for their beauty, these wilderness areas draw innumerable outdoor enthusiasts eager for a taste of primitive nature. But University of Georgia researchers say these federally protected nature areas have a problem: their boundaries have become prime real estate. As the country’s population continues to grow, people have built homes close to national parks, forests, and wilderness areas for the same reasons these systems have been left protected from development. However, this construction and growth near the National Wilderness Preservation System is beginning to degrade the quality of these lands and erode biodiversity. “People like the idea of having a national forest in their backyard,” said Lauren Ward, a graduate student at UGA’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. “But from over-applying lawn care chemicals to introducing invasive plant and animal species, landowners’ choices can have far-reaching negative impacts on neighboring wilderness areas.”
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We need buffer zones, Ward said. In an article published in the journal Illuminare, Ward and Gary Green, an associate professor in the Warnell School, propose that federal agencies overseeing these wild areas begin creating zones to help wilderness man24
A lakeshore runs along the White Mountain National Forest in Maine. (Credit: Bob Nichols/USDA) agers better preserve and protect them. Encroachment into wilderness areas will only continue to worsen as the U.S. population grows, Ward said, with some estimates predicting the number of people doubling by 2050. There are nearly 1,000 designated wilderness areas in the national wilderness system, made up of nearly 110 million acres that remain in their natural condition. Human activities are limited on these lands to preserve their pristine state and leave it untainted by people. These areas include national parks, wildlife refuges, and national forests maintained by four federal agencies. Visitors to these lands are restricted in what they can do and are encouraged to ‘leave no trace.’
In the article, Ward and Green lay out three factors influencing the encroachment into wilderness areas: population growth, increasing technology, and global climate change. These factors could lead to loss of undeveloped land surrounding protected wilderness areas, soil erosion, air pollution, reduced water quality, and the spread of invasive species. Ward and Green propose that wilderness managers establish five zones around these protected areas: • A central ‘core zone’ where all human activity would be banned; •
A zone surrounding the core to be used for scientific research and environmental education; Georgia Contractor
Wilderness areas, such as Dark Canyon Wilderness Area, are often preserved for their cultural and historical significance. Dark Canyon was once home to a small segment of the widespread Anasazi Indians, and it is against the law to remove or disturb any archaeological resources encountered there. (Credit: U.S. Forest Service) July | August 2015
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Cultural and historical zones that would allow managers to protect and improve the unique qualities of each site;
50 Years of Success for IEC Atlanta!
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A recreation zone where all users would be allowed for outdoor play;
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A buffer zone surrounding them all to help minimize outside impacts. In some cases, it might be necessary to work cooperatively with private landowners around wilderness areas.
he inspiration that is needed to succeed as an entrepreneur is rooted in an individual’s desire to never stop learning. And this desire to never stop learning is at the heart of why IEC and its contractor members have been successful since 1965 in the Atlanta metro area. Established in 1965, merit shop electrical contractors in Atlanta came together because of the realization that they all had common business issues and that if they shared what they learned from solving these issues with each other, this exchange of information would only make each of them more successful. These contractors also realized that not only did they become more successful with the exchange of valuable information but, by banning together, they would also have a way to educate their employees on proper wiring methods and techniques. And with that, the IEC Electrical Apprenticeship program was born and is still growing strong today with over 400 apprentices enrolled throughout the state of Georgia. As Jimmy Dean said, “I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” And that is what IEC has done throughout the years to constantly meet the changing needs of its membership. For example, with the current upswing in construction throughout Atlanta metro, a skilled worker shortage is becoming a key inhibitor for electrical contractors to adequately meet their job demands. IEC has responded by adding a Workforce Developer to the staff to both recruit workers for its electrical contractors as well as be a catalyst to engage schools to partner with the IEC for fu-
“We believe that encouraging landowners to embrace an attitude of stewardship through education and incentives will be the best approach,” Green said. Buffer zones have come up repeatedly over the decades as the U.S. population grows, bringing with it concerns about American wild lands disappearing with an increase in development. Studies show these concerns are valid: previous research shows that counties with protected wilderness areas have experienced an uptick in population compared to those without these lands. One study found that the number of houses built within 30 miles of these protected wilderness areas will increase by ten million from 2000 to 2030. This trend not only would convert undeveloped land into human-occupied property, but it would also lead to the development of more roads and utilities to support those people now living close to these protected lands, Green said. Once roads are in place, people who would normally have been unable to visit these areas would be more likely to visit. New and inexperienced users could even lead to more demands for help or rescue when cellphones and other technology they rely on fails them. “Wilderness is easy to destroy, but it is nearly impossible to re-create. 26
By Niel Dawson | Executive Director IEC
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The Ocoee Scenic Byway, the first national forest byway in the nation, winds through the Cherokee National Forest near Cleveland, Tennessee. (Credit: J. Knowles/USDA) Americans should continue to protect natural wild lands for future generations to enjoy,” Ward said. The zones are just a proposal, Ward explained, so it would be up to wilderness managers to use them as a flexible tool and work with local communities to promote sustainable development and ecologically responsible land uses. Their study also focuses on how these managers can use buffer zones to help better manage natural resources and mitigating
outside influences. The agencies could mandate buffer zones by providing federal funding for them, or they could work at the local level by creating tax incentives or conservation easements, she said. Their paper on “Wilderness Zoning: Applying an Adapted Biosphere Reserve Model to Wilderness Areas” is available online at http://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/illuminare/article/vi ew/13341/24214. v
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Kristen Williams Pres. Penco Electric ture workers. IEC has also responded with new services by adding a lobbyist to monitor changes and inform contractors of new regulations. With the increasing regulations that the government agencies implement, small business owners must be aware of these or risk getting fined. When necessary, contractors are provided with training and compliance documentation. This is especially true with the new NFPA safety regulations that were recently issued. IEC now has a Safety Trainer & Advisor on staff that is authorized by OSHA to assist members in maintaining a safety program that meets current regulations and helps keep workers safe. As in any successful organization, it takes great leadership to move it constantly forward in a positive direction. IEC has been fortunate to have not only great leadership but leaders with passion and wisdom. Based on a model of a volunteer board to guide the organization, IEC employs a dedicated staff to implement the goals and strategies of IEC Atlanta. They also work in tandem with the National IEC that is based out of Alexandria, Virginia. With over 55 chapter offices
Niel Dawson and 3,000 members nationwide, the Atlanta Chapter can tap into a wide array of resources to meet the needs of the local contractors. Most recently, a small Atlantabased member contractor of less than ten field workers was able to handle a national hotel chain with over 400 locations by tapping into IEC’s network of contractors. Through this unique nationwide network of members, contractors are able to share manpower, tap into markets through joint ventures, and refer work to other contractors to meet the changing demands of their customers. Michael Jordan once said, “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” This is no different than what occurred in 2008 with the start of the Great Recession when there was little to no work in the Atlanta metro area. For electrical contractors to survive during that time, they needed to go to where the work was. This meant sending their apprentices enrolled in the electrical apprenticeship program out of town. IEC Atlanta quickly responded by developing and implementing a world class online apprenticeship program that allowed 27
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apprentices to still attend class while working out of town. This not only kept skilled workers in continuous training, but also allowed contractors to maintain a cutting-edge workforce to compete in an economy with tight margins and fierce competition. After being at the helm of the At-
lanta Chapter for nearly years, I have had the unique opportunity to see many apprentices and electrical contractors come through our doors. But what is most gratifying occurs when you see an apprentice go through the apprenticeship program, become an electrician, then a business owner
who joins the IEC as a member contractor, and then enrolls their son or daughter into the program. And one step further, that person graduates the apprenticeship program and becomes the first female president of the Board of Directors! There’s no greater definition of success than that! v
OSHA Issues New Standard for Confined Spaces in Construction: Is Your Company Ready? By Ryan Boling | HB NEXT In today’s construction industry, safety on the job is often at forefront of our minds, largely due to the dangerous nature of our work. While tremendous focus will rightfully continue to be placed on injuries and fatalities that arise from the construction industry’s biggest hazards (falls, electrical, struck-by, and caughtin-between accidents), we cannot lose sight of the dangers around us that may be less obvious, hidden, or even invisible. When considering confined spaces and the immediate threats they pose on the job, it is easy to underestimate the dangers associated with entering or working inside of them. Reported deaths related to confined space accidents are generally few and far between, making it even easier for workers to miscalculate a potential for danger. While knowledge of a lack of (frequent) workplace accidents can lead to a false sense of security with a worker, employers must be diligent in ensuring they don’t fall victim to the same ‘It won’t happen to me’ type of mentality. Prior to the announcement of OSHA’s new Confined Space Standard this past May, the only requirement for the construction industry as it related to confined spaces was training. Even 28
with training as a requirement for employers across the general industry, the injuries and fatalities associated with confined space work in construction continue to occur. After several years of tallying injury and fatality statistics related to confined space operations failed to indicate a positive correlation between safety training and the reduction of workplace accidents, OSHA concluded that a change was warranted for the construction industry. This change, which is now fully outlined in Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1926 (29 CFR 1926) Subpart AA, highlights several new responsibilities for employers; some of which will apply regardless of whether work is being performed in the construction industry or general industry. The Big Picture The existing confined space standard only requires employers to train their workers who will be exposed to hazards, effectively exempting employers from having to possess much knowledge about confined space safety. This could include knowledge of requirements for confined space access /egress, testing of atmospheric conditions, and methods for worker rescue or retrieval.
The new standard will require employers to better educate themselves before allowing their employees to work in confined spaces. When it comes to safety on the job as it relates to accident prevention, employers will not have the luxury of claiming ignorance to the rules. Under 29 CFR 1926 Subpart AA, employers must be cognizant of the types of confined spaces their workers are exposed to (manhole, silo, pipe, tunnel, trench, etc.), the potential hazards inside, methods for eliminating those hazards, and the applicable rescue procedures. It is also now incumbent upon employers to determine the type of training their employees receive as it relates to confined space operations. This will be one of the greatest areas of vulnerability for employers regarding this new standard, as employers have no one with whom they can share responsibility for work-related accidents. Employers can no longer just purchase training materials for confined space safety, throw a group of employees into a room for a day to watch videos, and be satisfied that they have adequately prepared those employees for the hazards that can potentially be encountered in their work. Georgia Contractor
Regardless of whether the training given to employees is good, bad, compliant, noncompliant, or anywhere in between, ultimately, the responsibility (and liability) now lies with the employer to ensure the correct type of training is delivered to their workers. General confined space training may or may not be sufficient for a company’s needs. So, what’s next and what does this mean for my company? The new confined space standard becomes effective for all employers on Monday, August 3rd, 2015. There is no grace period for compliance with this new standard, and employers will need to be aware of the date the standard takes effect, confined space terminology, their new responsibilities under the standard, and
any updates or changes to their company safety documentation that may be necessary. This documentation could include corporate safety manuals, emergency procedures or training materials. Those who are responsible for safety on construction job sites understand that as a project evolves, the conditions and hazards on the job change along with it. One segment of a job may introduce a vault, pit or boiler as a confined space where another job segment will introduce an excavation that’s over six feet in depth. One confined space may require an entry permit or specialized equipment where another does not. Employers will now have the challenge of not only selecting the proper training for their workers, but also ensuring that the training they
select encompasses all potential hazards and requirements for the work to be performed. In many circumstances, this could include supplemental training for a job site’s foremen, supervisors or competent persons in rescue procedures / equipment, ladders, trench safety or even fall protection safety. Understanding different types of confined spaces, the hazards associated with confined spaces, and the legal requirements that bind employers is the key to ensuring compliance with OSHA’s new standard for Confined Spaces in Construction. Educating your employees will go a long way towards keeping them safe and will help to protect your company against regulatory citations resulting from noncompliance. v
CLP: Closing the Skills Gap One Job at a Time Closing the Skills Gap – what does that mean? To CLP it means providing workforce solutions to our customers and creating opportunities to put people to work every day. We change lives of our customers and workers by doing one thing and doing it well: skilled trades staffing! We provide qualified workers to customers throughout Georgia and the entire United States. We partner with some of the largest and best construction companies to provide safe, reliable employment opportunities to thousands of workers each day. CLP is proud to align with CEFGA as its placement program leader. We take certified students and work with our customers and CEFGA members to place these students as temporary workers or as temporary to permanent employees, affording you the cost benefit of testing a workers skills set and match for values prior to signing that person on permanently. This model creates win-win for both the employer and the employee. We invest in the students training and meeting our customer’s priorities and objectives remains our clear directive. The CEFGA System, a construction Workforce Development Plan for Georgia, is shown below:
AWARENESS WEBSITES, OUTREACH, MEDIA TRAINING/EDUCATION HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE LEVEL SKILLED TRADES PROGRAMS PLACEMENT/EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT THROUGH CLP, LABOR UNIONS, AND PRIVATE INDUSTRY TERRY DAUGHERTY | CLP RESOURCES 8975 Roswell Road Suite 207 Atlanta, GA 30350 678-710-0826 678-710-0829 fax 404-987-9325 cell tdaugherty@clp.com www.clp.com July | August 2015
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DEWALT Expands Its Initiative to Make Products in the USA
G EORGIA C ONTRACTOR
BREAKING
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McCarthy Tops Out Grady Hospital Emergency Department Expansion McCarthy Building Companies, one of the nation’s largest healthcare contractors, recently topped out a $52.7 million project at Grady Memorial Hospital, one of the nation’s largest safety net hospitals. McCarthy, along with its partner CCI, will provide a new six-story addition and major renovations to the emergency department. Construction will be completed in multiple phases in order to minimize impact on Grady’s campus. The tower will create 90,000 square feet of new space, including a 15,000 square foot expansion of the emergency department for new patient care areas. It also provides new space for administrative and physician staff and patient support services. 75,000 square feet of the renovations are dedicated to the existing Grady Hospital ground floor and will provide upgrades to the entire emergency department. Upgraded areas, worth $18.4 million of contract value, will include the facility’s ten ambulance bays, public entrance, patient intake, waiting areas, staff support areas, in addition to the main emergency department treatment area.v
Georgia Utility Contractors Association Inc. presGUCA Announces the Golden Shovel The ents the Golden Shovel Legislative Service Award once a year to the Georgia State Representative or Senator Legislative Service Award Winner
who exemplifies character and initiative to help make productive changes to improve the quality of the environment, stimulate the economy, provide jobs, and play an integral role in passing favorable or opposing oppressive legislation that affects the utility construction industry. This year GUCA has awarded the 2015 Golden Shovel Legislative Service Award to Senator Lindsey Tippins. This is Senator Tippins’ third time to receive this award, and it is in recognition of his service to the utility construction industry. He played an integral role in writing favourable legislation for GUCA in the 2015 Legislative Session, including Senate Bill 191 a major piece of legislation that contains language addressing cities’ and counties’ ability to have more stringent and white lining regulations in conflict with Georgia Utility Facility Protection Act. SB 191 successfully passed the Senate and House Committee (and Subcommittee) on Energy, Utilities, and Telecommunications this year. The bill is now in the House Rules Committee and will be available for consideration next year. In the interim, we Senator Lindsey Tippins will continue to marshal the support of all stakeholders and speak with House Leadership to ensure that this bill gets out of the Rules Committee next year. He addressed the members of the GUCA recently encouraging them to get involved in the legislative process. Senator Lindsey Tippins from the 37th District was first elected to the Senate in 2010. He represents the citizens of Northwest Cobb County. Sen. Tippins, a Republican, serves as the Chairman of the Education and Youth Committee. In addition, he serves as a member of the Appropriations, Judiciary, and Transportation committees. He is a graduate of McEachern High School and graduated from Georgia State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1971 and received his Judicial Doctorate degree from Woodrow Wilson College of Law in 1978. v 30
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DEWALT, a leading manufacturer of industrial power tools, hand tools, and accessories, announces the expansion of its initiative to make products in the USA. With this expansion, an additional 60 corded and cordless power tools are being made domestically with global materials. An expansion of production into an existing company-owned plant in Greenfield, Indiana brings the total number of DEWALT plants in the United States to seven, with facilities in Connecticut, Maryland, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, making some of the brand’s most popular tools. DEWALT will now produce approximately 14 million products each year in the United States. Given a choice between a product made in the United States and an identical one made abroad, 78 percent of Americans would rather buy the American product, according to a 2013 survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center. In addition to the efficiency that domestic expansion provides, DEWALT has also created new jobs for Americans across the country, adding over 500 employees to the expanded manufacturing facilities since the campaign began. This brings the total number of employees at US-based DEWALT plants to the thousands. DEWALT is also committed to hiring veterans and currently employs over 1,000 former members of the military in their manufacturing facilities alone. “We continue to grow our domestic capabilities because the professional using our tools wants to buy products made in the USA. DEWALT is making the power tools for the contractors and builders who are themselves building America,” said Frank Mannarino, President of DEWALT Professional Products Group. v
Associated Builders and Contractors of Georgia Recognize Recipients of 2015 Safety Awards
The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Georgia recently honored the winners of its annual safety awards. Recipients of ABC’s 2015 National STEP and Georgia Awards of Safety Excellence were recognized on June 8, 2015, at Maggiano’s Little Italy, Cumberland Mall. ABC of Georgia Safety Forum chair Ryan Little, Balfour Beatty Construction, served as host, with chapter chairman Phil Greeves, JAMCo Inc., Bob Cauthen, representing ABC National Safety Excellence Award sponsor C N A, and chapter President & CEO Bill Anderson taking part in the proceedings. Tim Gelbar, president of Amec Foster Wheeler Power & Process Americas business, delivered the keynote address. “Jobsite safety isn’t just about the numbers,” Little remarked as he opened the awards ceremony. “It’s about every one of us staying safe on our jobs so that we can go home to our families every night.” The association’s safety awards are presented annually to ABC of Georgia general- and specialty-contractor members that have low rates of on-the-job injuries and who have demonstrated the highest commitment to safety and safety training. In his keynote speech, Tim Gelbar described Amec Foster Wheeler’s philosoTim Gelbar phy on safety. “Doing the right thing is one of our core values and we put safety first. No matter how safe we are and how many awards we receive, we’re never good enough,” Gelbar remarked. “We continuously look for ways to improve our safety performance,” he said. ABC’s Safety Training and Evaluation Process (STEP) awards recognize member companies who employ effective safety practices on their jobsites, based on 20 key elements of contractor safety programs such as management commitment, pre-planning for safety on jobsites, safety training, and resources committed to safety. The STEP process, a national ABC program, is a tool designed to objectively evaluate safety programs, policies, procedures, and training. This year, the Georgia Chapter presented a total of 60 STEP awards, 22 of those in the Platinum category as well as 15 at the Diamond level, the highest STEP level achievable. Diamond-level winners must have an incidence rate at least 50 percent below the national Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) average in their particular NAICS code for at least three consecutive years, and have an EMR (or ‘mod factor’) at or below 0.700 (0.800 for companies with fewer than 100 employees). Thirteen Gold and ten Silver awards also were presented. v July | August 2015
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