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TECH REPORT FEATURES REAL-WORLD JOURNEYS IN INNOVATION
Y EXCLUSIVEINDUSTR TIC TAUTOMA TRACK TENSIONING SYSTEM
Quality Fleet Service, Inc.
qualityfleetservice.com 548 New Ludlow Road • South Hadley, MA 01075 413-213-0632 Tech Report Features Real-World Journeys in Innovation
Associated Builders and Contractors released its second annual construction technology report comprised of case studies that spotlight specific technologies and innovation best practices that ABC member contractors are utilizing to strengthen their value proposition.
The report also features safety technology survey data from ABC contractors.
“ABC’s 2022 Tech Report showcases how our members’ commitment to exploring technology and innovation has led to more profit, higher productivity, safer jobsites and more work,” said Matt Abeles, ABC vice president of construction technology and innovation.
“The case studies in this report highlight how our members deliver the most robust value proposition to their clients by telling the stories of a select few of our members and how they chose and implemented technology and innovation. ABC creates the conditions for construction companies to innovate, differentiate, attract and educate their top talent, ultimately to win and deliver their work safely, ethically and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which they work.”
“Throughout the 2022 Tech Report, you will read case studies about various innovations within our industry and how the construction industry is evolving,” said Jack Hineman, chair of ABC’s Construction Technology and Innovation Committee and vice president of business intelligence at Gaylor Electric, headquartered in Indianapolis. “It is inspiring to see in these case studies how ABC member companies are innovating in various ways, and my hope is that these will provide inspiration for your next innovation.”
Some technologies and innovative practices by ABC contractors found in the 2022 Tech Report include:
• Robotics: Due to a suite of robotic solutions, HITT Contracting, Falls Church, Va., and its subcontractor drilled 262 anchors in four hours, ultimately resulting in a pace that allowed a 10-day task to be completed in just four days with no safety incidents. • Drones: Harkins Builders, Columbia, Md., enhanced its drone program to be an all-encompassing application of hardware, software and processes to help the project teams deliver the project safely, easily, rapidly and cost-effectively. • Analytics Software: Using data software to drive decisions, Gaylor Electric developed a “hindsight report” analyzing data to create the recipe for a successful project by measuring metrics like travel time, purchasing and work breakdown structure. • Project Bidding Software: Nexen Construction, Julian, Pa., went from 378 bids in 2020 to 921 bids in 2021 when bidding software was fully implemented. • Total Human Health App: Working with mental health professionals, The Cianbro Cos., Pittsfield, Maine, have created a construction industry-specific set of virtual tools to enhance mindfulness and mental well-being. • Safety QR Codes and Data Sheets: Embracing safety and health as a core value, T.W. Frierson, headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., provided hard-hat stickers to every employee-owner so they could access specific guidance for chemical products they are working with by accessing safety data sheets on environment, health, safety and sustainability, operational risk management and product stewardship.
Other technologies discussed include reality capture, emerging glass and window systems, safety monitoring, payroll and timesheet software, analytics dashboards, building information modeling, project management tools, equipment management tools and more.
The 2022 Tech Report is made possible by the ABC Tech Alliance, a consortium of firms that create construction technology and innovative solutions for ABC contractor members, the majority of which primarily perform work in the industrial and commercial sectors.
The 2022-2023 Tech Alliance members are Arcoro, Autodesk Inc., BuildOps, Field Control Analytics, KPA, OpenSpace, Procore, Safesite, Safety Evolution, Sage, Smartapp.com, SmartBuild, SubHQ and Tenna.
For more information, visit abc.org/techreport.
Jack Hineman Associated Builders and Contractors
Kim Foley (L), chairman of the board, and Jamie Foley, CEO, speak to invited guests at the ceremonial groundbreaking of the dealer’s Lehigh Valley facility.
FOLEY from page 1
New Jersey-based Foley Inc. is planning to add to its roster of branches by building a new 57,000-sq.-ft. sales and service facility in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania.
The company held a groundbreaking for the construction project Oct. 11 in Breinigsville, southwest of Allentown.
Officials with Foley Cat and the builder, Wohlsen Construction in Lancaster, Pa., were on hand for the ceremonial first shovel of dirt at the building site, situated in a rural area off Interstate 78. Among the many invited guests was Wohlsen Vice President Jeff Sturla.
Lehigh Valley Facility Part of Expanding Market
Jamie Foley, CEO of Foley Inc., said his namesake company regards the new building as essential in keeping Foley Cat on an upward success curve.
“One of our critical success factors has been, and will continue to be, growing the business,” he said at the kickoff event. “We have a responsibility, and a commitment, to Caterpillar, to our customers, and to our company to make sure that we are living up to that excellence in terms of continually getting better. Part of that comes with bricks and mortar — to put facilities in territories that meet our customers’ needs.”
Headquartered in Piscataway, N.J., Foley currently operates two other Eastern Pennsylvania dealerships, in Bensalem and Whitehall, as well as New Jersey branches in Monroe Township and Hammonton, and another in Bear, Del. However, the new Breinigsville facility, once completed, will replace the Whitehall facility.
Foley explained that the dealership chose the Breinigsville site for its next full-service store, in part, to cater to many of the company’s larger customers in the Lehigh Valley and he feels Foley Cat will have the burgeoning market well covered.
“When we looked at the footprint of this location once we acquired Ransome Cat in 2018, we recognized that there was a need to have a facility that was a little more south and west of Allentown,” he said. “As we looked, we realized this footprint in Breinigsville was going to be a terrific place for us to meet our customers’ needs.”
Foley to Open Its First Super Service Bays
One of the top features of the new Foley Cat branch is sure to be its four super bays for servicing Caterpillar construction equipment.
Sturla noted that since they are designed to be twice the size of regular service bays, their presence will give Foley the equivalent of eight work areas for the dealership’s technicians. In addition, four more service bays will be built to handle rental equipment.
Foley said he believes being able to provide larger and
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Wohlsen Construction Leads New Spacious Facility Project
FOLEY from page 66 better service capacity will be a boost to that aspect of the company, and likely contribute to its growth and success.
“Caterpillar has been encouraging its dealers to grow their businesses, particularly when it comes to parts and service for customers,” he said. “So, comparing what we were able to do for our customers in Whitehall versus the capabilities that we will have in Breinigsville, in terms of the rebuild opportunity in the territory, to be able to have customers bring their larger equipment to this facility to have that done completely changes what we had been able to do before, and what we will be able to do once it is open.”
To assist technicians in performing work on large construction equipment, Foley Cat’s four super bays will each have overhead cranes, while another two will be installed within the rental service bays.
Other building details at the Lehigh Valley branch include a large parts department, dedicated workspace for sales and rental specialists, and an ancillary building for Foley Cat’s wash bay, hydraulic shop, and weld shop.
Foley Branch to Be Built Off Interstate 78
Sturla said that construction on the previously undeveloped 11½-acre parcel of land began in earnest the second week of October, with a projected finish sometime late next summer.
“One of the interesting things here is that we are scraping the topsoil off and when we did the geotechnical borings, we learned there is a soft area in the soil right underneath the building site so we will be doing dynamic compaction to take care of that,” he said, adding that, of course, Cat machines will be used. “And then, we will perform cement stabilization outside the building to try and accommodate Foley Cat’s heavy equipment.”
He added that the branch’s main building will be a steel-frame structure, and 10-in.thick concrete aprons will be installed inside and outside the facility.
“It will have a dock area and several diesel tanks, plus a large one-megawatt generator that will supply power because there is no public water or sewer here,” he said in
Multiple equipment yards are slated to be built at Foley Cat’s Lehigh Valley branch. describing the extensive site package for Foley Cat. “The project also will have a huge, underground fire pump, and a 150,000-gallon water tank underneath the parking area to supply water for the fire-suppression system. Additionally, an underground storage basin will accommodate the offsite storm water here, along with three other basins to take care of the onsite storm water, and a leach field for the sewer because that is not currently here either.” Multiple equipment yards are slated to be built at Foley Cat’s Lehigh Valley branch, according to Sturla, including a two-acre display area facing I-78, and a pair of smaller machine yards fronting the road leading to the building itself. Room will be cleared for several equipment and parts storage areas too, he said. Foley Cat, Wohlsen Each Strive for Best Service Foley transitioned itself from an automobile dealer to Cat distributor when it became a heavy equipment dealership in Newark, N.J., in 1957. Ten years later, its rapid growth led to its moving to a larger facility in Piscataway. Now in its third generation of family ownership, Foley Inc. has kept its commitment to giving customers high-quality products backed by excellent customer service. Wohlsen is a respected contracting firm that builds elite projects in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. Besides its central office in Lancaster, Wohlsen has eight branches spread across the region, in the cities of Harrisburg and Berwyn, Pa., Parsippany, N.J., Hamden, Conn., Wilmington, Del., Baltimore, Md., and Vienna, Va. Sturla described his company as “an institutional commercial builder,” with a portfolio of finished projects that range from industrial, to healthcare, to higher education, to senior-living facilities. CEG (All photographs in this article are Copyright 2022 Construction Equipment Guide. All Rights Reserved.)
Trench Collapses Rarely Survivable; Cu. Yd. of Soil Equals 3,000 Lbs., Per OSHA
After 22 fatalities related to trenching were recorded, OSHA stepped up its excavation site inspection program.
TRENCHING from page 8
Defining Trench Safety
NUCA reported that OSHA’s standard 1926.650, Subpart P on trenching and excavation requires protective systems for trenches that are 5 ft. or deeper.
The federal agency warns that trench collapses are rarely survivable because a cubic yard of soil can weigh as much as 3,000 lbs.
The agency believes trench collapses, or cave-ins, are more likely than other excavation-related incidents to result in worker fatalities.
But trench hazards can be controlled when employers act responsibly, train employees and follow federal standards.
OSHA lists steps contractors can take to keep excavation work safe: • Ensure there is a safe way to enter and exit the trench; • Trenches must have cave-in protection — remember to Slope, Shore, Shield;
• Keep materials away from the edge of the trench; • Look for standing water or other environmental hazards; and • Never enter a trench unless it is properly inspected
The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) warns that working in an unprotected trench is dangerous.
The walls can collapse suddenly and without warning. When this happens, workers do not have time to move out of the way.
Like OSHA, safety experts at NIOSH warn that “workers should never enter a trench that does not have a protective system in place.”
The protective system should be designed and installed by a competent person, someone who can identify hazards and is authorized to correct them.
Competent person training is available from many sources, noted NIOSH, including insurance companies, trade associations, labor unions and equipment manufacturers.
The best way to prevent trench collapse and trenching fatalities is to use other methods, when possible, said NIOSH.
Some options include directional boring, relining the pipe, pipe ramming and utility tunneling and pipe jacking.
Robots can be used on construction sites to transport, line and join large pipes to protect workers from serious injuries.
Robots may also reduce the need for pipe layers and other helpers to work at the bottom of the trench, according to the organization.
Trenches must be inspected by a knowledgeable person, be free of standing water and atmospheric hazards and have a safe means of entering and exiting prior to allowing a worker to enter.
All Island Equipment 39 Jersey St. • West Babylon, NY 11704 631-643-2605 www.allislandequipment.com
ATS Equipment, Inc. 33 Locust Street • Boston, MA 02125 617-825-3600 487 Washington Street, Route 20 • Auburn, MA 01501 508-832-8500 51 Fall River Avenue • Rehoboth, MA 02769 508-379-6200 ww.atsequipment.com
Baschmann Services Inc. 1101 Maple Road • Elma, NY 14509 888-655-1101 www.baschmann.com
Chappell Tractor 454 Route 13 South • Milford, NH 03055 800-698-2640 251 Route 125 • Brentwood, NH 03833 800-616-5666 391 Loudon Rd. • Concord, NH 03301 800-358-6007 www.chappelltractor.com
Highway Equipment Company 615 State Route 33 • Millstone Township, NJ 08535 732-446-7600 www.highway-equipment.com
Westchester Tractor 60 International Blvd. • Brewster, NY 10509 845-278-7766 www.wtractor.com
Dealer Emphasizes Trench Safety; Warns of High Fatality Rate in Excavating Work
Prior to allowing a worker to enter, trenches must be inspected by a knowledgeable person, free of standing water and hazards and have a safe means of entering and exiting.
TRENCHING from page 76
In fact, OSHA’s On-Site Consultation Program for small- and medium-sized businesses will help address trench-related illnesses and injuries in workplaces.
The agency also urges workers to contact their local OSHA or state plan office if their employer requires working in or beside trenches that are not sloped, shored or shielded, and are 5 or more feet deep.
Additional Advice
Caterpillar dealer Blanchard Machinery warns that the fatality rate for excavating is 112 percent higher than general construction.
“Trenching is a dangerous job,” said the West Columbia, S.C.-based, company. “But you can protect yourself and your team from injury with the right precautions. Anticipate the risks before they become hazards and be proactive with these trench safety tips.” • Understand proper trenching practices
Blanchard reinterates that the site manager should implement trenching techniques based on soil, trench dimensions and other site-specific factors.
“Never work in a trench without supporting the sides with a trench box, shoring, or combination of sloping and benching methods,” said Blanchard.
Every work site is different, noted the company.
According to Blanchard, these rules should be safety standards across all trench settings. Never enter a trench with standing water or accumulating water without taking proper precautions to drain and prevent more flow. Workers should not work underneath suspended loads handled by heavy machinery. All trenches require safe and separate entry and exit points.
Minimize the chance of falling debris and struck-by injuries by keeping materials and equipment at least 2 ft. away from the trench edge and using retaining devices as needed.
Always stay aware of your surroundings and implement visual and audible warning systems like signs and alarms to know when equipment is in use or nearby. • Test and inspect trenches regularly
Trenches must be inspected before work begins each day to check for hazardous fumes, oxygen levels, water accumulation and environmental changes.
The inspector should reinspect trenches after environmental changes and natural events, like nearby blasting work or heavy rain. • Know the soil and environment
Soil type and quality are some of the most significant factors to consider when designing a trench.
Always conduct utility line tests before trenching. Mark gas, electrical, water and other lines with correct signage and barriers before operating any equipment.
“Failure to do so could result in injury and costly damage or fees,” warns Blanchard.
Plus, a competent person should conduct atmospheric testing in all trenches 4 ft. or deeper to ensure proper oxygen levels. Also, sites should have emergency rescue equipment available at all times, according to the Cat dealer. • Use a trench box — but don’t rely on it
Trench boxes are in place to protect workers in the event of a cave-in and cannot always prevent the cave-in itself.
Proper barrier placement should include shoring and worker barriers with enough force to be greater than the force coming from the trench walls.
Avoid using trench boxes for greater depths than the manufacturer has rated them for and never work inside a damaged barrier. CEG
Ambrose Equipment / Alta Equipment
1401 Hooksett Rd. • Hooksett, NH 03106 603-644-8787 1 Madison Street • Plainville, MA 02762 508-643-0044 www.ambroseequipment.com
Able Tool & Equipment
410 Burnham Street South Windsor, CT 06074 860-289-2020 www.abletool.net
Admar Construction Equipment & Supplies
1950 Brighton Henrietta Town Line Road • Rochester, NY 14623 585-272-9390 7800 Brewerton Road • Cicero, NY 13039 315-433-5000 449 Commerce Rd. • Vestal, NY 13850 607-798-0333 1394 Military Road • Tonawanda, NY 14217 716-873-8000 2390 Rochester Rd. • Canandaigua, NY 14424 585-396-0031 878 Old Albany Shaker Road • Latham, NY 12110 518-690-0750 3001 West 17th Street • Erie, PA 16505 814-833-7761 121 Armstrong Road • Pittston, PA 18640 570-299-5505 www.admarsupply.com
Cap Rents Supply, LLC 18-25 43rd Street Astoria, NY 11105 718-932-4100 • Fax: 718-932-8971 www.caprents.com
Central Equipment Company P.O. Box 261 45 Dempsey-Greaves Lane • Stillwater, ME 04489 207-827-6193 Fax: 207-827-3774 54 Old Canal Way • Gorham, ME www.centralequipmentco.com
