Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction January 2020

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF NATIONAL PAVEMENT EXPO

What’s New in Light Tower Technology

MAINTENANCE & RECONSTRUCTION JANUARY 2020

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BUSINESS MANAGEMENT THE SURFACE MASTERS’ Asphalt

University Videos Build Image & Educate

GABRIEL CONTRACTORS of

Amsterdam, NY, Grows with Each Generation

IMPROVING OPERATIONS What’s Your Policy on Guns in the Workplace?

How to Find More Bottom-line Profit in Your Company How to Improve Your Scheduling Why It’s Time to Modernize Your Construction Operations

PAVECON STRIPES

Innovative Layout at Harley-Davidson Test Track

ROLLER MAINTENANCE Makes a Lasting Impact

› › › www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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What’s Inside January 2020

PAVEMENT FEATURES 14

How Should Employers Handle Guns in the Workplace?

In this Q&A an employment attorney tackles this tough issue and offers guidance.

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Using Contractor Videos to Create a Comfort Level with Clients Fast-growing The Surface Masters uses its Asphalt University videos to educate, improve its image – and change how the industry is perceived.

24 How Each

Generation Makes Its Impact What the fourth generation of the family brings to Gabriel Contractors of Amsterdam, NY.

FIRST LOOK!

2020

CONTRACTOR SURVEY FORM DEADLINE APRIL 23

42 Striping Harley-

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Davidson Test Track Requires Innovative Layout Approach Pavecon joins with engineer to design and paint multiple motorcycle test tracks in confined area.

48 Contractors’ Choice:

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Jobsite Lighting The latest in light tower technology.

ON THE COVER Power Patch Infrared Specialists, Farmingdale, NJ, features three Kasi Infrared Patriots, all custom-painted pink to call attention to increase

breast cancer awareness. ($1 of each infrared repair is donated; $5,000 was donated to American Cancer Society in 2019). On a non-CDL Kenworth T-270, this 2018 Patriot system features a 6 ft. X 8 ft. stainless steel chamber, a 3-ton capacity asphalt reclaimer, a Vibco GR 3200 single-wheel roller, and room for tool storage. Photo courtesy Kasi Infrared, Claremont, NH, and Power Patch Infrared Specialists.

Vol. 33, No. 1 January 2020

Published and copyrighted 2019 by AC Business Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher.

PAVEMENT

Subscription policy: Individual subscriptions are available without charge in the U.S. only to pavement maintenance contractors, producers and government employees involved in paving or pavement maintenance; dealers, and distributors of pavement maintenance equipment or materials; and others with similar business activities. Complete the subscription form at www. forconstructionpros.com or use your company letterhead giving all the information requested. Publisher reserves the right to reject nonqualified subscribers. One year subscriptions for nonqualified individuals: $35.00 U.S.A., $60.00 Canada and Mexico, and $85.00 all other countries (payable in U.S. funds, drawn on U.S. bank). Single copies available (prepaid only) $10.00 each (U.S., Canada & Mexico), $15.00 each (International). Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction (ISSN 1098-5875), is published eight times per year: January, February, March/April, May, June/July, August/ September, October/November, December by AC Business Media, 201 N. Main St., Fifth Floor, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Atkinson, WI and additional entry offices.

POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to Pavement, PO Box 3605, Northbrook, IL 60065-3605. Printed in the USA.

273 ars n!®

PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE & RECONSTRUCTION is proudly supported by these associations:

www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • January 2020

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What’s Inside January 2020

DEPARTMENTS 6

Editorial Your employee manual and guns in the workplace.

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Hot Mix Central Asphalt constructs first public recycled plastic roads in U.S.

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NPE Buzz On the pavement and in the office – NPE 2020 has it covered.

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Just In Select new products and upgrades

31

Pavement Profit Center

48

Classified Ads

56

On the Job Roller maintenance makes a lasting impact.

58

From the Owner’s Desk The work-life balance.

59

Your Business Matters How to find more bottom-line profit in your company.

61

58

Technology Update It’s time to modernize your construction operations.

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NAPSA Report Visit NAPSA at NPE.

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WSA Update The value in belonging to WSA.

63

PCTC Dispatch 61

PCTC’s progress in 2019.

64

Contractor Snapshot Superior Paving takes an EPIC approach to safety.

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Index

66

Tailgate Talk Scheduling lessons I learned from a swim meet.

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Get fast, relevant product information in the Buyers Guide at ForConstructionPros.com

January 2020 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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Editorial

Allan Heydorn, Editor

Your Employee Manual and Guns in the Workplace DOES YOUR EMPLOYEE manual discuss guns in the workplace? Does it need to?

The genesis of “How Should Employers Handle Guns in the Workplace” on page 14 was a conversation with a member of the Pavement Advisory Board who said the topic had come up in conversations with other contractors. The thrust of those conversations was, what are a business owner’s rights and responsibilities concerning guns in the workplace? And what are an employee’s rights and

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responsibilities? And what are the liabilities if company policy prevents an employee from carrying a registered weapon – and what are the liabilities if a company allows it? Attorney Justin Boron, Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP, examines those and related issues through a Q & A in the article.

Guns in the workplace certainly is not the only issue manuals don’t address – laws and company direction are always changing – so perhaps it’s time to examine and update (or create?) your

employee manual. While many companies think development of this document is a tedious and unproductive process, a properly developed and utilized employee manual helps create the outlines of the work environment. It sets out expectations, defines roles, establishes procedures, and describes consequences.

In short, an employee manual helps the company by transparently discussing what the company is all about. It protects the company and it protects the workers – whether the issue

is guns in the workplace, offthe-job use of recreational marijuana, core values, training or any of a number of other issues.

Laws vary state to state, but recent changes mean many employee manuals are out of date – and possibly out of touch. A review of yours is in order – and if you don’t have one, you need to get one.

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January 2020 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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Hot Mix

Central Asphalt Constructs First Public Recycled Plastic Roads in U.S. Dow Chemical tests recycled plastic in binder on Michigan asphalt pavements

By Allan Heydorn In August Dow Chemical Company announced the completion in Michigan of the first public asphalt road in the United States paved using a recycled plastic modified asphalt. The project, completed

by Central Asphalt, Mt. Pleasant, MI, was comprised of four public roads and a private parking lot on the Dow’s facility in Midland, MI. The effort is the second phase of Dow’s tests using recycled plastic in asphalt pavement in North America.

Aaron White, Central Asphalt vice president, says that last winter Central Asphalt was approached by Dow about producing and placing a hot mix asphalt that relied on a binder that contained recycled plastic.

Central Asphalt is a single-plant operation started in 1982 as part of a familyowned business, The Fisher Companies, providing full-service hot mix asphalt production and paving. The company employs 35-40 employees in the field and at the plant and

runs two or three paving crews, a milling crew and a grading crew. It generates its revenue almost equally from Michigan DOT work, work for local municipalities, and commercial and residential off-road paving.

Central Asphalt’s plant is a 1993 700-ton/ hour BMG parallel flow operation. According to Jeff Spagna, Central Asphalt plant manager, the company has produced an average of 450,000 tons of hot mix per year since 1993 and has produced up to 600,000 tons in peak years. The company produces as many as six different mixes a day, storing the mix in its 10 asphalt storage silos that can store up to a total of 3,000 tons. Most mix is produced for their own use, though they do sell to some small contractors.

"Nothing scary" about Plastic-modified Binder Mix Spagna says Central Asphalt produced only as much of the plastic-modified hot mix asphalt as was needed for each day, which is typical for any polymer modified asphalt mix. “We produced it until we had enough made for that day’s work and then we stopped,” he says. “Anytime you’re dealing with a mix with polymers in it you normally don’t leave it stored in a silo overnight.”

White says all the paving projects were asphalt overlays and the mix was placed on pavements experiencing different traffic volumes to better test the material: a milelong and half-mile-long roads and a deadend subdivision. The parking lot and three of the roads used a 12.5 mm mix while on

Chris Maul Named to Pavement Advisory Board Effective in January, Chris Maul, Maul Paving/Concrete/ Sealcoating, Plainfield, IL, becomes the newest member of the Chris Maul Pavement Advisory Board. He succeeds Michael Nawa, Custom Maintenance Services, who has been a board member since 1993.

Maul is co-owner with brother Eric of a 50-plus person operation that provides a full range of paving

and pavement maintenance services primarily to the commercial market throughout the Chicagoland area. The brothers divide responsibilities, with Chris overseeing the paving operation, sales and marketing, while Eric oversees sealcoating and handles all financial matters as the CFO. The company runs four sealcoating crews, with cracksealing and striping embedded in the sealcoating operation.

They also run three paving crews and one concrete crew.

Test projects in India and the United Kingdom of asphalt roads containing recycled plastic have demonstrated better wear resistance when compared to regular asphalt concrete pavement.

The Texas project was the first in the U.S. and the Michigan projects were the first public asphalt roads.

the other road Central Asphalt placed a 4.75 mm "ultrathin" sand mix at a rate of 85 lbs./sq. yd. For the parking lot and roads Central Asphalt used 225 tons of the plastic mix liquid to produce the hot mix asphalt.

At the end of July Central Asphalt produced 1,300 tons of the plastic mix for Dow’s parking lot at their corporate facility, putting down almost 700 tons in two consecutive days. White says work on the almost-square 114,000-sq.-ft. parking lot was straightforward, with no obstacles, straight pulls and little handwork.

“The binder is a little heavier than we typically use on a parking lot and the PG 64-28 produces a little stiffer mix than we would typically use on a parking lot so there’s a little bit less time to work with it,” White says. “There was a little less time for the handwork and for rolling to achieve the density we needed. But we were able to achieve the density without too much trouble since we were aware of the differences in advance. It was pretty much business as usual.”

The Midland County roads weren’t done until mid-August so there were two separate runs of the plastic mix, a total of 3,500 tons for the county roads, and White says the mix went down virtually the same as any mix with a conventional polymer modified binder.

“We were preparing for the worst. We weren’t sure what we were getting ourselves into, but it reacted as normal as any other conventional mix we had,” White says. “The bottom line is we have no reservations about letting another job using this material. There was nothing scary about it, either production or laydown-wise.”

8 January 2020 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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PAVEMENT 2020 Top Contractor Survey WELCOME TO THE Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction survey of paving & pavement maintenance contractors. Our hope with this survey is to develop verifiable Top Contractor listings in each of five industry segments: Paving, Sealcoating, Striping, Sweeping and Pavement Repair. To do that we need to know: • Gross Sales Volume for your fiscal year 2019 (regardless of the date that fiscal year ended) • A breakdown by percentage of the type of work that generated those 2019 sales

• Third-party verification of that sales total (see additional explanation at the end of the survey) To determine whether a company qualifies for one (or more) of our five lists we will multiply your total 2019 sales dollars by the percentage of work done in each industry segment. For example, if a contractor reports $1 million in 2019 sales and generated 40% of those sales from striping, the number used to determine qualification for the Striping Top Contractor List would be $400,000 ($1 million x 40%).

Name & Title of Person Completing This Form *First ______________________ Last ______________________________

CONTRACTOR

TOP

2020

Top Contractor Survey

2019

TOP

CONTRACTOR

Note: No sales figures will be reported or published; sales figures will be used only internally for determining each list. Also, no contractor will be eligible for the list without third-party verification of your Fiscal Year 2019 Gross Sales Volume.

There are 3 ways to complete and submit this form: • Online at https://www. surveymonkey.com/r/ TopContractor2020

• Complete a hard copy and fax (920-542-1133) or mail it to: Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction, Top Contractor Survey, 201 N. Main Street, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538; Attn.

Jessica Lombardo.

• Complete a hard copy, scan and e-mail to aheydorn@ ACBusinessMedia.com Thanks very much for your participation. We do appreciate it.

DEADLINE: April 23

5. * What percentage of your fiscal year 2019 Total Gross Sales is generated by working as a subcontractor for other contractors? __________________

E-mail ______________________ Phone ____________________________

6. * Do you self-perform more than 50% of your work?

*Company Information Company Name (as you would like it to appear on the magazine) ______________________________________________________________ Street Address _________________________________________________ City State Zip Code ____________________________________________ Phone Number with Area Code __________________________________ Website ______________________________________________________ Years in Business ______________________________________________

7. What was your overall company-wide profit margin in FY 2019? (Not for publication; results will be presented for the industry as a whole.) ______ Less than 3% ______ 5%-10% ______ More than 15% ______ 3%-5% ______ 10%-15%

Please indicate your number of employees at peak season (If employees fulfill more than one function please include them in the category they perform most often): ______ Management ______ Field Supervisors ______ Laborers ______ Office Staff ______ Sales May we contact Your Company by e-mail? ___Yes

___No

1.* What is your company’s Total Gross Sales for your Fiscal Year 2019?

___________________________________________________________

___Yes

___No

8. How many different customers did you work for in FY 2019? ______ Fewer than 100 ______ 151-200 ______ 301-400 ______ 101-150 ______ 201-300 ______ More than 400 9. How many different jobs did your company complete in FY 2019? ______ Fewer than 100 ______ 151-200 ______ 301-400 ______ 101-150 ______ 201-300 ______ More than 400 10. What is the estimated replacement value of your equipment fleet (including trucks)? ______ Less than $250,000 ______ $1 million - $2 million ______ $250,000 - $500,000 ______ More than $2 million ______ $500,000 - $1 million Signature _____________________________________________________ Title (please print) ______________________________________________

(This figure used internally for listing purposes only; it will not be published.) Please round to whole dollar amounts. (Example: 1,548,222; note: when entering online please omit commas.)

Date: ________________________________________________________

2. * What percentage of your fiscal 2019 Total Gross Sales is represented by each of the following areas (must total 100%):

IMPORTANT! SALES VOLUME VERIFICATION

______ Paving ______ Sealcoating ______ Striping ______ Sweeping ______ Other (explain) ____________________________

______ Pavement Repair ______ Concrete ______ Surface Treatments (Micro, Slurry, Chip, Fog, etc.) ______ Hot mix asphalt plant operation

3. * What percentage of your fiscal 2019 Total Gross Sales is generated from work done on each of the following (must total 100%): ______ Highways ______ Driveways ______ Streets/roads ______ Other (explain) ____________ ______ Parking lots

To qualify to have your Top Contractor application considered, third-party verification of your FY 2019 Total Gross Sales is required from your company’s CPA, an independent CPA or your accounting firm, or a copy of the appropriate page from your tax return. Verification must be on the CPA or accounting firm letterhead (no photocopies) and must include a statement to the effect that “I have reviewed the company’s Top Contractor application, and the FY 2019 gross sales response to question Number 1 is accurate to the best of my knowledge.” The letter must be signed and dated and include the person’s name, title and telephone number.

No financial information will be revealed; it will be used only internally to determine qualification for each listing. Send verification to:

aheydorn@ACBusinessMedia.com

or

Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction 2020 Top Contractor Application 201 N. Main Street, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 Attn. Jessica Lombardo

4. * What percentage of your fiscal 2019 Total Gross Sales is generated from each of the following types of customers (answers must total 100%). ______ Commercial/Industrial Questions? Allan Heydorn, Editor; Phone: 920-542-1302; ______ Municipal (state/local agency) aheydorn@ACBusinessMedia.com ______ Multi-family residential (apartments/condos/HOAs) ______ Single-family residential www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • January 2020 ______ Other (explain) _____________________________________

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NPE Buzz

On the Pavement and in the Office – NPE Has it Covered For the first time NPE will offer all of its popular free Roundtable "open exchange" sessions on consecutive nights, Jan. 30 and 31.

WHEN PAVING PROFESSIONALS converge on the Music City Center in Nashville Jan. 28– Feb. 1, 2020, they can expect educational sessions and the latest equipment in the market during a packed five days. In addition to the structured presentations, crucial networking events add invaluable opportunities to learn from peers.

If you’re having problems with personnel, equipment, marketing, or strategy, chances are good that your colleagues have experienced the same challenges. They know your headaches (and triumphs) and they are willing to share knowledge.

The first opportunity to network happens Wednesday, Jan. 29, from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at the Preview Night Party. It’s a chance to get a first look at the exhibit hall and chat with peers while enjoying complimentary snacks and beverages.

As the Preview Night Party winds down, the Fourth Annual Pavement Awards will be starting up. Held on the show floor on Jan. 29 at 6:00 p.m., attendance at the awards presentation is free for attendees with NPE badges.

The awards are another chance to network, while also recognizing

individuals and companies who have advanced the industry.

The consistently popular Roundtables are on Thursday (Jan. 30) and Friday (Jan. 31) this year, serving as another networking opportunity where discussions are focused on particular topics.

Roundtables, which will run from 4:45 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. both nights, will have individual sessions for pavers, sealcoaters, sweepers, infrared repair, stripers, and the office. Sessions for all topics will be held both nights.

Attendees looking to maximize their trip to the Volunteer State may choose to start off with the five-hour "Leadership Boot Camp," scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 28, from noon – 5:00 p.m.

The Boot Camp is broken into three sessions: "Culture is King" from noon – 1:00 p.m. with Brian Hess; "Building A Better Team with the DISC Test" from 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. with Chris Hogan; and "Leading People and Leveraging Time" from 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. with John Felkins and Cindy Kelley.

On day two (Wednesday, Jan. 29) of the conference, attendees can choose from 16 different educational sessions.

Those looking for the nitty-gritty basics may choose an "Introduction to Crack Sealing" with Steve Brahney, Brahney Paving, and Craig Granroth, ACS Asphalt Concrete Solutions, scheduled for 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Also on day two (Jan. 29), attendees can find plenty of big picture strategy at "Landing the Big One: Winning that Important Account "with Mike Shereck,

owner, Transformational Leadership Experiences. This session is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Experienced paving professionals know that even when weather cooperates, equipment runs smoothly, and clients are plentiful, something may be going wrong in the warm confines of the office.

With an eye toward indoor challenges, attendees may wish to check out "QuickBooks Basics " with Linda Alfonsi, Petra Paving Inc., scheduled for 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., on Thursday, Jan. 30.

On the occasionally confounding topic of worker productivity, attendees may seek out "Employee Disengagement: The Dog That Will Bite You!" This presentation from Randy Goruk, president, Randall Wade Group LLC, is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 30, from 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

“A disengaged employee will generate unexpected costs and unwelcome turmoil. In today's competitive work environment, knowing what drives exceptional performance is critical to long-term success,” says Goruk. In this highly interactive presentation, Goruk will share key drivers for engaging employees and the strategies, techniques, and tips to achieve a fully engaged team.

“Ultimately, the networking, the sessions, and the 200+ leading brands on the show floor form the heart of National Pavement Expo,” says Russ Turner, associate show director. “There is so much value by attending NPE and I urge attendees to make the most of their trip to Nashville. Be sure to consult www.nationalpavementexpo. com for all aspects of what should be a tremendous show.”

10 January 2020 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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Just In

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RegenX Regenerative Air Sweeper Elgin Sweeper Company Elgin Sweepers new RegenX regenerative air sweeper maximizes operator efficiency without the addition of premium mechanical parts, such as a scissor lift, that increase cost and can reduce capacity.

• Roll-off dump height with 50° dump angle and 8-cu.-yd. hopper eliminates doublehandling, driving back to the facility to dump, and environmental grounddumping restrictions • Simple hopper with rounded corners and external selfdumping dust separator

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CF2A Forward Plate Compactor Weber MT Inc. Weber MT’s CF2A forward plate compactor is designed for asphalt compaction.

• New guide bar grip for better handling • Standard version includes 3.2gal. water tank with sprinkler system and throttle control near handles • Wheel kit and poly pad accessories available • Centrifugal force: 3,372 lb.

• Working width: 18 in.

• Weight: 181 lb.

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Sirocco 75,000 Lumen LED Safety Light Airstar America, Inc. Sirocco LED 75,000 lumen safety light uses only 600 watts of power to illuminate an area of 20,100 sq. ft.

• 360° coverage • Glare and shadow-free diffused light • Color temperature of 6,000 K (daylight) • Balloon light’s envelope incorporates silver internal reflector to increase light coverage while reducing light pollution • Designed with dust and rainproof flame-retardant materials • Wind resistant up to 62 mph ForConstructionPros.com/21046494

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Guns in the Workplace

Justin Boron

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How Should Employers Handle Guns in the Workplace?

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In this Q&A an employment attorney tackles the tough issue and offers guidance Q: SHOULD EMPLOYERS allow employees to carry guns at work if they have a concealed carry permit?

A: At first blush, the question might seem like an easy one for employers to answer. Employers have a general duty to maintain a safe workplace, and for a variety of reasons they frequently take affirmative measures to fulfill that duty, particularly where there is a substantial risk of serious bodily injury. For example, on construction sites, employers require the use of hard hats and limit access to heavy equipment that could result in serious injury. Like heavy equipment, guns have the potential to cause death or serious physical injury, so it would seem that the easy answer would be ‘no,’ they shouldn’t allow them.

But the increasing prominence of mass shooting deaths and injuries has led to a debate about whether a solution lies with increased restrictions on access to firearms or whether, if in some instances, permitting properly licensed persons to possess guns might prevent unnecessary harm in places where violence is likely to occur.

It’s an issue that has legal, practical, and economic dimensions that employers should consider carefully.

Q: Can an employer legally ban all firearms in the workplace?

A: In some states, yes, and in some states, no. More than 20 states have enacted laws that, with some exceptions, prohibit employers from banning employees from storing a firearm in their car in the employer’s parking lot.

These “parking lot” laws are common in states in the South and the Midwest, but they also exist in some states in the West, including Alaska, Arizona, and Utah.

14

Each of these laws has its own nuances. For example, Florida law prohibits an employer from asking an employee about the presence of a firearm in a vehicle in the parking lot.

Georgia law limits an employer’s right to search an employee’s car. Some states have anti-discrimination provisions that can hold an employer liable for discriminating against an employee or potential employee based on his or her disclosure of gun ownership. And some states require an employer to post certain notices about whether the employer permits or prohibits firearms in the workplace. Compliance also can be challenging for employers like construction companies that don’t have a traditional workplace or a “parking lot” and have many job sites.

As a result, an employer should consult with counsel on the issue before implementing a firearm policy for the workplace.

Q: Can an employer legally allow firearms in the workplace?

A: Generally, there is no clear, singular answer to this question either. The Occupational Health and Safety Act does not specifically address an employer’s obligations to prevent workplace violence. But what is referred to as the “general duty clause” requires employers to provide a safe work environment.

In 2011, OSHA also issued a directive on incidents of workplace violence. It reiterated an employer’s responsibility to minimize the risk of “recognized hazards” in the workplace. But OSHA has refrained from providing bright line guidance on whether permitting firearms in the workplace would run afoul of the general duty clause.

Courts also have declined to interpret the OSH Act in a way that would forbid any policy allowing guns in any part of the workplace. For example, in Florida Retail Federation, Inc. v. Attorney General, Florida business owners argued that a Florida law requiring employers and certain business establishments to permit firearms in cars on their property should fall, in part, because it required businesses to violate the general duty clause in OSHA. The court declined to find that the general duty clause preempted the Florida law and deferred to the state legislature’s finding that allowing certain access to guns in the workplace is important to preserving a person’s interest in self-defense.

The Tennessee legislature has taken the most forthright measure to answer this question definitively. In 2018, it passed a law that expressly allows an employer to permit a licensed employee to carry concealed handguns on its property, and Tennessee’s version of OSHA states that it would not create an occupational safety and health hazard. Other states, such as Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, North Dakota, and Texas, have laws that grant an employer immunity from civil or criminal liability involving firearms that employers are required to permit at work under state law.

On the other side of the issue, however, some states like New Jersey have right-tocarry laws that are so restrictive that the question of whether concealed firearms are permitted at the workplace is mostly academic, and it probably would not be practically realistic to have a policy allowing employees to carry a gun in the workplace without the employee being at risk of violating state law.

January 2020 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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Photo Credit: wellphoto/ iStock / Getty Images Plus

Q: What are the legal risks of permitting firearms in the workplace?

A: By allowing workers to carry concealed weapons, an employer is almost certainly increasing its risk for civil liability. To the extent a co-worker is harmed by a gun-related incident, an employer could be liable under a state’s workers’ compensation laws. If a thirdparty is harmed, the employer could be liable under theories of negligent hiring, supervision, or retention. Because firearms are capable of killing a person, the likely severity of the injury also would increase the risk of a high dollar judgment against an employer.

Q: What about extreme examples.

Is there any justification for allowing employees with concealed-carry licenses to carry firearms when they are working in a particularly vulnerable circumstance, like a late-night job such as striping parking lots, where they are more likely to be at risk of becoming a victim of crime?

A: An employer could justify that decision, and it might not necessarily be illegal. But doing so would still likely increase an employer’s risk for civil liability. By authorizing an employee to be armed, the employer arguably is assuming a duty to provide armed security and to ensure that employees are carrying weapons lawfully and appropriately. If an employee unlawfully fires his or her weapon and hurts another employee or a bystander, or in some instances, even a person engaged in a criminal act, the employer could be liable. Similarly, if there is a shooting and an armed employee fails to stop the shooter, an injured person could argue that the employer assumed a duty to protect him or her by allowing employees to carry firearms and failed to reasonably do so.

Q: Could an employer be held liable to an employee if it refuses to permit concealed carry and the employee is injured in an incident in which they could have defended him or herself?

A: This is an interesting question, and it is not out of the realm of possibility

that an aggressive plaintiff’s attorney might pursue this theory in a wrongful death case or mass shooting. But the short answer is that an employer would have strong defenses to such a claim. Absent some legal requirement to permit employees to carry concealed weapons at work, a court is unlikely to find that an employer’s duty to provide a safe workplace includes authorizing concealed carry of firearms, and it is unlikely to find that such a refusal caused a particular injury like a death from an active shooter.

That said, an employer could be liable for failing to take other measures to minimize the risk of recognized hazards involving stranger and co-worker violence. For example, if the company is aware of previous incidents involving crime or violence in the area, it could be liable for failing to provide security.

This scenario might arise at a latenight construction site or in isolated areas like a parking lot, where work is being performed. If there is a genuine concern about employee safety, the employer should consider implementing security measures. In the example of a late-night construction site, the employer could consider requesting the property owner to provide a security guard or provide one itself. However, by assuming this duty, the employer must carry it out in a reasonable way and should take care to ensure that it has hired professionals in security that meet their own regulatory requirements.

Other measures could include informing local law enforcement that there is a concern about criminal activity at or around the job site and setting procedures for employees to report concerns about potential safety threats.

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Guns in the Workplace

Q: How does an employer minimize its risk for civil liability arising from firearm violence?

A: The employer must comply with state laws mentioned before. But to the extent state law permits it, an employer can limit its liability risk by adopting a workplace policy that forbids an employee from carrying firearms or other weapons in the workplace. If there are non-employees at the workplace, such as construction contractors, the company could include language in the contract to require conformity to its gun policy. In at-will employment states, courts have upheld such workplace restrictions. For example, in Pennsylvania, an appellate court in Stewart v. FedEx Express held that FedEx had the right to terminate the plaintiff for violating its policy forbidding employees from carrying

firearms on company property and in company vehicles. As I noted before, an employer should consult counsel when developing its gun policy though.

Q: What should an employer’s policy be on firearms?

A: Ultimately, the employer must make a business decision about what its policy should be on firearms in the workplace. The decision should take into account multiple factors. The legal risks I’ve mentioned are a significant one. Other factors include the effect that the policy has on the employer’s liability or workers’ compensation insurance. Permitting guns in the workplace could result in higher premiums. The employer also should consider whether its workforce would tolerate certain employees carrying guns. Depending on the employer’s geographic location and workplace

culture, a policy on either side could alienate some employees and affect recruiting efforts. Permitting firearms in the workplace is a serious decision that could have serious consequences, so employers should carefully consider alternatives that could address safety issues before authorizing its employees to be armed at work.

Justin Boron is a partner in Freeman Mathis & Gary’s Philadelphia office. He is a member of the firm’s Labor and Employment national practice group. He regularly advises employers on employee policy issues and defends them in employment discrimination claims, wage and hour claims, FMLA and ADA claims, and disputes over the enforcement of noncompete, non-solicitation, and confidentiality agreements. He can be contacted at jboron@ fmglaw.com.

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Marketing Allan Heydorn, Editor

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Using Contractor Videos to Create a Comfort Level with Clients Fast-growing The Surface Masters uses its Asphalt University videos to educate, improve its image – and change how the industry is perceived JUSTIN MEIER, PRESIDENT of The Surface Masters, got involved in the pavement maintenance industry because of what he saw – and what he didn’t see.

“Perception is everything,” Meier says. “How we perceive and how we are perceived by others and how others perceive the industry.”

That’s what lead him and his Surface

18

Masters team to start their Asphalt University video series in 2018. They have a handful of brief videos available through Youtube.com – including “Sealcoating Basics,” “Asphalt 101,” and “Perma Flex Overlay System” – with more than 25 in the planning stages.

“People think the asphalt industry is kind of a dirty job and that the people who work in it are different than other

people. One thing we aim to do in these videos is show that’s not true,” Meier says. “People tend to think we’re not like them but the fact is we’re just like them. We work hard, we have families we support, we’re friendly, and we have fun. The videos reflect not only our work and our company culture but the industry as a whole.”

But The Surface Masters and Asphalt

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The idea for an Asphalt University came out of The Surface Masters' emphasis on image and perception and from a recognition that their buyers' attention is on social media.

University weren’t in Meier’s plans while he was going to college on track for law school. But after graduating and before starting law school he landed a marketing job, and one day working on site for a national grocery store chain he saw a crew restriping a parking lot.

“I watched and I thought that company didn’t seem to be doing a very good job and they didn’t seem to be going about it very well. Their trucks and equipment were old and dirty, they seemed disorganized and there was a lot of yelling back and forth, and I didn’t think they were representing their industry very well,” Meier says. “So I thought if these guys can operate this way and win the bid to do this kind of job, I should look into it.”

He did some online research, discovered National Pavement Expo, and attended in 2011 in Nashville. “I attended NPE before I even started the company and after that I decided maybe this could be a thing I want to do.”

After attending NPE, studying the industry, and speaking with manufacturers, Meier learned enough to begin cold calling prospects for sealing and striping, soon landing his first parking lot marking contract which included restriping five large retail centers. He purchased a striping machine and

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continued working his day job while striping parking lots at night.

“Looking back I know I really gave those jobs away because I didn’t know about job costing and things like that,” Meier says. “I clearly remember walking in my kitchen figuring out how long it would take me to paint each stripe.

Then I figured out how many stripes there were in those parking lots and put those numbers together and that’s how I bid the job.”

But that was a long time – and a different business – ago.

NPE Aids Growth By 2012 he was busy enough where he quit his day job and made sealing and striping a full-time business. He again attended NPE. “Those sessions opened my eyes wide and really motivated me,” Meier says. “I thought, ‘I am going after this’ and I took what I’d learned there and really went to work.”

In late 2012 he bought his first sealcoating tank and in 2013 he hired his first project manager. “That was a big move because even though it was an

The company services primarily commercial properties with some municipal work, generating 50% of revenue from paving and patching services and 50% from sealcoating, striping, and crack repair.

added expense it allowed me to get off the jobsite and start selling and that’s when we really started to grow. That was the investment that really jolted the company’s growth into high gear.”

The Surface Masters, headquartered in Marietta, GA, has experienced significant growth year over year and has qualified for the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies list four years in a row (2016 – 2019), a feat that only 20% of companies who have made the list can claim. He says the company should make a run to land on the list for a fifth consecutive year in 2020. The company services primarily commercial properties with some municipal work, generating 50% of their revenue from paving and patching services and 50% from sealcoating, striping, and crack repair.

During the season, the team averages five commercial sealcoat jobs and one commercial paving/patching job per day along with a growing demand for concrete and milling projects.

“I still laugh about it because I accidentally got into this industry and now we’re running a good-size business, and I love it,” he says. “I was really Cameras are used to take some of the videos but The Surface Masters also has people on a job take videos on their smartphones if something comes up. “We’re not taking professional video. If something comes up in the field that someone thinks can be useful, just take out your phone and take the video.

We’ll figure out how to use it later.”

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Marketing

only a few months out from starting law school when I decided to put that off a bit and try this. It was a great move and it’s been a great industry for me.”

Meier, who says he expects to grow to more than 30 people this year, attributes that growth to the company’s professionalism and to the perception of the company in the market – and that led to the Asphalt University videos.

“Perception is still important to us because that’s what got me into the industry,” Meier says. “Our industry really is a cool industry and I didn’t know anything about it when I started. I often think about those first guys I saw on that first striping job. How we are perceived and our image are important – for us and for the industry. I really want to bring our industry to the outsiders. Really show our industry off.”

Developing The Surface Masters Image Impacting The Surface Masters’ image is how the company appears in the field. The trucks are all the same orange color, and the salespeople and crew members also wear orange. “We’re real big on consistency and that includes how we appear to our customers.”

Meier says that perception and image also extend to how the company’s bids and sales efforts are viewed.

“Most of our customers are decisionmakers in corporate offices – they’re not on site all the time, if ever. As a result, we take a white-collar approach and make the extra effort to extend the professionalism and perception in our delivery methods and really try to learn our customers’ businesses and property goals.

“We go the extra mile in providing all the communication, pictures, videos, and project details necessary to provide them a clear and exact understanding of their project needs.

“This approach helps them not only understand their project needs, but it confirms our understanding of their business operations and portfolio goals, creating a comfort level. We’ve kind of adopted their way of life, is one way to look at it,

and it seems to have worked.”

A good example is communication.

“They’re big on it, so we’re big on it.

We’re always in touch. We have extensive communication protocols that our ops team abides by daily. We create “client portals” where we send them project details, photos of the jobs as they are progressing, drone video, etc. and send them links to the information. They love it and it keeps them in touch with what’s going on with the job they hired us to do. That creates a comfort and credibility level for them.

“And you can imagine the image that projects. It creates the perception that we are an on-the-ball organization, that we’re transparent, that we’re on top of things and that they can trust us and don’t have to worry about the job. It conveys that we’re professional. And it helps the image of the industry!”

He says they also put extensive detail into project planning and project scope.

“Our business proposals are not just a bid on a piece of paper. They’re a fullfledged proposal in a proposal format.

It doesn’t look like any other contractor’s bid. That’s image.”

He says that while the company relies on traditional marketing methods contractors have used for decades – door-to-door cold calls, association events, local trade shows, support for community organizations, for example – they recognized that the marketing environment is changing. So Asphalt University videos are housed on YouTube and Surface Masters promotes them heavily on Facebook, e-mails video links to their database, and is

“If something comes up we just go with it,” says Justin Meier. “No one’s perfect and there’s no job that is perfect and there’s nothing wrong with showing that and talking about that because we really want to communicate as authoritatively as we can through these videos."

adding a page to their website to make the videos available there.

“The attention of the everyday consumer is really online, so we’ve started to ramp up our online marketing efforts, too,” he says. “We have to go where the attention is and consumer attention has gone to social sites such as Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, so that’s where we’ve got be.”

But they have to not only “be there,” they have to give consumers a reason to view their marketing. “We have to do something that sets Surface Masters apart from all the other online noise.”

Videos Educate & Change Perception That’s where the Asphalt University video series comes in.

Meier says the idea for an Asphalt University came out of their emphasis on image and perception and from a recognition of where their buyers’ attention is.

“So we started kicking around ideas of what we could do to garner some attention and we realized from our sales team that we are getting the same questions over and over. They call us to pave their lot but what they really mean is they want it sealcoated, for an obvious and common example.

“So we started thinking ‘why don’t we open up our business and film some

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Marketing

jobs and explain what’s going in the video and on that job?’ We knew we could put them online to meet people where they are already.

“We really want to educate the end consumer so they can know what they’re buying,” Meier says. “They all seem to want to bid apples to apples but when that happens usually the lowest-price bid is what they want you to match and I’d say 50% of the time it’s probably not what should be done to that parking lot.

So we think opening ourselves and the industry up through these videos will help that and help everyone.”

They brainstormed topics and reached out to some clients, asking what they could benefit from. The videos are informal, unscripted, very low budget, and some even shot on a smart phone.

“We really want to keep it authentic, so it’s not scripted and there’s no

The Surface Masters team averages five commercial sealcoating jobs and one commercial paving/patching job per day.

marketing scheme within any of the videos,” he says. “We’re a very comfortable and informal organization and we want that to come through. We want to give them a sense of the kind of company we are.”

Meier introduces each video from his office, then moves to the jobsite with the content they want to convey in mind. “But if something comes up we just go with it,” he says. “No one’s perfect and there’s no job that is perfect and there’s nothing wrong with showing that and talking about that because we really want to communicate as authoritatively as we can through these videos.

“A recent example is we were covering the sealcoating process and a few cones blew over while we were filming

and talking – and we just went with it. It gave us a chance to talk about why the cones are important and how and why we handle traffic control. We just added that into the video.”

He says the entire process from shooting to posting and sending videos out takes less than two hours.

“The main purpose of Asphalt University is to educate the end consumer, but we hope it also can help other contractors,” Meier says. “We don’t know exactly where it’s going to grow but we’re hoping for 50 or even 100 episodes that show how to operate on a job and how a job gets done.”

And they plan to eventually include more than job videos. “We’d like to include interviews with our employees, maybe interviews with some of our customers, and interviews with manufacturers who provide us the equipment and materials we use. We’d like to have people talk about how the industry has changed and has improved over the years and how it benefits the end user. That would benefit the industry as a whole.”

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He says the company has gotten some feedback on the videos, including suggestions for future topics and at least one client that altered their construction plans after viewing one.

“In episode two we explained the Perma Flex overlay system and we had a client we’ve been working with for a few months, developing plans to overlay their parking lot. In our proposal we included the Perma Flex as an option, and they decided they didn’t want that so the plan was a regular overlay.

“Well, they reached out to me a few days after the video went out and now they want an option to use that Perma Flex on the job. They said they understood it much better after viewing the video...that was really cool to have happen.”

January 2020 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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Management

Allan Heydorn, Editor

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How Each Generation Makes its

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What the fourth generation of the family brings to Gabriel Contractors of Amsterdam, NY FOR YEARS AND seemingly for each new generation label, the hue and cry goes out that this generation – whether it’s Generation X, the Millennial Generation, or the newest Generation Z – just doesn’t fit with today’s contractors. And contractors are told, through articles and seminars, how best to understand and work with these youngsters to incorporate them into the company so they can become a valuable, productive member of the team.

But what’s often forgotten or ignored is what these younger generations of

24

workers bring to the company, and there’s no better example of that than Gabriel Contractors of Amsterdam, NY, a paving company that is readying the fourth generation to run the business.

That fourth generation member is Kristi Vertucci, vice president, who works with her father, Terry, who learned from his father and company namesake Gabriel (and uncles Arthur and Anthony), who learned from their father, Patsy, who started as a concrete contractor in the late 1940s.

Today Gabriel Contractors of Amsterdam, NY is moving headlong into the higher-tech, automated world thanks to Kristi – and to her father’s willingness to adapt to a changing business environment.

January 2020 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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purchasing more equipment from LeeBoy in the future.” –Scott Flores, Empire Parking Lot Services, California “I've been paving for 3 generations, the absolute best investment we’ve made as a company was buying a LeeBoy. If you’re thinking about buying one, stop thinking and make the best decision of your life. Thank you LeeBoy I will be spreading the word!” –Don Hopkins, D&H Paving, New Egypt, New Jersey “Best paver made in the USA. Parts always available. Designed with the paving professional in mind. LOVE IT. Other pavers to me are not an option.” –Alan Taylor, Connecticut “I’ve been in the paving business for 30 years and wouldn’t pave with anything but a LeeBoy!” –Jeff Jarzombek, USA Seal & Stripe LLC, Celebration, Florida “I have been laying asphalt for 32 years now. I come from a time when we used to lay asphalt with a ‘dragbox’. I used to dream of a machine like the LeeBoy paver. In my opinion there is no better or labor-friendly machine like the LeeBoy. From the 1000 to the 8515, the work output and quality is simply unparalleled.” –Frank Cidade, Cidade Blacktop, Massachusetts “Can’t beat a LeeBoy. They’re tanks. It feels wrong to use any other brand. They last forever and are very comfortable.” –Nick Stanley, California “The Legend Heavy-Duty Electric Screed on our 8520 produces an impeccable mat. The noticeable level of quality continues to bring us repeat business and new referrals.” –Shawn Lail, Carolina Paving, Hickory, North Carolina “My old 8515 laid 510 ton on a church lot in Hopkinsville, KY today. Ain’t even broke a sweat yet, might even stop and do a small drive on the way home. Suns up, “Sons” working.

Still asTHERE sweet today as the day l bought it.” –Randy Bennett, Bennett & Sons Paving, Kentucky “I wouldn't use any “IT'S NICE TOpaver.

SEE ARE STILL other machine except for a LeeBoy They are strong machines.

Very friendly staff when you have questions. Couldn't ask for a better machine.”

–Derek Heater, Black Rock AMERICAN & Sons Paving, Honesdale, Pennsylvania "LeeBoy’s 8520 paver is simple to operate and results in a high production paving SOME COMPANIES OUT operation. No job is too big or too small. Our 8520 produces a quality mat day in and day“Iout!"

–Dan Zuber,FROM Cunningham Paving, Cleveland, Ohio “I SWITCHED A LEEBOY switched from a LeeBoy paver only to return. ” –Robert Wadsworth, THERE MAKING EQUIPMENT THAT Sunrise Asphalt, Las Vegas, Nevada "I'm a mid-size paving contractor, and for me, there's no better machine made. The versatility of the sizes available is amazing. Even the small LeeBoy can tackle largest project with ease. I tell PAVER ONLY TO the RETURN." LONG WORKS WELL.” everyone LeeBoy isLAST the reason my AND family and I are fed.

Have been and will continue to be a customer for life." –Noah Williams, SOS Paving LLC, Wadsworth, Tennessee “We’ve been doing asphalt paving since 1975 and owned seven LeeBoy asphalt pavers––Robert from the 700 all the way to the 8816, we would – Scott Flores, Empire Parking Lot Designed Services,with the paving professional in mind, use no other asphalt paver, they are the best machines.

GO LEEBOY OR GO HOME!” –Robert George, Sunrise Asphalt, The Asphalt Company, Michigan “Great machine!!!

Lundberg, Lundberg Paving and Excavating, Orange, CA The Legend screed makes for flawless seams!!!” –Matt Las Vegas, NVvery fluent controls.” –Thomas Brockway, Pennsylvania “I just bought a LeeBoy 8616C. Very good machine, lays a great mat, powerful engine, Clements, C&C Asphalt, Inc, Scottsboro, Alabama “BEST pavers, best people. Factory tour shows true commitment to manufacturing the GOLD standard of asphalt equipment.” –Henry Welch, Valley Supply, Hagerstown, Maryland “By far the best designer paver I have ever operated. Great customer service as well.” –Noah Cardamone, Waynesboro, Virginia “LeeBoy pavers are the only way to go. Hands down the best.” –Rocky Young, Louisiana Paving Company, Minden, Louisiana “My family business has been using LeeBoy for 3 generations now! When it comes to asphalt, SMI Paving is ‘LeeBoy Proud’ always!” –Jack Smith, SMI Paving, Fort Mill, South Carolina “I’ve been running LeeBoy equipment for over 20 years. Their pavers truly are ‘designed with the paving professional in mind’. These machines hold up better than any others too!” –Kevin Piona, Mr. Blacktop, Gilroy, California “LeeBoy is the best machine I’ve ran, period, enough said!” –Warren Anderson, Cambridge, Minnesota “LeeBoy is second to none. I’m a third generation paving contractor and they’re all we use. Professional results for the professional contractor.” –Rich Cooper, Colchester, Connecticut “Love our LeeBoy paver. Wouldn’t trade it for any other brand!” –Matthew Mordis, Asp-Con Asphalt Paving, Caseyville, IL “It's nice to see that there are still some American companies out there making equipment that last long and works well. We will definitely be purchasing more equipment from LeeBoy in the future.” –Scott Flores, Empire Parking Lot Services, California “I've been paving for 3 generations, the absolute best investment we’ve made as a company was buying a LeeBoy. If you’re thinking about buying one, stop thinking and make the best decision of your life. Thank you LeeBoy I will be spreading the word!” –Don Hopkins, D&H Paving, New Egypt, New Jersey “Best paver made in the USA. Parts always available.

Designed with the paving professional in mind. LOVE IT. Other pavers to me are not an option.” –Alan Taylor, Connecticut “I’ve been in the paving business for 30 years and wouldn’t pave with anything but a LeeBoy!” –Jeff Jarzombek, USA Seal & Stripe LLC, Celebration, Florida “I have been laying asphalt for 32 years now. I come from a time when we used to lay asphalt with a ‘dragbox’. I used to dream of a machine like the LeeBoy paver. In my opinion there is no better or labor-friendly machine like the LeeBoy. From the 1000 to the 8515, the work output and quality is simply unparalleled.”

–Frank Cidade, Cidade Blacktop, Massachusetts “Can’t beat a LeeBoy. They’re tanks. It feels wrong to use any other brand. They last forever and are very comfortable.” –Nick Stanley, California “The Legend Heavy-Duty Electric Screed on our 8520 produces an impeccable mat. The noticeable level of quality continues to bring us repeat business and new referrals.” –Shawn Lail, Carolina Paving, Hickory, North Carolina “My old 8515 laid 510 ton on a church lot in Hopkinsville, KY today. Ain’t even broke a sweat yet, might even stop and do a small drive on the way home. Suns up, “Sons” working.

Still as sweet today as the day l bought it.” –Randy Bennett, Bennett & Sons Paving, Kentucky “I wouldn't use any other machine except for a LeeBoy paver. They are strong machines. Very friendly staff when you have questions. Couldn't ask for a better machine.” –Derek Heater, Black Rock & Sons Paving, Honesdale, Pennsylvania "LeeBoy’s 8520 paver is simple to operate and results in a high production paving operation. No job is too big or too small. Our 8520 produces a quality mat day in and day out!" –Dan Zuber, Cunningham Paving, Cleveland, Ohio “I switched from a LeeBoy paver only to return.” –Robert Wadsworth, Sunrise Asphalt, Las Vegas, Nevada "I'm a mid-size paving contractor, and for me, there's no better machine made. The versatility of the sizes available is amazing. Even the small LeeBoy can tackle the largest project with ease. I tell everyone LeeBoy is the reason my family and I are fed. Have been and will continue to be a customer for life." –Noah Williams, SOS Paving LLC, Tennessee “We’ve been doing asphalt paving since 1975 and owned seven LeeBoy asphalt pavers – from the 700 all the way to the 8816, we would use no other asphalt paver, they are the best machines. Designed with the paving professional in mind, GO LEEBOY OR GO HOME!” –Robert George, The Asphalt Company, Michigan “Great machine!!! The Legend screed makes for flawless seams!!!” –Matt Lundberg, Lundberg Paving and Excavating, Brockway, Pennsylvania “I just bought a LeeBoy 8616C. Very good machine, lays a great mat, powerful engine, very fluent controls.” –Thomas Clements, C&C Asphalt, Inc, Scottsboro, Alabama “BEST pavers, best people. Factory tour shows true commitment to manufacturing the GOLD standard of asphalt equipment.” –Henry Welch, Valley Supply, Hagerstown, Maryland “By far the best designer paver I have ever operated. Great customer service as well.” –Noah Cardamone, Waynesboro, Virginia “LeeBoy pavers are the only way to go. Hands down the best.” –Rocky Young, Louisiana Paving Company, Minden, Louisiana “My family business has been using LeeBoy for 3 generations now! When it comes to asphalt, SMI Paving is ‘LeeBoy Proud’ always!” –Jack Smith, SMI Paving, Fort Mill, South Carolina “I’ve been running LeeBoy equipment for over 20 years. Their pavers truly are ‘designed with the paving professional in mind’. These machines hold up better than any others too!” –Kevin Piona, Mr. Blacktop, Gilroy, California “LeeBoy is the best machine I’ve ran, period, t enough said!” –Warren Anderson, Cambridge, Minnesota “LeeBoy is second to none. I’m a third generation paving contractor and they’re all we use.

Professional results for the professional contractor.” –Rich Cooper, Colchester, Connecticut “Love our LeeBoy paver. Wouldn’t trade it for any other brand!” –Matthew Mordis, Asp-Con Asphalt Paving, Caseyville, IL “It's nice to see that there are still some American companies out there making equipment that last long and works well. We will definitely be purchasing more equipment from LeeBoy in the future.” –Scott Flores, Empire Parking Lot Services, California “I've been paving for 3 generations, the absolute best investment we’ve made as a company was buying a LeeBoy. If you’re thinking about buying one, stop thinking and make the best decision of your life. Thank you LeeBoy I will be spreading the word!” –Don Hopkins, D&H ng Paving, New Egypt, New Jersey “Best paver made in the USA. Parts always available. Designed with the paving professional in mind. LOVE IT. Other g pavers to me are not an option.” –Alan Taylor, Connecticut “I’ve been in the paving business for 30 years and wouldn’t pave with anything but a LeeBoy!” –Jeff Jarzombek, USA Seal & Stripe LLC, Celebration, Florida “I have been laying asphalt for 32 years now. I come from a time when we used to lay asphalt with a ‘dragbox’. I used to dream of a machine like the LeeBoy paver. In my opinion there is no better or labor-friendly machine like the en LeeBoy. From the 1000 to the 8515, the work output and quality is simply unparalleled.” –Frank Cidade, Cidade Blacktop, Massachusetts “Can’t beat a s LeeBoy. They’re tanks. It feels wrong to use any other brand. They last forever and are very comfortable.” –Nick Stanley, California “The Legend in Heavy-Duty Electric Screed on our 8520 produces an impeccable mat. The noticeable level of quality continues to bring us repeat business and new referrals.” –Shawn Lail, Carolina Paving, Hickory, North Carolina “My old 8515 laid 510 ton on a church lot in Hopkinsville, KY today. Ain’t even broke a sweat yet, might even stop and do a small drive on the way home. Suns up, “Sons” working. Still as sweet today as the day l bought it.” –Randy Bennett, Bennett & Sons Paving, Kentucky “I wouldn't use any other machine except for a LeeBoy paver. They are strong machines. Very friendly staff when you have questions. Couldn't ask for a better machine.” –Derek Heater, Black Rock & Sons Paving, Honesdale, Pennsylvania "LeeBoy’s 8520 paver is simple to operate and results in a high production paving operation. No job is too big or too small. Our 8520 produces a quality mat day in and day out!"

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PVM0120_24-30_GabrielContracting_A.indd 25

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Management

Vertucci, Kristi’s great-great-grandfather, and remained that way until 1957 when Patsy’s son, Gabriel, returned from the war. He wanted to focus on asphalt paving but Patsy wasn't interested, so Gabriel with brothers Arthur and Anthony began doing asphalt work and the company took the name Gabriel Contractors of Amsterdam, NY. Today Gabriel Contractors of Amsterdam, NY is moving headlong into the highertech, automated world thanks to fourthgeneration Kristi Vertucci – and to her father Terry's willingness to adapt to a changing business environment.

That younger generation helped transform Gabriel Contractors into primarily a driveway paving company, though the company maintained its concrete business, constructing sidewalks throughout the city. (In fact a number of the city’s sidewalks still retain the Gabriel Contractors stamp the crews used to sign their work.)

Terry, Gabriel’s son and Kristi’s father, started raking asphalt in 1968 when he was 10 years old, and by that time, encouraged by Gabriel, Arthur and Anthony, the company did just about anything related to asphalt paving including excavating, demolition, catch basin installation and repair, and sewer line installation. They gradually expanded into commercial work as well as work on lowvolume roads for public agencies.

They added sealcoating in 1970 but sold that part of the business in 2018 because they had more than enough paving work.

Currently the contractor employs 10 full-time employees during the season and they generate 90% of their work from asphalt paving. “No matter where we start it always ends up with something being paved,” Kristi says.

Bringing Technology Kristi, who holds an MBA and has an expertise in information technology (IT), began helping in the office 10 years ago while still employed doing IT work at a local hospital. At the time the contractor still used typewriters, had no computers, didn’t use e-mail and didn’t have a website.

“My dad wrote estimates on paper in the truck, then my mom would type them up and create the bid and we’d mail it out. I said ‘No way! We’re doing this on the computer’.”

She helped out on evenings and weekends because Gabriel Contractors couldn’t afford to hire a computer expert. “I didn’t want my dad to have to pay somebody else for something that I could do,” she says.

Since joining officially six years ago Kristi has helped the company add a website (which was upgraded and relaunched last spring), make an impact on social media, and improve internal communications by moving from CB radios and chirping Nextel walkie-talkies to iPhones.

She has also computerized their operations, which opened the door to use of e-mail and enabled them to get bids into the hands of customers more quickly.

“We’ve cut down the time it takes Gabriel Contractors of Amsterdam, NY, employs 10 full-time employees during the season and generates 90% of their work from asphalt paving. “No matter where we start it always ends up with something being paved,” says Kristi Vertucci.

26

January 2020 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

Contract # 0

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Management

Since joining officially six years ago, Kristi Vertucci has helped the company add a website, make an impact on social media, improve internal communications by moving to iPhones, and has computerized operations.

Like Father, Like Grandfather...

to get a bid into a customer’s hands by a lot,” she says. This year she and her father began using an app that uses drones to measure jobsites, enabling them to create the bid right at the jobsite and e-mail it out from their phones or tablets. That not only enables them to create the bid more easily and more quickly and gets it into the customer’s hands sooner, it shortens the work day for father and daughter.

Despite the fact she helped upgrade the company’s technology she eventually tired of it. “I’m not really a behindthe-desk person,” she says. “I convinced my father that I wanted to be outside working with him like he was with his father. I think he was trying to protect me – not that he didn’t think I could do it but it is difficult work – but I took a pay cut to learn it and I love it.”

She began working in the field with a rake and shovel, then learned the roller.

Now she estimates, operates the screed (often side by side with her dad) and manages office operations.

28

“My dad brought things to his father like I did for him,” she says. “He did with my grandfather what I’m doing for him.”

For example her grandfather, Gabriel, didn’t want to take on certain size jobs.

“The company’s approach to jobs at the time was very labor intensive so he thought some jobs were too large because of the way they did everything. And he didn’t want to add new, larger equipment that would have enabled them to produce more work and do more work faster.”

But her father made it a point to watch other contractors using equipment, and because the rental market was so different he was able to try out a lot of equipment at little or no cost. “My dad is a great self-taught operator and once he’s used a piece of equipment, he can quickly see the time saved or how equipment makes doing something easier or better.

“He knew he had to convince my grandfather he needed to buy new equipment if the company was going to survive and grow,” she says. “So my dad did with equipment what I’m doing for my father with technology.

“It’s not the same with what we’re doing now but it kind of is,” she says. “He gets the fact that I’m trying to make some changes and why we need to make them because he did the same kind of thing with his father. There’s a little resistance and change is hard but he can see it.”

Social Media Becomes Huge Another technology Kristi Vertucci has encouraged is social media, which she says works as both a marketing tool and a networking arm.

She says that Gabriel Contractors has cut back on marketing because they have so much work, but they have placed an increased emphasis on social media, particularly Facebook and Instagram.

“Social media has become huge for us and much more important than I ever thought it would be. We post and we get a lot of response from customers but also from other contractors.”

Related to social media are the company’s two drones, which she uses to get attention on social media.

“When I’m on the paver I’ll send up a drone and take some in-progress video and before-and-after videos. Then I’ll put a few clips together and then post the video. The drone footage really gets a lot of attention from people,” she says.

She says she posts at least once a day during the season, and she makes it a point to tag other companies to get them involved.

“I’ll do something as simple as ‘Weather here is great for paving.

How’s the weather where you are?’ and other contractors will respond, telling us about their location. It’s fun and people seem to like it. I also post the temperature of the mix behind the paver – ‘It’s 80° here and mix temperature is 275° behind the paver.

What’s the mix temp behind your paver?’ And people will tell us.”

Networking the Next Generation She says that in addition to creating a marketing presence, the social media interactions have helped the company network. “When we go to some of the national trade shows like National Pavement Expo and ConExpo we meet up with some of the people who’ve been responding and we compare notes and trade ideas,” she says.

And the networking is aimed at reaching out to younger customers, too. Kristi is 33 and she knows younger customers will be key to the company’s growth. She says the company is well known and has a great reputation among established owners and property managers but, like her father, many of those people are nearing retirement, and a new set of customers is taking their place who don’t know her father or the company.

“Our reputation is built on older,

January 2020 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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Management

loyal customers but the next generation is coming along. “I’m working to generate the same reputation with the younger customers that my father had with the older customers and that my grandfather had with his customers,” she says. “My grandfather knew all the people around here and that helped get us our reputation. He’d bring coffee to people watching us on the job and bring donuts to kids on the jobsite. He really made an effort to make the customer feel like part of our family. It’s important our customers know there’s another Vertucci ready to step in to continue our work. It’s important they know who I am.”

And one of the sales points she can make is that her 63-year-old company is operating on the cutting edge.

“One of the things we can tell them is that we’re up to date and even ahead of the game with new technologies that will

enable us to provide the same quality service and family-oriented service the company provided in the past,” she says.

“They seem to like that we’re updating our systems and our equipment.”

A Mix of Old and New “My father hates technology but I love it,” Vertucci says. “Everything we did we used to do by hand, from the office to the field it was a very labor-intensive process. Now that we’ve brought in technology it’s all easier and we can be more productive and more profitable.”

That’s what her generation has brought to the company.

“Since I came in we have a nice mix of both the old way and the new way,” she says. Terry, for example, still likes to grade using a tractor outfitted with a blade that his father had custom-made for the company. But at the end of

2018 Gabriel Contractors bought a new grading attachment for their skid steer “and it’s about as automatic as you can get.”

And her father is adjusting just fine.

“Like anyone else he goes backwards here and there because the old way is more comfortable, but once he gets a handle on how to do things using the technology we’ve brought in he catches on pretty quickly – then that becomes the norm. Every company this size and just about all people his age are going to have trouble transitioning to something like this, but it’s really happened pretty easily,” she says.

“He’s flat-out told me that if I hadn’t brought this technology in we wouldn’t be in business anymore. It’s a completely different landscape nowadays and in his world he would have closed up shop a long time ago.”

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www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • January 2020

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Striping

Allan Heydorn, Editor

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Striping Harley-Davidson Test Track Requires Innovative Layout Approach Pavecon joins with engineer to design and paint multiple motorcycle test tracks in confined area WITH 25 YEARS’ experience in pavement marking, Kevin Allford had never encountered a job like he faced last year at Pig Trail Harley-Davidson in Rogers, AR. Allford, pavement maintenance

foreman at Dallas-based Pavecon, worked with a crew of three and Pavecon project manager Alex Wegner to layout and stripe a motorcycle training course for the motorcycle dealership.

“This was such an interesting and challenging project,” Allford says. “It was an unusual striping job because it consisted mainly of stencils with a few curved paths. It’s not a typical job for striping by any means.

Layout of the training area started with marking the four corners of the 30,000-sq.-ft. area, creating the outlines of a rectangle. Bolts were screwed into the pavement at the four spots, and the four points were connected by a nylon baling cable, creating the outlines of a rectangle. This long sides of the rectangle served as reference points to help position markings within the test track.

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“It really takes 25 years of experience like Kevin’s to be able to do something like this,” Wegner says. “It requires absolute precision because that’s a state requirement to qualify for state certification.”

“Usually we’re striping parking lots or streets and those jobs are really just the same thing but in different places, but this was new altogether. There was a little bit of a learning curve because we’ve never done anything like this before in all my years of striping, so it was neat to see it all come together.”

Pavecon got the unique job after the contractor had reached out to Pig Trail to do some pavement repairs on its 40,000-sq.-ft. parking lot. The contractor has 1,300 employees at seven locations in six states and provides a full range of paving and pavement maintenance services throughout the southcentral United States.

“During the discussions about the repairs we learned they were looking to have this track striped onto the lot,” Wegner says. “Once we learned about it and talked with them everything kind of fell into place that we were a perfect fit for the job. We have the experience and ability to do this kind of work. It’s not something every striping contractor can do.

It requires absolute precision because of the state certification requirements.”

Pig Trail Harley-Davidson is a motorcycle dealership, but they don’t just sell motorcycles; they train people to ride motorcycles safely. Some of the salespeople are state-certified trainers

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and they train riders on the test track, which also must be certified by the state. Once drivers pass the course they are certified by the state.

Because of limited space, the test track needed to be laid out and striped to contain several different courses within the same 30,000-sq.-ft. area, which is within a 40,000-sq.-ft. pavement outside the dealership. Markings and stencil icons were color-coded and numbered so instructors could easily set up the different courses.

“With this layout, which is complicated, they can use the area for multiple exercises and training for different types of bikes,” Wegner says.

Determining Layout Enter Keith Poor, of the engineering firm working on the job. Allford says Poor was the mastermind behind overlaying all the different training courses in the 30,000-sq.-ft. area. Using a combination of four colors (red, blue, yellow, white), symbols (yellow squares, white circles, blue triangles), and numbers, Poor designed a plan so everything fit together, and he designed the custom stencils for the job.

“He had a huge book with all the plans in it,” Allford says. “We met him and

he asked some questions of us because he knew where the stencils had to go and how to fit it all in the area, but he didn’t know how to position them on the pavement and how to lay it all out. We talked with him and it became clear that this was something we could do for them.”

Pavecon’s challenge was to place each of the stencils in the precise location on the pavement. If the location of any stencils was off by even a small amount, the state would not certify the track as an acceptable training facility.

And an incorrect location could also affect whether a driver being trained passed the training.

“When they take the training, the drivers have to hit the brakes, for example, and stop within a certain distance,” Wegner says. “The stencils mark those locations, so they have to be positioned exactly on the pavement to the inch. If the drivers can’t stop within the appropriate distance, they have to keep doing it over again until they get it right.”

Organizing the Space To start the layout, Poor identified and located four points within the 40,000-sq.-ft. pavement. At each point bolts were screwed into the pavement.

Those bolts were the four corners of a rectangular-shaped space and served as reference points to help position the stencils. The four points were then connected by nylon baling cable pulled tight, creating the outlines of the 30,000-sq.-ft. rectangular space.

“The exterior of the rectangle was pulled extremely tight to assure the Because Pavecon had to fit multiple test tracks in such a small area they used a combination of colors (red, blue, yellow, white), symbols (yellow squares, white circles, blue triangles), and numbers to identify the various courses.

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Striping

measurements within it were going to be precise,” Allford says. “Everything was set up off of those four points, and that’s how we plotted the location of each stencil.”

Once the outline was established, Pavecon’s crew snapped some basic chalk lines within the rectangle, but in most cases Pavecon’s crew relied on a “slide” that Poor designed to help locate stencil locations within the rectangle.

The slide featured 4-ft. metal plates on each end of a nylon baling cable. Each metal plate was attached to the string on one of the long sides of the rectangle. The metal plates on each end of the cable had handles so they were easy to slide up and down the rectangle sides.

“The slides were connected to the long sides of the rectangle and easily slid up and down,” Allford says. “The slide functioned almost like a T-square.

It was a bit like the game Battleship.”

To determine the horizontal line on which some stencils would be placed, Pavecon’s crew moved the slide along each side of the rectangle based on the measurements in Poor’s plan. They measured the distance on one side of the rectangle and moved the slide to that spot.

They then measured the same distance on the other side of the rectangle and moved the slide on that side to that spot.

Once both sides were the same, they had the horizontal line they needed. The

Drivers have to hit the brakes and stop within a certain distance so stencils have to be positioned to the inch. Drivers who don't stop within the appropriate distance have to repeat until they are successful.

44

Pavement Marking at NPE 2020 The 2020 National Pavement Expo, Jan. 29-Feb. 1 in Nashville, will offer five sessions related to pavement marking.

A02 “Basic Parking Lot Layout and Striping Machine Basics,” presented by Jim Panzenhagen, JMP Excelsior Services, will “start from scratch on how to layout a parking lot, from squaring up the lot and finding a control line, to laying out the standard and handicap parking spaces.”

A06 “Improve Striping Productivity Using Today’s Technology (Auto Layout and Laser Systems),” Scott Langton, Sir Lines-A-Lot, and Chad Jung, Preferred Striping Inc. “This how-to session will take you through ‘the evolution of parking lot layout’ from basic tape measure layout to today’s simple-to-use auto layout technology that will do your calculations for you and the industry’s newest cutting-edge auto layout tool: lasers.”

A07 “Thermoplastic Pavement Markings & Durable Marking Paint Alternatives,” presented by Kurt Gruenberg, Rae Products, will focus on extruded and preformed hot-applied thermoplastic marking materials, durable liquid marking paints and offer basics on equipment, installation, longevity and pricing.

B04 “What You Need to Know about ADA Compliant Striping and Signage,” presented by Michael Byrd, Midwest PLM, “will teach you the laws of ADA compliancy for parking. You will learn who needs to be compliant, what it takes to become compliant, and who is exempt.”

D02 “Ins and Outs of Auto Layout and Striping Tips,” by Jim Panzenhagen, JMP Excelsior Services, “will discuss and show how to use the Graco Auto Layout machine— from measuring the parking lots, calculating parking space, and installing the premarks— from start to finish. The presenter will also share auto layout tips.

For complete conference schedule visit www.nationalpavementexpo.com.

metal plates had a place where a crew member could stand to make sure the cable was pulled as tight as possible through the middle of the rectangle. They then measured and marked along that cable the location of each stencil, again based on Poor’s layout plan.

They repeated the process until all stencil locations were marked, a process that took the entire first day.

On the second day Pavecon’s fourperson striping crew, led by James Braden, striped two colors and the related symbols. They striped white and yellow the first day, then striped red and blue on the third and final day on the job.

“There were locations throughout the course where the colors overlapped so we figured that out in advance and decided which colors to paint first.

There were a number of areas where we had four colors coming together, so we had to have them come together in layers. We needed to make sure we had the order right,” Allford says.

Now that they have one of these condensed motorcycle training courses under their belt, Pavecon plans to stripe additional courses for other Harley-Davidson locations. “They’ll all be customized for each store because the pavements will all be different,” Wegner says. “They’re all the same concept but each dealership is unique in what it needs.”

“Alex, Kevin, and the entire crew did a fantastic job on this project,” says Ben Shankle, Pavecon division president, Northwest Arkansas. “ While this type of project is certainly not the norm, Alex and Kevin jumped right in to help our customer come up with a solution for this complex project. I love to see our people living out one of Pavecon’s core values of Value Creation. We strive to exceed our customers’ expectations in all aspects of the work. This is a great example of where our people rise to occasion, setting Pavecon apart from the competition.”

January 2020 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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Contractors ’ Choice : Jobsite Lighting

Jenny Lescohier

The Latest In Light Tower Technology

an co sat ers sel lig

Electric models, paralleling capabilities and LED technology top the list of things to look for in lighting technology today TRADITIONALLY, LIGHT TOWERS have not set the world on fire in terms of technological advancements. Yet, there are a few important trends to keep in mind when choosing a unit for your projects. Things such as electric models, paralleling capabilities and LED technology are gaining popularity and taking lighting to the next level.

Trends in Lighting Technology According to Joan Westwater, product manager, jobsite, Allmand, “Lighting technology is constantly advancing in order to provide the customer with more efficient and economical choices, as well as flexibility for the jobsite. Different fuels and power systems utilizing electric, chain, hybrid battery and solar technologies, along with diffused lighting for DOT compliance regulations and construction safety, are all becoming more and more critical to the jobsite.”

Eric Massinon, business development director, Chicago Pneumatic Power Technique, points to timers and photo eye options as choices that can help reduce fuel usage and the labor hours required to tend to multiple light towers. “The optics and housing designs improve the amount of light cast from the elements and the optics help control the light directionally from the element, increasing the power and durability,” he adds.

Lighting coverage is another area of focus. “The ability to spread the light to optimize light coverage is just as important as efficiently producing light,” says Angel Nieto, product manager, power & light, Atlas Copco Power Technique.

“The design of the optics makes the difference in achieving maximum light coverage. At Atlas Copco, we have reduced the number of LED chips to

one or two, depending on the model, and used the right optics to spread the light beam in horizontal and vertical directions.

“The floodlight is also important,” Nieto adds. “Our design rapidly radiates the heat produced in the chip, keeping the temperature at the correct level to guarantee performance and durability. The expected average life is 30,000 hours.”

But according to Erin Brown, senior product specialist, Doosan Portable Power, LED is still the most prevalent trend. “It’s definitely gaining traction as the prices are going down. Total cost of ownership is becoming more important... vs. the equipment acquisition cost, so more [customers] are actually buying LED models because they cost less to own over the long term,” Brown states. “At this point, 50% of our customers are purchasing LED lamps over traditional metal halide.”

Ins and Outs of Paralleling “Paralleling light towers refers to a ‘daisy chain’ of towers, where multiple towers are chained together, providing several hundred feet of lighting powered by a single source,” Westwater notes. “The chain tower contains no engine or other power source, and best of all, no emissions.”

Power is received from the parent generator, light tower or an auxiliary power source. “One parent generator can power several chain towers, depending on its size and power requirements,” Westwater explains.

“This results in flexibility to the jobsite by having a single source provide the necessary power for several chain towers as needed, requiring less overall fuel, less maintenance and less noise.”

Be Chain towers can be used in any application where light towers are used, and where minimal refueling and less noise are important factors. Chicago Pneumatic’s range of new electrical light towers — the CPLT P2, CPLT V2, CPLT V3 and CPLT E3 — can be plugged into the power grid or used with power from a generator.

“Keep in mind you’re limited to the number of these light towers by the size of the circuit they are being used with,” says Massinon. “The total number used in parallel can’t require more power than the circuit protection is sized for.

“For example, a 20-amp circuit can supply up to 2,400 watts — enough to power three of the E3 light towers. Or a 30-amp breaker can provide up to 3,600 watts for light. That’s enough power for seven of the V3 LED light towers,” he points out. “The light towers are all rated by the wattage needed. By simply adding the wattage, you can calculate the power needed.”

The benefit is that a single generator can provide power for a multitude of light towers. This reduces capital cost, operating cost and service cost.

LED technology is also bringing new possibilities to jobsite lighting. “In particular, lower consumption and a more compact, lighter design expands the possibilities of mobile electric light towers,” says Nieto. For example, Atlas Copco’s electric HiLight light towers enable several light towers to be easily coupled, or daisy chained, and run from a single power source.

For rental jobs where there are noise limitations or where high mobility is important (e.g. urgent deployment required, frequent relocation of the light towers), the electric light towers,

46 January 2020 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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and specifically the ability to have them coupled, adds more flexibility and versatility for end users. Electric light towers can also be used in conjunction with self-powered light towers to improve light coverage at the jobsite.

Benefits of LED LED lights will provide brighter, cleaner light that is more like daylight, while requiring less power and less maintenance.

“LED elements last longer and can be turned on and off like the lights in your home,” Massinon explains. “The conventional metal halide-type bulbs require time to come on and they can’t be turned on and off without a cool down period. metal halide bulbs also require a ballast, which can burn out or fail due to incorrect starting or stopping.”

There are numerous benefits of LED technology, including low energy consumption, durable performance, robust design, instant-on light, etc. Another advantage that might often be overlooked is that LED has a Color Rendering Index (CRI) above 85 (solar light is

100, metal halide light is around 60).

“This means that colors can be represented more accurately, closer to solar daylight conditions,” says Nieto. “This is critical in certain applications.”

Another trend to monitor is the demand for traditional, incandescent light towers. While LED light towers are definitely gaining traction, metal halide is still the “gold standard.” “It’s what everyone is comfortable with,” says Brown. “But we have seen prices for LEDs coming down across the industry, so that will make their popularity grow.”

“Metal halide light towers remain the standard workhorse of the industry where light output and even distribution of light are required,” Westwater states. “Standard diesel/ metal halide units should be on hand and readily available for many of the construction applications.”

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www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • January 2020 47

PVM0120_46-47_ContChoice_A.indd 47

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Classifieds

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www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • January 2020 49

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Classifieds

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Classifieds

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Classifieds

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                       

        



      

www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • January 2020

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Classifieds

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January 2020 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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Classifieds

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www.united-rotary.com www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • January 2020

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On The Job

Roller Maintenance Makes a Lasting Impact Maintain vibratory rollers to ensure peak performance on your paving projects Scraper bars hold the water in between the scraper and drum to keep the drum lubricated.

Check them regularly for proper adjustment and any excess wear, and replace them as needed.

lifetime in your fleet.

Inspect and Maintain

ASPHALT ROLLERS ARE highly reliable machines, but when one goes down unexpectedly in the middle of paving, it can have costly repercussions for the entire operation.

Keeping rollers in peak condition throughout the season can help you reduce such risks and maximize the potential to meet both project specs and deadlines. As with any machine, the better it is maintained, the better it can perform its intended task throughout its

Regular service checks are essential to keeping rollers working properly, and a number of them can be completed as part of the daily walk-around inspection. Review the service manual for specific guidelines, but at minimum: • Check engine oil and hydraulic oil levels and fill as needed.

• Check coolant levels and ensure the cooling system is clean and clear of debris; replace the air filter if needed.

• Inspect engine, hydraulic system and fuel filters and replace as needed.

• Visually inspect external hardware for loose connections or leaks.

• Check controls, brakes, backup

Prepare for the Cold If a roller will be operated in cold climates, fill the fuel tank at the end of each day, and drain the water system to minimize the risk of freezing, which can damage the water pump and filter systems. You may also want to consider an optional freeze protection system or kit.

In addition: • Check the concentration of the engine coolant and adjust for conditions • Replace the engine oil and hydraulic oil with fluids recommended for the external temperature range • Use winter diesel • Maintain a full battery charge at all times If you are storing a roller outside for winter: • Empty all water from the tank, pumps, lines and nozzles • Change the oil prior to storage since contaminants collected in the oil during use can cause corrosion during long idle periods • Disconnect water system bars (where possible) for storage in a warmer environment • Unhook the battery and store it indoors and/or placing a trickle charger on it • Cover the operator seat and instrument panel to prevent moisture ingress and resulting damage

alarms, warning beacons, headlights, etc. for proper operation.

• Make sure the drum is clean and there are no dings or scrapes in the drum surface(s) that could mar the mat.

• Ensure tires on single-drum rollers are in good condition and are inflated to the recommended pressure.

• Periodically inspect shock mounts, which isolate the vibration of the drum from the operator.

Maintenance of engine and hydraulic system components is particularly critical. The engine must be able to operate at the specified rpms in order for the vibratory system to achieve the proper compaction output. Follow manufacturer recommendations for scheduled engine and hydraulic system service intervals to ensure optimum performance.

Keep Water Flowing The water system serves as a lubricant to prevent asphalt from sticking to the drum and damaging the mat. As such, it’s important to make sure all aspects of the water system are properly maintained and in working order.

One of the most common problems encountered is clogged spray nozzles, which can lead to pump failure over time. To minimize the risk of debris entering nozzles from the water tank, fill the tank with clean water from a known source whenever possible. If you will be working in an area where water quality is uncertain, make sure the operator checks the water filtration system frequently.

Initial filtration for the water system is at the fill point; it serves as the first and best line of defense against debris ingress.

Caution operators against removing the screen to speed the water fill rate.

Even if the roller has multiple filtration points prior to water reaching the

56 January 2020 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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pump, continual use of an unclean water source can diminish water system performance. Filters can become compromised, making it harder for them to remove debris. To maintain proper water flow: • Check the filters according to manufacturer recommendations; adjust the frequency of inspection as needed based on water quality.

• Periodically remove and inspect the sprinkler bar nozzles to ensure they’re not clogged or damaged.

• Make sure spray nozzles are properly adjusted so they distribute water evenly across the drum.

• Check the water tank regularly for algae, calcium deposits or other contaminants.

Scraper bars also play a role in water system performance. Not only do scraper bars keep the drums free of material buildup, they hold the water in between the scraper and drum to keep the drum lubricated. The scraper system needs to be in contact with the drums at all times to spread the water consistently.

If scraper bars are not properly adjusted, or have excessive wear, water may not reach fully to the edges of the drum, causing asphalt to stick and mar the mat. Check scraper bars regularly for proper adjustment and excessive wear.

Proper Operation Operating procedures greatly affect the life cycle of any machine, and rollers are no exception. Jumping curbs, shifting quickly from forward to reverse, rolling over sharp rock or uneven materials, etc., can accelerate wear and/or damage the drums and other components. Make sure operators are trained in what they should, and should not, do during roller use.

Over compaction can have negative repercussions on roller longevity, as well.

As material is compacted, it absorbs less of the energy generated by the drum.

That energy can be transferred back into the machine, potentially damaging the isolators within the drum, or causing premature bearing wear or damage.

To minimize and/or eliminate over compaction, establish a rolling pattern

for each job and verify it through testing. Compaction meters or monitors can reduce over and under compaction risk; replace as needed.

Resources: Bomag, Case Construction Equipment, Caterpillar, Hamm Compaction, Wacker Neuson

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www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • January 2020 57

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From the Owner’s Desk

Nick Howell

The Work-Life

BALANCE

UNFORTUNATELY, IN SEASONAL businesses we hope to work as much as we can when we can -- as the old farming saying says, “Make hay while the sun shines.” The balance of making money -- not only for your current season's overhead but building enough to cover for the winter -- is a huge challenge. And so is the work-life balance.

The work-life balance is not only something to be well aware of for our crews but for ourselves as owners. I observe many of my #LowBid competitors who appear to be operating on the volume method. This method is more about doing as much work in any given time, with very little if any profit margin, in hopes that the volume of work will eventually pay off.

Others, like myself, would rather see a higher dollar per job, however this usually means less volume. For me, it was creating that work-life balance for our company. I've written before of treating our workers with respect, and this is one huge way to create an environment that might encourage them to stay around season after season. (Let's not forget about our own personal sanity!)

I've watched my competitors on the volume method and their guys appear beat, trucks get trashed, and quality goes down. I have a hard time seeing how the volume method in our industry can work for the long term. As I have observed, while guys like the paychecks, the work becomes taxing on them, and burn-out rapidly sets in. This not only creates issues as quality might be affected, but everyone has a breaking point.

One day a worker might hit theirs and then they unexpectedly quit.

We schedule our work not on the volume method, but to be as effective as possible while still trying to create and maintain that enjoyable environment -- and prevent burnout. We strive for two days off a week, holidays off, and will schedule lighter days after longer bigger days or projects.

That doesn’t always happen, but just the fact we try makes a huge difference to our people. Our retention rate among returning crews is huge.

Ultimately we are in business to make money, and like I first said “Make hay while the sun shines.” It is a delicate balance to make sure the business needs are met. After all, without the business, none of us would have jobs.

But by keeping the work-life balance in check, I feel that you can prevent burnout not only of your guys, but of yourself. Keeping a work-life balance helps keep quality up, maintenance down, and most importantly keeps your entrepreneurial drive alive.

Time is not the only component of the work-life balance. I feel it’s also important to have that break on your days off. Go to the lake, go enjoy a BBQ with family or friends, just relax and disconnect from work as much as possible. Many people that know me, know I’m just as tethered to my cell phone as anyone. But truth be told, I have tried to set boundaries to help me disconnect on the days off -- and hey,

it's working! My general stress level has been reduced significantly, my enjoyment with work has increased, and I think my people think I’m much more enjoyable to be around.

My advice, for those of you working on the volume method, see if you can get out of the rat race and increase your profits by working smarter, not harder.

See if it helps retain your crews, keeps your equipment in better shape, creates better quality work for your customers, and gives you peace of mind. It's a gamble I would take.

Nick Howell, president of T & N Asphalt Services, Salt Lake City, UT, has been a presenter at National Pavement Expo since 2008 and on the Pavement Advisory Board since 2007. He will present “Succeeding in Commercial Sealcoating” and “Basic Pavement Defects: Causes, Solutions & How to Set Your Price” at the 2020 National Pavement Expo, Jan. 29-Feb. 1 in Nashville. (www.nationalpavementexpo.com).

58 January 2020 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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Guy Gruenberg

Your Business Matters

How to Find More Bottom-line Profit in Your Company

iSto

ck/G

etty

Imag

es

Instituting Standard Operating Procedures, clearing "dead inventory" and cutting waste can force thousands of dollars to your bottom line SUMMER UMMER IS OVER and I just put on my favorite corduroy pants. Reaching in the pocket to flatten the wrinkles, I felt some paper, probably an old receipt.

I pulled it out and to my surprise it was an old $20 bill.

There probably aren’t $20 bills in my other pants, but I know they are all over your company…hundreds of dollars are hidden in the nooks and crannies of your business, and if you add them up they will multiple into thousands of dollars. Just simple math! It is no secret that even the best-run companies have hidden savings that will increase profits, improve the morale of staff and offer potential benefits to customers.

GETTING RID OF ‘DEAD INVENTORY’ A few years ago, one of my pavement maintenance clients in the Midwest was proudly showing me his warehouse. It was large and impressive, especially for a contractor. When discussing the company financials, I asked him how much inventory dollars were tied-up in the warehouse. He had no idea, but he took a wild guess. He was low!

Upon my recommendation, he segregated the inventory parts and pieces into those that were part of the normal day-to-day business and ones that were not. He had over $90,000 of “dead inventory”! He figured ways to turn dead inventory into cash and credits.

He sold off some large items, took a tax deduction for items he scrapped – and believe it or not, his main supplier took a chunk of inventory back!

What is going on in your business that is right in front of you that could really impact your bottom line? The trick is to allocate time and energy to find significant moneys and productivity gains while still doing what is important for running your business.

Your financial goals and objectives are not necessarily solved by doubledigit increases in sales. Think about adding modest growth and focusing on increasing overall profitably by 3-5%. This combination of manageable growth and increased efficiencies is often sustainable for several years.

Remember it is not always about how much you sell and perform, but about how much money you make and keep!

I hear the story almost every week and a week in early October was no different. I had just hung up the phone with a regular client that relayed a story of how one of his crews performed work in the wrong area of a retail complex and what would have been a profitable $80,000 project would now be a break-even job.

Now the client is asking questions about adding remote cameras and equipment GPS to better monitor field operations. As I listened to the story, it was obvious that is was a communication problem, which was easily solved with some simple Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

One procedure could have been having the person who was involved in bidding and selling the job on site to start it or at least at an in-house preconstruction meeting with the installation team.

Hear More Gruenberg at NPE 2020 Guy Gruenberg, Grow Consulting, will present two 3-hour workshops at the 2020 National Pavement Expo, Jan. 29-Feb. 1 in Nashville.

W01 “Secrets of Successful Job Costing,” is “a foundation for creating your operating budget and determining your costs, overhead, and profit outlook” so you can price projects and services that guarantee a profit. Gruenberg’s goal in the workshop is to provide attendees with the basics for setting up or improving their own job costing system.

W07 “Hot Off the Press!” is a new leadership workshop designed to help lead salespeople increase performance and get stronger sales results. “Using an amazing question-driven workbook, interactive PowerPoint, videos, and exercises,” attendees will learn enhanced communications and clarification skills; how to balance accountability, healthy competition, and sales mentoring; how to conduct a great sales meeting; and how to use data to close more deals.

For complete conference details and to register visit www. nationalpavementexpo.com.

LOOK AT FIELD OPERATIONS Field operations is a favorite place to pick up gains in efficiency. Many contractors do not focus on the efficiency of field operations because they are busy with other aspects of the business.

For most pavement maintenance contractors, managing your own crews

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Your Business Matters

and subcontractors to greater efficiency will result in better profitability directly related to the project. Believe it or not, this starts in the estimating process because most estimators are making calculations assuming jobs will go perfectly smoothly and not accounting for unknowns and unforeseen issues.

Remember, every job that isn’t profitable – or as profitable as you predicted – is compounded by the loss of revenue from that project and by another potential winner you could have been working on instead. This is often referred to as “the lost opportunity cost.” Think long and hard about “taking the job because you want it.” Losing money on prestigious clients is a win for the buyer and your competitor, not you!

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT The concept of performance management is an approach that rewards team

members in all facets of the business with more earnings and/or time off for making contributions that directly affect your increased profits. Let’s pose it as a question: If your team could consistently deliver 5% to 6% more profits, would you be willing to share some of the windfall with them? Your answer should be yes! This is a great way to reward employees, boosting their morale and encouraging some friendly competition within the organization.

One of the most obvious places to save money is un-allocated shop time, the time your crews are working around the shop fiddling with equipment, cleaning up stuff and doing general maintenance. How often are several people working on a project one or two people can do? Instead of allowing employees to wander from task to task in your yard, create a concise list of things that need to be done and who

will do each one. Here’s an example: Setting guidelines and rules for starting and stopping times is usually a good place to find savings of field labor dollars. There is probably $75 a day of wasted labor time between starting and stopping – maybe even more depending on the size of your company and your number of crews.

Multiply this by a modest 225 working days per year, and you could save $16,875 right there! Put checklists in place along with policies and procedures to shore up this dripping of payroll dollars. This is a perfect area to offer performance bonuses to incentivize the workforce, so they are invested in the company and themselves making more money.

Guy Gruenberg, president of Grow Consulting, is a long-time consultant to the paving & pavement maintenance industry. He can be reached at email: guyasphalt@gmail. com or 630-882-2000, ext. 1.

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Technology

by Jessica Lombardo

It’s Time to Modernize Your Construction Operations Relying on manual processes to keep your crew and company running won’t cut it anymore OVER THE YEARS technology has been developed to help streamline these processes and improve construction productivity, but many contractors have been reluctant to try anything new.

“There’s the saying that if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, and that has rung true in construction, where contractors of all disciplines have — to this point — relied on old, but mostly reliable methods of getting work done,” Jeremy Larsen, vice president of product management at Viewpoint says. “Could they be doing things faster and more efficiently? Absolutely. But many feel it will take more time and effort to use technology, and that the benefits are marginal and hard to measure.”

Yet, with modern technology changing how all businesses operate, relying on manual processes or non-integrated software that worked well enough in the past simply won’t cut it anymore.

“Contractors are becoming far more tech-savvy and digitizing their operations to gain competitive edges,” Larsen says. “Those that continue to resist technology

could soon find themselves at a disadvantage, going up against competitors that can work smarter and faster.”

This is why the time is now to research and invest in software that will help position your construction business for success.

Identify Need & Find a Partner Deciding what kind of software you need for your construction business, depends on your pain points. Educating yourself on what these programs can do and starting a conversation with software developers are the keys to helping contractors modernize their operations. There are also online resources available to contractors that can help them with choosing the right construction software.

Larsen says a good software company should work with you and review work flows, needs and goals in order to maximize the opportunities software can provide them. This establishes a strong foundational game plan and backbone for more focused and pertinent training for the end users.

And training is an important aspect of any software adoption at your company as the program will only work as well as the employee operating it.

“A good training program instills confidence and knowledge through realworld practice, participation and accountability,” Larsen says. “Training is critical to contractor buy-in and full utilization of the software.”

Larsen adds that the training needs to be effective and timely.

“For example, the project team must complete pre-requisite training prior to implementation in order to accelerate knowledge of the software and inform decisions that need to be made for success during set-up. End-users need training immediately prior to “go-live” so they can be productive in the software right out of the gate.”

Additionally, Larsen adds that existing customers must have training available for new users who get added to the software and advanced users who want to deepen their software knowledge and capabilities. Many companies provide a variety of training modalities — from on-demand to instructor-led training — so that end-users can engage in learning that best meets their style and needs.

“Contractors who engage in learning will be more productive and successful in fully utilizing their software solutions, leading to greater success in managing their business,” Larsen says.

Critical for contractors of any type is the desire to connect the processes that are centered in their office with what occurs in the field. These two often-siloed parts of the business have historically worked within different software environments.

What’s Next?

If your company is serious about implementing construction management software, you’ve done your research and identified potential partners, it’s time to get your team on board.

Having technology champions within the organization can be instrumental to success. In the past, this has largely been limited to IT professionals, but as more contractors are employing technology officers, software developers and systems professionals, technology in construction is expanding.

“These technology champions work with contractors’ different teams to show them the benefits that technology can have and how it can help simplify their lives,” Larsen says. “In most cases, when end users see how much easier their workloads could be, buy-in not only becomes easier, users get excited and eager to make the move.”

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NAPSA

Visit NAPSA at

NPE

The past two years has been quite an evolution for the North American Power Sweeping Association (NAPSA). As Scott Duscher says, “NAPSA has had many trains going on different tracks and they are all coming into the station at once. It’s exciting but its also overwhelming at times.”

So, what did Scott mean by that?

In 2020, NAPSA will launch another leg in its quest to be the industry’s leader in education but let’s recap what’s happened so far: 2017 - NAPSA becomes Standards Writer by the American National Standards Institute 2018 - NAPSA rolls out the first ever Power Sweeping Standard 2018 - NAPSA rolls out the first ever Certified Sweeper Operator online training course for Parking Lots 2019 – NAPSA rolls out the first ever Certified Sweeper Operator online training course for Construction projects 2019 – NAPSA finalizes the first ever training to the Power Sweeping Standard which will be called Certified Sweeping Manager

Whew! Can you see what he means by all the trains? NAPSA members have volunteered countless hours at the grindstone working to bring all these programs forward so that members and non-members alike will benefit from the collective

The Value in Belonging to WSA

by Ranger Kidwell-Ross

knowledge base that NAPSA has access to. The impact of these programs all coming together is the perfect storm of education for our industry.

Why is this education so valuable? Education and documentation are the keys to the kingdom. Having an educated driver is the beginning of controlling escalating insurance costs. Having an educated sweeping manager is the key to insurance stabilization as well but also is a key in the defensibility of your company in a frivolous lawsuit. Having the Power Sweeping Standard in place at your company is a key in lawsuit defensibility as well.

Look, we know that it’s a lot to take in. That is why you need to stop by NAPSA’s booth at National Pavement Expo and talk to us. We are happy to share the paths that are coming together and look forward to meeting you.

Look for booth 432 or contact NAPSA at info@powersweeping. org or (888) 757-0130. Talk to ya’ soon!

2020 – NAPSA will roll out our revision of the Certified Sweeping Company designation 2020 – NAPSA will roll out our first ever Fleet Fundamentals class (Just wait until you hear about this one!)

WSA

The North American Power Sweeping Association (NAPSA) is a nonprofit association made up of 200+ contract sweepers, service providers and sweeping equipment dealers, manufacturers and suppliers. NAPSA is dedicated to providing beneficial support to the membership and enhancing services to the sweeping industry. NAPSA is committed to promoting and educating the power sweeping community while enhancing the environment. For more information on NAPSA membership, please visit www.powersweeping.org or call (888) 757-0130.

I’ve stayed away from making any of my previous articles an ‘advertisement’ for the World Sweeping Association.

However, as readers consider how to better position their companies for the new year, I decided to let you know about some of the value WSA brought to the table for its members in 2019.

WSA’s twice-monthly email updates provide its members with a variety of info they wouldn’t otherwise have, as well as with a valuable platform for informing each other.

This has allowed members to provide insight and a ‘heads up’ about industry changes they’ve seen in their areas, in order to help other members sidestep those same pitfalls.

In the last half of 2019, WSA contacted Walmart corporate about a wide range of issues impacting its sweeping contractor members.

The end result was a better understanding of the business practices employed by Walmart, especially as concerned working through third party vendors.

Because of WSA’s proactivity, last November I was granted a rare interview with Walmart’s Senior Manager for Exterior Services, Dale Brantley. You can find this interview, which as a courtesy we made available to the entire industry, at this shortlink: https://wp.me/ p2SsDh-25A WSA also contacted a variety of third party vendor companies at the request of its

members, often to straighten out non-payment issues. Several member companies credit WSA with getting them fivefigure sums they were owed. In another instance, an auxiliary engine manufacturer held up a member’s warranty claim for over two months. Fifteen minutes after we contacted the manufacturer’s warranty manager, the member’s claim was allowed.

Unlike many associations, WSA maximizes membership value not just with industry discounts, but also through finding ways to get members the help they need, when they need it. Give it a try: you’ll find that my 30+ years of sweeping industry knowledge allows me to truly understand the needs of today’s contractors as they move into an ever-more complex future.

WSA contributor Ranger Kidwell-Ross has been providing information to the power sweeping industry since 1988. He is editor of WorldSweeper.com, an information resource for power sweeping, as well as founder and executive director of the World Sweeping Association. For more information about WSA visit www.

WorldSweepingPros.org or contact Kidwell-Ross at director@ worldsweepingpros.org.

62 January 2020 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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PCTC

PCTC’s Progress in 2019 The Pavement Coatings Technology Council (PCTC) is dedicated to advancing and improving all aspects of the industry. By focusing on educational, legislative and safety initiatives, PCTC supports professionals within the industry and helps them build safe and successful pavement coatings businesses.

CAMPAIGN DEVELOPMENT AND INTEGRATION With the continuation of PCTC’s Be Informed.

Seal Success. public education campaign, the council focused on providing contractors with cost comparisons to illustrate return on investment and foster communication with customers who may not fully understand the benefits of pavement coating. Downloadable residential driveway and asphalt lot infographics, available on PCTC’s website, showcase how an investment in sealcoating helps property owners save time, money and resources in the long run.

Additionally, PCTC extended the Be Informed.

Seal Success. campaign onto social media channels for easy access to resources.

REGULATORY EFFORTS AND RESOURCES PCTC continued to respond to challenges at the federal, state and local levels of government by educating officials and the public about the safety and efficacy of properly applied sealant. As in previous years, PCTC engaged directly at federal and state levels, plus provided tools for stakeholders support advocacy efforts at the local level, where proposed legislation can pop up quickly and resources can become a challenge.

The council expanded the Be Informed.

Seal Success. campaign with updates to templated letters, informational handouts and talking points on its education portal to support applicators with resources required to advocate against local ban legislation.

For more about PCTC visit www.pavementcouncil.org.

BMP AMPLIFICATION In 2019, PCTC also placed a greater emphasis on Best Management Practices (BMPs) for sealcoating application. As part of its commitment to promoting job site safety, the council is focusing on recommending pavement maintenance processes that contractors can reference to facilitate training or brush up on sealcoating procedures. Promoting BMPs will remain central to PCTC’s efforts in the coming year as the council works to amplify the safest and most efficient methods for achieving the desired end product.

Contractors interested in keeping up with initiatives can follow PCTC on Facebook and LinkedIn to learn how the organization can benefit applicators, their customers and their businesses in the new year.

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www.GoiPave.com www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • January 2020

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Contractor Snapshot

Jessica Lombardo

Taking an EPIC Approach to Safety Superior Paving makes a small change that drastically improves worker safety EACH YEAR, MORE than 50 highway workers are killed and thousands more injured when struck by vehicles or equipment at road construction sites. In addition to the risk of injury from passing motor vehicle traffic outside the work zone, there is an equally hazardous risk of injury from movement of construction vehicles and equipment within the work zone.

Each day, asphalt contractors face this challenge when they are working with a material transfer vehicle (MTV). For workers on the ground, it’s very convenience to walk in between the MTV and the paver when you’re trying to get the job done. Not only is that inefficient, as it can cause machine delay, it’s also very dangerous for the workers.

“This was a long-standing problem for us,” Todd Atkins, safety director with Superior Paving Corp. says. “We tried to put rules in place and put safety policies around keeping people out of that area, but if it’s open and available, people will take the path of least resistance to get to where they need to go on the jobsite.”

So the company invented the Entry Prevention Interactive Control (EPIC) Safety System.

Small Change, Big Difference The EPIC system creates a physical barrier that prevents crew

64

members from walking between the paver and the MTV. The system consists of two retractable 65-ft.-long, 4-in.wide tape that mounts to the MTV. A magnet connects the extended tape to the paver, creating the physical barrier that limits entry to the space between the MTV and the paver.

The tapes are also self-adjusting so as the machines move, the tape length adjusts accordingly.

“We knew that was an area we didn’t want people to be and this is the best way to keep them out.”

“By putting up this physical barrier, workers have to make a conscious decision to either raise or lower the tape before they enter this protected location,” Atkins says. “That creates a moment in their mind where they have to physically raise or lower the barrier and decide whether or not they are going to walk between the machines. We hope that triggers something that makes them say ‘hey, this may not be the best place for me’ and they’ll decide to walk around instead.”

While Superior never encountered a Superior Pavin safety incident prevents g’s EPIC Safety Sy ste wo tied to people between rkers from walking m the paver and MTV. walking between the machines, they knew it was only going to be a matter company that has of time before someone got been in business since 1976, hurt.

Superior Paving, Gainesville, “If you have a 40,000-lb.

VA, knows that keeping their machine running in the front workers safe means listening with a 20,000-lb. vehicle to their needs. running behind it and an “We know the best ideas employee in the middle, you come from the people behind know who is going to lose that the cones,” Atkins says. “The battle every time,” Atkins says. people who are out there Walking beneath the doing the work every day loading conveyor on an MTV is know how best to protect a can also disrupt the infrared themselves. We get input connection between the MTV from the crew in the field and and the paver. representatives on our safety “If the infrared beam is committee meet and develop broken, it makes the speed of these initiatives.” the machines unpredictable,” Atkins says the safety Atkins says. “But before that committee receives support infrared technology was from the top down with the available, this was a problem company CFO serving as the for us. We knew that was an committee secretary. area we didn’t want people “The executive team is to be and this is the best way always active, they understand to keep them out,” Atkins the challenges and push concludes. people to bring new ideas to Atkins says the system, the team each month,” Atkins which cost about $1,500 and says. “With the EPIC Safety can be installed in two hours, Systems installed, crew safety was awarded the 2017 Asphalt between the MTV and the Operations Safety Innovapaver isn’t something we that tion Award from the National consumes time and worry for Asphalt Pavement Association. us anymore and we can go look for the next issue we can Safety from Top Down solve.”

Being a family owned

January 2020 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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PAVEMENT Published by AC Business Media.

201 N. Main Street | Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 800.538-5544 • www.ACBusinessMedia.com www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement Editorial Office: Allan Heydorn, 2339 Stratford, Westchester, IL 60154 (708) 531-1612 | Fax: (708) 531-1613 | aheydorn@ACBusinessMedia.com

Index Advertiser Index

PAGE

1-800-Pavement

Belly Band

Auto Loc

35

B & E Seal Coat Products Inc.

32

Basic Equipment

32

Benron Equipment & Supply Inc.

15

Best Postcard Inc.

Insert

Billy Goat

34

Buffalo Turbine

36

Carlson an Astec Industries Company

67

PUBLICATION STAFF: Publisher: Amy Schwandt Associate Publisher: Cathy Somers Editor/Conference Manager: Allan Heydorn Art Director: April Van Etten Ad Production Manager: Patti Brown Sr. Audience Development Manager: Wendy Chady Audience Development Manager: Angela Franks

Cimline

6

Crafco Inc.

27

DTC

40

Dynapac Fayat Group

7

Elgin Sweeper Company

29

EZ Liner

36

ADVERTISING SALES: (800) 538-5544 Tom Lutzke, Eric Servais, Sean Dunphy, Amy Schwandt, Erica Finger, Denise Singsime, Kris Flitcroft

Gem Seal Pavement Products

2

Go I Pave

63

Graco

17

FORCONSTRUCTIONPROS.COM WEBSITE: Digital Operations Manager: Nick Raether Director of Digital Strategy: Joel Franke Editor: Larry Stewart Managing Editor: Kimberly Hegeman

Hog Technologies

30

Kasi Infrared

13

Keystone

38

Keystone Engineering

38

CHANGE OF ADDRESS & SUBSCRIPTIONS PO Box 3257, Northbrook, IL 60065-3257, Phone: (877) 201-3915 Fax: 847-291-4816 • circ.pavement@omeda.com

K-M International

11

LaserLine Manufacturing Inc.

35

LaserPoint

38

REPRINTS Denise Singsime at (800) 538-5544 ext. 1245 dsingsime@ACBusinessMedia.com.

LeeBoy

25

Limntech Scientific Inc.

41

Mb a brand of Aebi Schmidt

31

Mesabi

37

MRL Equipment Company Inc.

33

Mr. Manhole

41

Mystic Washer Cleaning Systems

34

Neal A Division of Blastcrete Equipment

23

Neyra

39

N. I. Wilson Mfg. Co. Inc.

34

NPE

Insert

Old Dominion Brush Co.

41

RAE Products & Chemicals Corp.

31, 40

Schwarze Industries

45

SealMaster

68

Southern Emulsions Inc.

60

Spaulding Mfg. Inc.

35

Star

12

Transafe

16

Tymco

47

Vance Brothers

22

Weiler

21

Wirtgen America Inc.

5

World Insurance Associates LLC

57

LIST RENTAL Jeff Moriarty, SVP, Business & Media Solutions, Infogroup Phone: (518) 339-4511 • Email: jeff.moriarty@infogroup.com AC BUSINESS MEDIA INC.: Chief Executive Officer: Barry Lovette Chief Financial Officer: JoAnn Breuchel Chief Digital Officer: Kris Heineman Chief Revenue Officer: Amy Schwandt Director of Digital Operations & IT: Nick Raether Director of Digital Strategy: Joel Franke ADVISORY BOARD: Agua Trucks Inc., Wickenburg, AZ: Scott Duscher Asphalt Contractors Inc., Union Grove, WI: Robert Kordus Asphalt Restoration Technology Systems, Orlando, FL: Connie Lorenz Brahney Paving, Hillsborough, NJ: Steven Brahney Eosso Brothers Paving; Hazlet, NJ: Tom Eosso Maul Paving/Concrete/Sealcoating, Plainfield, IL: Chris Maul Pacific Sweeping, San Marcos, CA: Lee Miller Parking Lot Maintenance, Lake St. Louis, MO: Todd Bruening Petra Paving, Hampstead, NH: Chris Tammany Pioneer Paving, Albuquerque, NM: Don Rooney Robert Liles Parking Lot Service, Tyler, TX: Robert Liles Roberts Traffic, Hollywood, FL: Lisa Birchfield Roccie’s Asphalt Paving, Stamford, CT: Vincent Engongoro Show Striping Inc. (SSI), Wisconsin Dells, WI: Amber Showalter T&N Asphalt Services, Salt Lake City, UT: Nick Howell The Rabine Group, Schaumburg, IL: Gary Rabine Young Sealcoating Inc, Lynchburg, VA: Steve Young ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVES: Pavement Coatings Technology Council: Anne LeHuray, Executive Director

www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • January 2020 65

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Tailgate Talk | Brad Humphrey

Scheduling Lessons I Learned from a Swim Meet A WHILE BACK I received much more from a community swim meet than I thought I might. My initial thoughts were that I was going mostly to support and cheer on our grandson. Well, we did cheer and yell, but boy did I leave with more than just the fun of taking a few pictures.

Let me set the scene: A small, 25m pool, with four swimming lanes. More than 200 swimmers, boys and girls, ranging in age from five to 18, competing in individual races and relays. This San Antonio Community Swim Meet started promptly at 8:00 a.m. and 72 racing events later, some as many as seven “heats,” ended promptly at 11:00 a.m.

What was so impressive was how fast, safe, and smooth, the swim meet was conducted, from the races, to the handing out of ribbons, to even the concession stand.

Everything was planned like it was the Olympics. Wow! I visited with one of the individuals who had organized the meet ...and boy did she give me some lessons on scheduling and organization!

“We want to run a swim meet that wastes very little time, keeps all the kids organized and moving in the right direction, safely, and provides a reasonable time frame that parents don’t feel like they have to give up their entire day to attend.”

In light of most contractor’s commitment to

66

improving productivity, you might find a few of her team’s strategies to be close to your own.

1. “The ‘wranglers’ keep the kids organized and in order of their races. We call it ‘phasing’ the kids based on the schedule. Gotta keep the kids four chairs deep for each successive race. As soon as one race is finished, the next row of swimmers rise and prepare to start…with all the other swimmers behind them moving up one chair in their respective lane.”

2. “We set our equipment (chairs, starting blocks) first so we can expedite the speed of each race; we hate wasting time.”

3. “We provide a schedule to all coaches and volunteers and we plan out every second of racing, including what child is swimming in each heat of every race.”

4. “Our timers are all parents whom we train how to utilize the stop watches, on the requirements for touching the wall, and when it is okay for the child to begin their swim.”

5. “We have volunteer parents who walk around picking up trash, goggles etc. A clean area will result in less accidents and make our swim meet look more professional. This will help parents want to come back and have their kids compete in swimming.”

6. “In the end, we want to

ensure that the meet is moving forward!”

She even emphasized how important it was to have a pre-meet (think pre-construction) discussion with all volunteers so everyone knew what to expect and could ask questions.

OK, you’re probably beginning to see where I’m heading. Think about it: if you can train five-year-old kids, and their parents, to make a community swim meet run without any hitches, I think we can rethink how we prepare for every project we take on.

Sure, I realize there a lot of other issues you must contend with when completing any project, but can we agree that some of the spirit of scheduling a kid’s community swim meet might share some of the same principles for our job planning?

1. Your Foremen are the “wranglers,” keeping all the workers, equipment, and materials organized and in working order.

2. The entire Quality, or Lean “movement” instructs us to organize our trucks, yards, and even our jobsites to sequence materials, equipment and tools so that we can access them efficiently.

3. Isn’t the accuracy of the schedule critical to all who should have a copy of it?

With more eyes aware of the schedule, seems like you might be able to prevent costly mistakes.

4. Keeping your safety, yard

maintenance, HR, financial, IT etc. professionals updated as needed keeps everyone working together to arrive at that perfect result.

5. Keeping everyone in the loop allows you to have backup ready when needed…or even faster.

6. Everyone can help out with jobsite cleaning, but you need to make sure that everyone is doing their best to keep your jobsites, yard, and office clean and organized.

7. In the end, don’t you just want your jobs to go smoothly and more profitably than was estimated?

You really can learn a lot from other industries and even some kids’ sporting events. Next time you go to your kid’s soccer game, baseball game, or basketball game, take some notes on how the event’s organized.

You might be surprised where you can pick up some valuable tips.

Here’s to learning from our kids' (or grand kids') sporting events!

Brad Humphrey is President of Pinnacle Development Group, consulting firm that specializes in the construction industry. See more of Brad’s advice for contractors by reading The Contractor’s Best Friend, also an AC Business Media service to the construction industry. For more information about Brad’s company, go to www.pinnacledg. com.

January 2020 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement

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