GCA Construction News Bulletin May 2023

VOL. 64 ISSUE 5 MAY 2023 • GUAM CONTRACTORSʼ ASSOCIATION

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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S.A.M.E. UPDATE

10 NAWIC NEWS 12 MEMBER BENEFITS 14 FEATURE STORY 18 PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS 22 CONSTRUCTION HEADLINE 24 NEWSLINE 26 BUILDING PERMITS 28 REPORTS/ INFORMATION

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EDITORIALS

THEDIRECTORS

THEEDITORIALS

THETEAM

PRESIDENT James Martinez Guam Contractors’ Association

Guam Contractor’s Association (GCA) in conjunction with Adztech and Public Relations, Inc. publishes the Construction News Bulletin (CNB) monthly.

Reproduction of materials appearing in this publication is strictly forbidden without written permission by GCA.

PUBLISHER: James Martinez

PAST CHAIRMAN Bill Beery Tutujan Hill Group CHAIRMAN Joe Roberto East Island Tinting

While we always strive for accuracy, we will from time to time overlook mistakes. In order to help us improve the quality and accuracy of this publication, we ask that you take the time to look at the information provided and notify GCA or Adztech of any corrections as needed. Opinions and editorial content of this publication may not necessarily be those of the publisher, production team, staff, GCA members, GCA Board of Directors and advertisers.

VICE CHAIRMAN Matthew Hunter Dylan Mechanical Construction Services SECRETARY/TREASURER Kathleen David Pacific Rim Constructors CONTRACTOR DIRECTORS: Don McCann Black Construction Corporation

For more information about advertising in the GCA Construction News Bulletin contact the advertising department at (671) 477-1239/2239 or email at adztech@teleguam.net.

William Best SmithBridge Guam AJ Perez Hawaiian Rock Products

Distributed to GCA members or can be obtained by stopping by the Guam Contractors’ Association office located at 506 Mariner Ave., Barrigada, Guam 96913

Brian Holm Hensel Phelps Soraya Vongjalorn Vertex Guam

To find out more about how you can become a GCA member contact Guam Contractors’ Association at Tel: (671) 647-4840/41 Fax: (671) 647-4866 or Email: gca@teleguam.net. www.guamcontractors.org

ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS: Mark Cruz MidPac Far East Jose Garcia First Hawaiian Bank Camilo Lorenzo Matson Navigation

AD SALES: Alyssa Roces PRODUCTION: Jason Davis Alyssa Roces Christopher “Taco” Rowland PHOTOGRAPHY: Alyssa Roces Trevor Cruz EDITOR: Adztech CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Joanna Rupley Sablan Dr. Sam Mabini Young, BOD R.D. Gibson Rodney “RJ” Ricarte GCA STAFF: Desiree Lizama Elaine Gogue Francine Taitague Trevor Cruz COVER: Guam Power Authority Green Energy pursuit for a better Guam.

Postmaster. Send address changes to Guam Contractors’ Association, located at 506 Mariner Ave., Barrigada, Guam 96913

Geri Leon Guerrero Adztech Advertising and PR

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S.A.M.E. UPDATE

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MAY 2023

CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN

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NAWIC NEWS

2023 Block Kids Building Competition NAWIC Guam Annual Event

By Dr. Sam Mabini Young, BOD

On April 15, 2023, NAWIC Guam #381, along with tremendous community support and participation, completed its annual Block Kids Building Competition.

This year’s event was hosted at the Agana Shopping Center, attracting over 160 students and involving 40 volunteer judges from the business community.

“We had children from Grades 1 through 5, representing 19 public schools, 5 private schools and 1 home school.

Prizes were awarded to all the winners of the competition. It was truly a rewarding experience for all,” according to Peggy Denny, Event Co-Chair and Vice President of NAWIC Guam #381.

“We had about DOUBLED our participation from previous events, and were thrilled to see all the creative building skills,” says Selina Ashland, Event

Co-Chair, and Past President of NAWIC Guam #381.

The Block Kids Building Competition introduces children to the construction industry and creates awareness of the rewarding careers in the industry. Each child is provided 100 Legos, a rock, a piece of string, and a piece of tin foil; they are then invited to use their imagination to build a structure within one hour. This national award-winning program is hosted annually by NAWIC Guam #381 and other NAWIC chapters throughout the United States and Canada, and at no cost to the student participants.

“The spark in young minds who took the simplest materials to build extraordinary structures was fascinating. I envision our future will be in good hands, as we

continue encouraging our youth to use their skills in creating a better, safer, and sustainable community. We are looking at our future engineers, builders and other professionals, and honored to support their dreams,” shared Crystal Cruz Herrera, in-coming President of NAWIC Guam #381.

This event was made possible by the generous sponsorships from our business community and public partners (see below). “With the incredible support of our local construction partners and the active participation of our NAWIC Guam members, we look forward to more participation and a bigger event in 2024!” shared Lucia Wood, current President of NAWIC Guam #381.

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• Ken Cruz • Subway Guam • Ambros, Inc. • GCA Trades Academy

• Guam Contractors Association • Tamuning MAYOR’S OFFICE • Mangilao MAYOR’S OFFICE

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• Dededo MAYOR’S OFFICE • MTM MAYOR’S OFFICE • Sinajana MAYOR’S OFFICE

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MEMBER BENEFITS

Accessing your TakeCare benefits off-island

By Rodney “RJ” Ricarte

Your TakeCare GCA Employee Health Benefit travels off-island with you and your family.

The provider networks of hospitals and clinics that can be accessed are throughout the mainland United States, Hawaii, Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and New Zealand. Recognizable names include Cedars Sinai, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Mayo Clinics, MD Anderson Cancer Centers, Shriners Children’s Hospital in Hawaii, and Bumrungrad Hospital in Thailand, to name just a few. In the Philippines, TakeCare members have access to St. Luke’s Medical Center, The Medical City, Makati Medical Center, Cebu Doctor’s University Hospital, Cardinal Santos Medical Center, and Select Medexpress and Mercury Drug locations.

In order to create a smoother, less stressful process to access your health benefits off-island, TakeCare has processes in place to review requests by providers for authorization of health care services for members who are receiving on-island care.

I’m not able to describe every policy in detail, due to the space limitations of this column, so I will provide a general outline. In addition to the member handbook (https://tinyurl.com/TakeCareMemberHandbook), please refer to the schedule of benefits and provider directory for a more thorough description of covered benefits and plan information. I also advise to call ahead to TakeCare Customer Service Department in Guam (671) 647-3526, obtain information about your benefits. Non-urgent inquiries should be emailed to customerservice@takecareasia.com. For pre-authorization inquiries or requests, please call TakeCare Medical Referral Services at (671) 300-5995 or email tc.mrs@takecareasia.com.

When do you need to contact TakeCare for off-island medical referral?

A list of health care services requiring off-island pre-authorization is found in the Member Handbook. These services include primary care, preventive services, specialty referrals, evaluation, hospitalizations, surgeries including maternity care and delivery, procedures, services, and/or treatments.

Prior authorization requires the prior authorization form with appropriate ICD 10 and CPT Code, the referral form from your medical provider, and complete supporting medical records (doctor notes, imaging report, pathology report, etc).

When you’re planning off-island hospitalization or procedures, please make sure your provider contacts TakeCare for pre-authorization of services. Doing so will provide you additional peace of mind as you receive your health care benefits. It is also very important to follow up with your medical provider for the proper paperwork submission.

Rodney “RJ” Ricarte is the TakeCare account executive for GCA. He can be contacted at (671) 487-7121 or rodney.ricarte@takecareasia.com.

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CLEAN ENERGY By: R.D. Gibson

FEATURE STORY

Saturday mornings used to be reserved for two things: sleeping in and cartoons. These were sacrosanct. The list of classic cartoons seemed to go on forever, and they ran on almost all the networks. It was a moment in a child’s upbringing when a kid could just be a kid, watch animals resolve problems about older kid problems, and get a few laughs. The shows always had amazing theme songs, and characters always seemed too cool and just as smart as adults.

One cartoon in particular comes to mind - Captain Planet and the Planeteers. It featured five teenagers called the Planeteers who each possessed a ring that could summon the elements whenever Captain Planet called them to save the world from ecological catastrophes - these include pollution and forest fires. The elements were earth, air, fire, water, and heart. The show’s tagline was, “The power is yours!” Sound familiar?

The show ran for four seasons and over 30 years after it first aired, the same conversations are still happening regarding the environment and the steps we need to take in fighting ecological problems; granted now in a more accessible and direct way with the advent of social media, streaming services, and instant news, which have all shone a light on these problems and strengthened conversations.

Part of the bigger discussion is that of renewable energy and moving away from fossil fuels. According to the United Nations website, “renewable energy is energy derived from natural sources that are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed.” These are resources that are in abundance, like solar, wind, geothermal, water, bioenergy, and ocean energy. The UN also shares how renewable energy produces less emissions than fossil fuels, like coal, oil, and gas. “transitioning from fossil fuels…to renewable energy is key to addressing the climate crisis,” it continued. The United States Department of Energy shared on their website how clean energy is a booming industry creating ‘hundreds of billions in economic activity’.

In a U.S. Energy Information Administration profile about Guam, a lot of information is shared out about the island’s power authority, as well as renewable energy generation and distribution throughout the island. The profile was last updated in February 2023. According to the profile, “Guam's residential electricity costs, including

fuel surcharges, are almost two times higher than the U.S. average, although Guam's residential electricity rates are typically the lowest among the nearby Pacific islands.” Additionally, the profile provided a timeline starting in 2008 when the 29th Guam Legislature started a renewable energy portfolio standard (RPS) goals with Bill 166, which would later become Public Law 29-62. These included renewable sources that generate eight-percent of the island’s electricity by the end of 2020, ten-percent by 2025, and 25-percent by 2035.

According to the Guam Power Authority website, that number is at 12-percent. Additionally, John Cruz, Assistant General Manager of Engineering and Technical Services at GPA also shared that it has been a journey.

A critical, monumental part of this journey is the Clean Energy Master Plan (CEMP).

GPA’s website states, “The Guam Power Authority’s Clean Energy Master Plan (CEMP) is a comprehensive plan for transitioning Guam from legacy fossil fuel fired generation to renewable energy and non-greenhouse gas emissions electric energy supply.” According to Cruz, this “living document” spans nine volumes, which focus on generation system reliability, adequacy, and resiliency, generation expansion plan, addendum to the 2018 Environmental Strategic Plan, Demand Side Management Plan, Medium Range Distribution Plan, Information/Operational Technology Plan, Strategic Plan, Electric Vehicle Road Map, and Net Metering Plan.

These are all part of a balanced plan with a spectrum of targets ranging from renewable energy to energy efficiency to transportation electrification. This CEMP will help lead GPA toward their goal having 50-percent of the electric power in island created from renewable or non-greenhouse gas emissions sources by 2030 and then 100-percent by 2040.

For the everyday resident, a lot of what the CEMP is supposed to mean is lower power bills, increased renewables, cleaner air, safe and reliable power, as well as phasing out and retiring Cabras Power plants, which was shared on a short video on the Guam Power Authority YouTube channel. A bigger part of GPA’s journey toward 100-percent renewable energy is the new Ukudu Power Plant, which will “burn cleaner and greener fuel”. Additionally, in a GPA infographic, the Ukudu Power Plant will allow for more than 50-percent

MAY 2023 facebook.com/GuamContractors

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FEATURE STORY

lower fuel cost (LEAC). LEAC stands for Levelized Energy Adjustment Clause - simply put the fuel charge.

The CEMP, with its goals for renewable energy-produced electricity, presents the island and the GPA with several ‘generational, unique’ opportunities “to reduce the island’s dependency on foreign oil, reduce base rate and LEAC rates, reduce overall Guam energy costs, improve GPA system reliability, resilience, and affordability, significantly improve the GPA customer experience, and develop another economic pillar for the Guam economy that sustains higher paying, higher quality jobs,” according to Cruz. “If GPA is not allowed to move forward with its Clean Energy Master Plan, the GPA grid has the potential for being less reliable, less resilient, and less affordable,” he continued.

Outside of all of the technical jargon and number talk is a real concerted effort to not just help the people of Guam and their pocketbooks, but the planet. The CEMP is aligned with the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative, which sets a goal for 40-percent of Federal investments in climate change, clean energy and energy efficiency - among others - go toward disadvantaged communities. Additionally, the CEMP is also aligned with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals 7 and 13 - Affordable and Clean Energy and Climate Action, respectively.

On top of aligning with worldwide initiatives that address clean energy, the CEMP is augmenting GPA’s reach, assembling an armada of stakeholders, which includes government agencies, non-governmental organizations, branches of the Nation’s defense, numerous laboratories, universities, and others. The list is extensive to say the least, but brings together the minds and know-how to see the success of the targets set forth by the CEMP. More than engaging, discussing, and working on the CEMP with the experts and stakeholders on panels, it is important for GPA to engage and involve the community in the CEMP, its targets, and how they plan to achieve the goals they have laid out. Part of this includes outreach, education, and everybody speaking the same language.

In April, the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability held its Conference on Island Sustainability, which included a Clean Energy Pre-Conference Track as a way to engage with community members in speaking

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this same language. “In order to make meaningful progress, we must share the same vocabulary,” Cruz emphasized. “We must be technically informed…and we must be open minded to find the best solutions for Guam.” According to Cruz, it goes beyond using ‘rooftop systems’, which he says will not get Guam to 100-percent, which requires stakeholders to learn concepts like how renewable energy impacts power systems and how inverter-based generation and synchronous generation differ.

“The CEMP is written for a technical audience,” Cruz stated. This leaves a lot that can go straight over most people’s heads; that doesn’t include the gargantuan number of (about 1,000) pages that can get lost on the general population who just want to know how much it will cost to keep the lights, Wi-Fi, and air-conditioning on every month.

Cruz stated how the GPA hopes to achieve 50-percent of its energy production by renewable sources by 2035 and 100-percent capability by 2040, while also “improving power system resiliency, reliability, and affordability.” As the utility agency celebrates 55 years of service to the island this month, it also has a lot on its plate as it faces a big shift in power generation and an education campaign for the community at large.

A key point that needs to be emphasized is GPA’s move toward using the renewable gifts from Mother Nature allows us to use what we have been blessed with to power our community reliably and reduce costs, as well. It only makes sense. This is a significant moment not just in GPA’s history, but the island’s itself. People might say it is difficult or expensive; others might think it will take too long. But, with all the work, research, and collaboration going into it, it is definitely worth seeing what the future has in store for renewable energy and the Guam Power Authority.

The coolest thing is we might all have a chance to become Planeteers in our own right; that we saw an environmental problem affecting our community and took action using what our community has been blessed with. The power truly is ours, and maybe Captain Planet would be proud!

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PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS

GCA April Luncheon April 19th, 2023 Dusit Beach Guam Resort

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PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS

2023 Scholarship Presentation April 5th, 2023 GCA Trades Academy

Membership Committee hard at work!

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“Having our home windows tinted by East Island Tinting was an excellent decision. Our power bill dropped enough to pay for the work in less than a year. Even better, our home is much cooler and more comfortable when we walk in after a long, hard day.”

Kelly and Maria Fitzpatrick Home Owner

East Hagåtña 477-TINT (8468) / 472-TINT eastislandtinting@guam.net

CONSTRUCTION HEADLINE

Coffman Engineers Announces New Shareholders in Hawaii and Guam Company names 12 shareholders companywide

HONOLULU, Hawaii, May 2, 2023 -- Coffman Engineers, Inc. (Coffman), a multidiscipline engineering firm, is pleased to announce Jeremy Dow, PE, and Scott Thompson as new shareholders in the Pacific Region. The company announced 12 new shareholders at their annual shareholders’ meeting held on March 23 in San Diego.

“Jeremy and Scott have provided trusted leadership for many years and are respected in the Pacific Region by clients and colleagues. We are proud to see them become principals at Coffman,” said John Thielst, Senior VP and Pacific Regional Manager for Coffman.

Jeremy Dow, PE, is the electrical engineering department manager for Coffman’s Honolulu office. His background includes design work in commercial, institutional, residential, light industrial, retail, educational, military, and government projects. In addition to his management and project responsibilities, he mentors junior professionals, improving their skills and code knowledge. Jeremy’s business development efforts have been vital to Coffman’s growth in Hawaii and Guam.

Scott Thompson is a vice president and the operations manager for Coffman’s Guam office. He relocated from our Alaska office to open the Guam office 11 years ago and has been instrumental in growing Coffman’s presence in the Indo-Pacific, and establishing relationships with the DoD, local government, and commercial clients. His entrepreneurial spirit and diverse experience in DoD and industrial engineering has propelled him as a leader.

Scott Thompson

Jeremy Dow

“Adding new ownership is critical for the growth and health of Coffman to support our people, teams, and clients. These incredible leaders give us great confidence in our future. We welcome and thank these new principals for their commitment to leading our company and supporting our vision,” stated Chad Heimbigner, Coffman’s Chief Operations Officer.

This year’s election of 12 new shareholders is the largest group in the company’s history. These leaders represent diverse engineering experience and management roles from across the company. For more information visit: www.coffman.com/news/2023-board-updates-and-new-principals/

CONSTRUCTION HEADLINE

Guam Power Authority Celebrates National Lineman Appreciation Day on April 18

GPA honors its linemen for their vital role in keeping the community safe and connected

(Fadian, Guam) April 18 is National Lineman Appreciation Day, and the Guam Power Authority invites the community to join them in recognizing the essential role that GPA Linemen play in Guam’s safety and connectivity.

In 2013, the U.S. Senate designated April 18 as National Lineman Appreciation Day, and each year, lineworkers are honored for their vital role in keeping electricity flowing nationwide. Each year, GPA joins the celebration to express its gratitude to the hardworking electric lineworkers who work to keep Guam powered.

GPA General Manager John M. Benavente, PE, stated, "Our linemen truly deserve this special day of recognition.

Every day of the year, they work around the clock to perform tasks under hazardous conditions to keep our community connected.” GM Benavente added, “Our linemen are first to respond to reports of outages or downed power lines. They head out after storms or during emergencies to assess the safety of an area for other responders, repair damaged lines, and restore power connections. Their goal is to maintain the

April 18 is National Lineman Appreciation Day, and the Guam Power Authority is celebrating its lineworkers who keep electricity flowing islandwide.

Each year, GPA joins the nationwide celebration to thank its hardworking lineworkers who keep Guam powered. From left: Kyle Siguenza, Line Electrician Leader; Zachary Santos, Line Installer-Repairer Apprentice; Joseph Pereda, Line Installer-Repairer Apprentice; Darren Dunstan, Line Electrician II; Jaren Gumataotao, Electric Operation Trainee; and Jeremy Leon Guerrero, Line Electrician Leader

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energy infrastructure of Guam and keep electricity flowing into villages, homes, schools, and businesses while keeping themselves and the community safe.”

Edward R. Leon Guerrero, Assistant Manager of Transmission and Distribution, who has worked for GPA for 28 years shared that GPA linemen do not have typical days on the job. He said, “On any given day, we can respond to reports of downed lines due to weather-related issues, emergencies, or accidents that affected the power lines, new service connections, or maintenance work to trim trees and branches that can potentially damage lines if they fall.” GPA linemen work under dangerous conditions, working on lines powered by thousands of volts of electricity high above the ground, which is why safety is of utmost priority for GPA. According to Leon Guerrero, “every day we respond, we look out for each other and keep each other safe so we can all return to our families at the end of our shifts.”

Guam Power Authority crew member Damon Hocog, Line Installer-Repairer Apprentice, in the bucket truck, checks power lines along Agat Umatac Road while Edward Garrido, Line Electrician II, right, directs traffic and monitors from below. GPA celebrates National Lineman Appreciation Day on April 18 along with the rest of the nation to recognize lineworkers who work under hazardous conditions to keep communities powered and safe.

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Kyle D. Siguenza, Line Electrician Leader, Overhead, Transmission and Distribution, started with GPA in 2012 as a Lineman Installer/Repairer Apprentice. Over the years, he said that some of the most fulfilling work has been taking care of customers through new service connections, responding to outage calls in the villages, educating residents about line safety, and teaching the island’s schoolchildren about electricity and the work they do.

Siguenza said, “We want our customers to know that their connectivity is important to us, and we work as swiftly and safely as possible to get them connected. When you see us working in your village, be sure to proceed with caution and say hello to your GPA crew.

We are proud of the work that we do for them and our island.”

Join GPA in thanking the lineworkers for their dedicated service and in celebration of National Lineman Appreciation Day on April 18. Use the hashtag #ThankALineman on social media to show your support for the men and women who help keep Guam connected.

Guam Power Authority lineworkers Manuel Borja, Line Installer-Repairer Apprentice, left, and Julien Bagcal, Line Installer-Repairer Apprentice, right, use a bucket truck to test power lines to ensure the integrity of the connection. GPA is celebrating National Lineman Appreciation Day on April 18 alongside other U.S. electric companies and agencies to recognize the vital work of linemen in keeping communities connected and safe.

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NEWSLINE

NEWSLINE

Consistent Communication and Task-Specific Analysis Build a Strong Safety Culture Intentional, purposeful, two-way communication is vital to a successful workday. Daily communication builds resilient relationships and enables a group to accomplish mission-driven tasks with a high degree of safety, quality and effectiveness. Daily toolbox talks and consistent start-up inspections create the environment where both communication and safety coexist successfully.

Daily Toolbox Talks and Start-Up Inspections Toolbox talks are important to keep safety foremost and engage a crew.

Traditionally, toolbox talks were performed monthly and took about 15 minutes. Currently, many companies hold weekly toolbox talks that are seven to 10 minutes in length.

But new data shows the effectiveness of daily toolbox talks, which are trending among contractors. Some companies accomplish this through the use of apps that include a short 90to 180-second video followed by a

three-question quiz. At the end, the supervisors add any company-specific policies or answer questions.

Another best practice is to include a start-up inspection at the beginning of the day. This inspection includes PPE, tools, equipment and ensuring all necessary materials are available and ready for use. If a material (like a gasket or fitting) or tool is missing, corrective action or a change of plans can be made early to prevent any safety issues.

Task-Specific Safety Processes The ABC STEP Safety Management System is designed to help you strengthen safety culture through several methods. Its task-specific safety process comes in many forms—Activity Hazard Analysis, Job Safety Analysis, Pre-Task-Plan and a dozen more.

All have at least a three-column, delineated plan of action. The first column is usually a list of several small

steps, and the next identifies the hazard(s) associated with each step.

The last column documents the action taken to prevent the hazard(s) from injuring people.

While these analyses and plans are designed to be updated daily, if conditions change, the plan will need to be adjusted more frequently. In the distant past, these documents were written by a safety professional and shared with a crew. Now, many crews have outlines or an app and complete the process together, giving everyone a voice in shaping the workday and a role to fulfill in terms of safety.

Communication Builds Trust Meaningful conversations, group input and a daily learning moment do more than keep the team safe. When utilized properly, these actions build interdependent relationships, incorporating connectivity, belonging and a sense of common purpose, which ultimately drive a stronger safety culture.

Update Your Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability Form by July 25 The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has revised the Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability Form (CC-305) with updated preferred language and examples of disabilities.

Federal contractors use this self-identification information to support required affirmative action programs.

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The revisions include additional disabilities; more descriptive and inclusive examples of disabilities; and simplified and broadened response options to self-identification questions. Federal contractors and subcontractors have until July 25 to implement the new form into their applicant and employee systems and processes.

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For more guidance on implementing the form, please read OFCCP’s Frequently Asked Questions.

For more information on Section 503 requirements, visit the OFCCP Section 503 information page, or contact the OFCCP Help Desk at (800) 397-6251 or online.

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NEWSLINE

ABC’s 2023 Guide to Construction Safety Best Practices Reveals How Contractors Can Be Nearly 7 Times Safer Than the Industry Average

Established in 1989, STEP is a proven system that provides the framework to measure, strengthen and build industry-leading safety programs that enable top-performing ABC members to achieve incident rates 688% safer than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics construction industry average. The annual study is unveiled to coincide with Construction Safety Week, May 1-5.

• Substance abuse prevention programs: Robust substance abuse prevention programs/policies with provisions for drug and alcohol testing where permitted lead to a 59% reduction in Total Recordable Incident Rates and a 62% reduction in Days Away, Restricted or Transferred Rates.

• Toolbox talks: Companies that conduct daily toolbox talks reduce TRIR by 78% and DART rates by 76% compared to companies that hold them monthly.

• Top management engagement: Employer involvement at the highest level of company management produces a 54% reduction in TRIR and a 55% reduction in DART rates.

“ABC’s safety report is the road map and how-to guide for contractors to achieve world-class safety and health,” said Greg Sizemore, ABC vice president of health, safety, environment and workforce development. “STEP participation can lower incident rates and create safer jobsites so that employees can return home to families and loved ones every day. STEP Diamond members are nearly seven times safer than the industry average, achieving an 85% reduction in Total Recordable Incident Rates.”

“Top-performing ABC STEP members actively build health and safety into their culture, creating industry-leading, holistic safety programs to protect their workers and deliver for their clients,” said Sizemore. “STEP measures performance on key components, strengthens and expands best practices and builds safety culture.

Our people are our greatest asset, and ABC will continue to advance world-class safety for our people through valuable resources like the Safety Performance Report.”

ABC’s research on more than 850 million work hours completed by participants in the construction, heavy construction, civil engineering and specialty trades in 2022 identified the following proactive injury and hazard elimination best practices: • New hire safety orientation: Companies that conduct an in-depth indoctrination of new employees into the safety culture, systems and processes based on a documented orientation process experience incident rates that are 48% to 52% lower than companies that limit their orientations to basic health and safety compliance topics.

Since 2018, ABC’s Safety Performance Report has captured the results of ABC STEP member companies performing real work on real projects to identify what comprises a world-class safety program. ABC member firms participating in STEP measure their safety processes and policies on key components and the criteria for best practices through a detailed questionnaire, with the goal of implementing or enhancing safety programs that reduce jobsite incident rates.

Associated Builders and Contractors today released its 2023 Safety Performance Report, an annual guide to safety best practices on construction jobsites and comprehensive study of the impact of the STEP Safety Management System.

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The 2023 ABC Safety Performance Report is based on submissions of unique company data gathered from members that deployed during the CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN

2022 STEP term, Jan. 15-Dec. 15. ABC collects each company’s trailing indicator data as reported on its annual Occupational Safety and Health Administration Form 300A (“Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses”) and its self-assessment of leading indicator practices from its STEP application. Each data point collected is sorted using statistically valid methodology developed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for its annual Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Survey and then combined to produce analyses of STEP member performance against BLS industry average incident rates. The report demonstrates that applying world-class processes dramatically improves safety performance among participants regardless of company size or type of work.

New in 2023, ABC added total human health as a key component of an effective safety program. Total human health raises the bar of keeping workers safe to acknowledge and address thoughts and preoccupying concerns that everyone experiences in daily life, incorporating: • A whole-person approach to engage a person’s body, mind, heart and soul.

• Psychological safety that is respectful and inclusive of a diverse workforce.

• Acknowledgement of the risk of distraction and impairment and responding with appropriate care.

The ABC 2023 Safety Performance Report is brought to you by SafetyHQ, powered by Foundation Software, which is a comprehensive health and safety management application designed to help contractors better manage their health and safety programs.

Any company can participate in STEP. Visit abc.org/step to begin or continue your safety journey.

MAY 2023

25

BUILDING PERMITS

PE RM ITS F O R MA R C H 2 0 2 3 PERMIT TYPE

CONSTRUCTION COST

BUILDING PERMIT FEES

Residential

NEW ADD RENO

$3,429,320 $60,000 $0

$16,065.02 $481.88 $0

Commercial

NEW ADD RENO

$0 $246,000 $772,982.09

$0 $2,681.25 $7,751.7

$175,120

$2,685.38

$0

$0

$99,790

$1,828.61

Solar / Photovoltaic

$485,350.52

$5,585.84

Elevator / Escalator

$0

$0

$587,051

$7,109.36

$0

$0

Clearing / Grading

$38,413.5

$1,030.02

Boring / Testing

$17,345.2

$433.95

Miscellaneous

$468,000

$3,928

$6,379,372.31

$49,581.01

Government Warehouse/Storage Utility / Infrastructure

Signage Demolition

TOTALS

COMPLETED BUILDINGS (OCCUPANCIES) Government

2

Church / Chapel

Townhouse

Residential

17

Hotel

School / Child Care

Stores / Shops

3

Condominium

Utility / Infrastructure

Commercial

1

Hospital / Clinic

Apartment Bldg.

1

Warehouse / Storage

Restaurant / Bar

2

4Plex / Duplex

TOTALS

26

MAY 2023

CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN

1

27

www.guamcontractors.org

28

MAY 2023

Sub- Total Workers

Automotive Mechanic Baker Camp Cook Dental Auxiliary Electrician (Motor Rewinder) Lead Transportation Equip Painter Maintenance Mechanic Marine Mechanic Painter Painter Blaster Pipefitter Planning Clerk QC Inspector Shipwright Carpenter Soil Technician Specialty Chef Welder

Other Non-Construction Occupations

CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN Sub- Total Workers

DPRI Authorized Total Occupations

Total Non-Construction H2-B Workers

100

10 5 42 1 4 1 0 7 0 4 7 2 3 3 0 2 9

3642

100

0

GUAM DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Alien Labor Processing Certification Division

Total Const Occupations

Total Other Const. Occupations

Other Construction Occupations

A/C & Refrigeration Mechanic Auto CAD Drafter Const. Equipment Mechanic Construction Supervisor Crane Operator Equipment Technician Field Supervisor Foreman HVAC/Aircon Technician Heavy Equipment Mechanic HVAC Mechanic HVAC & Refrigeration Mechanic HVAC & Refrigeration Technician Landscape Gardener Licensed Practical Nurse Occupational Health Safety Technician Painter Pipefitter Rigger Tile Setter

3985

368

4 3 18 30 2 2 6 7 1 50 14 24 1 25 1 6 75 80 1 18

Employers Workplace Monthly Report Statistics

5

Camp Cook

4085

3970 76 0 2 4 2 10 0 18 3 0

4085

Grand Total H-2B Workers

*December 2022

3108

Total U.S. Workers in H2 companies

3985 4015

less H-2B US Const workers

55

Total H-2B Employers

8000

7

Non-Construction

CES US Workforce*

48

Construction

Employers By Industry

Total by Nationality

Philippines Korea Taiwan Australia New Zealand Greece El Salvador Mexico Honduras Thailand Romania

Workers by Nationality

3617

336

Electrician

Total Common Const.

209

Heavy Equip. Operator

147

137

Sheetmetal Worker

Welder

93 225

Plumber

490

Reinforcing Metalworker Structural Steelworker

805 1170

Carpenter

Common Const. Occupations Cement Mason

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

6%

3%

4%

Romania 0.00%

Honduras 0.44% Mexico 0.00% Thailand 0.07%

4%

32%

22%

Welder

Camp�Cook

Electrician

Heavy�Equip.�Operator

Sheetmetal�Worker

Plumber

Structural�Steelworker

Reinforcing�Metalworker

Carpenter

Cement�Mason

Prepared By: Tabitha Cruz Contact information: Greg Massey, ALPCD Administrator P.O. Box 9970 Tamuning, Guam 96931 (671)475-8005/8003

Total U.S. Workers in H2 Grand Total H-2B Workers companies

US Workers vs. H-2B

14%

0%

US Const workers

6%

9%

Romania

Thailand

Honduras

Mexico

El Salvador

Greece

New Zealand

Australia

Taiwan

Korea

Philippines

Philippines 97.18%

Common�Construction�Occupations

Korea 1.86%

Taiwan 0.00%

New Zealand 0.10%

Australia 0.05%

El Salvador 0.24%

Greece 0.05%

Workers by Country of Origin

MONTH ENDING: April 2023

REPORTS/INFORMATION

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