On-Site March 2019

MARCH 2019

LABOUR SQUEEZE FILLING 300,000 JOBS

LOCKED DOWN

SECURING YOUR JOB SITE

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VOLUME 64, NO.2/ MARCH 2019

N

COVER STORY 16 The swing of things Technology, telematics and reduced tail-swing top list of what’s new in crawler excavators

IN THIS ISSUE 7 Comment

16

Bracing for a worker shortage

10 News

The major developments

14 Construction stats The key figures

35 Under lock and key

38

Thwarting thieves and thrill-seekers

38 A year in images The top pictures Canadian contractors took in 2018

COLUMNS 42 Software Cyber security and awareness in the digital age

35

44 Risk Connecting the dots between technology and capital

46 Contractors and the law Knowing when a job is really complete

43 Index of Advertisers

CONCRETE ON-SITE

25 World of Concrete still going strong

33 Concrete trumps the elements

The construction industry is marking 10 years of growth, but OEMs haven’t stopped innovating

The construction industry converged on Toronto for the second annual Canadian Concrete Expo

on-sitemag.com / 5

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COMMENT

Bracing for a worker shortage

Get the latest construction news!

Follow us on Twitter @OnSiteMag

When waters start rising, prudent people shore up their levees.

The Canadian construction industry faces more of a drought than a flood, but company leaders across the country need to start taking proactive steps to future-proof their businesses.

10 years from now, nearly a quarter of the current construction workforce will be kicking back in retirement and the average worker will be a graying 42-years-old.

While this isn’t news to those who’ve watched the labour market tighten recently, the latest outlook from BuildForce Canada illustrates a number of important points. Foremost among them is that the impending shortage of workers hasn’t reached its peak.

At the end of January, the research organization forecast the construction industry will need to fill about 300,000 positions by 2028. The comparable study released last year showed 277,000 job openings by 2027.

While a couple hundred thousand new recruits (221,300 to be exact) are expected, companies will need to attract and retain roughly 80,000 more men and women than currently forecast to ensure the industry is firing on all cylinders a decade from now.

This is no small task, and clearly, new approaches are necessary. Making the industry more welcoming to underrepresented parts of the labour market is one part of the solution.

Women, for instance, made up just 13 per cent of the construction workforce in 2018, as well as a paltry 3.8 per cent of on-site staff, according to BuildForce. While these figures are moving in the right direction after years of stagnation, companies must do more to make job sites more appealing places for women.

In the same vein, construction has long been a career of choice for immigrants, but as fewer newcomers arrive from Europe and the Americas – replaced by immigrants from Asia – the industry must adapt. Immigrants from countries such as India and China are far less

likely to pick construction, so employers need to rejig recruitment initiatives to entice these new Canadians to join their ranks, BuildForce says.

Continued efforts to recruit Indigenous Canadians are also vital to creating a sustainable labour force, though Indigenous Canadians are already more likely to go into construction than the population as a whole.

In conjunction with tapping into underrepresented groups, businesses should be focusing on modernizing the industry to appeal to young recruits. As industries like technology draw away talent, there’s no reason construction can’t push back.

Equipment manufacturers, for instance, have leaned heavily on tools such as joystick controls, simulators and virtual reality in recent years. For a generation raised on video games, the tactics hold a certain appeal, and they have the added benefit of better preparing new operators. In the non-so-distant future, operators may be able to control dozers across the country from their living rooms – not a bad recruitment tool.

Between software-driven solutions and increasingly connected equipment, many Canadian contractors are already employing the type of technology that demands young people’s attention. In some instances, it’s simply a matter of showing it off more effectively, in others, employers will need to invest to keep younger workers engaged.

Despite the added spending and pivots in strategy, in the long run, it’s the contractors who have planned for the shortage who will be in the best position to hang onto their veterans and attract new recruits. Don’t wait until you’re already underwater.

David Kennedy / Editor dkennedy@on-sitemag.com on-sitemag.com / 7

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CONTRIBUTORS www.on-sitemag.com / Fax: 416-442-2230

MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS FOR THIS ISSUE

PUBLISHER | Peter Leonard (416) 510-6847 pLeonard@on-sitemag.com EDITOR | David Kennedy (416) 510-6821 dkennedy@on-sitemag.com

NATE HENDLEY/ Freelance Writer & Author

ASSISTANT EDITOR | Jillian Morgan (416) 510-5201 jmorgan@on-sitemag.com

On the latest trends in crawler excavators: “A broader range of applications and advancing technology are forcing manufacturers in the mid- to large-size crawler excavator segment to unearth new solutions.”

MEDIA DESIGNER - TEAM LEAD | Lisa Zambri lzambri@annexbusinessmedia.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER | David Skene (416) 510-6884 dskene@on-sitemag.com ACCOUNT COORDINATOR | Kim Rossiter (416) 510-6794 krossiter@on-sitemag.com CIRCULATION MANAGER | Urszula Grzyb (416) 442-5600 x3537 ugrzyb@annexbusinessmedia.com

JACOB STOLLER / Principal, StollerStrategies On cyber security in the digital age: “The phrase ‘data security’ has recently been replaced by ‘cyber security,‘ but this isn’t just a matter of fashionable buzzwords. The newer term reflects the fact that staying secure involves a lot more than protecting a company’s data.”

DAVID BOWCOTT / Global Director – Growth, Innovation & Insight, Global Construction and Infrastructure Group at Aon Risk Solutions On connecting the dots between technology and capital: “Given how influential… new technologies are in preventing and mitigating key risks to your business, it’s paramount that risk and finance managers are plugged into the changes the new technology leadership is implementing.”

Vice President | Tim Dimopoulos (416) 510-5100 tdimopoulos@annexbusinessmedia.com President & CEO | Mike Fredericks Established in 1957, On-Site is published

by Annex Business Media 111 Gordon Baker Road, Suite 400, Toronto, ON M2H 3R1 Publications Mail Agreement No. 40065710 ISSN: 1910-118X (Print) ISSN 2371-8544 (Online) Circulation email: apotal@annexbusinessmedia.com Tel: 416-442-5600 ext 3258 Fax: 416-510-6875 or 416-442-2191 Mail: 111 Gordon Baker Road, Suite 400, Toronto, ON M2H 3R1 SUBSCRIPTION RATES Canada $49.50 per year, Outside Canada US$87.00 per year, Single Copy Canada $13.50.

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SIOBHAN SMALL / Borden Ladner Gervais LLP On knowing when a job is truly over: “Whether or not your responsibilities on a project have come to an end depends on the contractual structure of the project and your role within that structure.”

On-Site receives unsolicited materials (including letters to the editor, press releases, promotional items and images) from time to time. On-Site, its affiliates and assignees may use, reproduce, publish, re-publish, distribute, store and archive such unsolicited submissions in whole or in part in any form or medium whatsoever, without compensation of any sort.

DISCLAIMER This publication is for informational purposes only The content and “expert” advice presented are not intended as a substitute for informed professional engineering advice. You should not act on information contained in this publication without seeking specific advice from qualified engineering professionals.

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INDUSTRY>NEWS RFQ issued for Vancouver’s $2.8B Broadway Subway extension project VANCOUVER—The British Columbia government has kick-started the procurement process for a multibillion-dollar construction project that will extend one of Vancouver’s SkyTrain lines nearly six kilometres under Broadway.

The province issued a request for qualifications late last week for firms interested in vying for the $2.83 billion project.

“I’m excited that following years of planning, regional prioritizing and funding discussions, we have the green light to start construction on the Arbutus portion of the Broadway Subway,” Kennedy Stewart, Vancouver’s mayor, said in a statement. “The Broadway Subway is not only Vancouver’s number one transportation

Design plans call for five kilometres of tunnelling and the construction of six underground stations.

priority but an infrastructure investment that helps improve the entire region’s transportation future.”

The project will extend Vancouver’s Millennium Line from the existing VCC– Clark Station west to Arbutus Street.

The 5.7-kilometre route includes six new stations. Unlike other segments of the line that run on elevated guideways, the extension will be underground.

The RFQ will close this April, after which the province will pare down the list of consortia bidding for the project to three. Like other major projects recently tendered in the province, the subway project will be delivered using B.C.’s new Community Benefits Agreement.

PHOTO: GOVERNMENT OF B.C.

INDUSTRY NEWS

The winning construction team will be responsible for designing, building and financing the project. Current design plans require five kilometres of tunnelling, construction of six underground stations and a 700-metre elevated line to connect the new tunnel with VCC-Clark Station.

One of the new stations, at Cambie Street, will also require an interchange with the city’s north-south-running Canada Line.

Early preparation work for the project is already underway.

Construction is scheduled to begin in earnest in 2020 after the main contract is awarded. The extended rail system is expected to start carrying passengers by 2025.

PHOTO: NOUVEAU CHAMPLAIN

As new Champlain Bridge nears completion, feds prepare for $400M project to tear down old bridge MONTREAL—With 37 freshly-poured piers spread across the St. Lawrence River, the vast majority of new steel fastened into place and the deck of the new Samuel De Champlain Bridge nearing completion, the federal government is making plans to tear down the adjacent bridge that’s carried traffic from Brossard, Que. to Montreal for more than 50 years.

The new span was scheduled to open late last year, but delays

have forced the aging Champlain Bridge to remain in use. The cable-stayed replacement is now expected to open no later than June 30, about six months behind schedule. Crews are working to finish the job sooner, but paving, waterproofing and other final touches that require warmer weather are not expected to start before the spring thaw.

Once work wraps up, the focus will shift to deconstructing the steel truss cantilever bridge built between 1957 and 1962.

Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Inc., the federal crown corporation responsible for overseeing the pair of Quebec spans, will take the lead on dismantling the structure. The job is expected to cost approximately $400 million.

A pre-planning study for the deconstruction work was commissioned by the crown-owned entity in 2017. It investigated numerous different options for tearing down and recovering certain materials from the bridge. JCCBI has not yet released what method it intends to pursue, but said it will release more information about its plans in the coming months.

Deconstruction work is scheduled to start shortly after the Samuel De Champlain Bridge is complete and run for about three years.

10 / MARCH 2019

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Kiewit-led group wins $411.8M contract to build new all-season highway in Northwest Territories

Feds commit $86.5M to build high speed Halifax bypass

PHOTO: GOVERNMENT OF B.C.

YELLOWKNIFE—Work is moving ahead on a major roadbuilding project in Northwest Territories.

The N.W.T. government signed an agreement Feb. 14 that will spur construction on a 97-kilometre route that will link the remote First Nations community of Whati with the Yellowknife Highway (also known as Highway 3), which runs around Great Slave Lake, and is the only land link between the territory’s capital and the rest of the country.

The Tlicho All-Season Road will begin outside Behchok on Highway 3 and run northwest to Whati, located on Lac La Martre in N.W.T.’s Tlicho region. Construction costs for the road are expected to reach $213.8 million, while the overall P3 contract to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the two-lane gravel highway is set at $411.8 million. The federal government previously announced that it would pick up about 25 per cent of construction costs, but the provincial nod gives the project an official green light.

The province tapped the North Star consortium to take on the project. Led by Kiewit Canada Development Corp., the Tlicho Government will also hold a 20 per cent equity stake in the project. The design-build team is made up of Peter Kiewit Sons ULC, Hatch Corp, and Thurber Engineering Ltd. Along with improving transportation for local residents, the project is expected to fuel economic development in the region. Fortune Minerals Ltd., for instance, is working to develop a mine about 50 kilometres north of Whati. The Ontario-based mining firm, said it plans use the new Tlicho road and construct an additional spur road to connect to the proposed mine.

Construction on the road is expected to start in fall 2019, with substantial completion scheduled for winter 2021.

HALIFAX—The federal government is injecting $86.5 million to extend a gridlock-prone stretch of highway in Halifax.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in the city Feb. 21 to announce the funding for the Sackville-Bedford-Burnside Connector, which will stretch Highway 107 beyond its current western terminus in Burnside, N.S. The project will add approximately nine kilometres of four-lane highway, as well as widen what’s currently Duke St. along the final 1.5-kilometres of the route.

Along with eliminating the current bottleneck, Nova Scotia Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Lloyd Hines said the connector route will link several communities with the province’s major highway network, including highways 101, 102 and 118.

Before roadbuilding crews can start work, experts will need to canvas the area for unexploded ordinance that may have been scattered along the route by an explosion at a nearby Canadian Forces ammunition depot at the end of the Second World War. Slated to wrap up in September 2023, the project is expected to create 150 jobs during construction. The province is contributing $107 million to the project and the Halifax Regional Municipality will provide the remainder.

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PHOTO: GOVERNMENT OF N.W.T.

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Close Date: 1/30/2019

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Tougher just got better.

Trio of build teams shortlisted for B.C.’s $1.4B Pattullo Bridge contract “B.C.’s so-called Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) doesn’t pass even the most basic litmus test for good public policy,” he said in a statement. “It was not designed to serve or protect the public interest. Instead, it’s a cynical scheme that allows Horgan’s [Building Trades Unions] supporters to monopolize public construction projects at taxpayers’ expense.”

De Jong added the CMA will add $100 million to the price tag of the Pattullo Bridge project alone. The NDP government, meanwhile, has argued the agreement will support training and increase participation in construction from underrepresented groups.

Construction on the new bridge is expected to start this year. It’s scheduled to open to traffic in 2023.

Be Tougher/4700SB Bulk Haul On-Site 2.125”x 10”

THE THREE CONSTRUCTION TEAMS ARE:

File Name: Client: Job #: App: Colors:

PHOTO: GOVERNMENT OF B.C.

BE LIGHTER In addition to its other lightweight options, the 4700 is now available with the Cummins X12, which is up to 600 pounds lighter than other medium-bore engines.

BE SAFER Along with great handling and visibility, the 4700 now comes with Collision Mitigation, Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Departure Warning for greater safety and uptime.

Title: Pub: Trim Size: Bleed Size: Close Date:

1/30/2019

• Fraser Community Connectors: which includes Kiewit Infrastructure BC ULC as the design-build contrator and both T.Y. Lin International and International Bridge Technologies Inc. as the designers.

• Flatiron/Dragados/Carlson Pattullo JV: with Flatiron Constructors Canada Ltd., Dragados Canada Inc. and Carlson Construction Group Inc. as the design-builders and COWI North America Ltd. as the long-span design contractor.

• Fraser Crossing Partners: made up of SNC-Lavalin Constructors (Pacific) Inc. and Acciona Infrastruture Canada Inc. as the design-builder contractors and a team of designers consisting of SNC-Lavalin Inc., Leonhardt, Andrä und Partner Bertende Ingenieure VBI AG, Hatch Corp., EXP Services Inc. and Acciona Infrstructure Canada Inc. WST 13422_4700SB_Bulk_Haul_2.125x10_OS Western Star WST 13422 InDesign CC 4cp

VANCOUVER—The British Columbia ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has narrowed the field of bidders for a major bridge project in Metro Vancouver to three consortia.

The design-build-finance contract for the new Pattullo Bridge that will replace an existing span of the same name between Surrey and New Westminster, B.C. is worth $1.37 billion. The winning bidder will be responsible for designing and building the four-lane cable-stayed crossing, as well as for the removal of the old Pattullo Bridge, which is now more than 80-years-old.

“The existing Pattullo Bridge is nearing the end of its useful life,” said Claire Trevena, the province’s minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “The selection of the three teams gets us closer to breaking ground on this project.”

The province is using its new, and controversial, Community Benefits Agreement to deliver the project.

As the province issued the RFP, Paul de Jong, the president of the Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA) again slammed the new framework, which critics say favours unionized builders.

The enhanced 4700 offers a number of new features to make getting a hard job done even easier.

BE MORE PRODUCTIVE The 4700 is now available with our proven Detroit DT12 automated manual transmission that’s easier to operate and ideal for drivers of all experience levels. tm

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A rendering of the new four-lane cable-stayed bridge. It will replace an existing 80-year-old span.

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CONSTRUCTION STATS A selection of data reflecting trends in the Canadian construction industry OVERALL BUILDING CONSTRUCTION SPENDING ROSE 2.5 PER CENT LAST YEAR INVESTMENT IN RESIDENTIAL AND NON-RESIDENTIAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

Investment in building construction across Canada continued to increase in 2018, though it didn’t keep up the pace set the previous year.

Spending on both the residential and non-residential segments of the market climbed 2.5 per cent to $169.8 billion, according to the latest Statistics Canada data.

Despite the positive momentum, the increase fell well short of the 7.2 per cent rise posted in 2017.

The non-residential segment was the main driver of growth, with spending up 7.6 per cent to $53.7 billion.

Spending in the residential sector was nearly flat, with investments rising 0.3 per cent to $116.8 billion.

SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA

Workers Employed in Construction by Month

NON-RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION COSTS CLIMBED SUBSTANTIALLY THROUGH 2018 The cost to build non-residential buildings increased substantially across the country over the course of 2018.

According to the latest Statistics Canada data, contractor prices for erecting all types of non-residential structures climbed an average of 4.6 per cent from the beginning of the year. The government agency pointed to the “ongoing rise” of steel and metal prices, which were affected by U.S. tariffs, for much of the increase.

Costs in Ottawa jumped 6.7 per cent over the twelve month period, the most of any Canadian city. Vancouver and Toronto followed, with costs rising 5.7 per cent in each urban centre.

2018

2019

NON-RESIDENTIAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTION PRICE INDEX

99.1 Q2 99.8 Q3 100.3 Q4 100.9 Q1 101.8 2018 Q2 103.1 Q3 104.7 Q4 105.5

Q1 2017

Note: Values are based on a price-adjusted three-year moving average (100) of the value of building permits issued for each class of building within 11 census metropolitan areas.

SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA

January 1,433.9 February 1,433.9 March 1,452.2 April 1,433.3 May 1,420.3 June 1,447.5 July 1,435.2 August 1,418.8 September 1,446.8 October 1,443.4 November 1,458.2 December 1,453.4 January 1,444.9 In thousands of workers, seasonally adjusted SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA

CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYMENT DIPS IN FIRST MONTH OF 2019 Employment in the Canadian construction industry slid for the second-straight month in January, shedding 8,500 jobs, according to the latest Statistics Canada data.

The 0.6 per cent seasonally adjusted decline from the month before occurred even as the overall economy posted a strong gain of 67,000 positions, or 0.8 per cent, for the first month of 2019.

In spite of the decline for the month, the construction labour force remains up 12,900 jobs, or 0.9 per cent year-overyear. As was the case in January, however, the sector has fared worse than the overall economy, which is up 355,300 jobs or 2.3 per cent from 2018.

14 / MARCH 2019

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EXCAVATORS

The

swing of things Technology, telematics and reduced tail-swing top list of what’s new in crawler excavators

BY NATE HENDLEY

A

broader range of applications and advancing technology are forcing manufacturers in the midto large-size crawler excavator segment to unearth new solutions. Foremost among these evolving trends are reduced tail-swing machines that let excavators take on a more diverse list of jobs, and high-tech systems aimed at optimizing both individual pieces of equipment and entire fleets.

“Short-swing radius crawler excavators will continue to grow in value as a versatile tool in urban environments, utility work and road construction,” says Sung Sook Kim, product manager for Excavators at

Volvo Construction Equipment. “Their short tail swing allows them to work where other excavators cannot or with less disruption, blocking fewer lanes of traffic on a road job.”

Work required on roads, bridges and other aging infrastructure is the main driver behind this trend, according to Aaron Kleingartner, marketing manager at Doosan Infracore North America. “Reduced swingtail models significantly improve an operator’s ability to maintain a smaller work-area at a job site,” he says. “Over the last few years, we’ve seen an increase in requests for larger tonnage machines that have reduced

tail-swing. As large as 30 to 35 tons.”

Telematics and technology are two of the other emerging trends experts are watching closely.

“The expanded use and customer demand for technology and telematics is becoming more prevalent because of all of the information it provides fleet managers,” says Jonathan Spendlove, product marketing manager for Excavators at John Deere and Hitachi Construction Machinery – Americas. “At first, telematics was thought of as an additional feature, but now, it’s an industry norm and becoming an industry must.”

Machine-guidance systems and machine-control are also finding growing acceptance.

“Customers are finding cost savings through reduced overcut and undercut errors, resulting in more accurate and efficient operation,” says Chad Parker, senior product specialist and sales trainer at Hyun-

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HITACHI

DEERE dai Construction Equipment Americas.

And perhaps the most important trend of all: sales of medium to large crawler excavators are booming.

“The overall market for excavators in North America continues to grow year over year,” Parker adds. “Through the first half of 2018, according to [Association of Equipment Manufacturers] retail data, the medium to large crawler excavators segment grew by almost 25 per cent.”

Here’s what’s new and/or noteworthy from crawler excavator manufacturers in the mid-to-large size segment:

DEERE More performance in a smaller package is one of the top priorities in the latest John Deere excavators.

The company recently released its 345G, which has a three-pump hydraulic system, which Spendlove describes as a big advantage over the two-pump excavators of

DOOSAN some competitors. “Our three-pump system provides 180 gpm (gallons per minute) of hydraulic flow – about 40 per cent more than competitive models – so the multifunctioning on this excavator is phenomenal and its swing and cycle times are fast,” he says.

Mid- to large-size John Deere crawler excavators also utilize a pair of telematics technologies, known as JDLink and Service Advisor, to complement the equipment’s improved physical components.

DOOSAN Doosan’s 22-ton DX225LC-5 is the company’s most popular in the mid-size range, Kleingartner says.

For in-cab technology, it has a standard seven-inch colour LCD monitor that displays machine and engine data, a rear-view camera system and simplified joystick controls.

The excavator boasts an engine that meets Tier 4 emissions standards and it

uses Smart Power Control, which enhances efficiency while productivity is maintained via pump torque control and variable speed control. “It’s really a good workhorse and versatile,” Kleingartner says.

When it comes to the larger end of Doosan’s lineup, the company’s DX350LC-5 is its “premier product,” according to Kleingartner. “That machine has a number of capabilities that are really useful for our customers.”

The DX350LC-5 comes with DoosanCONNECT Telematics, an Electronic Power Optimizing System (EPOS) for control and efficiency, and x-chassis frame. For operator comfort and job site safety, a rear-view camera comes standard, while a side-view camera is an option. With an operating weight of roughly 80,000 pounds, the DX350LC-5 also features D-Ecopower technology, an electronic pressure-controlled pump system that reduces fuel consumption. on-sitemag.com / 17

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MARCH 2019

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HYUNDAI

KOMATSU HITACHI Hitachi, meanwhile, introduced the ZX345USLC-6 in 2018. The reduced-tailswing excavator has increased reach, dig forces and bucket and lift capacity, but is still capable of working in tight, confined spaces, Spendlove says. The excavator also comes equipped with a three-pump hydraulic system.

Five years of ZXLink Ultimate, a remote monitoring technology, comes standard on Hitachi Dash-6 Series excavators. The technology provides 24/7 online access to the machine’s location, health, utilization,

which helps prevent accidents,” Parker says. “The operator can see all the way around the machine with nine views including an industry-exclusive 3D bird’s eye view and a 2D four-channel view.”

In addition, an Intelligent Moving Object Detection (IMOD) feature gives visual and audio warnings “whenever a person or object is within 16.5 feet of the machine,” Parker adds.

Meanwhile, Hyundai has partnered with Trimble Inc. to offer grade control and machine guidance solutions for its excava-

“I think our [excavator] operators are going to be young, internet-savvy and smart-phone enabled.

They’re going to be very electronically competent.”

– Kurt Moncini, Komatsu fuel consumption and other valuable data points.

Along with the new tech on board, the Hitachi machine offers the stability and lifting capacity of an 80,000-pound excavator while having a tighter upper structure that will fit easily into smaller workspaces.

HYUNDAI In one of its latest tech upgrades, Hyundai is aiming to give operators a complete picture of their surroundings. The company’s AAVM (All-Around View Monitoring) video camera system is now available as an option in all of the company’s HX-line crawler excavators.

“This innovative system maximizes operator awareness of the surrounding areas, providing a 360-degree field of vision

tors. The manufacturer also has a proprietary GPS-equipped remote management telematics system called Hi-MATE that can track machines in the field and remotely monitor performance. HX series excavators come standard with Tier 4 final diesel engines.

Like his counterparts, Parker points to reduced radius swing capability as a growing trend.

“We see increased customer demand for more compact-radius machines across all product sizes and an increasing demand for larger compact-radius machines,” he says.

“Today, Hyundai’s largest compact-radius excavator is the HX235 LCR, equipped with or without a dozer blade, but we are looking at introducing larger models in the near-future.”

KOMATSU Komatsu introduced the industry’s first fully-electric/hybrid excavator in Japan in 2008.

Continuing in this pioneering vein, Komatsu recently released the 36-ton HB365LC-3 hybrid excavator, featuring an EU Stage IV engine, proportional joysticks and a unique hybrid power system.

The latter converts energy generated by swing-braking into electricity which is then sent through an inverter and stored in a Komatsu Ultra Capacitor.

The HB365 “has the same [horsepower] as a standard machine but fuel consumption is down about 20 per cent,” says Kurt Moncini, senior product manager for track products at Komatsu America. “Performance-wise, it’s really a snappy machine.”

The HB365LC-3 can be fitted with KomVision, Komatsu’s multi-camera/software system, offering a 360 degree exterior view for safety and efficiency purposes.

Komatsu is also expanding its line-up of excavators equipped with Intelligent Machine Control, to include the mid-size PC290 crawler excavator.

LIEBHERR Since January, Liebherr has been introducing a new line of crawler excavator: its Generation 8. Composed of seven excavators from 22-to 45-tons (R 922, R 924, R 926, R 930, R 934, R 938 and R 945), the crawlers include a number of new features designed to deliver more performance, greater safety and more comfort for the operator.

Among other design changes, the digging and tractive forces on the undercarriage of the Generation 8 lineup have been upgraded to increase performance.

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LIEBHERR

VOLVO Liebherr has also optimized the machine’s load curve to reduce fuel consumption. The cab is outfitted with a pneumatic seat, a seveninch colour touchscreen and a newly-designed layout for the main keyboard.

The new R 934, which will premiere at bauma 2019 in Munich, has an operating weight of 35-tons, a Stage V emissions compliant engine capable of 200 kW/272 hp and a backhoe bucket capacity of up to 2.5 cubic metres. It’s recommended for digging, loading, leveling, earthmoving and lifting.

VOLVO Two years ago, Volvo unveiled its ground-breaking EX2 all-electric compact excavator prototype. The company is now working on the EX1, a 70-ton dual powered, cable-connected excavator prototype that boasts an electric motor as well as a diesel engine, Kim says, adding that the model has been tested at the company’s “emissions-free” quarry near Gothenburg, Sweden.

Meanwhile, Volvo’s Co-Pilot HMI (human machine interface) is now a standard feature in the company’s new crawler excavators. This system features a 10-inch LED touchscreen tablet that powers all Volvo Assist platforms. It uses on-board machine data and high-precision sensors to give operators a real-time view of their work. “Excavator operators can use Volvo Co-Pilot to utilize Dig Assist, designed to increase accuracy when levelling sites, digging, grading or creating complex site profiles,” Kim says.

The company has also moved into the market for short-swing crawler excavators, introducing its ECR355E last year. “The 35-ton ECR355E is a new size class for the Volvo excavator line-up and fills a need in the market for a machine that has the power for heavy, high-production work while being able to fit into tight areas that otherwise require a smaller, less productive machine,” Kim says. “[It can do] everything from heavy infrastructure and utility work to demolition and road building.”

Volvo also has several short-swing models in the medium and large class size, including the ECR235E and ECR145E crawler excavators.

“I think our [excavator] operators are going to be young, internet-savvy and smart-phone enabled. They’re going to be very electronically competent.”

Expect OEMs to react accordingly and outfit their crawler excavators with the latest and greatest high-tech tools.

Meanwhile, size is going to continue to matter greatly.

“The most popular machine size used to be the 21- to 24-metric-ton size class across North America,” Parker notes.

“Today, as infrastructure spending grows, residential and commercial construction continues to rise, and the oil and gas sector strengthens, larger machines … that is, 30- to 35-metric ton class excavators, have taken the lead in the North American market.”

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MARCH 2019

TAKING A BREATHER INDUSTRY STEPS OFF THE JOB SITE FOR SHOW SEASON

IN THIS ISSUE: 25 World of Concrete marks 10-year high | 33 Canadian industry looks to Toronto

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WORLD OF CONCRETE

Still going

STRONG Construction industry keeps its momentum as 2019 World of Concrete marks 10-year high

Ontario man edges out the competition to win ‘Super Bowl’ of masonry A 30-year-old mason from Hamilton, Ont. spent 60 tense minutes Jan. 23 locked in a battle of speed, skill and stamina with more than two dozen rivals from across the U.S., Canada and Australia.

Dexterously throwing down brick to build up his eight-metre-long (26-foot-long) wall as high as possible over the single hour, Mario Alves emerged from the 2019 Spec Mix Bricklayer 500 World Championship as the first Canadian to win what’s known as the “Super Bowl” of masonry.

Mario Alves, along with mason tender Michael Alves, both of Hamilton’s A&M Masonry, topped 22 teams from across the U.S., three from other Canadian provinces and a single Australian squad to claim victory. The duo had placed 760 bricks when time expired on the cool Las Vegas afternoon, edging out the closest competitors by just 11 bricks.

The 2019 event at World of Concrete was the 17th iteration of the bricklaying competition, which up until now had seen only Americans carry off the championship trophy. Along with working quickly, masons must stay within a series of strict workmanship guidelines, as judges will adjust a team’s final brick count if they deem certain aspects of the wall unsatisfactory.

Mario Alves followed his father into the bricklaying trade and has Mario Alves and mason tender Michael Alves competed in regional competitions during the tense competition in Las Vegas Jan. 23. for about seven years. He’s made a pair of previous trips to the national competition, but failed to place. Ahead of this year’s championship, he said the previous experience and a bit more maturity had taught him more about what he had to do to “get the job done.”

PHOTO: STU MULLENBERG/SPEC MIX INC.

A

few cool January days in Las Vegas did little to discourage an ebullient crowd of some 60,500 from stepping through the doors at this year’s World of Concrete.

The 2019 show was the annual event’s largest in a decade – marking a high point after the 2008 recession dented industry sentiment more than 10 years ago.

Spread across three full halls at the Las Vegas Convention Center, plus a pair of outdoor lots, the event covered 72,000 sq. m (776,000 sq. ft.) and included more than 1,500 exhibitors, 259 of which were first-timers. Attendance also outpaced last year’s count by several thousand.

Jackie James, the group director for World of Concrete, said this year’s event was another hit for attendees from the U.S. and around the world.

“Our largest event in 10 years proves that the construction sector is strong globally,” he said, adding that seminar attendance ticked up five per cent from last year.

As usual, On-Site was in on the action.

Along with some serious new hardware and tech solutions from a range of manufacturers and service providers to watch for, a Hamilton, Ont. native, who put on an inspiring performance, made a name for himself at this year’s event.

Meanwhile, compulsive planners can mark their calendars for World of Concrete 2020. Next year’s show will take place in Las Vegas from Feb. 4 to Feb. 7.

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WORLD OF CONCRETE

PRODUCTS MAKING A SPLASH A roundup of the new equipment and technology showcased at World of Concrete 2019

AQUAJET SYSTEMS

BASF

A more versatile lance system for hydrodemolition robots was shown off by Aquajet at this year’s event. The Super Lance 3000 allows contractors to use a single lance for any pressure up to 43,500 psi (3,000 bar).

The system is able to remove deteriorated concrete to a pre-determined depth without damaging underlying rebar.

Taking advantage of its BIM portfolio, BASF launched a new Virtual Design and Construction resource center at World of Concrete 2019. The construction chemical supplier aims to provide builders with a wealth of knowledge to help them find the right product for their exact scenario as the industry embraces more nuanced building.

BOBCAT

CATERPILLAR

From Bobcat, a new mounting system is designed to allow operators to change their hydraulic attachments without stepping out of their cab. To connect an attachment using the new Bob-Dock system, an operator lines up the loader with the attachment’s adapter plate and flips a switch inside the cab that automatically connects the attachment.

Among a long list of more conventional construction products, Cat showed off its newly-expanded line of utility vehicles at this year’s World of Concrete. With two variants, one diesel and one gas, Cat’s CUV85 and CUV105 D seat five. Built for shuttling crew around job sites, as well as work, each offer 454-kilogram rear cargo capacity and 907-kilogram towing capacity.

BROKK Remote-controlled demolition machine maker Brokk brought a new lineup of hydraulic breakers to this year’s show. The Brokk Hydraulic Breaker series includes eight models, ranging from the 50-kilogram BHB 55 to the 700-kilogram BHB 705. With bodies machined from a solid casting, each model is designed to deliver a high power-to-weight ratio.

BOSCH For heavy-duty concrete drilling, Bosch has introduced its GBH18V-36C SDS-max 18V 1-3/8 in. Rotary Hammer. Strong enough to take of tough jobs, the hammer weighs less than 15 pounds and delivers 5.5-ft.-lb. of impact energy. The hammer includes an interface that displays the tool’s status and features a reverse mode to help free a jammed bit.

CHICAGO PNEUMATIC Aiming to provide two machines in one, Chicago Pneumatic introduced the CPS 250, a single-stage, oil-injected, rotary screw portable compressor in January. The compressor includes a new controller that allows operators to toggle between two predefined set points, while its pressure adjusted through a cognitive electronics system matches air flow to desired operating pressure.

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For over 75 years, QUIKRETEÂŽ has been the top choice for building the strongest projects and bringing old ones back to life. With 150 manufacturing plants and over 200 professionalgrade products, QUIKRETE has what you need for your next residential or commercial concrete construction job, no matter the size. Learn more at quikrete.com.

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WORLD OF CONCRETE

DEERE

DOOSAN PORTABLE POWER

After countless development hours, John Deere introduced its L-Series utility wheel loaders at World of Concrete. It showed off the 544L on the show floor, pointing to major improvements in the cab design.

Roomier and more comfortable, the loader has improved HVAC performance, more power ports and a heavy-duty air suspension seat.

Job site solutions firm Doosan Portable Power showed off its P185 portable air compressor at the January event, among several of products. The compressor meets a wide range of applications with a Tier 4 Final engine, all while running quieter and cleaner than the last generation. The P185 is perfect for jobs such as powering tools, sandblasting, cable laying and pipeline testing.

DOOSAN Designed to provide a bit of extra help in tight spaces, Doosan displayed its DX140LCR-5 crawler excavator in Las Vegas. The shorter tail swing gives operators greater flexibility, while the extra sturdy frame and reinforced superstructure are designed for long life. In the cab, a 7-inch LCD screen lets operators monitor a wide range of parameters and camera angles.

GOMACO

HUSQVARNA

Displayed on a show floor for the first time, Gomaco’s new Xtreme GT-3600 curb and gutter machine builds on the success of its predecessor, the GT-3600. The Xtreme package improves tight radius paving, adds G+ radius software with slew drives and smart-sensored hydraulics, among other features. The control system can make steering adjustments to all three tracks for greater accuracy.

Injecting some lithium-ion into a new power cutter at this year’s show, Husqvarna gave attendees a look at its new K 535i.

With low vibration, user-friendly ergonomics and side-placed battery, the lightweight cutter requires little maintenance. It can be used for both wet and dry cutting and weighs in at just 3.5-kilograms.

LIGCHINE INTERNATIONAL Introducing a compact, lightweight and manoeuvrable screeding machine at World of Concrete, Ligchine is looking to take high-rise upper deck work to the next level. The drive-in SpiderScreed offers an industry-best power to weight ratio of 25-kilograms per horsepower and incorporates the company’s machine levelling system to ensure flatter floors and greater compaction.

MACK TRUCKS The mDRIVE is coming to cabover pumpers. Following the World of Concrete announcement, Mack’s versatile 13- and 14-speed automated manual transmission will be available in the company’s TerraPro concrete pumper models. The AMT delivers improved performance and durability to maximize uptime. Eliminating traditional shifting also improves safety by letting drivers focus elsewhere.

HYUNDAI Equipment manufacturer Hyundai showed off its HX130LCR hydraulic excavator for the first time at World of Concrete 2019.

The 13.5-ton machine is powered by a 73.6-horsepower Perkins diesel engine and is capable of reaching a maximum dig depth of 5.57-metres. The compact-swing machine is designed to give contractors added versatility when working in a confined space.

MANITOU Throwing back the curtain on its most compact track loader under its Gehl brand, Manitou rolled out its RT105 track loader in Las Vegas this year. Capable of working on the tightest job sites, the machine delivers an operating capacity of 475 kilograms. It’s powered by a 35-horsepower Yanmar engine with 80 ft.-lb. of torque. on-sitemag.com / 29

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WORLD OF CONCRETE

MINNICH MANUFACTURING Bringing its latest concrete vibration technology to Las Vegas, Minnich showed off its Stringer electric flex shaft concrete vibrator at this year’s show. Driven by a 14.5-pound double-insulated universal motor, the 15-amp (115volt) version of the vibrator has a speed range of 11,000 to 13,000 vibrations per minute designed to meet current concrete placement challenges.

PETTIBONE Entering the market for 12,000-pound telehandlers, Pettibone introduced its Traverse T1258X at World of Concrete. The new telehandler has a specified lift height of 58 feet, 6 inches, with identical landing height. The T1258X also provides up to 70 inches of boom transfer, allowing operators to place loads at full lift height without needing to coordinate multiple boom functions.

TOPCON Shining the spotlight on technology, Topcon introduced a new workflow bundle this January. Designed to reduce costs by modernizing concrete floor flatness and levelness applications, operators can find mistakes in near real-time, while project teams can easily visualize different elevations and deviation through heat and contour maps.

PUTZMEISTER Concrete pump maker Putzmeister introduced a new series of pickup-mounted pumps. It showed off the VSP 70 – a Thom-Katt TK 70 mounted on a Dodge Ram 5500 chassis – that features a gross vehicle weight rating of 8,845 kilograms and 3.45-metre side decks with folding side panels. It’s designed to give customers more flexibility, particularly in congested areas.

VOLVO Premiering a pair of new mini excavators in Vegas, Volvo Construction Equipment introduced its E-Series to North America. The ultra-short swing radius ECR18E is designed to cover a range of smaller job with a low cost of ownership. It features a rear overhang of just half an inch when the tracks are fully extended and has large tie-down points for easy transport.

VACUWORX Material handling firm Vacuworx premiered the next generation of its SL 2 Subcompact Vacuum Lifting System this January.

Building on the previous version that “revolutionized” the way cut concrete can be handled, the new system features a base unit and modular pad options for accessing a range of areas. The SL 2 comes with as a redesigned hydraulic system capable of lifting up to 1.25 tonnes.

WIRTGEN GROUP

WACKER NEUSON Putting the latest in enhanced cab design and accessibility on display at this year’s show, Wacker Neuson displayed its Series II Skid Steer/Compact Track Loaders at this year’s event. The “big brother” to the company’s medium frame line, the series offers a proven design in a larger frame, as well as a forward tip cab for daily maintenance and service access.

Among a range of new products, Wirtgen introduced a new 3D control system at the Las Vegas show that makes setting up string lines unnecessary. Designed for slipform pavers, AutoPilot 2.0 can produce any kind of offset and inset profiles also creating a digital data model on-site.

Applications include making concrete safety barriers, curbs and traffic islands.

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CANADIAN CONCRETE EXPO

Concrete trumps the elements The construction industry converged on Toronto in February for the second Canadian Concrete Expo

F

rom snow, sleet and freezing rain, the Canadian winter did everything it could to keep attendees from stepping through the doors at the 2019 Canadian Concrete Expo – to no avail.

Thousands from the concrete and general construction industries walked the floor at the two-day Toronto-area event this February. Attendance at the second edition of the annual expo climbed 35 per cent from a year ago as hundreds of exhibitors set up shop on the approximately 20,500 sq. m (220,000 sq. ft.) of floor space.

With glowing feedback from exhibitors, the show was “terrific,” according to Rod Mahler, the director of marketing and business development at 20/20 Show Productions Inc., the event’s organizer.

“Registration more than doubled from the previous year,” Mahler said, adding that the challenging winter weather on the

event’s first day drove the attendance down a little bit. “People just had a difficult time trying to get in. The second day was terrific as the weather subsided.”

Along with more than 300 exhibitors lining the halls of the International Centre in Mississauga, Ont., the Canadian Concrete Expo included more than two-dozen presentations, six live equipment demos and the Canadian finals of The Fastest Trowel on the Block competition.

Mahler pointed to the strong growth from last year and similar expectations for 2020 as proof of the Canadian concrete industry’s appetite for the event. “They’ve really wanted something like this to come to Canada for a long time,” he said.

Among the show’s big selling points are its Canadian focus and its cost-effectiveness compared to its U.S. counterparts, he added.

“The cost of attending say, World of Concrete, for a Canadian company is quite high. Attending our show in Toronto, just as far as

Lafarge Canada put on a full-scale demo on the first day of the event. The cement, concrete and aggregates firm showed off its FiberPlus Poly line, as well as its Artevia decorative brand to a full audience of onlookers.

On-Site gave away a Husqvarna power cutter to one lucky attendee. Mike Corless of Beneff Concrete in Delhi, Ont. took home the saw designed for a range of applications.

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CANADIAN CONCRETE EXPO a cost-benefit, is tremendous to the Canadian industry.”

Looking ahead to next year, 20/20 has its sights trained on further growth.

With 100 additional exhibitors already expected, the show organizer has secured a further 9,300 sq. m (100,000 sq. ft.) of floor space. Meanwhile, it forecasts upwards of 8,000 attendees at the 2020 edition.

Next year’s event will run Jan. 22 and 23 at the International Centre. And though all participants will hope for more accommodating weather, it’s clear the snow tire-equipped industry will show up regardless.

A dozen masonry teams from across the country converged at the expo Feb. 7 in hopes of wielding the ‘Fastest Trowel on the Block.’

Journeyman mason Dakota Beze-

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mer and mason tender John Ferraro, both of Hamilton, Ont.-based Artistik Masonry, were crowned the Canadian champions of the MCAA competition.

Bezemer laid 108 blocks over the course of the 20-minute competition – the equivalent of a typical halfday’s work, according to judges.

The team will represent Canada at the World Championships, to be held at the MCAA Convention during World of Concrete 2020 in Las Vegas.

Bezemer said it felt “amazing” to win at the competition on home turf.

He’s already looking ahead to the Las Vegas showdown. “I don’t know what to say. I’m stoked,” he said. “Gotta

vacuworx.com

bring the cup back to Canada.”

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SITE SECURITY

Under

lock & key While costly, guarding job sites from thieves and thrill-seeking crane climbers saves contractors down the line

BY JILLIAN MORGAN

S

prawling construction sites, swarming with workers during the day, but abundant in valuable tools and unguarded equipment once crews clock out, are ripe for pilfering.

Unlike picking a lock or breaking a window, prowling a vacant construction site after-hours hoping to swipe a chop saw or achieve 15 minutes of fame atop a crane are crimes that, while brazen, can require considerably less forethought.

Robert Duffy, president of Kinkora, P.E.I.-based Duffy Construction Ltd., has had three incidents of “very serious theft” in the last year and a half. In his 27 years on the job, Duffy says it’s as bad as he’s seen in it the province.

“We’ve lost over $50,000 worth of tools [and equipment] in the last 18 months,” he says. “Any day you open your iPhone, you’re hearing about contractors losing building supplies, losing their tools, coming on-sitemag.com / 35

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SITE SECURITY in and there’s no fuel in their equipment.

It’s affecting everybody on P.E.I. and across Atlantic Canada, and probably right across Canada.”

It’s not just material losses.

“Your crews are literally shut down,” Duffy says. “You show up to work that morning and you’re out of business for the day.”The upfront cost of on-site security can pale in comparison to the more substantial losses that often result from theft and vandalism. Patrick Perron, commercial insurance unit manager at Aviva Canada, says the investment is paramount for contractors to stay afloat in the wake of a security breach.

“In the event of claims for theft, vandalism or fire, damages are not exclusively limited to loss of property, but also to loss of business income, loss of customers and potentially the deterioration of the company’s reputation,” he says. “In a sector as competitive as the construction industry, it is imperative that contractors remain ahead of the competition by implementing all possible measures that may increase their competitiveness, and these include damage prevention.”

‘TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT’ On Canada’s opposite coast, one city experiencing an outsized building boom is also facing more than its fair share of problems.

Vancouver Police Department Const.

Jason Doucette says the force frequently receives reports of break and enters to construction sites across the city.

“Most of them have to do with pretty

low-level opportunists, criminals. People that are looking for things like tools or copper… small items, stuff that they can carry and flip for a quick profit,” he says.

“They can get up to a construction site that may or may not be secured, may or may not have security features.”

While the return on those items is “pretty low,” Doucette says those individuals can leave behind “thousands of dollars in damage.”

The sentiment is echoed across the country.

“When people break into properties like large construction sites or industrial sites, and are there when there’s no supervision, even just hanging out or playing with the equipment puts a risk for when employees attend work the next day,” Toronto Police Service Const. Jenifferjit Sidhu adds.

Adam Rockmacher, a project manager at Turner Construction Co., recalls a particularly troublesome security breach on a project site at the University of British Columbia.

“Somebody got onto the site, tampered with the handrail system, which was a cable system, [cutting] halfway through it,” he says. “Here’s a system that’s protecting people from falling, and we didn’t realize it was vandalized in this capacity, and it could have had catastrophic if not fatal consequences.”

Rick Eggert, a general superintendent at Turner, adds that these incidents also affect clients that require the company to keep mum on sensitive project details.

“During the project, it’s of the utmost

importance to them sometimes that no one knows what we’re building for them or how we’re building it or the details of it,” he says. “There’s impact to our reputation as well. If we’re running sites and there’s vandalism and security issues and you get a bad reputation, it affects our ability to get more work.”

Rockmacher echoes Eggert, adding that theft and vandalism “can have a trickle down effect that can affect the job and the whole project.”

For Duffy, on-site security only goes so far. He says the courts should stiffen up the fines in order to deter theft and intrusion on construction sites.

“We’re already dealing with a shortage of skilled people in the industry, and then you’re dealing with the theft of your tools and your building supplies and it just drives up the cost of doing business,” Duffy says.

“At the end of the day, if everybody has to start getting security and incorporating their losses into the next build… it’s all rolling back to the people that are building these buildings and the people that are renting them. It’s not just one contractor.”

CHANGING OF THE GUARD Traditional site security methods that relied heavily on guarding have undergone an evolution in the last five years, largely due to the emergence of remote site security, according to Robert Barnes, vice-president of EllisDon’s Energy and Digital Solutions Group, the company’s in-house security provider.

The shift centres mainly on replacing traditional guards with technology, usually cameras. “The issue that we have on our sites is to be able to provide the required level of security coverage for both theft and intrusion,” he says. “And, obviously, everyone is aware of the issues with people’s desire to climb tower cranes for whatever reason.”

While less common, crane climbers and rooftoppers that make construction sites their playgrounds present a considerable security threat.

In August 2018, a woman was apprehended after scaling and damaging a crane at an EllisDon condo development

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“For the construction industry, it’s the balance between level of security and cost of that security.”

– Rick Eggert, Turner Construction site along Toronto’s waterfront.

Though, the incident was just the latest in a string of similar escapades in recent years.

“It’s extremely dangerous, to the person and to the public,” Sidhu says of rooftopping. “Everyone wants their hit for their next five seconds of fame by getting those cool pictures. They’re cool pictures, but not worth it.”

Controlling access to a job site around the clock can protect contractors against those intrusions, Jason Simpson, the Canadian manager of Corporate Risk Services at G4S, a security solutions provider, advises.

“Without the proper access control, those things can happen,” he says.

“Construction sites have a lot of people moving around them… You don’t want people roaming around your site that you don’t know are there.”

Leveraging a mix of remote monitoring technology and guarding services can seriously bolster site security, Barnes adds.

Though, Simpson says the basics are still a good place to start.

“The fundamentals still work,” he says.

“Lots of locks, fences, posted signage, notices, lots of identification and record keeping of materials and assets, proper lighting, proper cameras and surveillance

systems, alarms, good-quality people.”

Jared Freeman, risk management specialist at Aviva Canada, says contractors should also avoid leaving valuable toolboxes – a “hot item of thieves” – in unsecured vehicles.

He adds that simple, cost-effective solutions, such as disconnecting batteries, removing wheels and ignition fuses, parking equipment in clusters and installing engine immobilizers and hidden fuel cut-offs, to name a few, can be highly effective.

“All industries experience theft, and it’s sort of mitigating those little thefts, those ‘death by a thousand cuts,’ that is really going to help make site security on a construction site a little better,” Simpson says.

Still, for Duffy, there’s no one-size-fitsall solution to site security.

“The only way to prevent it is very good quality cameras, but that’s all hinging on where you’re working, if there’s access to satellite feed and power,” Duffy says. “What might be good on site A is no good on site B, C, D and E.” Taking the location and size of a project into account is an essential aspect of on-site security. In a project to build a casino in Vancouver’s notoriously crime-ridden lower east side, EllisDon enlisted an

arsenal of preventative measures.

“You’re going to have more issues at that site than you would have elsewhere.

That’s why we used a combination of cameras, remote monitoring and guarding services, because the site required it,” Barnes says. “And it was a large site.

So based on the size of the site that also creates more challenges for you.”

At Turner Construction, the contractor will adjust its security needs to meet the different phases of a project. Fit-for-purpose rooms, expanded security systems in highly sensitive areas and the use of security guards are all key tactics.

“We build that into our budget,” Eggert says. “For the construction industry, it’s the balance between level of security and cost of that security. It’s always a challenge because we’re in a competitive market, we’re bidding against other people, and how much is too much and how much is enough? We have these debates with project managers and superintendents all the time and with owners, because they’re ultimately paying the price.”

ACCOUNTABILITY On-site security requires a buy-in from the entire team, Simpson says, adding that contractors often overlook a key resource at their disposal – the workers.

“That lost time and lost materials and lost tools can affect the entire team,” he says. “If everyone feels like they have a stake in the project and a stake in the site, they’re going to be less likely to overlook a sub-contractor of a sub-contractor looking and moving where they’re not supposed to be or taking materials off-site.”

Eggert echoes Simpson, adding that an investment in site security doesn’t just benefit a single job site, but the entire industry. He says all stakeholders on a project have a responsibility to make the job site less attractive for theft.

“We all share the same workforce. We want them to be safe,” Eggert says. “We want them to have good experiences on our sites. Collectively, as business operators, we need to support that… We have, as the construction industry, a huge responsibility to make our sites as secure as possible.” on-sitemag.com / 37

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PICS & SHOVELS

POINT OF VIEW On-Site unveils winners of its first-ever Canadian Construction Photo Contest 2018 WAS A MARKEDLY BUSY YEAR FOR CANADA’S BUILDERS. Shovels hit the ground coast-to-coast on major infrastructure projects – from early work on the long-awaited Gordie Howe Bridge to the last leg of Calgary’s intricate ring road. Construction also progressed upwards on skyline-altering builds, such as Toronto’s The One and Edmonton’s Stantec Tower, which is now the tallest Canadian building outside Ontario.

To commemorate the flurry of construction activity in 2018, On-Site put out a call for the industry to share the year’s most memorable projects in pictures.

The inaugural Canadian Construction Photo Contest encouraged entries from amateurs and professional photographers alike. Among the short list of stipulations, the images needed to be taken on Canadian soil some time in 2018.

The industry didn’t disappoint. Submissions not only shine a spotlight on Canadian construction over the 12-month period, but also display the tenacious drive of the nation’s builders.

The On-Site team selected the winning image, as well as five finalists, while focussing on composition, originality and intent, clarity and quality, lighting and exposure and colour.

Most impressive, though, was the winning shot taken on a Taggart Construction Ltd. job site in the Ottawa area. Gracing this issue’s cover, the photo puts a face to the industry, depicting a labourer rigging a large concrete storm pipe for placement by an excavator at the Hazeldean Craig subdivision in Stittsville, Ont. In recognition of Taggart’s submission, On-Site has made a donation in the company’s name to the charity of its choice, the Ottawa Hospital Foundation.

We thank all entrants for their submissions and ask readers to check out on-sitemag.com for more images from the 2018 contest. We also encourage builders from across the country to hold onto the pictures they snap in 2019.

On-Site plans to launch this year’s contest in December.

Company: Taggart Construction Ltd. Photographer: William P. McElligott Location: Stittsville, Ont. Date: Winter 2018

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PICS & SHOVELS FINALISTS From transit infrastructure and bridge construction, to residential and commercial development work, the incredible diversity of the country’s construction industry is on full display in On-Site’s round-up of the five finalists.

Below ground level, work progresses on the multibillion-dollar Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit project.

The shot, submitted by Aecon Group Inc., offers an elevated view of the construction activity underway by the Crosslinx Transit Solutions consortium, comprised of Aecon, EllisDon, ASC-Dragados and SNC-Lavalin.

Set to wrap up in 2021, the decade-long undertaking to build a 19-kilometre light rail line across midtown Toronto was the largest transit infrastructure project on Canadian soil in 2018.

Company: Aecon Group Inc. Photographer: Rick Radell Location: Toronto Date: Fall 2018

A worker watches from below during a nighttime bridge lift on Highway 1 in Abbotsford. Spanning 78 metres and weighing 94,000 kilograms (208,000 pounds), the Salton Road steel bridge was lifted by a 550T mobile crane.

“I was walking around the bridge as the lift commenced to ensure that everything was going to plan when I paused to take this photograph,” Aidan Connell, project manager, said. “We had several lighting rigs set up around the bridge to assist the workers and they lit up the underside of the bridge as a fog started to creep in.”

Company: Graham Infrastructure LP Photographer: Aidan Connell, project manager Location: Abbotsford, B.C. Date: Fall 2018

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Pictured, the two-tower Eau du Soleil project looks across Humber Bay toward downtown Toronto.

Shot with a drone, this submission shines a spotlight on Toronto’s ever-evolving skyline and the distinctive condo project, which has been under construction since 2015. The building includes “Water Tower,” topping out at 50 storeys, and “Sky Tower” that extends 67 storeys above street level. Spearheaded by developer and contractor Empire Communities, the project is slated for completion in 2020.

Company: Empire Communities Photographer: View from Above Productions Location: Etobicoke, Ont. Date: Fall 2018

Workers watch as a pre-assembled piece of tunnel is lowered into place under a set of Canadian flags.

Part of a $2.1 billion project to build the latest segment of Ottawa’s light rail transit system, the photo depicts construction of the Canadian Rideau Station West Entrance Shaft lining, which will form the longest escalator tunnel in the country.

Each section was placed down on rails, then expanded when in location to the appropriate tunnel size, according to William Coleman, construction manager at OLRT Constructors, a joint venture comprising EllisDon, SNC-Lavalin and Dragados Canada.

“It was a big accomplishment to see the tunnel being formed,” William Coleman, construction manager, said.

Company: Ottawa Light Rail Transit (OLRT) Constructors Photographer: Leon Switzer, Front Page Media Group Location: Ottawa Date: Spring 2018

Company: Broccolini Photographer: Russell Beach Location: Ottawa Date: Fall 2018

Montreal-based contractor and real estate development firm Broccolini captures the sprawling construction site for Amazon’s new Ottawa distribution centre.

This aerial shot offers a birds-eye view of the one million square foot facility, which has been under construction since August 2018. Slated to open in the summer of 2019, the centre, where workers will pick and pack online purchases for shipment, will be the largest industrial facility ever built in the area. on-sitemag.com / 41

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SOFTWARE

By Jacob Stoller

Cyber security in the digital age Data and tools once dominated cyber security. Today, people have a far larger role to play

T

he phrase “data security” has recently been replaced by “cyber security, ” but this isn’t just a matter of fashionable buzzwords. The newer term reflects the fact that staying secure involves a lot more than protecting a company’s data. Furthermore, cyber security has become a public issue and as such, is the subject of intense regulation.

Cyber crime has become a lot more common, in part because the tools and methods used by perpetrators are now widely available, encouraging smaller players who pursue smaller targets.

“The tactics of the ‘bad guys’ have changed,” says Chris Dill, chief information officer of Omaha-based Kiewit Technology Group.

“They’re perfectly satisfied to steal from an individual if they can get their bank account, as opposed to trying to make a big score against a big enterprise.”

“And then, of course, if they get an employee to do something they wouldn’t do if they had awareness, now they have the keys to the kingdom. So it’s changed how you have to protect, how you have to train, and what you have to watch for and monitor.”

In this new scenario, criminals are likely to pursue individuals in any vertical, including construction. “If you think, ‘We’re just a construction company, why would anybody want to do us any harm? Therefore, we’re fine,’ that would be a fatal error,” Dill says.

Along with this, construction is now facing much tighter regulation, either directly, or through customer or partner security requirements.

“If you’re in banking,” Dill says “that regulation’s nothing new to you. But in industries like construction, it’s very new, and it’s come very fast, and companies are really backpedalling trying to figure out how to accommodate that.”

Dill has substantially increased his cyber security spend in the past two years, and last year, he gave a cyber security briefing for Kiewit’s board of directors for the first time. “That wasn’t even on their radar two years ago,” he says.

In Canada, the emerging standard for compliance is SOC2, an acronym for Service Organization Control. The standard covers a broad range of cyber security issues, outlined in what’s termed the five Trust Principles, namely: • Security: Protection against unauthorized access.

• Availability: Assurance of uninterrupted operation.

• Processing Integrity: Systems have not been compromised.

• Confidentiality: Confidentiality observed as per commitments.

• Privacy: Personal information is collected, used, retained, and disclosed in conformity with industry requirements.

For Edmonton-based PCL Constructors, which moved aggressively to the cloud nearly five years ago, SOC2 helps identify potential cloud partners, some of which are start-ups or smaller providers.

“We’re a cloud-first company,” says Chris Palmer, senior manager for Advanced Technology Services, PCL, “so we do a lot of due diligence with our providers. We want to know who is providing their security, what their governance procedures are, how they manage their platform, and that sort of thing. The SOC2 report and audit results give us an independent validation of their security practices, and help us assess the risk involved.”

SOC2, however, may only be a beginning.

“In our assessment, SOC2 is one of the first questions that we ask,” Palmer says, “but it’s one of 20 or 30. We continue to refine our process, but you also have to be willing to trust that the company is forthright, and follows through with their security measures. So we really try to build good relationships with each of the companies in order to get some assurance.”

CHANGING THE CULTURE With every individual in the company a potential target, employee cyber-awareness is a must. Kiewit and PCL both provide mandatory training for all their employees on an ongoing basis.

“We kicked off cyber-security awareness training last year,” Dill says. “Every employee at Kiewit does an online training class, and has to effectively pass a test at the end of training.”

PCL also runs special campaigns in response to current threats. For example, there has been a recent wave of well-crafted phishes that use construction industry terminology in order to trick an unwitting employee into clicking on a link or divulging sensitive information.

The bottom line is that cyber security is no longer the preserve of a specialized technical group in the IT department, but a company-wide concern that requires not just investment, but constant attention.

“Cyber security’s not something you just throw money at,” Palmer says. “It’s something you actively need to be thinking about in every initiative and every project. That’s one of the bigger changes that I’m seeing here.”

Jacob Stoller is principal of StollerStrategies. Send comments to editor@on-sitemag.com

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ADVERTISERS’ INDEX & WEBSITES

Adrian Steel...................... www.AdrianSteel.com ...........................................11

Navistar............................ www.internationaltrucks.com ...............................31

Bluebeam.......................... www.bluebeam.com ..............................................26

Quikrete............................ www.quikrete.com ................................................28

Bobcat.............................. www.bobcat.com/toughconstruction ......................4

Sany America.................... www.sanyamerica.com .........................................48

CONEXPO.......................... www.conexpoconagg.com .....................................47

Takeuchi............................ www.takeuchi-us.com ..........................................22

Doosan.............................. www.doosanequipment.com/tough .......................15

Uline................................. www.uline.ca ........................................................21

Freightliner....................... www.Freightliner.com .........................................2, 3

Vacuworx........................... www.vacuworx.com ...............................................34

Glysomed.......................... www.glysomed.ca .................................................45

Wacker Neuson.................. www.wackerneuson.com .......................................19

ICUEE................................ www.icuee.com .......................................................9

Wajax................................ www.wajax.com ......................................................6

Mack................................. www.MackTrucks.com/NoPain ..............................24

Western Star...................... www.westernstar.com .....................................12, 13

Mapei................................ www.mapei.com ...................................................32

EARN YOUR PLACE AT THE TOP

Ready to climb to the next rung of the ladder? Take On-Site’s annual

Top Contractors survey today

Learn more at on-sitemag.com/top-contractors/

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RISK

By David Bowcott

Connecting the dots between technology and capital

Y

ou may have noticed that a number of articles I’ve penned in the last year have had a strong technology leaning. It isn’t a coincidence.

There’s absolutely no doubt that over the last few years Silicon Valley has discovered the potential of applying software to the construction industry. In that time, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting with well over 1,000 technology companies, at various stages of development, that are preventing and mitigating major risks normally encountered during construction or once an asset enters its operational phase.

As discussed in previous columns, several advancements in the tech sector are creating a massive wave of innovation in the technology serving the physical world. To name a few: the internet of things, machine learning/artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, computer vision data capture, robotics, 3-D printing, innovations in engineered systems, and the list goes on.

Within construction, I’ve seen many of the leading design firms and contractors in Canada, as well as globally, making changes to keep up with the pace of innovation. Several of these firms have created a new position related to technology and/ or innovation. Titles like chief technology officer, chief innovation officer, enterprise intelligence officer, virtual design officer, and head of strategy and innovation are new to the construction sector and are growing at a rapid pace. These individuals are scouring the world looking for innovative solutions that will improve productivity and reduce risk. Further, these new breeds of executives are collaborating with like-minded individuals at other construction stakeholders to develop new solutions for their joint projects.

As I’ve been exposed more and more to the people taking on these new roles over the past few years, a few things stand out. While they seem to be very well connected to the operations leaders within their organization, they don’t seem to be working as closely with their risk management leadership or their banking/ finance leadership.

The risk manager and finance manager, usually a CFO or vice-president of finance or equity services, are vital roles within any construction organization. They control the relationships to key sources of capital – insurance capital in the case of the risk manager and surety/banking/project finance capital in the case of the finance manager. These individuals must also team up with external broker partners to map out and assess how their construction organization is managing risk.

The story of how your organization manages risk is vital to helping your firm secure the best insurance, surety, banking and project finance terms. Given how influential some of these new technologies are in preventing and mitigating key risks to your business, it’s paramount that risk and finance managers are plugged into the changes the new technology leadership is implementing.

The most compelling reason for all the leaders within your organization to align themselves more closely on these technologies is that those supplying the capital for the projects you work on base their terms on their perception your organization – particularly how you manage risks that could lead to an insurance loss or a credit default. With new technologies reducing the risk of loss and credit default quite dramatically, conveying this to your sources of capital could create significant savings as insurers, surety companies, banks and sources of project finance improve their terms. If you choose the right technology stack for your company and projects, you could potentially pay for the tech stack solely from the savings realized on better terms from your sources of capital.

Not only will the implementation of these technologies provide your company, and your projects by association, a greater likelihood of being on-time, on-budget, and operationally sound from project delivery standpoint, but you could have them paid for by the capital that supports your company and your projects.

Given these compelling facts, I strongly encourage you to work with your trusted advisors to develop the best narrative you can to share with insurers, financiers and owners. Such stories will require more than anecdotal evidence of risk reduction. Empirical proof is a must in order to achieve the optimal improvement in terms. Ensure you have full access to the growing sources of data that provide clear evidence of the risk-impacting benefits new technologies offer and that you’re able to project the impact of these solutions on loss ratios and credit defaults.

In the long run, fostering closer communication between your technology implementors and those that manage relationships with your sources of risk and finance capital is a move you won’t regret.

David Bowcott is Global Director – Growth, Innovation & Insight, Global Construction and Infrastructure Group at Aon Risk Solutions. Please send comments to editor@on-sitemag.com.

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CONTRACTORS & THE LAW

By Siobhan Small

How do you know when it’s really over? Types of “project complete”

P

roject wrap-up entails a variety of legal processes, including the release of contract and statutory holdback funds, shifting responsibility for insurance coverage, and commencing lien filing and statutory limitation periods. These processes often turn on a project achieving completion.

The complicating question is, what constitutes “completion.”

Whether or not your responsibilities on a project have come to an end depends on the contractual structure of the project and your role within that structure. This article outlines the various definitions of “complete” as it applies to a construction project.

Make sure to understand which definition applies to you before you assume your contract is complete and you begin taking steps related to holdbacks, insurance, or other claims.

FINAL COMPLETION Final completion is the term most commonly used in the context of project finance. It occurs when the project has achieved all the technical and performance requirements set out in the prime contract and the final payment has been made to the contractor.

Not only is the original scope of work finished, but all remediation work identified in the punch list is complete. The contractor must also have paid the owner any applicable delay or performance liquidated damages.

The project has not achieved final completion until the contractor has transferred control of the site to the owner, including title to all materials and equipment used in the construction of the project that the contractor is not entitled to retain.

SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION Substantial completion is the more common trigger for project wrap-up. Once a project is deemed substantially complete, the owner of the project can usually take possession of the project and begin commercial operations. The definition of substantial completion, unfortunately, can be complicated.

The milestone occurs when the project satisfies certain performance requirements. A contract that requires substantial completion of the project may define those parameters by stipulating that the project be able to perform the required service at a set minimum level. Alternatively, substantial completion can rely on a statutory definition. The confusion lies in the fact that the completion of a contract can differ from the completion of a project, and often only one can trigger the legal processes listed above. The applicable term depends largely on whether the project involves a “prime” or “head” contract.

PROJECTS WITH HEAD CONTRACTORS Where there is a head contractor, the project is substantially complete when that head contract is complete. Alternatively, the project is complete when the head contract is validly certified to be complete (take a look at On-Site’s October 2018 Law Column for further details). This completion date applies to all contracts across the project by default.

Because of this default position, subcontractors may achieve completion long before the head contractor, sometimes by years.

Subcontractors relying on this default completion deadline could thus be deprived of holdback funds potentially for years after leaving the work site. To prevent such hardship, it is possible to certify subcontracts complete prior to completion of a general contract. While the project will not be considered substantially complete, the subcontract work will be and will thus trigger the legal consequences for that aspect of the project without consequence to the project as a whole. In that case, the subcontract holdback can be released early, along with an equal amount of the general contract holdback.

PROJECTS WITHOUT HEAD CONTRACTORS Where there is no head contractor, the project is considered complete when the project (or a substantial part of it) is in use or ready for use for its intended purpose. Certification can still be performed for individual contracts, but the project itself is only complete when it meets the “ready for use” test.

Pay special attention to the “intended purpose” element of that test. Just because a project is occupied in some way does not necessarily mean it is complete. For example, a residential building is not “substantially complete” just because a ground floor commercial office is in use. The residential building has to be inhabitable by residential tenants to qualify as “ready for use.”

Do not rely on the “ready for use” test as evidence of substantial completion if there is a head contractor. Also remember that only contracts and subcontracts can be certified complete, not projects or scopes of work.

Applying the wrong definition of “complete” is a common mistake, but one that can result in inaccurate claims of completion which can undermine a claim defence or lead contractors to forgo legal rights.

This article is for information purposes only and may not be relied on for legal advice. Please send comments to editor@on-sitemag.com.

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