General Contractors Association of Hawaii Commemorates Construction Safety Week with a “Safety Stand-Down” at Sand Island Waste Water Treatment Center
May 2, 2023
In celebration of Construction Safety Week (May 1 – 5), the General Contractors Association of Hawaii (GCA) partnered with GCA members Hensel Phelps and Goodfellow Bros., two of the state’s largest general contractors, to hold a “safety stand-down” and demonstration at the Sand Island Waste Water Treatment Center on Tuesday, May 2, 2023.
“Safety is everyone’s kuleana,” said Steve Baginski, 2023 GCA president. “We have to be each other’s eyes and ears at job sites. Our goal is to make sure everyone returns home safely to their families after their shift. Even one injury is too many. We can never let our guards down or become complacent.”
“Construction is a pillar of our local economy. Many of our GCA member companies are looking forward to Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and other federal funds that have been allocated for Hawaii to make their way into our local economy,” Baginski added. “We’re taking action to be ready for these projects and that includes making sure we have outstanding safety records and have completed all of the necessary safety training to qualify for contracts.”
Tristan Aldeguer, senior safety manager of Hensel Phelps, shared the safety topic of the day with about 100 Hensel Phelps employees at the Sand Island Wastewater Treatment Plant during a safety stand-down” during Construction Safety Week from May 1 – 5, 2023.
Technology is increasingly being integrated into new construction equipment to enhance safety. As part of the safety stand-down, Hensel Phelps and Goodfellow Bros. demonstrated new sensor technology for heavy equipment that can detect blindspots to prevent workers on the ground from being accidentally struck.
LEFT: Sensory technology and monitors built into an excavator, similar to what is installed on the dashboard of cars, allow operators to monitor blindspots to avoid safety incidents at job sites or in confined public spaces where there may be pedestrians.
RIGHT: Using a watermelon, Hensel Phelps and Goodfellows Bros, members of the General Contractors Association of Hawaii, demonstrated what can happen when the bucket of an excavator is not installed properly and the potential impact on workers at a job site. The demonstration was held at the Sand Island Wastewater Treatment Plant, as part of Construction Safety Week from May 1 – 5, 2023.
“The industry is embracing technology and it is giving our people more tools to ensure worker safety. From 360 cameras installed on heavy equipment to artificial intelligence software that can identify risk by using historical data such as project procurement, budget, staffing, supervisor training, foreman to craft ratio, location, weather, hours worked, etc. Innovations like these are preventing injuries and saving lives” said Adam Cotton, Director of Safety and Health with Hensel Phelps, who was named the 2022 Safety Professional of the Year by the American Society of Safety Professionals, Hawaii Chapter.
MAHALO TO THE GCA MEMBERS FOR THEIR CONSTRUCTION SAFETY WEEK PHOTOS!
