Skip to main content

It’s Hot Out There! Be Safe!

All around Georgia, friends and family are enjoying their summers. Whether it is spending a day at the water park, exploring the city, or a nice relaxed day at home, everyone is taking advantage of the warmer weather and remembering why we are affectionately known as “Hotlanta.” As we plan our summer workweeks, we must be cognizant of the dangers that come along with the longer and hotter days.

According to a report conducted by the Atlanta headquartered Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) extreme heat is the leading cause of weather related deaths in the United States. The U.S. Environment Protection Agency defines extreme heat as “periods of summertime weather that are substantially hotter and/or more humid than typical for a given location at that time of year.” These events can also cause other health problems such as cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke, which can become potentially fatal. Fortunately for us, heat-related illnesses are preventable.

As an active member of the AGC, RKR is participating this week in the “Stand Down on Heat Illness” training event. During the week of June 27, 2016, all our jobsite employees will stop work and participate in a toolbox safety meeting on the subject of heat illness where we will provide effective communication of safety policies, goals and expectations to all levels of the construction team and supporting employees. At RKR, we are committed to safe work environments on every jobsite. We believe that this is a tremendous opportunity to keep our teams healthy and projects moving forward.

Benjamin Franklin once wisely said “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” If the following preventative measures are taken on the jobsite, the likelihood of having an incident because of heat illness will drastically decrease. First, workers should become acclimatized to heat. Workers need to gradually work for longer periods in a hot environment. This simple step will allow for physiological adaptions, such as increased sweating efficiency and stabilization of the circulation.

Another crucial step is staying hydrated. Workers on the site should drink two to four cups of water every hour while working; liquids containing large amounts of sugar should be avoided – and don’t wait until you are thirsty! Dressing appropriately for the heat can go a long way. Consider wearing moisture wicking lightweight clothes and accessorizing your hard hat with a hardhat brim will help keep you cool and protect you from sunburn. Lastly, breaks are highly encouraged in the heat. We know that we all take pride in our work and that we have tasks that we try to complete before the day’s end, but breaks in the share or air-conditioned facilities make a big difference in the quality of work that we can accomplish. We urge all workers that if you feel faint or weak to stop immediately and get to a cool environment, your health and well-being is our top priority.

So enjoy these long summer days but be smart in the heat and out in the sun.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

AGC Georgia Receives National Recognition for Association Excellence

Atlanta, GA, Sept. 30, 2014 – The Associated General Contractors of Georgia, Inc. (AGC Georgia) announced today they are the recipient of the prestigious 2014 Large Chapter of the Year Award presented by The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC of America). This award was given out at a gala dinner in front of 350 industry leaders from across the U.S. who participated in AGC of America’s recent annual National and Chapter Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. Representing AGC Georgia at this conference include Randall Redding, President of R. K. Redding Construction, Inc., in Bremen and Trey Anderson, President of Anderson Construction Company of Fort Gaines, the Chapter’s 2014-15 president and vice president, as well as Mike Dunham and Mark Woodall, AGC Georgia’s CEO and director of governmental affairs. With a national network of 94 Chapters and 25,000 member firms in the AGC organization, “receiving this award is an incredible honor for us and our membership thro

Laura Boalch, Technical College System of Georgia Q&A

Q: Please share with us your background and how you came to work at TCSG. A: In the mid 1990’s, I began working in the Legislative Budget Office (LBO). In this role, we were charged with the development of the state budget for TCSG (then Department of Technical and Adult Education - DTAE) and various other agencies for the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia State Senate. At that time, admittedly, I knew very little about the Technical College System of Georgia as I had taken the more traditional route of attending the University of West Georgia to earn my BBA in Accounting. During my time at LBO, I had the opportunity to travel around the state visiting TCSG campuses. After talking with students, faculty, and staff at the colleges, I soon learned the purpose of what we do at TCSG and why we do it—to supply local business and industry with a skilled workforce. I was fascinated with the mission of the system and the passion of the faculty and staff. I quickly realized th

Workforce Development

Over the past five years, the State of Georgia has focused efforts on economic development and has done a tremendous job of attracting industry to the state. Now, as we look to the future, questions arise about how we continue to maintain the same level of success. One of the challenges born from a strong economy is the continued lack of skilled workforce. We have heard this theme time and time again, specifically within the construction industry. But, as the Georgia economy booms, what is the state doing to connect its economic development efforts with its workforce development initiatives? And, more importantly, what can we do to change the perceptions and encourage today’s youth to explore careers in manufacturing, logistics, construction and other related trades? As has been the case for years now, businesses are having a hard time finding the right talent for the job. As the years pass, the strain to find talent becomes more real and businesses are left frustrated and unable to

Strong Foundations | Summer 2019

A Message from Randall Redding While we continue to pray for the safe keeping of those that endured Hurricane Dorian, it’s clear that the summer heat hasn’t left us yet. I hope you will enjoy this latest issue of RKR’s Strong Foundations newsletter. Workforce development continues to be a top priority for the construction industry. The first article is about how it’s time for a shift in thinking in how to tackle the issue. As the state works to connect businesses in need with programs that train workforce, we need to look to change the way we think and encourage kids to consider opportunities outside of a traditional four-year college education. We also interview Laura Boalch, who is the Technical College System of Georgia’s Deputy Commissioner for Economic Development. In addition to discussing with Laura what the colleges provide in terms of training in economic development, she shares programs to impact the industry’s workforce development initiative. Thanks for your

Strong Foundations | Spring 2019

A Message from Randall Redding With spring fully upon us, it’s wonderful to enjoy the weather and spend time with family. I am excited to share the latest issue of the  Strong Foundations newsletter. In the first article, we spoke to Eric McDonald, President & CEO of Greater Haralson Chamber of Commerce, and Daniel Jackson, President & CEO of Carroll County Chamber of Commerce. They are members of the Greater West Georgia Joint Development Authority (GWGJDA), which has grown to represent seven area counties that work together on multi-county projects to benefit West Georgia residents. The other article discusses the recent trend of building with modular and prefabricated construction materials. This method of off-site construction and then transported to the worksite offers many advantages, but it does have its setbacks. At RKR, we will continue to examine new ways to solve the complex issues facing our industry, always with our client’s goals in mind. Thanks for