OSHA announced the revision to the final rule on Friday, August 28th, a change that was lauded by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), the National Association of Home Builders, and the Mason Contractors of America. In construction, the industry groups argued, there is very little risk to significant exposure to beryllium, even when performing abrasive blasting or welding operations where beryllium is most likely to present itself. General industry, on the other hand, is much more likely to have high exposure to the substance and will have more stringent requirements.
“The final rule amends the following paragraphs in the beryllium standards for construction and shipyards: Definitions, Methods of Compliance, Respiratory Protection, Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment, Housekeeping, Hazard Communication, Medical Surveillance, and Recordkeeping. OSHA has removed the Hygiene Areas and Practices paragraph from the final standards because the necessary protections are provided by existing OSHA standards for sanitation,” OSHA explained in their trade release about the rule revision.
These changes will be in effect starting on September 20, 2020 and OSHA expects the changes to affect 12,000 workers across 2,800 businesses in the construction and shipyard industries.
“A comprehensive beryllium standard regulating all of construction was unnecessary and would divert resources from contractors away from other, higher safety priorities,” said Greg Sizemore, ABC vice president of HSE and workforce development, in a press release. “OSHA’s analysis of its own sampling data demonstrates that exposures from construction operations are highly unlikely to exceed the action level in typical circumstances. Importantly, employers are still required to comply with the applicable provisions of the beryllium standard in cases when a particular construction jobsite contains high levels of beryllium, for example, at a beryllium manufacturing facility.”
A Couple of years ago, exoskeleton maker, Ekso Bionics, released the EksoVest, which was a lighter weight, upper body support mechanism that provided lift support to the wearer. After real world testing and customer feedback, Ekso Bionics has released the next generation of the EksoVest, called EVO.
via Ekso Bionics
The Ekso EVO is a slimmer, sleeker, and lighter weight version of the EksoVest that also promises a reduced cost, more comfort, and reduced heat while still providing plenty of support for the user. Like the previous mode, the EVO does not require a power source to get the benefits, it uses a passive, spring loaded system to provide 5-15 pounds of lift assistance in each arm.
The company says the new vest should also offer additional flexibility, while maintaining the ruggedness necessary at a construction site or manufacturing plant. Their goal with the EVO is to help reduce shoulder, neck, and back injuries from overhead work, repetitive tasks, and overexertion.
Perhaps even more importantly, the EVO is compatible with standard safety harnesses when working from heights. It’s also able to be put on and controlled without the help of another person.
“Through working closely with our customers, we gained tremendous insights and feedback that help us evolve EVO to better meet their needs and provide a programmatic solution to some of their most complicated ergonomic problems,” said Michael Pratt, vice president at Ekso Bionics, in a press release. “By augmenting human capabilities, EVO was designed to relieve the burden on industrial workers and provide them with a technology solution that improves their quality of life. True to our mission, we are now offering a flexible acquisition model that will lower the capital barrier and allow more industrial workers access to the latest exoskeleton technology.”
While Ekso Bionics has stated the EVO will be lighter and less expensive than the EksoVest, it has not released the specifics. The EksoVest retailed for about $7,000 and weighed 9.5 pounds, so we at least know it won’t go over either of those figures.
For more information, check out their EVO Introduction video below:
Announced last week, Lowe’s will be rolling out a tool rental program for contractors. Starting with their first tool rental department opening on August 20th at one of their Charlotte, North Carolina stores, the home center will continue to expand the concept throughout the country over the next few years.
Each tool rental department will contain:
Commercial-grade equipment, from manufacturers such as Husqvarna, Bosch, Metabo HPT, and Skilsaw, among others
A wide assortment of tool and equipment categories, such as concrete tools, ladders, paint & drywall, plumbing & pumps, power tools, tile saws, demolition tools, trailers, welding equipment, trenchers, and more.
In store self-service kiosks for checkout, digital documentation, and the ability to reserve tools online
4,000 square feet of space for tool service, on-site cleaning, and product demos
The tool rental areas will not be taking away from the existing floor space, the company says, and each store that adds the service will either be expanded or take over a spot adjacent to an existing store.
"For all of our customers, having the right tool is key to every project, but they may not always want to purchase a new tool or piece of equipment. Lowe's Tool Rental helps customers save on the cost of owning, maintaining and storing the tools they need," said Fred Stokes, senior vice president of Pro Sales and Services for Lowe's. "As the new home for Pros, offering tool rental is just another way we are committed to keeping them working. Whether a Pro's tool fails on the job, needs a repair or they're looking to try something new, tool rental will allow them to get back to the jobsite faster, saving them time and money."
Five months after the initial nationwide shutdowns and we’re still, unfortunately, in the middle of the Coronavirus Pandemic. What we know about the virus differs greatly since day 1 and continues to evolve over time, so it’s important to continually recalibrate your efforts to keep your employees and your jobsite safe and healthy.
The Construction Industry Safety Alliance (CISC), has recently updated their COVID-19 Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Plan for Construction. The purpose of the resource guide is “to outline the steps that every employer and employee can take to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19,” the guide states. The 22 page guide covers a variety of topics, including:
Responsibilities of Managers and Supervisors
Responsibilities of Employees
Job Site Protective Measures
Job Site Cleaning and Disinfecting
Job Site Exposure Situations
OSHA Recordkeeping
Confidentiality/Privacy
Letter Templates
Checklists
Toolbox Talks
If your company is struggling to come up with a solid plan to handle these difficult exposure situations, this guide is an excellent place to start. It’s also a great resource to check against your own policies to see if anything needs updated.
As mentioned above, the CISC recently updated the guide based on new information learned about the virus. The updates are highlighted in red in the guide itself and cover topics like:
COVID-19 Symptoms
Jobsite Visitor screening questions
Face Covering Guidance
Jobsite Exposure Situations
When to record a COVID-19 case on the OSHA 300 log
COVD-10 Checklist for both employers and employees
You can find more information about the CISC’s COVID-19 Exposure Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Plan for Construction and other useful resources about COVID-19 at their website: http://www.buildingsafely.org/covid-19-coronavirus/
There are some pretty cool ways to get to remote and difficult to navigate jobsites, like helicopters and this blimp-like aircraft, but I’ve never seen something quite as relatively affordable and attainable as the Fat Truck.
The Fat Truck 2.8 C, created by Zeal Motor Inc., is a four wheeled all-terrain off road vehicle that can not only haul materials and 8 total passengers to a remote job site, but can also float on water. The vehicle is designed for transporting work crews to difficult to navigate sites, where a bus would have trouble driving to and where a helicopter might be too expensive.
Specializing in power line, pipeline, telecommunications, wind farm, and first responder rescue missions, the Fat Truck is not only useful, but something people that aren’t even in their target audience can appreciate and enjoy.
The vehicle weighs a hefty 6,000, can haul 2,200 pounds of material or people inside, and can reach a top speed of 20mph. It’s controlled by a one-handed joystick and has a built-in compressor in order to inflate or deflate the tires, which are 5 feet tall and 2 feet wide, based on the needs of the terrain.
via CAT and Zeal Motors, Inc.
Fuel consumption is not measured by miles per gallon on a piece of equipment like this, but the manufacturer says that it will use 1.1 to 1.5 gallons per hour of use, enough efficiency for a full days work.
For safety, the Fat Truck is certified as a Rollover Protective Structure and also includes a glass hammer to break the tempered glass windows in case passengers are trapped inside.
The Fat Truck is powered by a Cat 2.2C industrial engine, which delivers 67 horsepower to push the vehicle over the rough terrain. The engine is positioned in the center of the vehicle’s interior for better balance. There is a removable panel surrounding the engine to access for service.
A variety of customization options are available, including roof racks, lights, rear seat belts, radio, roof hatch, back up camera, and amphibious trailers, among others. The base price of the vehicle starts at $127,500.
For more information, you can check out the Fat Truck 2.8 C in action below:
Every year, Milwaukee Tool organizes an invite-only media event, called NPS, in order to showcase dozens of new products that they plan to release over the next year. This year, the company had to pivot to an online event – and everyone is invited.
The online event, called Milwaukee Pipeline, is being split up into 4 different events over the next few months. The first one, showcasing M12, M18, and MX Fuel tools was held last night and we have all of the details.
Here are the highlights:
Multi-Tools and Accessories
Milwaukee didn’t just announce an updated oscillating multi-tool, they released 2 and a bunch of blades.
M12 Fuel Multi-Tool (2526-20)
Estimated release: September 2020
Milwaukee touts that this new M12 OMT provides the fastest 12-volt cut speeds, low vibration, and tool free blade change. The brushless motor is combined with an oscillation angle of 3.9 degrees and oscillations per minute between 10,000 and 20,000.
The M12 OMT will be available in both bare tool for $149 and kitted with an XC4.0 Battery, Charger, a Universal Fit OPEN-LOK Oscillating Multi-Tool Wood Blade, a Multi-Tool Sanding Pad, a 60 Grit Sand Paper, an 80 Grit Sand Paper, (2) 120 Grit Sand Paper, a 240 Grit Sand Paper, and Lunchbox Carrying Bag for $219.
courtesy of Milwaukee Tool
M18 Fuel Multi-Tool (2836-20)
Estimated release: November 2020
The M18 Fuel OMT will release a few months behind its M12 sibling, but also promises fastest cuts and lowest vibration. It does pack a little bit extra punch than the smaller version, with an oscillation angle of 4.2 degrees to go with the 10,000-20,000 OPM. The tool will also feature a 10-setting dial and an Auto-Load function, and a 180 degree LED light.
The M18 OMT will be available in both bare tool and kitted with an XC5.0 Battery, Charger, a Universal Fit OPEN-LOK Oscillating Multi-Tool Wood Blade, a Multi-Tool Sanding Pad, a 60 Grit Sand Paper, an 80 Grit Sand Paper, (2) 120 Grit Sand Paper, and a 240 Grit Sand Paper. Prices have not yet been released.
courtesy of Milwaukee Tool
OMT Blades
Estimated release: Available now
To pair with their new OMT’s, the red brand also recently released a large collection of OMT blades for various applications. There are a ton of them, so I won’t go into much detail, but here’s a rundown of their offerings:
Titanium Enhanced Extreme Metal Carbide Teeth Blade
Titanium Enhanced Bi-Metal Multi-Material Blades
Titanium Enhanced Bi-Metal Metal Blades
Japanese Tooth Hardwood Blades
Wood Blades
Specialty Blades
Sanding Pads
Scrapers
Sealant Cutting Blades
Boot Blades
5-in-1 Drywall Blade
M12 23GA Pin Nailer (2540-20)
Estimated release: Q1 2021
Many believed that this would finally be the year that Milwaukee releases a cordless pinner – and they were right…well, kind of. The brand did surprise us by releasing it on their 12-volt platform, since the other market competitors are all 18 volt, but it won’t actually be available until early next year. Oh well, at least we have something to look forward to.
Milwaukee says this pin nailer will have enough power to shoot ½” to 1-3/8” pins and to fire up to 750 pins per battery charge. It also looks extremely compact for a battery nailer. Like their other battery nailers, this too will employ a nitrogen air spring mechanism for speed, accuracy, and recovery time.
No word on price or kit options just yet.
courtesy of Milwaukee Tool
Impact Wrenches
Milwaukee took another deep dive on impact wrenches this year, after the past couple of years yielding positive results on the market. Their new announcements ranged from an ergonomic compact impact wrench to a beastly 1” d-handle high torque impact wrench. Let’s start with the big guns:
M18 Fuel 1” D-Handle Standard Anvil High Torque Impact Wrench w/ ONE-KEY (2868-20)
Estimated release: August 2020
This beat will be able to deliver 2,000 ft-lbs of nut-busting torque and 1,900 ft-lbs of fastening torque with its 24.4 pound frame (with battery). Though it’s big and powerful, Milwaukee says it can still install up to 200 1-1/4” bolts on a single 12ah battery charge.
The tool also features ONE-KEY to allow users to set a repeatable torque, in addition to customizing settings, tracking its location, and managing the tool through the use of Bluetooth technology.
The new 1” impact wrench will be sold both bare tool and kitted with two 12.0ah batteries, a charger, tool free adjustable handle, lanyard loop, and contractor bag. No pricing has been released yet.
The Extended Anvil impact wrench is very similar to the one mentioned above, but it will provide additional reach and also Lug Nut Mode, which will prevent over tightening of fasteners. When the tool senses that the lug nuts are within 350-450 ft-lbs of the optimal range, it automatically shuts the tool off.
This will also be sold both bare tool and kitted with two 12.0ah batteries, a charger, tool free adjustable handle, lanyard loop, and contractor bag. No pricing has been released yet.
courtesy of Milwaukee Tool
M18 Fuel Compact Impact Wrenches
Estimated release: November 2020
Available in both friction ring and pin detent varieties, these new compact impact wrenches measure only 4.8” in length, weighs 3.9 pounds with battery, and provides up to 250 ft-lbs of nut busting torque. It will also feature an AUTO SHUT-OFF mode, which will only apply a maximum of 20 ft-lbs of torque for hand-tightening fasteners.
The friction ring compact impact wrench will be available in both 3/8” and ½” and the pin detent will be available in ½”. All varieties will be available bare tool or kitted with two 5ah batteries, a charger, and contractor bag.
courtesy of Milwaukee Tool
M18 Fuel Mid-Torque Impact Wrenches
Estimated release: November 2020
These new mid-torque wrenches could provide the sweet spot for many contractors, combining both a reasonable size and weight, as well as packing a punch. The wrenches will features 650 ft-lbs of nut busting torque, while only weighing 5.1 pounds with a battery.
Like the compact impact wrenches, these will also feature an AUTO SHUT-OFF mode, but will apply no more than 35 ft-lbs before shutting off to allow for hand tightening. When reversed, that same mode will deliver full torque to loosen the bolt and then drop the RPMs once it senses the bolt has loosened to prevent fastener drops.
These will also be available in 3 different options: 3/8” friction ring, ½” friction ring, and ½” pin detent. All three will be available bare tool or kitted with two 5.0ah batteries, a charger, and contractor bag.
courtesy of Milwaukee Tool
Cordless Vacuums
Milwaukee has many different vacuum options, but with the ever increasing pressure to keep jobsites as clean as possible, I’m not complaining that they’re releasing 3 more.
M18 Fuel Compact Vacuum (0940-20)
Estimated release: October 2020
The M18 compact vacuum is the most versatile vacuum in this new batch. To provide options for all different cleaning applications, this vacuum comes with 5 different solutions, such as a powered floor tool, a floor tool, a brush tool, a utility tool, and a crevice tool with a flexible hose.
The vacuum also features a two-stage debris separation mechanism, to separate large and small debris. To extend the life of the battery, the tool features a high and low mode, which allow runtimes of up to 18 minutes and 28 minutes on a 5.0 battery pack, respectively.
This tool will only be available bare tool, with all of the attachments mentioned included.
courtesy of Milwaukee Tool
M12 Fuel 1.6 Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum (0960-20)
Estimated release: October 2020
Milwaukee’s 12-volt lineup will also be seeing a new vacuum, with this compact 1.6 gallon wet/dry vacuum. When they first announced this, I was admittedly a bit skeptical, as vacuums are notoriously battery hogs, but Milwaukee says this model will last up to 14 minutes on high and 26 minutes on low with a 6.0 battery back – much longer than I would have expected.
This tool also features an air volume of 45 CFM and will be quieter than most other options at 87 decibels.
The M12 wet/dry vac will be offered in bare tool and kitted with a 6.0ah battery, charger, hose, HEPA filter, crevice tool, utility nozzle, and wall mount kit. Additional accessories like HEPA filters, wet filters, dust bags, brush tool, and power tool adapter will also be available separately.
Perhaps my favorite announcement from the 1st episode of Milwaukee Pipeline was the PACKOUT compatible 2.5 wet/dry vacuum. The widely popular modular storage system, PACKOUT, continues to expand and the addition of a vacuum is welcomed. This vacuum will be the same size as the fairly recently released PACKOUT ammo box and PACKOUT cooler, which are both half the width of the full width cases and 3-times the height of the organizer boxes.
Like the M12 vacuum above, this PACKOUT version will only run at 87 decibels, as well, but will be able to run for up to 30 minutes on high and 50 minutes on low speed with an 8.0ah battery. A power tool dust adapter is also included with this tool. Much appreciated, Milwaukee.
This vacuum will also be sold bare tool, but will include the aforementioned power tool adapter, plus a flexible hose, HEPA filter, crevice tool, and utility nozzle. No pricing has been released.
courtesy of Milwaukee Tool
MX Fuel
While MX Fuel was mentioned, there were no new announcements, only updates to previously announced equipment. Both the 3600W/1800W Power Supply and the Tower Light are expected to be released in “early 2021.” The sewer drum machine with the stair climbing assist POWERTREDZ is available now.
After 31 long months, the construction of Allegiant Stadium, the brand new home of the Las Vegas Raiders has finally completed. The joint venture of Mortenson | McCarthy announced that they have received their certificate of occupancy at the end of July.
In addition to hosting the NFL’s Raiders, the $1.97 Billion stadium will also be the future home to UNLV Football, NCAA’s Las Vegas Bowl, and the PAC-12 football championship games in 2020 (assuming that still happens) and 2021. The structure holds 65,000 seats and features a natural turf field that can move inside and outside of the stadium for better growing conditions, a translucent roof, and, apparently, a night club (huge Las Vegas flex). The exterior features the design aesthetic of a sports car, which also fits perfectly in the city.
The retractable field weighs an astonishing 20 million pounds and is able to move inside and outside of the stadium thanks to 540 electronically-powered wheels. The 7-acre translucent roof system, made of Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (or ETFE for those of you not studying for the next spelling bee), is suspended by 100 stainless steel cables.
In total, the JV said that the construction required the work of over 200 firms, including contractors, designers, engineers, vendors and more. Perhaps more importantly, their safety record was well below industry average with a recordable incident rate (TRIR) of 0.98.
Workforce and business inclusion were also a focus for the group, which stated 62% of the workforce was minority and/or female, and small businesses comprised 23% or the total companies working on the project.
Throughout the construction, the team had released a series of in-depth videos of the construction process, called “From the Ground Up,” which was narrated by Mike Rowe. To watch the first nine of the 11 fascinating episodes, you can check out my first article from last year here and my second article from earlier this year here. I’ll embed episodes 10 and 11 to the bottom of this article.
In addition to latest From the Ground Up videos, I’ve also embedded a video that gives an in-depth tour of the nearly complete stadium (at the time) given by one of the architects.
From the Ground Up - Ep. 10: "How The Forces Work"
From the Ground Up - Ep. 11: "There’s No Road Map For This"
Anytime you start excavating a new project site, there is always a chance to find some surprises buried within the soil. Typically, it’s not good news, like an unknown utility line or a leaky underground storage tank, but the lucky ones find some significant historical artifacts.
As a crew from Franjo Construction were preparing a Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania site for a 274,823 square foot mixed-use apartment complex, one of their experienced excavator operators hit something hard and knew he had just found something pretty cool: a significant amount of Civil War-era cannonballs. According to the Pittsburgh Police, the operator called the bomb squad immediately to investigate.
The bomb squad said that the cannonballs were still live and are susceptible to impact, heat, friction, and shock…all conditions that could have proved very bad for those on-site, if it weren’t for the awareness of the operator.
Finding a large amount of cannonballs is pretty amazing, but what’s even more amazing is that this isn’t Franjo’s first time finding them. In 2017, the company unearthed over 300 cannonballs on a previous phase of the development.
Milwaukee Tool’s One-Key is an application that is both built into some of their power tools for tracking and security purposes and is also a powerful reporting database for usage and location information. Originally released in 2015, One-Key allows users to edit certain settings of One-Key enabled tools and even lock them out if their tool leaves a certain area. Managers can use the app to track inventory and determine maintenance needs.
On the flip side, data from Milwaukee, such as torque reports that are collected by Milwaukee’s M12 FUEL One-Key enabled Digital Torque Wrenches (Amazon link) can be uploaded directly to BIM 360 for quality control purposes. That torque wrench was announced at Milwaukee’s NPS 2019 event and allows users to set their desired torque, rundown the fastener close to the desired torque, and finish with precision manually by turning the wrench. Its design is meant to keep users from over tightening a fastener, which can lead to warranty issues in the future.
One-Key users who also use BIM-360 can link the accounts by accessing their One-Key profile page, clicking the “Link Accounts button, and selecting BIM-360. This integration is available for use right now.
“As the construction industry continues to digitize and adopt various solutions, integrations become increasingly critical for streamlining data management,” says James Cook, head of integrations at Autodesk Construction Solutions, in a press release. “Integrating with One-Key™ enables us to provide customers access to their asset data in BIM 360 so they have the context they need for project management, simplifying decision making ultimately helping reduce project risks.”
OSHA’s Safe + Sound Week is currently underway and, if you’re like me and you missed it, there are 2 more upcoming safety awareness weeks that you can get your company involved with.
OSHA’s next safety week will specifically tackle preventing falls in construction, which is the leading cause of jobsite fatalities. A second safety, aptly titled Construction Safety Week, is organized by a group of industry professionals and advocates and will focus on a different safety topic each day of the week. Both fall on the same date.
OSHA’s 7th Annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls
Event Details: OSHA, in partnership with other industry safety organizations including NIOSH and CPWR, has put together a solid list of resources that your company can use to highlight the hazards and best practices of fall hazards and prevention in construction. Suggested activities include holding toolbox talks, performing PPE inspections, and developing rescue plans.
Participating employers are encouraged to use #StandDown4Safety on social media to share what your company is doing to promote safe fall prevention practices.
"This national initiative brings much needed attention to falls, which continue to be the leading cause of fatalities in construction," said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Loren Sweatt, in a press release. "Since OSHA began doing fall prevention stand-down events six years ago, nearly 10 million workers have been reached by our message that falls are preventable. These efforts have been successful in raising awareness of the recognition, evaluation, and control of fall hazards."
Event Details: Construction Safety Week is presented by a group made up of trade organizations, industry partners, advocates, and members with the goal of recognizing and celebrating those who practice and enforce safety on the jobsite in order to ensure everyone goes home safe to their families. Each day will focus on a different safety topic:
Sept. 14: Built on Safety
Sept. 15: Focus on the Fundamentals
Sept. 16: COVID-19 Safety
Sept. 17: Mental Health Awareness
Sept. 18: Thank You, Construction Workers
There are a variety of different resources to assist your company in holding this event located on the Construction Safety Week website, including Toolbox Talks, videos, site banners, at-home activities, and PowerPoint templates.
Asphalt is the material of choice for much of the roadways in the United States, but as everyone that’s ever driven in a car knows, the material is prone to cracking and potholing, creating a considerable maintenance problem. A new process being tested in California is showing promising results by using cold in-place asphalt and recycled plastic bottles.
A 1,000 foot long, 3 lane highway segment on Highway 162 in Oroville, California is actively being repaved with the combination of recycled materials, making it the first state highway section to use 100% recycled material.
The process will involve milling the top 3 inches of pavement and then mixing those millings with a liquid plastic polymer binder, as opposed to the traditional method of hot-mix asphalt which is brought in from an area asphalt plant. For every 1-mile segment of pavement, the polymer will recycle 150,000 plastic bottles.
courtesy of Caltrans
Developed by TechniSoil Industrial in Redding, California, the process has shown promising results in previous tests. According to the press release from Caltrans, the roadway with recycled products have shown to have a lifespan of two to three times longer than traditional methods.
Sean Weaver, the president of TechniSoil Industrial, told Action News Now that the method is eliminating the need for 42 truckloads of hauled off millings and an additional 42 truckloads of new asphalt.
"California has set ambitious goals for recycling and other environmental priorities, and meeting them requires innovative and cost-effective solutions," said Senator Ben Hueso (D-40), who has advocated for Caltrans to test this material, in a press release. "Using waste plastic that was otherwise destined for a landfill will not only reduce the cost of road repair and construction, but also increase the strength and durability of our roads. As a leader on environmental justice issues, California is uniquely positioned to transform the transportation industry once again by using this new technology that could revolutionize the way we look at recycled plastic."
Total project costs for the highway segment is expected to be $3.2 million and is being carried out by Yuba Construction, the prime contractor.
A Request for Information (RFI) is a standard business practice that construction professionals use throughout a project to get clarifications on specific parts of the construction documents. The process is an official way to make sure that the contractors involved have all the information necessary and that every bidder is pricing the exact same way. The RFI process is an area rife with possibilities of delay and monetary claims if not handled properly.
The Navigant Construction Forum and authors Nigel Hughes, Megan Wells, Christopher Nutter, and James Zack Jr put together a comprehensive review of the total cost of RFIs and how to better control the process in their research paper “Impact & Control of RFIs on Construction Projects.” The group analyzed over 1,300 different construction projects from around the world, which contained over 1 million RFIs. The projects analyzed ranged anywhere from $5 million to $5 billion.
Cost and Time Impacts
3 key statistics that were quantified in the report, including RFI response time, total labor cost per RFI, and percentage of RFIs that were not answered. These statistics give major clues as to the overall impact of the RFI process and help determine best practices for all parties. As you can see in the infographic below, the average response time per RFI was just below 10 days. The cost, based solely upon administrative and technical review of the RFI was slightly more than $1,000 each. Perhaps the most surprising statistic was the fact that roughly 22% of all RFIs were never actually answered. As Navigant points out, the no response rate is one of the major indicators that a dispute will arise in the project. They also believe that a lack of formalized procedure is the key reason most of the RFIs go unanswered.
SOURCE: Impact & Control of RFIs on Construction Projects, Navigant Construction Forum
Recommendations
Navigant offers 3 recommendations to owners, architects, and construction professionals to solve many of the RFI processes issues: Adding specific language regarding RFI process to the contract, using an electronic RFI tracking software, and establishing best practices. We’re going to focus on the best practices, but we suggest you download the report and review the other two recommendations as well.
Best Practices for Owners
Use a consistent RFI numbering process
Indicate required response time for RFIs in contract
Respond to RFIs quickly
Use electronic RFI tracking software
Require that RFIs be handled with the lowest cost method
Use email to distribute RFIs to every person involved
All RFI responses should be written and documented
Responses should be as specific as possible and reference a specific drawing or detail
Use hand drawn clarifications if appropriate to save time
Make sure all RFI responses are incorporated into the drawings
Best Practices for Contractors
Submit RFI as soon as it’s determined to be needed
Allow at least 10 days for a response
Limit each RFI submittal to a single subject
Assign a priority to each RFI
Include specific references to drawings and details
Include suggested resolution, if you have one
Disclose if time delays or cost changes will occur because of RFI
Indicate if RFI is time sensitive
Assume that RFI responses are approval, unless specifically noted otherwise
In June, the famous autonomous robot dog from Boston Dynamics, named Spot, was released to the public for sale after several months of trials with strategic partners in the construction industry, among others. Just recently, FARO Technologies Inc, a 3D scanning and imaging solution, has launched an integration for Spot.
FARO has been working with Boston Dynamics since at least November of 2019, when their partnership was announced at Autodesk University. Back when we used to be able to interact with people in person, FARO would always bring a branded Spot with them to trade shows, like the aforementioned AU and the World of Concrete. I don’t know that the commercial construction industry has ever had a true celebrity, but the crowd of people that Spot tends to attract puts it towards the top of the list.
The integration between FARO and Spot is being called Trek, which is a fully autonomous way to create 3D scans of your jobsite. After an initially programming the walking route alongside a human operator with a remote control, Trek will utilize Spot’s Autowalk feature to walk the repeatable pattern, gathering imagery and data behind the scenes on a consistent and reliable schedule.
That’s really the biggest appeal of the robotic technology, at least at this point. It doesn’t take days off and it doesn’t have any other responsibilities, other than to walk the jobsite and collect data. It’s also highly equipped with sensors in order to avoid the ever changing obstacles of a construction site. That consistency should result in higher accuracy and more data to work with.
As shown in the picture and video above, the FARO Focus Laser Scanner is attached to the back of the robot. The scanner features a built-in 8 megapixel HDR camera, an IP 54 rating, and a 4.5 hour battery runtime. Once connected to a computer, the data is automatically registered to create a detailed model of your project.
"Reality capture has become more critical to on-schedule project delivery than ever before," said Brian Ringley, Boston Dynamics' Construction Technology Manager, in a press release. "The FARO Trek integration provides customers with the ability to document true as-built conditions of their site in a repeatable fashion. Because this high-frequency point cloud data collection is automatically aligned relative to project control points and BIM coordinate systems, it's easier than ever to maintain a continuously updated digital twin."
After finally beginning the demolition of the partially collapsed Hard Rock Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana in May of this year, the remains of 2 of the 3 workers killed in the incident are still trapped within the building. After working for several weeks to clear a safe path to retrieve the bodies, a lawyer from the development team of the project provided an update recently.
One of the men, Quinnyon Wimberly, is trapped on the 11th floor and the other, Jose Ponce Arreolo, is trapped on the 8th floor. The original plan was to have both of them removed by July, but that deadline was missed. Crews are working to recover Wimberly first.
The demolition contractor is deploying remote-controlled demolition robots to clear a safe path for retrieval, but the updates stated that the delays have been caused by WiFi connectivity issues with those robots, as well as rainy weather, according to WDSU6.
In addition, crews have encountered some areas where collapsed concrete sections are still partially in-tact and connected to rebar, which is causing some issues getting to Arreolo. The developer’s representative explained that additional robots are being brought in to speed up the process.
On the other side of the aisle, WDSU6 reports that the attorney hired by the city to handle the aftermath of the collapse is not in complete agreement regarding the reasoning for the delays. She claims that the some of the delay was caused by a project manager being absent for 2 days and staffing issues.
The developer plans to give the families of the victims a three-day notice when they believe crews can safely get into the building to recover their loved ones.
In April of this year, OSHA fined 11 companies involved in the project a total of $315,536 after a several month long investigation. The investigation found that design flaws contributed to the collapse, but also fined the general contractor and 9 subcontractors for various violations, including improper egress, failure to train employees, and failing to maintain structural stability, among others.
A photo is worth a thousand words, they say, so a 360 degree photo with a powerful artificial intelligence system behind it must be worth, at least, 1 million words…I assume, the powers that be haven’t really decided on that number yet, Regardless, OpenSpace.ai is turning your thousand word pictures into millions of valuable data points to help better track your project’s progress.
For those previously unfamiliar with OpenSpace, you can check out our previous article about them by clicking or tapping here.
With the beta release of OpenSpace ClearSIght Production Tracking and Object Search, the startup is turning static pictures into searchable and quantifiable data – and the functionality is included in their two paid versions. Since its inception in 2018, OpenSpace has already collected over 50 million images, which has allowed their machine learning software to recognize and analyze photos for increased accuracy.
Progress Tracking
Starting with framing and drywall, Progress Tracking will use artificial intelligence to determine how much each room has changed from one day to the next. Those results are then visualized directly onto a site plan in a heat map-style as well as a line graph timeline view. Quantities and percent complete are tied to your takeoff to determine overall project progress.
courtesy of OpenSpace
Object Search
Object Search allows users to draw a boundary box around an object in a picture and OpenSpace will search through your entire project catalogue of site photos in order to locate other similar objects around the jobsite throughout time. This function is completely visual, so if you’re looking for a lifts on your project, like in the .GIF below, just select it on the screen and all other matches will show up.
The beauty of Object Search is that it will show you all locations on the floor plan that each object has shown up and you can track how many there have been throughout time. While it won’t be as quantifiable and trackable as Progress Tracking, this function can provide some valuable insight for how subcontractors are working and progressing across the job.
Each result picture will have a “thumbs up/down” option in order to refine the results, so if the program spits out something that doesn’t match what you’re looking for, mark it thumbs-down to help get better results in the future.
courtesy of OpenSpace
OpenSpace Investments
Just recently, OpenSpace announced a $15.9M Series B Funding round led by Menlo Ventures, which will be used to further expand OpenSpace’s ClearSight analytics platform (which includes Progress Tracking and Object Search). The company has seen a 500% increase in revenue year over year and a significant increase in usage since the start of the Coronavirus Pandemic.
"At OpenSpace, we believe that the future of real estate and construction will include more remote collaboration and review, saving on time and travel by bringing the jobsites to the experts, instead of the other way around," said Jeevan Kalanithi, OpenSpace's CEO and co-founder, in a press release. "Builders play a critical role in our society, and we frankly too often take them for granted. We're proud to help make their jobs easier, whether that's by automating site documentation or by offering analytics about job progress."
When we last checked in on the Millennium Tower 2 years ago, engineers had come up with a $100 million plan to drive 52 piles 250 feet below the building’s foundation to reach bedrock. After a lengthy permitting and approval process, that plan is moving forward, according to Building Design + Construction.
The engineer of record, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, has recently completed a seismic evaluation to determine if the fix would restore the building’s resistance to earthquakes back to the original design. IN the end, the 52 piles will be placed on the north and west sides of the building, shoring up 20% of the building to stop the worst settling and allowing the rest of the building to eventually even itself out.
Once started, the project is expected to take about 2 years.
