This isn’t the first time I’ve made a mention of Mr. Darnell on this blog.  Way back in February of 2010 I did a write up on the PPC shortly after reading it for the first time.  At the time, I was gung ho on emotional intelligence and transforming the construction industry into what I thought it should become.  However, 2010 brought challenges that made this difficult.

I didn’t fully realize how far I had strayed from my once unwavering ambition to infuse emotional competence into the construction world, until I re-read the PPC this weekend.  2010 brought challenges for me like none I had ever experienced.  I was for the first time, 100% responsible financially for the projects on which I was working.  Not only was I responsible, but the margins we were working under were slimmer than I had ever seen.  I was also doing hard bid, high risk work.

This stress produced more self interested thinking and my people skills tremendously declined.  I was snappy with clients, designers, and subcontractors.  I think I knee-jerked to the old school, “kick ass and take names” mentality.  Trust me, it’s easy to do when you’re doing a project with a liquidated damages clause of $1000 per day for a late finish.  One week late and I’m eating at the soup kitchen.

So I’ll cut myself a little slack because of the pressure I put on myself, but I won’t let myself off the hook entirely.  It just goes to show  how easily you can lose sight of this stuff.  I’ve studied this for years and when the pressure was on, I kind of lapsed into more entrenched ways of doing things.  You gotta be careful.

With all this said, the pressure of hard bid contracts certainly doesn’t help the movement of trying to get some more emotional competence in construction projects.  In bad economies, margins slim down and hard bidding increases.  But hopefully as things improve, we’ll get into more collaborative projects with a more even distribution of risk.  And hopefully, more emotional intelligence.

This graph was created by Crystal Soda Blast.

I would have loved to explain to Andy Rooney in 1978, when he started doing his bit for 60 Minutes, the whole blog phenomenon.  I’d have to start with explaining the internet, email, laptops, and worst of all, the extinction of the typewriter.  There would be no better sight than to see those eyebrows go up and down as I tried to explain to him what has happened with those machines with an apple on the side. 

However, in 1978, I was exactly zero years old and Andy Rooney was more interested in complaining about coffee cans and household cleaners than trying to speculate on the fate of the typewriter.  I can safely say that he and I were both rather oblivious as to what was about to occur to our World.   

Despite all this technological progress, or as Andy would probably write - ”progress”,  some things have remained rather consistent – people have a desire and maybe even a need to whine, quip, and cry about the minutia of everyday life.  People also, at times, like to hear others’ banter about what annoys them.  Also similarly, people tend to have an attention span of a goldfish for this kind of stuff.  So “A Few Minutes With Andy Rooney” was really more than enough time to get your weekly fill of entertaining complaints about our World. 

I remember watching his segment one time when I was about 12 years old – that’s right, circa 1990.  He did a thing on Hallmark cards and all the nonsense that is written in birthday, mother’s day, and father’s day cards.  He read a few of the cards he had strewn about his desk and then remarked, “If my kids gave me a card like this, I’d send them to bed without any supper!”. 

I don’t know why that stuck with me, but every time I go shopping for a card in CVS I think about Andy’s bit.  Some of those cards really are stupid. 

So why is Andy the world’s first blogger and not any other editorial writer of that time or centuries prior?  It’s because of the short, quick delivery and borderline nonsense of his content.  For lack of a better description, Andy spent a few minutes each week bullshitting about our World.  It was a stream of consciousness that sometimes made sense and sometimes did not.  Facts weren’t always checked, opinions didn’t always remain consistent, and there wasn’t always a clear position on what the hell he was really trying to say. 

These are the reasons people hate blogs, bloggers, and the world of amateur written commentary.  But while Andy Rooney was far from amateur, he was certainly a blogger. 

Please contact me if you have any interest in getting involved in this job.  I would need to know if you are interested by October 12, 2011.  Please call at 215-834-5155 or email at john@constructonomics.com

Thanks,

John Poole

This post was written by SPANCO, an industry leader in overhead cranes since 1979. You can find a variety of products on their website including jib cranes, gantry cranes, or an electric hoist.

THE EQUIPMENT

Reducing the likelihood of hazards during crane operation depends on several factors. We’ll cover a few of the basics here. Overhead and gantry cranes have three axes of directional travel: vertically in the direction of the hoist and load hook, laterally along the path of the trolley, and forward and back along the path of the bridge. Operators and workers should be trained in the crane’s capabilities, movements, speed, control settings, and safety devices.

While cranes are made of high-strength steel, one should never exceed the crane’s rated load capacity. Attempting to move a load greater than the crane’s capacity can put undue stress on the equipment and can endanger workers. Second, controls must be inspected regularly to be sure that all motions agree with the controls as marked. When working with overhead and gantry cranes, be alert for excessive drift or irregular stopping distances. Check hooks and wire ropes for damage or fatigue (excessive wear, nicks, gouges, fraying, broken strands, kinks, or deformations), and be sure all wire ropes are properly reeved. Be sure that any damage noted on daily inspections is properly documented, marked, and reported to supervisory personnel. Wire ropes should never be wrapped around a load or used as slings unless specifically designed for this use.

Also, check that upper-limit devices stop the load properly. Staying alert for other trouble signs—such as oil leaks or unusual sounds—not only promotes safety but may help avoid costly repairs. Be sure that all provided warning devices—bells, gongs, sirens, strobes, etc.—are in working order. Also check that the crane or hoist has not been tagged with a lock-out tag or cut-off order sign.

Finally, a clean and well-lighted work area can prevent mishaps. All cranes require regular maintenance to ensure safe operation. See the manufacturer’s guidelines for information and requirements.

THE LOAD

Moving large loads safely depends a great deal on the load itself. For example, loads should be stable and balanced. Testing a load by lifting it a few inches can help to determine whether the load is stable enough to be moved to its destination. Loads should be moved smoothly and at safe speeds to avoid jerking and shifting. Loads should never be moved over areas where other employees are working. Do not use cranes to attempt a sideways pull of a load. When not in use, loads should be lowered and secured. If a crane is to be left unattended, the operator must land any attached load, place the controllers in the “off” position, and open the main switch. Before closing a main switch, all controllers must be set in the “off” position.

THE HUMAN ELEMENT

The best asset in crane safety is having trained and qualified personnel. Well-trained operator and workers can mean the difference between safe operation and a needless hazard. Operators and workers who understand the safety features of their equipment are far less likely to experience costly or life-threatening accidents. An emergency response plan in the event of an accident can help prevent or reduce injury and damage. To ensure safe and accurate operation, workers and operators should know and practice proper hand signals. (See page 10 of the CMAA Crane Operator’s Manual for detailed illustrations of proper hand signals.) The crane operator should respond only to signals from the worker directing the lift. In the event of power failure, the operator must place all controllers in the “off” position. Workers should remain on the work floor and should never “ride the load.” Manual warning devices (when provided) or verbal cues should be used to warn workers when a load is beginning to move or when workers are in the path of the load. No repair, inspection, maintenance or other work should be done under a suspended load.

Oh, if only it were 1977 again.  We’d be enjoying 6.5% unemployment, celebrating the completion of the World Trade Center in New York, and wondering what in the hell this Apple computer thing is that just hit the market.  And I bet you didn’t know that France performed their last execution by guillotine in 1977….it’s crazy what you will come across on the internet. 

But now, our country is stuck in a never ending quagmire of 1o% unemployment, the World Trade Center is being rebuilt after sitting as a full city block of wreckage for the past ten years, and all we hear about on the news is what wireless carrier Apple is in cahoots with to sell more handheld phone/music player/computer things.   

Oh God, how things have changed. 

Nevertheless, we still have the same goals.  What they are exactly may differ from one individual to another, but I think we all have a similar idea.  We need to get more work, especially for those of us in the construction industry.  While some of the gainfully employed may not care very much about the employment dilemma in the construction industry, this is a big issue for this country and has to be rectified or…..uh, gulp, we’re gonna have some real problems. 

So the question is if this year is going to be the year that our careers and lives get resurrected from the living hell that has been the past two years?  Well, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say: Probably not. 

This is not to say that things won’t improve a little bit, because I think they will.  I read all those statistics on construction starts and stuff like that, and while they do predict a modest uptick for 2011, it will be far from a gangbuster flood of money into our pockets. 

I just don’t think there is enough growth from businesses to start building new office space or renovating the office space that they have.  Everyone, especially banks, are holding their money like it’s a piece of their flesh and blood without which they would shrivel up and fall to the earth leaving only a small pile of lifeless dust. 

Should companies start renovating and building new space now in anticipation of growth and expansion?  Absolutely.  Will they?  Absolutely not.  Why?  Because they are obsessed with short term profits and if they spend money now that does not turn into profit, like, tomorrow, the boss will be cashin’ an unemployment check faster than you can say quarterly dividend. 

Are we going to get some work and be able to sustain ourselves for this year?  We should, but our goal for 2011 really should be: Stayin’ Alive. 

Ah ah ah ah Stayin’ Alive.