Collegeville, Pennsylvania – May, 2018
Cyma Builders and Construction Managers, in conjunction with Diamond Tool, hosted a Fall Protection Safety Stand Down during the National Safety Stand Down to Prevent Falls in Construction (May 7-11, 2018; www.osha.gov/StopFallsStandDown/). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, falls from heights are the leading cause of construction related fatality; 370 construction workers were killed from falls in the United States in 2016. Organizations across the country have developed awareness and training programs to help mitigate the impact of the highest fatal event in construction.
Dan Kane, Director of Safety Services for Diamond Tool, spoke to Cyma Builders’ contractors about the importance of fall protection. Dan has worked with manufacturers of fall protection equipment for decades and has been integral to the development and practical application of some of the industry’s leading fall protection equipment. Contractors in attendance learned in depth about specific OSHA and ANSI standards and how the fall protection equipment industry is constantly developing and refining solutions to fall protection challenges. In addition to the discussion, contractors had the opportunity to handle and inspect a variety of current fall protection equipment offerings in a Diamond Tool provided ‘Show and Tell’ session. Cyma hosted 20 different contractors at the Stand Down; attendees were provided with lunch and were issued a 2018 National Fall Protection Stand Down hard hat sticker.
One of Cyma Builders & Construction Managers’ finest Superintendents, Jeff Walters, successfully passed the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) and the Safety Trained Supervisor in Construction (STSC) exam in April 2018. The STSC is a nationally recognized third-party safety certification for those with supervisor responsibilities in construction. In the past twenty years, the responsibilities of safety professionals have expanded. Safety issues have become more complex and today’s safety professionals must be continually better qualified. BCSP credential holders are among the most highly trained, educated, and experienced individuals in the safety field. Currently, the BCSP has only 6,000 individuals who actively hold STSC certification.
Jeff has been a Superintendent with Cyma Builders & Construction Managers for 14 years and a member of the Local 167 Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters for 20 years.
“Over the past 5 years I have had the privilege of working with Jeff Walters and this relationship has been a great learning experience for me. I always thought I understood what a safe job site was and how it was supposed to operate but was I naive. As the level of job site safety has matured as required by JNJ and OSHA; Jeff has lead the charge to be the “change agent”. Jeff is truly changing the industry as subs come and go they take with them a new way to do their task a little safer even as they work in other environments across the region. Jeff is truly proud of the work his team produces but more importantly wants his team to go home in the same shape they came to work in. “
~Dave Cochran, Senior Micro-Region, Janssen FM Manager, NA
“Jeff Walters is the gold standard for large construction safety management. During his management of the J&J PDMS Expansion Project he displayed top notch pro-activity and attention to detail, always staying a step ahead and mitigating potential issues and hazards. He creates a culture of safety that becomes infectious to everyone working on the project. His national recognition as a leader in safety is well deserved.”
~Tommy Byrd, Project Manager, Johnson & Johnson Engineering and Property Services.
Individuals with the STSC help employers implement safety programs at the worker level through supervisory, safety committee or similar safety and health leadership roles. Safety tasks often include monitoring for job hazards, helping ensure regulatory compliance, training employees in safety practices, performing safety documentation tasks, coordinating corrections for identified safety hazards within or among work groups, and communicating with safety specialists or management.
In addition to the STSC achievement, Jeff has also recently become a Certified Rigger and Signal Person (CRS) through a rigorous 40-hour training program and certification exam provided by the United Brotherhood of Carpenters. The CRS program focuses on the knowledge and skills necessary to maintain safe working environments during basic rigging and signaling operations. The CRS designation indicates competence in the following areas:
- Inspects hardware, slings, and rigging equipment
- Selects the proper hardware for hoisting operations (e.g., takes into account the effect of friction on synthetic slings or hardware)
- Accounts for the effect of the configuration on the sling stress
- Performs proper hardware installation and attachment techniques
- Communicates movements to crane operator using the appropriate voice or hand signals
- Takes into account the effect of voice or hand signals on the load and the crane
- Recognizes hazards (e.g., extreme angles, pinch points, criteria for critical hoist)
- Adjusts for the gross weight of the load in hoisting operations
- Determines the load weight and center of gravity of symmetrical loads accurately
- Takes into account how shifting centers of gravity affect load stability
