Cyma Builders recently completed a portfolio of projects for Charles River across their Malvern & Wayne Facilities. The portfolio consisted of a variety of laboratory, clean room and infrastructure upgrades across the two facilities. Click here to check out more details on the ISO 6 clean room!
Cyma Builders has recently achieved mechanical completion on a 15,000 SF Central Utility Plant Expansion for a confidential client in Jacksonville, FL. Check out the flyover of the new facility below and read more about the project in the profile linked here.
GREYSON MESSENGER, INTERN
My name is Greyson Messenger. I am 24 years old and a senior Construction Management student at Thomas Jefferson University East Falls in Philadelphia, PA. Since January 2021, I have been interning with Cyma Builders and assisting in project management operations on multiple projects while simultaneously being exposed to the many dimensions of construction management in a real-world setting. Prior to my internship at Cyma, I worked construction as a masonry laborer, landscaper, and commercial green roof installation in Philadelphia and the surrounding area. This field experience coupled with my college courses has given me a well-rounded introductory understanding of what it takes to be a successful and effective project manager.
During my internship, Cyma Project Managers, Superintendents, and Safety have consistently set a great example for workplace professionalism and have imparted a wealth of knowledge in just a few short months that has helped me to better define what I seek to accomplish and achieve in this industry. I am confident this, along with my education, has set me up for success and will be one of the experiences I am most proud of as I enter the professional environment. I will be graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management in May 2021 and plan to continue learning as much as possible and working towards being an effective project manager and of benefit to whatever organization I am a part of. Regardless of where I end up post-graduation, I am extremely thankful to have had the opportunity to work at Cyma as I believe it to be an invaluable experience and a great hands-on introduction into the world of construction project management.
GREGORY OBERMEIER, ASSISTANT PROJECT MANAGER
In December 2020, Gregory Obermeier successfully completed an accelerated academic program graduating Magna Cum Laude from Thomas Jefferson University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Construction Management. He first started working at CYMA Builders and Construction Managers as a part-time employee in 2016 as a Field Assistant. This experience drove Gregory to develop a passion for working in the Pharmaceutical Research & Development sector that further evolved in 2019 when he was advanced to an Assistant Project Manager. During this time, Gregory was able to work on a high-profile R&D Laboratory Renovation Project to support future cell therapy initiatives. Ultimately, he was able to further his knowledge, by working side by side with an experienced project team that allowed him to see a project from beginning to completion through planning, organizing, and managing day-to-day operations.
Prior to working at CYMA Builders and Construction Managers, Gregory worked as a Field Service Technician for a property management firm providing seasonal maintenance to condominiums. From an early age, Gregory always demonstrated a strong work ethic and entrepreneurial mindset from his first working experience at the age of twelve as the founder and owner of Obermeier Lawn Services. This company flourished while he attended La Salle College High School, which prepared him well for the next chapter of his life at Thomas Jefferson University.
At this time Gregory, is working as an Assistant Project Manager who strives to provide a high level of efficiency and dedication to all CYMA Builders’ clients. In the future, he plans to further his education by pursuing a master’s degree in business administration.
Cyma Builders & Construction Managers Creates Successful Safety Culture at Janssen PDMS Expansion Project
Cyma Builders and Construction Managers, in conjunction with our contractors and Janssen Pharmaceutical LLC, successfully created and fostered a proactive, effective and collaborative safety culture on this fast track project.
Janssen Pharmaceutical Research & Development LLC based in Malvern PA selected Cyma Builders to expand their footprint to an existing multi-tenant facility in Charlestown Township. Multiple tenant spaces were combined to create a new, state of the art, 56,000 square foot Lab and Office Facility. Infrastructure upgrades included installing 4 new air handling units (8,000 CFM each) on 4 individual steel dunnage platforms that are free standing along the rear of the facility, duct work distribution to the research labs, refurbishment of over 15 existing roof top units for the office areas, new and upgraded electrical services from PECO and the installation of two emergency generators.
New laboratory services include upgraded glass-wash and sterilization equipment, two cold boxes, new purified water system, compressed air, nitrogen, CO2, vacuum and oxygen distribution systems. Existing lab casework was supplemented with new lab casework and components to suit the end user requirements. New finishes included epoxy flooring, clean room ceiling and epoxy paint.
The project was fully Commissioned and met LEED requirements for Certified status, and the Certificate of Occupancy was issued in mid-May 2018.
From the pre-construction planning stage to project completion, the client and construction team all displayed a genuine commitment to supporting and prioritizing worker safety on the project. The construction team created a hands-on approach to safety that allowed all personnel on the project to become safety advocates, not only being safe themselves but looking out for the safety of others. As the safety culture grew, organizational barriers such as fear and lack of trust in safety, were diminished. Contractors started thinking safety, reviewing their own JSA’s weekly, consulting with the onsite Safety Specialists for ways to conduct tasks safely as they reacted to unforeseen conditions in the field.
The emphasis on worker safety and the establishment of an effective safety culture led to the project far exceeding safety metric goals with over 70,000 hours worked with no Recordable Injuries or Lost Work Time Injuries.
SAFETY CULTURE
‘Safety Culture’ consists of shared beliefs, practices, and attitudes that exist at an establishment or on a project. Culture is the atmosphere created by those beliefs, attitudes, etc., which shape our behavior.
By project completion, the safety effort on the PDMS Expansion Project was an excellent example of an effective Safety Culture.
PROJECT SAFETY EFFORT HIGHLIGHTS
Safety Jeopardy – Created by Mike Royce, Sr. for the PDMS Expansion Project and hoisted at weekly safety luncheons; this safety game consisted of 3 contestants chosen at random from the contractors onsite competing for prizes by answering construction safety questions. Safety Jeopardy questions were selected based on the topic of the toolbox talk presented at the safety luncheon to reinforce the message of the toolbox talk. Contractors took an interest in knowing the topics and, even when not chosen, enjoyed competing and knowing the answers.
Safety Jeopardy and a Safety Luncheon
Weekly JSA Reviews – A project specific Cyma Builders commitment included requiring contractors to conduct weekly JSA reviews and understand, discuss and reinforce Cyma and Janssen safety policies along with any changes or hazards encountered that were not captured in the approved JSAs.
H.B. Frazer conducting a weekly JSA review.
Safety Stand-Downs – Awareness and training sessions intended to help mitigate the impact of hazards in construction. These meetings were held with contractors to discuss safety issues occurring onsite or nationally and also to help inform contractors of recent incidents, near misses, corrective actions, etc. Safety Stand-Downs are intended to interrupt work and focus worker attention on specific safety messages and information.
National Fall Protection Safety Stand Down session held on PDMS project.
Centralized, Organized and Accessible Safety Documentation – Files kept at the site entrance that are readily available for contractors to review & sign daily, weekly or monthly; centralized organization and availability of safety documentation helped workers to review and understand the safety requirements.
For more information about Cyma Builders & Construction Manager, please visit us at www.cymabuilders.com
Cyma Builders & Construction Managers Announces the Safe and Successful Completion of a Critical Steam Shutdown
Cyma Builders and Construction Managers recently managed the successful completion of a critical site wide steam shutdown to replace a main steam distribution header at a large pharmaceutical research and development facility in Montgomery County, PA. This steam shutdown is part of an ongoing $3.6 million-dollar project to replace two existing 500 horsepower BTU boilers inside the Central Utility Plant. The two boilers and the associated steam header provide steam for heating, hot water as well as for critical vivarium and pilot plant operations.
In advance of the steam shutdown, Cyma Builders coordinated all aspects of the outage and worked with the installing Mechanical contractor (Herman Goldner Co., Inc.), site maintenance and engineering, facility personnel and several end users/client groups in order to minimize the impact to site operations.
The steam shutdown started on Friday, September 7, 2018 at 6:00 PM and continued around the clock through Sunday afternoon. The shutdown of the steam supply had to wait for off-peak hours to minimize interruptions to normal daily operations. A temporary boiler was mobilized to the site and piped in to existing steam distribution piping to provide critical steam for the site’s active vivarium. Herman Goldner Co., Inc. and Vasoli Electric Co., Inc. (Electrical contractor) installed utilities for this temporary boiler ahead of the shutdown.
Herman Goldner Co., Inc. removed the existing header and associated piping then installed the new steam header, steam pipes and hangers while working from aerial lifts, scaffold towers and portable ladders. Significant pre-planning and attention to detail was exercised to prevent welding flash and possible property damage in the confined work area; welding screens and fire blankets were installed throughout the work site.
With excellent pre-planning and coordination of contractors and site personnel, this steam shutdown was completed safely, on time and with minimal interruption to site operations.
For more information about Cyma Builders & Construction Managers, please visit www.cymabuilders.com.
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:
Cyma Builders has recently completed a three phase upgrade to Lonza’s Powder Media Suite in Walkersville, MD. The upgrades were designed to provide GMP compliance, improved flows and overall optimization of the area to support Lonza’s manufacturing operations. Click here for more details and finished project photos!
Cyma Builders recently completed construction on a 10,000 SF facility for Biocoat in Horsham, PA. Biocoat and their new facility were recently featured in Philadelphia Business Journal. Check it out!
One of Cyma Builders & Construction Managers’ up and coming Superintendents, Erik Settelen, successfully passed the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP), Safety Trained Supervisor in Construction (STSC) Exam on March 1st, 2017. 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.
Erik has been a Carpenter and Superintendent with the Cyma Builders & Construction Managers for 3 years and a member of the Local 167 and local 1462 Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters for 6 years. Mike Royce, Sr. comments, “Erik is very interested in safety and shows this on a daily basis, he is proactive with the pre-task safety planning effort and is very helpful in completing our client’s Safe Permits to Work, he has reached out to contractors in a positive way that has produced better JSAs earlier in the process.” Mike Royce, Sr. is a Construction Safety Specialist supporting the projects and sites that Erik supervises.
