Weatherguard Van Solutions

WernerCo Introduces New Weather Guard OEM Van Solutions

Range includes Ford Transit Connect, Ram ProMaster, Mercedes Sprinter and others.

WernerCo announces the introduction of professional trade packages for commercial van OEM’s (Original Equipment Manufacturer), including the Ram ProMaster, the Mercedes Sprinter, Ford Transit Connect and others.

Designed for contractors and remodelers on the move, the Weather Guard OEM trade packages provide secure, durable and organized van solutions for professionals, regardless of the vehicle. The custom designed Weather Guard Van solutions are developed to fit every detail, including the contours of specialty vans, such as the Ram ProMaster.

“We have expanded our offering to provide Weather Guard storage solutions for a range of vehicle manufacturers because we know a one-size-fits-all approach isn’t always best”, said Jeff Kotz, Senior Van Product Manager from WernerCo. “Among our offerings, we are excited to have several for Ford and will continue to develop customized van and truck solutions for new vehicle models as they are introduced. Our goal is to continue to provide professional tradesmen with solutions that secure their tools and materials, while maximizing productivity.”

Customizable Van Solutions That Are Easy to Install
The Weather Guard Van storage solutions feature custom bulkhead, space-maximizing design, and a wide range of shelving and accessory options to accommodate any type of trade business—from general contractors to plumbing and Mechanical/ HVAC. With ready-to install accessories and pre-drilled holes, Weather Guard installs quickly and allows for customizations.

The storage solutions and accessories provide flexibility and convenience while the ladder and roof rack options make loading and unloading oversized equipment or supplies easy and secure. Weather Guard now offers a full range of professional trade packages for all commercial van OEM’s from the New Ford Transit Connect and RAM Promaster to the Ford E-Series, Chevy Express/GMC Savana, Nissan NV and the Mercedes Sprinter.

Each custom designed Weather Guard Van Storage solution includes:

• Better Bulkheads: The Bulkhead for the 2014 Transit Connect and Promaster vans provide maximum protection for drivers and passengers against shifting loads in the cargo area and allow for unobstructed visibility of the cargo, side door and rear door areas.
• REDZONE Van Shelving: The shelving systems come in popular sizes with two, three or four shelves and make it easy to create custom configurations. The secure storage shelf and door modules maximize efficiency and security. End panels and single shelves complete the system and are packaged separately.
• Drawer & Bin Cabinets: High quality, durable drawer cabinets feature latches for each drawer, smooth ball-bearing rollers and secure locks that can be keyed alike. Bin cabinets feature hook and loop fasteners to securely hold bins in place.
• REDZONE Accessories: Keep frequently used tools and materials close—including a tool organizer, cleaning station, bucket and tank holders, caulk tube tray and a range of trade-specific accessories.
• Quick Installation: Features floor mounting brackets, simplified bulkhead mounting brackets and pre-punched mounting holes in end panels and shelves.
• Specialty Storage: Includes new secure storage locking cabinets and drawers, including the PACK RAT Drawer Units, lightweight and stackable ITEMIZER Drawer Units, or the BED RAT Sliding Platform.

Werner Ladder - Tom Izzo's Ladder Dance (+playlist)

Job Site Trash Chutes

A risky part of the construction industry is the demolition of the old that makes way for the new. There are multiple hazards in renovating old buildings that are not as inherent for new construction. Both have their hazards, but tearing out old materials in partial and full remodeling jobs has hazards in the debris produced during the demolition phase.

Construction Site Cleanup

For a safe workplace, it is a good idea to assign personnel to continually gather and remove debris from active work areas. As demolition debris collects, the hazards of workers tripping, falling and being cut by sharp debris increases. Any floor above the first floor involves using stairs or service elevators for debris removal unless a construction trash chute is installed.

The standard tools of cleanup at a construction site are still used. Wheelbarrows, shovels, brooms and buckets help in collecting the debris. The savings in time and labor come from not needing to descend and climb stairs or wait on an elevator to take loads of debris to ground level where the construction trash dumpster is located. Also, using a construction trash chute eliminates the need to hoist materials up and into a dumpster. Items are directed straight into dumpsters at the terminating end of the chute.

Trash Chute Benefits

Worker fatigue of carrying bags, boxes and buckets of debris to the dumpster outside is eliminated. The potential of falling while carrying heavy debris down flights of stairs is eliminated. No workers need to lift heavy items over their heads to deposit them into dumpsters at ground level. After a short period of time is spent installing the chute at a window, debris removal is unimpeded. The chute can be easily extended to cover all floors under construction.

Trash Chute Capabilities

Quality trash chute packages sold by the Bird Ladder and Equipment Company can handle solid or liquid waste. Outriggers can easily be installed at a vertical bank of windows to serve all floors under construction above one dumpster. Outriggers can be connected to windows as small as 36 inches. A lifting winch makes easy and quick installation of the largest and heaviest trash chutes. Intake hoppers that receive debris are made of 12 gauge steel for long lasting durability.

Trash chute installation at a construction site makes removal of demolition debris and construction waste easy and safe. Just shovel, toss or empty debris and waste into the intake hoppers, and the materials slide down the chute right into the dumpster at ground level. No bagging, boxing or toting items down stairs or elevators is needed. They increase productivity by allowing less time needed to be involved in cleanup of construction sites. The short period of time needed to install a chute saves countless hours that would otherwise be used in getting demolition debris and construction waste to ground level.

Knaack 4830D

Knaack has developed the first and only job-site Knaack 4830-D with independent locking draw.  It has many features which include:

• Anti-Slam Lid- Gas strut supported lid to control closing speed
• Raised Chest Floor- Easily reach chest bottom without over-reaching
• 3 Sided easy grip lid-Continuous ergonomic grip for easy access
• Independent Watchman IV locks- Separate locking system for chest and drawer.

Junk Trunk quick access drawer- Quickly access high demand tools.

4830-d Box

• Weight: 254 lbs.
• 48" x 30" x 35" closed

Knaack has hit a home run with this box.  The draw capacity is rated at 150 lbs.

Werner Podium Ladder

WernerCo. has introduced a new platform ladder called the Podium which is ideal for working at fixed heights and is designed to provide a full range of motion while providing protection at every angle.

The Podium ladder uses the LOCKTOP™ design which organizes tools at the top of the ladder which also functions as an integrated waist-high guard rail that securely wraps around the work zone.  The ladder also features the EDGE360™ bracing system that gives protection from every angle on the over-sized platform which allows four times the work zone then a standard ladder.

Mark Peters, Director of Marketing at WernerCo. stated that  "We designed our new Podium Ladder to help prevent misuse and falls. While safety is the most important feature, we also know that comfort, mobility and access are important to our customers who have to stand on a ladder for extended periods of time. The new Podium Ladder includes an actual standing platform vs. a traditional ladder step that allows for increased reach and range of motion. The best part, it feels like the user is standing on the ground instead of on a ladder.”

The Podium ladder is also equipped with a full set of rear horizontals, full aluminum bracing and is manufactured with seven-layer fiberglass construction.  The Podium has a 300lb load capacity which includes user and materials and has a Type 1A duty rating.

American made compaction plates

MBW is one of the last remaining American made manufacturer of compaction plates.  To remain competitive, they have upgraded there manufacturing equipment to help them remain competitive in a market where other manufacturers have gone off shore to manufacture their equipment.  Here is a link to a list of the equipment they are presently using in the manufacture of their equipment.

Since 1967, MBW has been manufacturing one of the construction industry's most interesting lines of compaction, concrete and related equipment.

What makes the MBW line interesting? MBW is not a copyist - we do not simply duplicate designs developed by others. MBW begins each new engineering project with the assumption that significant progress can be made in terms of improved productivity, reduced maintenance, longer life, enhanced user safety or lower long-term cost of ownership. Often, MBW's R&D efforts result in entirely fresh approaches to solving industry problems. Many of our products have pushed the productivity envelope to new heights. Some MBW products afford their operators the industry's safest tools in a given product class. Most MBW products solve long standing maintenance issues and extend product life expectations. Our goal is to provide equipment users with products of significant, tangible, comparative value... reasons to invest in MBW products.

Recently they have introduced a new line of compact plates called the GPX series.

This series of economical vibratory plates, the GP12, GP15 & GP18, are portable, and offer outstanding compaction performance. A patent-pending suspension system that places shock mounts in a predominantly shear mode at the high amplitude front end of the plate and a predominantly compressive mode at the low amplitude trailing end of the plate. This system reduces hand arm vibration and also better isolates all upper mass components, including the engine, from vibrations produced by the machine's exciter. With amplitudes up to .058 inches, centrifugal force up to 2100 lbf and travel speed to 75 feet per minute these plates are ideal in confined areas of granular soils including sands, bank run, gravels and capable of achieving lift depths of up to 10 inches (25 cm).

These lightweight plates weighing 129 lbs (59 kg) to 143 lbs (65 kg) are easy to lift and maneuver about the jobsite. Accompanied by intense vibration this series of plates are ideally suited as an economical alternative for small to medium soil compaction applications.

MBW GP18 plate compactor

OSHA Update - 

"Construction" or "Maintenance," What OSHA Standards Apply?

I found the following article in the Contractor Supply web site and thought you might be interested. 

Most OSHA guidelines are pretty clear: this distinction isn't.

In most cases, deciding what OSHA standard applies to the work in question is straight forward.  When it comes to deciding whether certain work is "construction," subject to OSHA's Construction Standards, or "maintenance," subject to OSHA's General Industry Standards, however, the answer is not always so clear.  A new OSHA Directive on Highway Construction Work Zones, CPL 02-01-054, issued in October 2012, offers some new insights on how to answer this question.[1]

Correctly deciding whether particular work comes under OSHA's Construction or General Industry Standards is essential to an employer's efforts to assure compliance and its ability to limit its legal liability.  While some OSHA safety and health requirements are identical under both the Construction and General Industry Standards - Hazard Communication is one example - many are very different.  For instance, OSHA's recent Crane and Derrick rule issued in 2010 applies to cranes used in construction work, but not when the same equipment is used in general industry work. 

Another area where the standards differ depending upon the type of work involved is confined spaces.  If the work is considered "maintenance," confined space entries are extensively regulated by OSHA's General Industry Permit-Required-Confined-Space Standard, 29 C.F.R. § 1910.146.  If, on the other hand, the job is considered "construction," only minimal training requirements for confined space entries apply.  29 C.F.R. § 1926.21(b)(6).[2] 

Many other OSHA requirements -- including fall protection and work zone protection -- significantly differ depending on whether the General Industry or Construction Standards apply.

Click here to read the entire article.

Source: jdsupra.com

OSHA Extends Temporary Enforcement Measures for Residential Construction Into 2013

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration will extend for three months its temporary enforcement measures in residential construction. The temporary enforcement measures, now extended through March 15, 2013, include priority free on-site compliance assistance, penalty reductions, extended abatement dates, measures to ensure consistency and increased outreach.

OSHA Fall Prevention Fact Sheet

OSHA has been working closely with the industry to assist employers in complying with the new directive. From October 1, 2011 to September 30, 2012, OSHA's On-site Consultation Projects performed more than 3,000 on-site visits, conducted close to 1,100 training sessions and delivered close to 500 presentations related to fall protection in residential construction. OSHA’s regional and area offices also conducted more than 1,200 outreach activities on the directive. The agency will continue to work with employers to ensure a clear understanding of, and to facilitate compliance with, the new policy.

OSHA will also continue to develop materials to assist the industry, including a wide variety of educational and training materials to assist employers with compliance for residential construction and theFall Prevention Campaign.

           THREE SIMPLE STEPS TO PREVENT FALLS

                                       Plan, Provide, Train

OSHA has a new program to help contractors eliminate falls.  It supplies contractors with tools to prevent different types of falls.  It is a partnership program with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and The National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA).  Please use this as a tool in your safety program.

OSHA moves residential roof transition date to December 15, 2012

The residential roofing industry has seen several changes since June 2011, 

when OSHA rescinded its directive for residential fall protection requirements. Several deadlines have seemingly come and gone adding to the confusion regarding when those working at heights within residential construction needed to be in compliance with OHSA’s new guidelines.

The new requirements within the residential fall protection directive 

STD 03-11-002 remain in effect, meaning employers must move to adopt these new requirement, OSHA has implemented a transition period for temporary enforcement measures for 19 months until December 15, 2012 which include on-site compliance assistance, penalty reduction, extended abatement dates and increased outreach programs in an attempt to educate the residential construction industry of these new requirements.