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COVER FEATUREUNITED ELECTRICAL & INSTRUMENTATION:
A History of Proven Performance (p.15)
FOCUS SECTION:National Economy Regains Footing: The Outlook For Houston, Texas & Beyond(p.22)
LEGAL NEWS:
6 Six Steps To Minimize Whistleblower Claims8 Drug Testing For Marijuana... Do You Really Want To Know?
INDUSTRY NEWS:
10 Why Strategy Matters In The Oil And Gas Industry
FINANCIAL NEWS:
12 Keep A Close Eye On These Affordable Care Act Issues
SAFETY NEWS:
16 What Time Is It?18 Guns, Falls, Poison, Cell Phones... Whats More Deadly?
ASSOCIATION NEWS:
20 A Winning Combination of Industry Supporting Education
IN THE KNOW:
26 People, Companies, Projects and Awards
I N D E X O F A D V E R T I S E R S
ABC LEADERSHIPhairm Ricketts
hannel BioRefinery & Terminals
hair Electarlene Eastoles Inc.
ce Chairike Hollandarek Brothers Systems, Inc.
ecretaryarren Adamson
&B Engineers and Constructors
easurereonard Bedellobil Steel International
2014 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
rian AndersonR. Birdwell Construction
erry BennettC Constructors, LLC
evin Bordelonachry Industrial
obert BurelsmithE. Reed Construction, L. P.
am Craigaig & Heidt, Inc.
att DanielBR Building Group
arcus DealB&I
obert Diasoster Wheeler USA Corp.
att ElliottpawGlass Construction Corp.
nesh Ghialbane Building Company
ohn Golasheskyurner Industries Group, LLC
randon Mabileerformance Contractors, Inc.
ohn Marshallatterfield & Pontikes Constr. Inc.
avid McCleskeyBR
od MolyneauACOBS
ob Nussmeierewit/TIC
oe Orraker Concrete Construction, Ind.
odney Pageef-Chem L.P.
endell Rychlik.T. Byler Company
illiam Sanchezxford Builders Inc.
hristina Stoneaughan, Stone & Thiagarajan
enry Villarrealurner Construction
en Westcottndrews Myers
ark Williamsechtel Construction Services
onnie Willsggregate Technologies Inc.
ohn ZyliczE. Harvey Builders, Inc.
uild Houston Magazine910 Kirby Drive, Suite 131ouston, Texas 7709813)523-6222ww.buildhoustononline.com
ublisher/Owner: Associated Builders &ontractors of Greater Houston
xecutive Editor:Jennifer Woodruff
ssistant Editor: Megan Brann
ccount Manager:Janice Peters
raphic Design: Jennifer Woodruff,obert Chevis
Aggregate Technologies Inc. ................................. 4
American Mat & Timber Co. ...............................25
Cokinos, Bosien & Young ....................................21
Craig and Heidt, Inc. .............................................7
Efficiency Shoring & Supply ...............................11
Expertox. .............................................................11
Ford Nassen & Baldwin P.C. ................................17
Interface Consulting International, Inc. ..............21
ISC Constructors, LLC .............................................7
Kerr, Hendershot & Canon, P.C. ...........................19
Locke Solutions Precast Division ........................13
Marek Brothers Systems .....................................13
Merit Professional Coatings ................................19
Porter Hedges LLP...............................................28
ROMCO Equipment ...............................................2
Scott Macon Equipment .......................................9
TCA/The Compliance Alliance L.P. ........................5
Total CAD Systems Inc...........................................9
United Electrical & Instrumentation ...................15
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Dear Reader,
The year is quickly coming to a close, as is my Chairmanship. Darlene East of Holes Incorporated wil
be taking the reins for Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Greater Houston in 2015. To
prepare for this transion, a combined planning conference was held in October for both ABC and
Construcon & Maintenance Educaon Foundaon (CMEF). One of the main conference focuses
was once again workforce development and training. There is a dierence! During the meeng the
disncon was made that workforce development is aracng, training, and retaining workers in
the industry.
CMEF has made signicant gains in aracng young prospecve construcon workers by sponsoring
Houston area high schools that want to embed NCCER classes as part of their curriculums. There
are currently 28 local high schools being sponsored by CMEF and ABC Members. Addionally, both
ABC and CMEF will be making a concerted eort to aract military service members returning from
overseas into the construcon industry. Here is the catch; once these individuals have been aracted
into the industry, and have received adequate training, they need to be hired. That is where our
membership comes in. We need to put these folks on job sites!
There is an new eort by ABC to connect workers with industry employers an online Job Posng board has been created. Both nding
a job with one of our member companies as well as nding potenal workers is as simple as uploading job opportunies or resumes
to the online plaorm, which can be found at buildhoustononline.com. Anyone can post a resume but only ABC members can post
a job or view a resume that has been posted. This service is free through December 31st. Please adverse this service to your HR
professionals and lets give these new people entering the construcon industry an opportunity.
The only way we will grow our workforce is by hiring new people
interested in entering the industry!
Finally, I will leave you with a thought. Employee retenon is
something that depends on a number of dierent variables, it is
individual to each company, and is somewhat challenging withdemographic and cultural changes. There is, however, a common
thread that I believe is fundamental. We will never convince
an employee that we care about them as a person if we dont
connue to provide a safe workplace. ABC members are the
safest contractors in the country, but we need to connue this
focus as each of our companies become increasingly busy.
Have a great rest of the year!
Tim Ricketts
ABC Greater Houston Chairman
Director of Projects, Channel
BioRefinery & Terminals
L E T T E R F R O M T H E C H A I R
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(5) Review and update your companys Code of Conduct.
Code of Conduct policies are in the cross-hairs of regulatory
enforcement acons, especially those policies that impose
strict condenality requirements prohibing the ling
of charges with government agencies. Ensure that the
companys Code of Conduct adequately addresses important
compliance concerns, risk areas, and cultural commitments
to ethics and integrity. An eecve Code should be more
than just words on the page. Companies should take stepsto ensure that the policies and principles in the Code are
eecvely communicated and implemented at all levels of the
organizaon.
(6) Make workplace culture a priority. Employees who fear
retaliaon or do not trust their managers and corporate
leaders to make ethical decisions are much less likely to come
forward internally with reports of misconduct. Companies
should work to promote an ethical workplace culture in which
employees feel comfortable speaking up about potenally
unlawful or unethical conduct.
Firmwide:129951501.1 800000.1000
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
G. Mark Jodon, managing shareholder for Liler Mendelsons Houston oce,
is board-cered in labor and employment law by the Texas Board of Legal
Specializaon. Mark advises employers on whistleblowing and retaliaon issues.
He can be reached at (713) 652-4739 and [email protected].
I N D U S T R I A L I N S T R U M E N T A T I O N A N D E L E C T R I C A L S E R V I C E S
420 Dickinson Ave.League City, TX 77573281-338-2000www.iscgrp.com
The Valueof High Standards
Our clients are demanding and
their standards are high. So are ours,
because high standards attract the
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Whistleblower Claims | LEGAL NEWS
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DRUG TESTING FOR MARIJUANA...
Do You Really Want To Know?
Posive tests for marijuana in employment drugscreening jumped 6.2% naonally from2012 to 2013, according to a recent study from Quest Diagnoscs.
Most employer drug tesng programs provide for, among other
things, random tesng for the presence of marijuana in an
employees system, with many owners and contractors mandang
that such random tests be conducted (or at least provided for).
Employees tesng posive for marijuana metabolite generally
are subject to discipline up to and including terminaon. In
the absence of an owner, contractor or government enty
mandang marijuana tesng; however, the queson arises: with
the growing naonal leniency toward legalizaon of recreaonal
marijuana use, do employers really want to random drug test
their employees?
While no one is advocang allowing
marijuana-impaired employees on the job,
urine and blood tests only monitor for the
presence of marijuana metabolite and not
present impairment. Marijuana metabolite
stays in an employees system for 3 to 6
weeks aer marijuana use. Thus, several
employers have stopped randomly tesng
for marijuana (though they connue
to test post-accident and based upon
reasonable suspicion of impairment) based on the fact that an
employee may not be impaired on the job, but may fail a test
anyway as a byproduct of recreaonal acvies. Tesng for the
presence of marijuana in any circumstance, however, may open
a Pandoras Box of unwanted employment issues. For example
the possibility exists that a posive marijuana test result could
arise from an employees proper use of medical marijuana in
one of the jurisdicons in which such medical use is legal. If so
taking an employment acon against such an employee may be
tantamount to a violaon of the ADA; the employee may have
been using medical marijuana for the treatment of a protected
condion.
Further, an employee could test posive for marijuana as a resul
of a vacaon to Colorado or Washington, where recreaona
use of marijuana is legal. With such a growing naonal leniency
An employee could test positive for
marijuana as a result of a vacation
to Colorado or Washington, where
recreational use of marijuana is legal.
With such a growing national leniency
towards marijuana use, should an
employer care if the test does not
evidence impairment at work?
STERGIO
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towards marijuana use, should an employer care if the test does
not evidence impairment at work?
If a reliable employee tests posive for marijuana, an employer
with such knowledge might feel compelled to take some acon
against the employee regardless of their stellar on-the-job
performance. This is becoming an issue in a market where skilled,
qualied workers are scarce. Employers may want to think twice
about adopng screening methods that could exclude workersfor acvity that does not aect job performance, and further, a
posive test result could open up an unwarranted ADA issue or
force an employer into following inconsistent policies.
4823-1653-1742, v. 1
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Arcle was wrien by Anthony G. Stergio with assistance from Drew Erickson.
Board Cered in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal
Specializaon, Anthony G. Tony Stergio has extensive experience in the
defense of State and Federal employment discriminaon claims, wage and
hour compliance, noncompeon agreements and employment policy design
and review. He speaks frequently at employment-related seminars and alsocounsels clients regarding developments in various areas of State and Federal
employment law.
Call (281) 445-6161 today to see whats new and how it can benefit you and your organization.
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WWW.SMEQUIPMENT.COM
Drug Testing | LEGAL NEWS
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What separates great companies that can consistentlyachieve high performance over a long periodof me from those that rise and fall year to year? One thing isthe depth of thinking company leaders put into planning for the
future of their company. A companys strategy is the collecon
of decisions that are made about how the company vision will
be achieved over the long term. It includes answers to a few
very basic quesons. Among them are where the company will
compete (geography, business segments, client types, etc.) and
how it will compete (services, scopes, dierenators, etc.). If
company leaders can gain clarity on these two quesons and use
them as guidelines in all other business decisions, the company
will be able to consistently outperform its competors.
Simply dened, strategy is the decision about where to allocate
scarce resources within your company. It includes decisions such
as how much corporate prot to invest in employee bonuses,
levels of investment in project controls systems, purchases of
equipment, hiring of business development sta, opening branch
oces, etc. All of these decisions are about levels of investment
in the company. It is very dicult (and not terribly eecve) to
address them individually. However, if most leaders dont have
the luxury of sing down and evaluang the pros and cons of all
these decisions together at one me. Having a corporate strategy
in place serves as a guide for company leaders when making
these decisions. In essence, it changes the queson from Should
the company invest in this job cosng soware? to Does the
recommended investment in job cosng soware advance the
company toward the strategy to pursue XYZ market?
It should be a relavely simple exercise to answer the Where
and How quesons for a companys current strategy:
Where does the company compete?
In what areas will the company pursue work and where will
it not? (Examples might be Gulf Coast states, Appalachia,
midconnent, anywhere, etc.)
What lines of work will the company
pursue? (compressor staons,
metering staons, transmissionpipelines, gathering systems,
miscellaneous gases, all of the above,
etc.)
What client types does the company
prefer? (naonals, regionals,
those with high prequalicaons,
those with unsophiscated project
management systems, etc.)
How do we compete?
What services or scopes will the company deliver?
(engineering, civil construcon, data gathering and
management, etc.)
How will the company be dierent? (strong balance sheet
duplicate resources that can mobilize quickly, deep project
controls experience, great relaonships, low cost, etc.)
But having clarity around these points is just the rst step. The
next step is to describe where and how the company will compete
in the future and the gaps between todays company and that
future company. In essence, company leaders should develop a
deliberate view of how they envision the company evolving over
me and what it will take to get there. Some of the key inputs into
both the denion of the future company and the gap assessmen
should be derived from research into where the market is growing
and buying trends. It should also include an objecve assessment
of how current and prospecve customers perceive the company
capabilies. For instance, do customers consider the company
capable of handling large projects, or have they pigeonholed it
for smaller work? Is the company a preferred supplier? Is the
market shiing toward limited, prequalied selecon processes
for certain types of work? If so, which companies will have an
advantage?
Why Strategy Matters
In The Oil and Gas Industry
DUNCAN
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Armed with this informaon, company leaders are then prepared
to document what the company will look like in the future and the
steps it will take to get there. That document (the strategic plan)
is the detailed road map everyone in your company will follow.
From that, decisions about whether to invest in eld management
training, new equipment, building customer relaonships, bidding
on an upcoming project, opening new oces, etc., become
considerably clearer.
To learn more about developing a comprehensive business
strategy and strategic plan, visit hp://www.fmiquarterly.com/
category/strategy/. All arcles are available free for download.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Based in Houston, Sco Duncan is a vice president with FMI Capital Advisors,
Inc., FMI Corporaons registered Investment Banking subsidiary. He works with
construcon industry rms on mergers and acquisions, valuaons and ownership
transfer issues. He may be reached by calling 303.398.7250 or via email at
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Oil & Gas Strategy | INDUSTRY NEWS
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With the Aordable Care Acts new reporngrequirements fast approaching, employers andtheir benet advisers need more than ever to keep abreast of
whats happening with the ever-changing health care reform
law. Here are ve ACA issues the naonal law rm Epstein Becker
Green says employers need to be following:
ACA Related Ligaon
Several pending court cases could have a huge impact on employer
responsibility under the ACA, including dueling decisions by
federal courts about whether employers in states with federally
facilitated exchanges would be liable for penales if an employee
receives a subsidy. While employers and their advisers should be
watching the cases closely, employers are advised to connue with
their employer mandate plans unl the courts rule denively.
Employer Mandate Reporng
In August, the IRS released dra forms and instrucons related to
the reporng requirements under Secons 6055 and 6056 of the
Internal Revenue Code. Beginning in 2016, employers that sponsor
fully insured or self-insured group health plans are required to
report informaon to the IRS about the health coverage provided
during the prior calendar year (2015).
The reporng is meant to assist the federal government in
enforcing compliance with both the employer and individual
mandates and, in turn, in administering the premium tax credit
and cost-sharing subsidy eligibility and payments through the
exchanges. Finalized forms are forthcoming, but employers and
their advisers can use the dras to begin taking steps to ensure
compliance with the law.
Secon 510 Liability
ERISA Secon 510 is an an-
abuse provision enacted to
prevent unscrupulous employers
from discharging or interfering
with their employees rights
to benets. In the wake of
the Aordable Care Act, some
plains aorneys will likely
use Secon 510 as an avenue
for suing employers that have reduced hours to limit exposure
to employer mandate liability. Employers that are planning o
reducing employee hours should do so in a way that limits thei
exposure to Secon 510 claims. In addion, employers ma
consider grandfathering employees that previously worked
30 or more hours a week. Employers should also ensure thei
employment agreements are modied to nofy employees who
are not benets-eligible of their status.
Alternaves to Tradional Plan Oerings
The employer mandate, for some, will dramacally increase the
number of employees eligible for employer-sponsored coverage
and the cost of providing coverage to addional employees has
led some employers and their advisers to look for alternave
to tradional plan oerings. While there are legimate way
to lower costs, there are an increasing number of plan design
and schemes that could expose employers to liability, including
employer payment plans, drug importaon programs, incenve
schemes and employee classicaon schemes. Use cauo
because if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.
Keep A Close Eye On These
Affordable Care Act Issues
CHRISTTAYLOR
INSURANCE
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The Looming Cadillac Tax
Beginning in 2018, employer-sponsored group health plans will
be subject to a 40 percent non-deducble excise tax on the dollar
amount of coverage that exceeds certain specied thresholds.
This looming concern is accelerang an already strong trend
toward having workers foot a greater share of their overall health-
care costs in the forms of higher deducbles, copayments and
coinsurance charges whose dollar amounts are not factored in
when calculang the tax.
Employers and their advisers must take acon now to restructure
their health coverage oerings to avoid the tax. In addion to
changing benet design, many employers have implemented
populaon health management techniques, such as wellness
programs, telemedicine services and giving employees incenves
to go to certain medical providers to improve the health of their
populaon, which will, in turn, help control their premium costs
and lower exposure to the Cadillac Tax.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Christ Taylor Insurance is an Employee Benets and Insurance Brokerage rm
doing business for over 50 years in southeast Texas, and long-me ABC member.
We provide soluons to small and medium size companies in the areas of
Healthcare and other Benet programs, as well as Life Insurance and Rerement
Plans. Contact the Christ Taylor team at 713-850-7747 or www.chrisaylor.com.
At Marek, we invest in educating ouremployees to improve specialty skills andfoster long-term careers. The result isa dedicated team of craft professionals
with the experience and expertise toprovide you what matters most qualityconstruction on time and on budget.
Because were devoted to developinga highly skilled workforce, our processalways leads to a strong final product.
With Marek, its more than the strengthin our workforce it s about giving yourproject
strength from within.
713.681.2626 | marekbros.com
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ACA Issues | FINANCIAL NEWS
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United Electrical & Instrumentation | COVER STORY
The Innity Group is a third generaon, family-ownedalliance of four separate enes that provideconstrucon services ranging from groundbreaking to startup, as
well as ongoing maintenance services. The family-owned business
began in the 1940s and has been led by the third generaon since
2003.
Our management and key personnel bring years of experience
to the areas of construcon management and execuon,
environmental health and safety and cra workforce development.
The team successfully executes chemical and rening projects, as
well as provides ongoing maintenance and turnaround services.
United Electrical & Instrumentaon, (UEI) a merit shop company
in operaon since 1980 provides electrical, instrumentaon, air
condioning refrigeraon services, as well as crane and elevator
inspecon and maintenance services to the industrial market.
The goal of our organizaon is to provide an unmatched level
of professional service at a compeve price, using only highlyskilled technicians to complete your projects on-me and to
ensure complete customer sasfacon.
Electrical Power Systems
UEI performs a wide variety of services on electrical power systems
ranging from 120 V Lighng to 15 kV Power Distribuon Systems.
These services include but are not limited to: low, medium
and high voltage switchgear installaons, cable terminaons,
cable tray installaons, ground grid tesng, troubleshoong of
electrical systems, control wiring and panel construcon, cable
pulls, transformer services and pole line construcon. With more
than 34 years in the business, UEI combines our safety processes,
quality management systems, equipment eet and skilled
crasman/supervision to ensure we provide the best service
available to our clients.
Instrumentaon
UEI provides a group of specialized Instrumentaon Technicians
with years of experience working in the renery and chemical
industries. We perform Control System Installaons, which include
Honeywell, Fisher Provox, Texas Instruments, Allen Bradley,
Modicon, Foxboro and Rosemount Equipment. In addion, we
oer startup and commissioning services that include but are not
limited to SIS systems, funcon tesng, verifying communicaon
on devices, building packages for systems with turnover to the
client once the system has been installed, calibrated, funcon
checked and loops completed as a sold device. We stay in
constant contact with our clients to ensure a quality job has been
performed and to enable a smooth transion during startup.
Crane and Elevator
In 1987, we formed a department to provide installaon, repair,
maintenance and inspecons of elevators, cranes and hoists. A
computerized parts inventory system provides job schedules
and printouts for our customers. A preventave maintenance
quarterly inspecon scheduling system is also available to reduce
unscheduled (emergency) jobs. On sta is a state cered Quality
Elevator Inspector.
HVAC and Specialty Sheet Metal Fabricaon
A fully equipped sheet metal shop supports HVAC work with
capabilies for fabricang galvanized, stainless steel, andaluminum up to 1/4 thick. Our capabilies also include welding
and brazing duct work of all size square, rectangular, round and
spiral pipe.
We own and maintain the majority of our equipment, allowing
us to oer substanally lower rates on services and equipment
rentals, such as portable air condioners or chillers, and portable
temperature and moisture control generators.
Firmly in place are quality-driven processes such as project
scheduling, performance tracking, cost reporng and cost
analysis. Added together, these ingredients make UEI the bes
single-source electrical contractor for you.
UEIs relaonship with its aligned companies gives us the ability
to oer a full range of services, including general mechanical, pipe
fabricaon, civil, and remediaon.
Our family of companies has a history and reputaon of providing
experienced and performance-oriented personnel to our clients
through our oces in La Porte, Clute, and Port Lavaca, Texas.
Please visit us online at www.ueiltd.com
A History of Proven Performance
UEI electrician working on a 5 kV transformer in a petrochemical facility.
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to give a summary of whats happening in
the world of safety. From an observers
posion, safety in our localized world is
doing well. However, if a company or a
project has an incidence rate with anything
other than zero, our task is incomplete.
There are many who say that if were going
to be in the construcon business, we just
have to know that injuries happen. I say
no to that. Injuries dont just happen,
they all have a cause; and since they all have a cause, they can be
prevented.
In my safety seminars, a queson is asked: Have you ever been
part of a team invesgang an injury? Most will answer Yes
Then I say: What were you looking for? Someone will usually
say: We were looking for the root cause. I would say: Thats
the correct answer, and if you were looking for a cause, you have
proven that injuries are preventable. Because, if you can nd a
cause, then by removing that cause, the injury would have been
prevented.
Timex or Rolex?Whats the dierence if the watch keeps me? Some may say i
is the style or the look, or maybe its the quality. By any watch o
clock you use, the me is always right to prevent injuries. Since
injuries have causes, they surely are preventable. So, why do
we sll have injuries at worksites? For an answer, we need to
look at the leaders. From my experience in construcon, leaders
get what they want. If a leader wants to save money, all he/
she has to do is eliminate cost, reduce processes, avoid adding
value, rush the work and dont worry what the customer thinks
or how many people are harmed during the savings process. If
Thisyear has rapidly ashed by. Is it me or does me
pass faster as you age? My involvement with
Associated Builders and Contractors is now in the fourth decade
beginning in the 80s when I was safety commiee chairman and
began teaching safety courses for members. Do you remember
the original ABC oce located in the Houston Ship Channel area
in an old Howard Hughes complex? Not far from that oce was
the Houston Country Club that Howard frequented. Today the
course is known as Gus Wortham Golf Course and is owned and
managed by the City of Houston. ABC has grown up and moved
on. Congratulaons for the forward look. Had we stayed in that
old part of Houston, wed now have cobwebs over our sign outfront.
Whos Keeping Time?
I oen compare ABC with whats happening in the construcon
industry. ABC is rocking. Construcon is rocking. From residenal
to high rise buildings, to oce complexes, to upstream, midstream
and downstream oil producon, it s the glory land for contractors.
Nearly any person these days who wants to work can nd a job in
construcon. Thats not to say that any person or every person
is qualied, it s just that construcon oers many the opportunity
for employment. In 1990 the Construcon and MaintenanceEducaon Foundaon (CMEF) Board of Directors was aempng
to assist the industry with aaining sucient numbers of qualied
workers. We called our plan Workforce 2000. Of course, by 2000,
we had not maintained our goals because we didnt ancipate the
connuous needs of construcon.
Hour Glass Timer
Oen the progress in construcon is viewed from an hour glass, or
in some types of construcon, maybe a sun dial-like when will this
freeway be completed? In comparing progress, Im oen asked
What Time Is It?
GHORMLEY
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by chance, the same leader wants to get
a great return on the investment, do just
the opposite: invest sucient funds, add
necessary processes, perform the work
producvely, consider the customers
feelings and always prevent injuries and
preserve lives.
The boom line is this: Are you usinga Timex and sll doing safety like in the
70s or 80s? Or could it be that you are
a Rolex person and a zero injury kind of
person? With no disrespect, consider
that companies or projects that have
incidence rates in the 1.0 and above
range, its me for a Rolex. One project
leader in one of my seminars stated that
he did not need a good incidence rate to
get work for his company; all he needed
was a low bid. What the leader did not
understand is that a 1.0 IR means that one
person out of every 100 employees in the
company suered a recordable injury. If
a company has 500 employees, thats 5
people injured. What if your child worked
there and was one of those injured, would
that make any dierence? Of course it
wouldor should.
Which Is It?
So which mer do you have? The one
that takes a licking (as in injury) and keepson cking or do you prefer the Rolex with
injury to no one? The choice belongs to
the leaders. They get what they want.
Hopefully leaders want employees to go
home the way they came to work. Or, in
the case of a zero injury company, they
want workers to go home beer than
they arrived because they were under the
direcon of a Rolex leader.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Benne Ghormley has more than 35 years ofexperience in safety, training and construconadministraon. He is experienced in implemenngsafety programs involving commercial, industrialand municipal industries. Mr. Ghormley hasconducted audits, invesgaons and inspecons inreneries, chemical and petrochemical plants, forpipelines, water and waste facilies, manufacturingplants and fabricaon facilies. Mr. Ghormleyhas served as an expert witness in ligaon casesand appeared before the Workers Compensaon
Commission, EEOC, Employment Commission and
civil courts. Contact Mr. Ghormley via email at
Its not
about luckfordnassen.com
Dal las Houston Aust in
Youve worked hard to build your
business and good reputation in theconstruction industry.
Dont leave them to chance.
What Time Is It? | SAFETY NEWS
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Ibelieve in gun ownership. But with the media hijacking everynews program every me a gun is involved in an incident, Ithought I should do some research and get the facts. What ARE
the top causes of deaths in America? We all know OSHAs Top 4
causes of death for workers: Falls, Electrocuon, Struck By, and
Caught In-Between. But what hits everyone? Are guns our most
deadly threat on a daily basis as the news channel would have us
believe?
In researching causes of death in the USA for people 25 years and
older, I found the top 4 causes of death are lifestyle related
diseases which primarily arise from what you eat, drink, and
think, such as heart disease and diabetes.
The #5 cause of death is accidents. And within accidents we have
several causes but the Top 4 are1:
1) Poisoning
2) Motor Vehicles
3) Falls
4) Guns
Poisoning as #1 blew me away unl I discovered WHAT was
poisoning everyone. Uhhh, Tylenol? Big Pharma? You got it!
Tylenol alone sends more than 100,000 people to the hospital
annually and accounts for over 56,000 emergency room visits due
to acute poisoning. We dont have room to cover the numbers on
the other pharmaceucals but suce to say that these companies
are NOT in the health business.
Falls, the #1 bad boy for OSHA and the
construcon industry came in third.
Guns, as a cause of accidental death,
came in a distant fourth.
Motor Vehicles came in 2nd at 33,000
deaths annually. But a HUGE cause
of these crashes is something that
didnt exist 50 years ago. The Naonal
Safety Council esmates that over 1.6
MILLION car crashes per year are due to cell phone use. Of these
more than 400,000 persons are injured and taken to the hospital
And, as already menoned, eventually tens of thousands die.
You should know that on a good year, or a bad year, OSHA is only
dealing with 4,000 to 5,000 work-related deaths. It never changes
Cell phones are vastly increasing the risk of auto-related death
While, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles has some cel
phone laws in place, there are so few specically dedicated to cel
phones that most people focus on what they CAN do, rather than
what they CANT or SHOULDNT DO.
Heres the short list of Texas cell phone laws for drivers over 25
years of age:
1) No use while driving if you have had a learners permit fo
six months or less; or
2) You operate a school bus; or
3) You are driving in a school zone.
GunsFalls
Poison
Cell Phones...
Whats More Deadly?
AMAVI
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However, dont let this short list fool you. Texas has its own
version of OSHAs General Duty Clause. OSHAs clause says
(paraphrased) If there are unsafe acts or condions occurring
in your workplace for which we do NOT have a regulaon, and
you know about it, then you are responsible to correct it.
Failures to do so result in citaons issued under the General
Duty Clause.
The driver equivalent to the General Duty Clause is the
Distracted Driver laws. These vary throughout Texas but the
common thread is cause a wreck because you were on your
cell phone, and you may get the cket as a distracted driver.
Driver distracon costs the U.S. economy $3.58 billion EACH
MONTH2 in addion to the hundreds of thousands of injuries.
As a result, many employers are implemenng cell phone bans
while driving.
Clearly, YOU are in control of the most deadly hazard you face
on a daily basis. Its not gunsas the liberals would tell you. Its
not falls, as OSHA would tell you. Its your cell phone. So, even
if there is NO law against texng outside a school zone, use your
brain, not your phone. TEXTED, DROVE, & CRASHED is NOT a
good epitaph.
1 Centers For Disease Control
2 Harvard Center for Risk Analysis Study
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tara Maria Amavi, (formerly Tara Templeton Hart,
name changed due to identy the) is the Founder
and President of TCA/The Compliance Alliance L.P.
TCA has provided services to almost 1000 companies
naonwide and TCAs proprietary tools, methods
and means have been ranked #1 in the world for
managing contractor safety. The TCA Safety System
is peer acknowledged as a method based upon TCAs
own trade secrets which get beer results than
tradional safety methods and, therefore, saves
lives. Ms. Amavi has been named one of Houstons
50 Most Inuenal Women by Houston Woman
magazine, and has also been named one of the
Whos Who in Safety by Compliance Magazine. Ms.
Amavi is a sought aer public speaker, has appeared
on local & naonal radio and television programs
including ve appearances on The BusinessMakers,
a radio show hosted by John Beddow & Russ Capper.
Ms. Amavi may be contacted at tara.amavi@
tcamembers.com or 713.263.7661.
WE KNOW OSHA LAW
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GENERAL INDUSTRY TRAINING ANDCONSTRUCTION TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
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Whats More Deadly? | SAFETY NEWS
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Twenty-ve Turner High Schoolwelding studentsaccompanied by their teacher, Patricia Hayes, toured a Turner
Industries Pipe Fabricaon shop in Pasadena. Carla Thompson,
Workforce Development Coordinator for Turner Industries Group,
LLC, arranged for the eld trip for these Pearland ISD students.
As an Associated Builders and Contractors Construcon Careers
Youth Commiee (CCYC) member, Carla is helping the commiee
meet its mission to promote and support Construcon Industry
workforce educaon at public schools through such acvies as
eld trips and making guest speaker presentaons to schools.
The students assembled together in a
training room to listen to the importance
of safety, proper work place are, and
received personal protecve equipment
prior to touring the fabricaon shops.
Brian Daigle, Vice President of Fabricaon,
spoke to the group about the workforce
needs of the construcon industry and
specic workforce needs at the Turner Industries Pipe Fabricaon
site. Addionally, Brian spoke about the dierent cra posions
pay scales, educaonal requirements, work ethics, workplace
atude, safety, work schedules including mulple shis
fabricaon shop operaonal hours, career advancement, and
some of the dierences in working at a job site versus a fabricaonshop. Jill Hill, HR Manager, Fabricaon Division, reinforced
Brians presentaon by addressing Human Resources issues
such as employee benets, various pay scales, pre-employment
requirements, drug tesng, new employee probaon period
various career opons, communicaon skills, and safety.
The students toured dierent operaonal stages at each building
and observed how the employees safely performed tasks such
Turner Industries Hosts Turner High School:
A Winning Combination of
Industry Supporting Education
HORTON
The students assembled together in a
training room to listen to the importanceof safety, proper work place attire, and
received personal protective equipment
prior to touring the fabrication shops.
Brian Daigle, Vice President of Fabrication,
spoke to the group about the workforce
needs of the construction industry and
speciic workforce needs at the Turner
Industries Pipe Fabrication site.
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as lay out work, grinding, rigging, ame
cung, tacking, welding, material
handling, and more. Touring the buildings
provided the students an opportunity
to see the relevance and work force
applicaons of the NCCER curriculum
they are studying.
Aer the tour, the students reassembled
for a queson and answer session where
the students were fully engaged with
these industry representaves by asking
numerous quesons. The students were
provided a new perspecve on working in
the construcon industry and expressed
their appreciaon for the opportunity to
tour the pipe fabricaon shops. I, too,
want to express my appreciaon and
thanks to Carla Thompson, Brian Daigle,
Jill Hill, and Turner Industries Group,
LLC, for making the eld trip experience
possible for the Turner High School
welding students and their teacher.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Steven F. Horton, Ed.D., serves as the Schools
Program Director for the Construcon and
Maintenance Educaon Foundaon with a primary
focus on creang an employment growth by
promong the Construcon Industry as a career
choice to students in local high schools. As a former
State Board Member for the Texas Associaon of
College Technical Educators, Dean of Technical
Educaon, and department chair/faculty member,
Dr. Horton spent nearly 40 years at the community
college level providing supervision, support, and
administrave leadership in the development,
implementaon, and evaluaon of technical
educaon programs, courses, and facilies to meet
the career and educaonal goals of students in
workforce educaon.
Trouble?
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Industry Supporting Education | ASSOCIATION NEWS
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The U.S. economy nished last year with a bit of abang, expanding at a 3 percent annualized clipduring the nal six months. However, a disproporonate share
of that growth was prompted by signicant inventory building
during the third quarter of 2013. That set the economy up
for an early-2014 swoon, which was exacerbated by an awful
and seemingly endless winter. According to the nal esmate
from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the U.S. economy
contracted 2.1 percent during the years inial quarter.
The naonal economy came racing back as the nal snows
melted and expanded business investment came with it.
Construcon projects that were delayed by the harsh winter
are now underway, auto sales are surging, the economy
supports more than 2.5 million more jobs than it did a year
ago, and for the rst me in six years, unemployment has
fallen below 6 percent. Even the quality of jobs being added
seems to have improved of late, with more middle-income
jobs being produced in construcon, manufacturing, energy,
professional services and IT.
Aer shrinking during the rst quarter, the U.S. economy
bounced back with a robust 4.6 percent annualizedperformance during the second quarter and stakeholders can
expect around 3 percent growth for the laer half of 2014.
The most recent Internaonal Monetary Fund upgraded its
projecon for the U.S. from 1.7-2.2 percent overall growth for
the year 2014.
Consumers connue to ramp up outlays, with specic
emphasis on autos, Internet shopping, travel, and home
improvement. The retail sales began to trend higher as early
as March and the recent acceleraon of job growth should
keep consumers going. Consumer condence has also been
on the rise of late with the Conference Boards ConsumerCondence Index aaining a seven-year high of 90.3 in July.
Consumers have reason for opmism. As of this wring, the
naon has added 2.635 million jobs over the past 12 months
(Continued on page 24)
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25 of the states stascal areas added jobs between September
2013 and September 2014. Only three of the states metropolitan
areas are presently associated with unemployment rates above
the naonal average (McAllen, Brownsville, and El Paso).
That said, Houston is unquesonably at the head of the class.
The regions labor force expanded by nearly 75,000 people over
a recent 12-month period, which translates into 2.4 percent
growth. That compares to 1.3 percent labor force growth
statewide and 0.3 percent naonally. Its important to note that
labor force growth eventually translates into both residenal
and nonresidenal construcon, which is precisely what is being
observed in the Houston metropolitan area. During the same
12 months, regional employment expanded 3.7 percent, which
means that despite the surge in the size of the labor force, the
number of unemployed persons in the Houston metropolitan area
has declined by 17.4 percent over the past year. The 3.7 percent
job growth gure is roughly twice the level of the naonal rate
of job growth (1.9 percent) and 50 percent above the statewide
employment growth rate of 2.4 percent.
Houstons regional unemployment rate stood at 4.9 percent in
September 2014, the second lowest unemployment rate among
the naons 20 largest metropolitan areas. Only Minneapolis
has a lower rate of unemployment, which is at least parally
explained by the fact that people generally do not ock in large
numbers toward brutally cold temperatures, generally rendering
Minneapolis labor growth slower.
Construcon employment is perhaps the most remarkable number
related to construcon employment growth in the Houston
metropolitan area. Over the past 12 months, construcon
employment expanded 7.1 percent. This compares to roughly 5percent growth statewide and 4 percent growth naonally.
Demand for industrial construcon in Houston is simply surging.
Total net absorpon of industrial space totaled more than 2.6
million square feet during the third quarter of 2014 alone, with the
industrial vacancy rate sliding to 5.4 percent. Over the rst three
quarters of 2014, net absorpon exceeded 5.8 million square feet
and currently more than 6 million square feet of industrial space
is under construcon in the region. Beyond energy producon is
Houstons expanding role as a center for throughput as more steel
was shipped through the Port of Houston Authority in July 2014
than in any other month since 2008.
Looking Ahead
With oil prices falling recently, it is conceivable that some of the
edge will be taken o the Houston and overall Texas economies in
the near term; however, several government and private reports
indicate that it would take a further drop of $10 or $20 a barrel, to
as low as $60 a barrel, to slow energy producon even modestly.
While lower prices mean that taxes and royales on oil producon
will decline, potenally impacng the nances of oil producing
states like Texas, Alaska, Oklahoma and North Dakota, current
levels of output are likely to be sustained in
the shale elds of America in 2015.
The U.S. Energy Department recently
reported that only 4 percent of shale-
derived oil producon in North Dakota,
Texas and other states required an oil price
above $80 dollars a barrel for producers
to break even on their investments. Thecurrent producon of 8.7 million barrels a
day, the highest level in nearly a quarter
century, is more than a million barrels a day higher than it was
only a year ago and the Energy Department connues to predict
daily producon exceeding 9 million barrels next year.
Moreover, given the outcome of recent mid-term elecons
policymakers may be able to introduce more producon and
distribuon-friendly legislaon going forward. That would be
good for the naonal economy, the Texas economy, and the
regional construcon economy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Anirban Basu was named Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) chie
economist in February 2008. His primary responsibility is to provide ABC with
mely, comprehensive analyses of important trends in the U.S. commercial and
industrial construcon industry. Basu produces ABCs electronic economic new
report, Construcon Economic Update, which includes an analysis of the followin
federal government economic indicators upon their release: construcon
spending, employment, producer price index and gross domesc product.
BASU
Construction Outlook | FOCUS SECTION
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PEOPLE ON THE MOVEKBR Building Group is excited to announce several new addions
the Houston oce: Preconstrucon Manager Stephen Herring, Projec
Manager Charles Grithsand Project EngineerChrisan Staples.
Gilbane Building Company announces that Project ExecuveJohn Abbo
has relocated to Gilbanes Houston oce aer 18 successful years at the
companys Conneccut locaon. Abbo has been with Gilbane since
1996 when he joined the Glastonbury, CT oce as a Project Engineer
Thad Minerhas been hired to join the Gilbanes Houston-based oce
a Senior Project Execuve for the Southwest business unit. Miner began
his career in the commercial construcon industry in 1982 and brings
over 30 years of experience with him to Gilbane.
Ross Winkler has joined Winkler Public Relaons as Manag
Markeng Strategy. He will expand markeng and customer relaons
services oered by Winkler Public Relaons and assist with design
implementaon and management of strategic markeng plans. Winkle
will also manage business development to connue to grow clientele fo
the Houston-based public relaons company.
NAH Sports Flooring LLC in Houston is pleased to announce the
appointment of Reggie Hill as Vice President and General Manager of a
Texas operaons. Reggies rst encounter with the sports ooring businesswas serving as a regional manager for Poloplaz Inc,. a manufacturer o
specialty coangs for sport and recreaonal wood surfaces. NAH also
named Jose Galvanas Athlec Floor Operaons Manager for the Tex
operaon. Jose has worked for the company in various disciplines and
has proven himself to be a worthy candidate for this important role.
Sco Sundberg has joined Mobley Industrial Services, Inc. as Senio
Account Manager. Sundberg has extensive managerial experience and
qualicaons in the Petrochemical, Pulp & Paper & Power Generaon
industry. He is also trained in Six Sigma, Deal Maker and Professiona
Speaking; with ability to develop posive results through team work
& strong customer relaons. Jereme Marn has also joined Mob
Industrial Services as Senior Project Manager. He has over 10 yearsexperience in general construcon and so cra services.
Oxford Builders Inc.is pleased to announce their rst ten year anniversa
employees. Ivan Gonzalezis Oxford Builders General Foreman in char
of Door and Hardware installaon andRoberto Benitezis Oxford Builde
General Foreman in charge of Wood installaon and Framing. These
two highly trained professional crasmen have been working at Oxford
Builders for ten years.
PROJECT NEWSThe Texas Department of Transportaon (TXDOT) contracted Lone Sta
Road Construcon LTD. to construct the nal phase of the Mulple Leve
Super Elevated intersecon of Interstate Highway 10 and State Highwa
99, one of the largest intersecons in the State of Texas on one of the
busiest roadways in the country. The project consisted of a web o
overlapping bridges that connected the two highways.
E.E. Reed Construconrecently completed Silver Eagle Distributors East
which includes a one-story, lt-wall distribuon center with a 307,000
square foot controlled environment warehouse, 70,000 square foo
oce including all related interior improvements, 20,000 square foo
maintenance/eet building and 7,400 square foot truck wash/fueling
building, in Pasadena.
C O M I N G S O O N A T A B C / C M E F
Dec 11: PAC Christmas Party
Dec 17: Collecting on Construction Work Seminar
Jan 6: OSHA 510
Jan 7: Commercial Blueprint Bootcamp
Jan 8: Leadership Forum Begins
Jan 13: OSHA 500
Jan 22: ABC/CMEF Inaugural Dinner
Jan 27: OSHA 511
Feb 9-10: Legislative Day in Austin
VISIT WWW.ABCHOUSTON.ORG TO LEARN MOR E
GRIFFITHS
WINKLER
STAPLES
SUNDBERG
MARTIN
GALVAN
HERRING
HILL
MINERABBOTT
LONE STAR ROAD CONSTRUCTION
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People, Projects, Companies & Awards | IN THE KNOWJuly marked the topping out on One Lakes Edge, built by Hoar Construcon. The 8-story mid-rise
upscale apartment building sits within the 66-acre Hughes Landing development in The Woodlands, by
The Howard Hughes Corporaon. One Lakes Edge has a prime locaon on Lake Woodlands and will oer
390 residenal units with retail space on the rst oor.
Saereld & Ponkes Construconrecently completed construcon of the new Micro Center electronics
store at 5305 S. Rice Avenue in the Galleria/Bellaire area. The new 32,000-square-foot store replaces its
previous 610 West Loop store near San Felipe. The $6 million project was constructed on a 3.5-acre site
and is part of a larger retail development.
Real estate development rm Kopke & Marek Investments broke ground September 2, 2014 on a newmul-tenant oce and warehouse project in Conroe, Texas. The project targets industrial growth and
commercial real estate investment in the North Harris and Montgomery County corridor. The mul-
tenant facility consists of more than 19,000 square feet of ex use warehouse space that will be ready
for occupancy February 1, 2015.
BIGenterprisesWest Wing project is the rst of its kind to be erected in the United States using a
Cross Laminated Timber (CLR) System for load bearing wall panels and oor planks all manufactured
from engineered wood. The project is built around a steel structure that includes two massive steel rigid
frames with canlever backspans to support the main roof. The nal building design will incorporate
many elements which are paerned aer the U.S. White House including a garage, residenal and oce
work space, recreaonal and meeng rooms as well as its own oval oce.
Currently under construcon and going vercal- this unique 5-story meshare building, located on thebeach of Galveston Island, is supported structurally by heavy gauge metal studs with each concrete
oor poured on the supporng metal framed walls and oor joist. EFIS and stucco nish highlight the
exterior and gypsum wallboard on the interior. This economic and ecient package is subcontracted by
Schear Hampton Drywall LLC and other local subcontractors expeding the building construcon for
T&G Constructors. It is the 3rd project T&G has completed for Silverleaf Resorts and CB Richard Ellis-
owner representave.
T&T Construcon has partnered up with Gallery Furniture to bring their third and largest locaon to Fort
Bend County. The future 165,000-square-foot furniture store is located o the Grand Parkway. The new
store will include a rst class restaurant, play area, an animal habitat and other amenies to enhance
the furniture buying experience. Since May, T&T has been working on the earthwork, storm, ulies,
building foundaon and the site paving for the project.
Epoch Construcon Servicesis proud to announce the compleon of the Preston Hollow Emergency
Room which is an upscale 8,000 square foot design build Retro-t/Remodel located in Dallas, Texas. By
using the exisng buildings foundaon the environmental impact was minimized without sacricing any
of the exterior nishes. All exterior and interior work was new, including new re suppression system,
reecve metal wall paneling, and uid applied cool roof system.
COMPANY NEWSSeptember 1st 2014 marked a huge accomplishment for Karsten Interior Services, celebrang an
anniversary of 18 years in the construcon industry and reaching 1.6 Million Man Hours without a Lost
Time Incident.
SPECIAL AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONAggregate Technologies Inc.is proud to announce that the Mickey Leland Federal Building Renovaon
project has won the 2014 ABC Houston Chapter ICE Award for excellence in construcon in the category
Other Specialty Construcon (Commercial). This presgious award recognizes projects which exemplify
innovave design, precise crasmanship, superior safety
pracces, and many other consideraons.
Mobil Steel Internaonal recently made a contribuon of
$1,000 to the ABC Scholarship Foundaon in memory of
Senior Vice President, Mr. Richard W. Friel. Mr. Friel was
a member of ABC and a loyal PAC supporter. He lost his
bale with Glioblastoma Mutliforma on 07/07/13. Mobil
Steel also made a $1,000 donaon to MD Anderson -
Glioblastoma Mulforma Research in 2013 and 2014.
HOAR CONSTRUCTION
SATTERFIELD & PONTIKES
T&T CONSTRUCTION
SCHEAR HAMPTON DRYWALL
EPOCH CONSTRUCTION SERVICES
BIG ENTERPRISE
E.E. REED CONSTRUCTION
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Porter Hedges assists owners, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, lenders and designprofessionals who manage the risks of construction projects. From commercial to industrialand infrastructure construction, our experienced counsel can take you from contractformation to project completion, including the complexities of financing projects. Ourbreadth of experience helps clients avoid claims and resolve them when they happen.
Chambers USAhas ranked our construction practice among the best in Texas (Band 1)for ten consecutive years, noting in particular our subject matter knowledge andresponsiveness to clients needs.
buildsby providing clients with solutions based on experience.
relationshipsOur construction team