Under the Hard Hat

Author: Jonathan Barnes

  • Kubota partners with MLB Toronto Blue Jays

    Kubota partners with MLB Toronto Blue Jays

    One of the world’s largest construction machinery manufacturers, Kubota, has partnered with the Toronto Blue Jays, Canada’s only Major League Baseball team. Kubota is proud to serve Canadians and recently signed a 6-year agreement with the MLB team to become an Official Partner.

    The company said in a press release that Kubota’s new partnership shows its commitment to further engaging with local communities across Canada and its desire to expand its brand in the Canadian market.

    Kubota said in a recent press release that the partnership is a natural fit for brands with similar qualities. “The Blue Jays value teamwork, innovation, success, and community—all qualities that not only resonate with Canadian consumers but also align perfectly with Kubota’s brand values.”

    It’s an alignment of similar winning teams, in a way. Perhaps winners think alike.

    “The Blue Jays are known for their dedication to excellence and performance on the field,” said Steve Sweetnam, Director of Marketing at Kubota Canada. “By partnering with them, we’re aligning our company with an organization that values teamwork, reliability, and high performance, all of which are key attributes of our brand and products.”

    Toronto Blue Jays officials were grateful for their team’s corporate backing. They see a synchronicity in the partnership.

    “We’re thrilled to partner with Kubota Canada. Our two companies have many shared values and we’re excited to bring this partnership to life,” said Mark Palmer, Director of Partnerships for the Toronto Blue Jays. “As Canada’s baseball team, we have the unique opportunity to connect with fans and Kubota Canada consumers from coast-to-coast-to-coast.”

    About Kubota Canada

    Kubota Canada Ltd. (KCL) is a tractor and heavy equipment manufacturer based in Osaka, Japan. It sells a line of tractors, performance-matched implements, compact construction products, commercial turf and landscaping products, utility vehicles, and consumer lawn and garden equipment.

  • STACK Construction Technologies announces STACK Assist AI feature

    STACK Construction Technologies announces STACK Assist AI feature

    STACK Construction Technologies recently unveiled STACK Assist, its Artificial Intelligence-powered Takeoff feature. This feature, informed by AI software provider Workpack, will speed up and make the preconstruction process more efficient. 

    According to STACK, time savings from using this feature will enable owners to focus on growing their business. Workpack’s automated takeoffs are built into the STACK platform and are reducing time spent on takeoffs by at least 50%.

    STACK Assist uses machine learning to automate routine takeoff tasks. This new feature provides the following:

    • Automated counts for doors, windows, and symbols
    • Automated takeoffs for interior and exterior walls
    • Automated takeoffs for gross areas and room areas
    • Enables users to edit, change, or add to the AI takeoff

    STACK officials said this new powerful combination of technologies allows companies to concentrate more time on landing new contracts.

    “Like many businesses focused on growth in today’s economy, construction firms need to focus on greater efficiency and more profitable outcomes,” said Ray DeZenzo, Chief Operations Officer of STACK Construction Technologies. ”Workpack has been an integral partner in our quest to support our customers’ growth initiatives and we are excited about this launch being the first of many capabilities to be enabled via STACK Assist.”

    STACK Assist helps contractors use measurements specific to their trades while accurately performing takeoffs.

    “We’re excited to partner with STACK to provide customers with AI tools that make their working lives easier and more productive,” said Marty Cornish, CEO and Co-Founder of Workpack. “Workpack’s AI features integrated with STACK’s all-in-one takeoff and estimating functionality gives users a powerful solution for the needs of today’s estimator.”

    A new add-on to the feature is called Floor Plan AI, which costs $999 per user. Floor Plan AI detects walls, rooms, doors, and windows to automatically generate takeoff measurements, decreasing the amount of time spent manually drawing takeoffs.

    STACK customer Carrara, Inc., a Southern California-based commercial stone, tile, and facade contractor, has experienced first-hand how STACK Assist can help.

    “With shorter durations to bid on more complex projects, AI Assist’s clean takeoff lines and generation of reliable, automated output quantities is a substantial time saver on manual data entry and otherwise repetitive takeoff-related tasks,” said William Cordova Jr., Vice President of Estimating and Preconstruction at Carrara. “This enhancement to STACK’s already powerful suite of tools will certainly help make us more efficient, increase our bid output, and close more projects.” 

  • BMO Centre expansion is nearly complete, opening set for June

    BMO Centre expansion is nearly complete, opening set for June

    Calgary Municipal Land Corporation and the Calgary Stamped announced in mid-March the substantial completion of the 4-year, $500 million BMO Centre expansion. The facility will be ready for its June opening—it’s in the final stages of competition and ready for the Calgary Stampede to move in. 

    The four-year, $500 million BMO Centre expansion is a success story for a multi-use venue that has evolved to better serve event-goers.

    Now the largest convention center in western Canada, the BMO Centre was renovated to have over one million square feet of space, including:

    • 102,500 sq. ft. of exhibit hall space
    • 50,000 sq. ft. of ballroom space
    • 118,500 sq. ft. back-of-house service area
    • 68,000 sq. ft. of meeting rooms 

    The facility also has a central hub, atrium, public art sites, and an outdoor plaza and pavilion.

    “As development manager for the project, Calgary Municipal Land Corporation is proud to have delivered the BMO Centre expansion on schedule and budget. This is a huge step toward achieving our vision for a vibrant and active Culture + Entertainment District. This milestone would not have been possible without the expertise of our construction manager, PCL Construction, and project manager, M3 Project Management,” said Kate Thompson, CMLC’s president and CEO. “We’re grateful for our world-class design team of Stantec, Populous and S2, and to our partners at the Calgary Stampede. Our shared success today is due to all our consultants’ and contractors’ unwavering commitment and pride of work over the past four years.”

    Thousands of workers, millions of hours

    About 5,000 workers participated in the project, including demolition crews, drywallers, steelworkers, and electrical and mechanical contractors. More than two million construction hours were logged on the project to bring it to near completion by mid-March.

    Creating 565,000 square feet of new space required 10,000 metric tons of steel and 2.4 million square feet of drywall. BMO Centre is Western Canada’s largest convention center, upgraded with a modern look and amenities. 

    The newly expanded BMO Centre has three floors of tradeshow and convention space, new exhibition halls, two ballrooms, a central hub, and top-tier meeting and banquet space.

    The renovation modernized house facilities, including loading areas, building systems, and food preparation areas. Exterior retail and café spaces, as well as a pavilion and public art installations, connect the venue with the Arts District community.

    The timely completion of the project this year was good news for entertainment and convention fans. It also was good publicity for the center, resulting in a substantial amount of event bookings.
    “The BMO Centre expansion project has been years in the making for the Calgary Stampede. To reach this milestone is monumental, as our team will now work to operationalize the building,” said Joel Cowley, Calgary Stampede CEO. “The impact that the expanded BMO Centre will have on the Calgary Stampede and on Calgary’s tourism, convention and hospitality sector cannot be overstated. We have already seen great interest in the expanded BMO Centre and now have more than 100 incremental events booked through 2030.”

  • 7 money saving tips for contractors

    7 money saving tips for contractors

    Profits in the construction industry can be thin, which means taking steps to maximize profit is important. Avoiding lags in activity, choosing local suppliers, assessing materials usage and storage, and streamlining processes with technology are easy ways contractors can cut costs and save money.

    Why contractors need more savings

    Profit margins in the construction sector are thin, meaning every penny a contractor spends should be accounted for. If a contractor fairly critiques a company’s operations, there will likely be many areas where the company can cut back on spending. 

    Evaluating and upgrading areas like materials suppliers, team communications, equipment rentals, scheduling projects, and the company safety program are just a few places where contractors can find savings.

    7 tips for contractors to save

    1. Schedule the job to avoid lags in activity

    A penny saved is a penny earned. A job that proceeds fast—or at least on schedule—will save on labor and equipment costs. Subcontractors should be scheduled so that there is no break in activity in the build, so they logically follow one another.

    That said, staying on track is also a matter of subcontractors adhering to the schedule to ensure a streamlined schedule—and that job is up to the general contractor, owner, or manager. 

    2. Broaden your supplier list—and choose local when possible

    Supply chain “issues” that have caused wild fluctuations in materials and shipping costs (sometimes from month to month) are avoidable to some degree. Local and regional suppliers may be less affected by international supply chain issues, meaning you may be able to avoid price gauging by shopping locally.

    Working with more suppliers also allows a buyer to negotiate better prices and take advantage of deals due to oversupply.

    Pro tip: To avoid sky-high prices, negotiate fixed prices for materials months ahead of the project to support better profits.

    3. Institute a better safety program

    Paying closer attention to safety is an easy way to save your company money. 

    Attentiveness to safety means fewer workplace incidents and accidents, less downtime, fewer fines, and on-time project completion.

    If you lack the means to improve your safety program on your own, safety consultants and an enhanced construction business management platform might help. 

    4. Document and issue change orders to avoid scope creep

    Scope creep is when a project’s requirements tend to increase over its lifecycle, and it’s an easy way to rack up extra costs. Managing scope creep boils down to controlling changes through a change control process.

    Here are a few ways to manage scope creep and avoid additional costs:

    • Monitoring the project’s status and baseline scope
    • Comparing actual work performance measurements with the baseline scope
    • Determining the cause and extent of the changes noted in your comparison
    • Decide on the appropriate course of action for changes (i.e., is corrective or preventive action needed)
    • Manage change requests and recommended actions

    5. Assess materials usage and storage

    Keeping track of material use and storage is critical to cutting back on unnecessary spending. Take inventory of your materials, how much you’re using, and what it’s costing you in time or space to store them. 

    6. Evaluate heavy equipment use—and use it more effectively

    Expensive equipment sitting idle at a job site throws money down the toilet. Depending upon the amount of use a company may have for a piece of equipment, leasing (instead of renting) or buying it might be considered. But, a company needs to know how much it uses equipment and how effectively it does so.

    7. Streamline document management with technology

    End-to-end construction software offers many benefits for contractors, including centralizing email and communications and simplifying document sharing, safety protocols, financials, tracking employee hours, and every other task a contractor needs to manage.

    A central platform handling all business management tasks reduces employee error and labor time.

  • Teaching kids their AECs: 10 construction books for kids

    Teaching kids their AECs: 10 construction books for kids

    Books are one of the best ways to support your child’s cognition, language skills, creativity, and imagination. For parents in the construction industry, there are ample books available to teach their children about their work—you’ll find books on every topic related to construction, from project work to residential construction and heavy machinery and everything in between.

    10 books to teach your kids about construction

    1. Smelly Kelly and His Super Senses: How James Smelly Kelly Saved The New York Subway

    Smelly Kelly and His Super Senses: How James Smelly Kelly Saved The New York Subway

    Author: Beth Anderson

    Reading age: Grades 2-5

    James “Smelly” Kelly was an Irish immigrant in New York City with an extraordinary sense of smell. He could smell a circus elephant a mile away or tomorrow’s rain coming. He used that keen sense of smell and his natural engineering aptitude to help detect and prevent leaks in New York’s subway tunnels. He also was an inventor, a lifesaving hero, and more.

    2. Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site

    Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site

    Author: Sherri Duskey Rinker

    Reading age:  2-3 years

    As the sun sets on the big construction site, all the trucks get ready to say goodnight. One by one, Crane Truck, Cement Mixer, Dump Truck, Bulldozer, and Excavator wrap up their jobs and get ready to rest so they’ll be prepared for another day of rough and tough construction play! This board book is the perfect nighttime read for small hands. Even the toughest readers will want to turn off their engines, rest their wheels, and sleep with this book. A thrilling rhyming story and vibrant illustrations make this a sure-fire bedtime favorite.

    3. Pete The Cat: Construction Destruction

    Pete The Cat: Construction Destruction

    Author: James Dean

    Reading age: 2-6 years

    Beloved children’s book character Pete The Cat sees a playground in bad shape and gets the idea to make a new one. Pete enlists the help of construction workers, cement mixers, backhoes, and dump trucks to help him create the coolest playground ever. This book is about construction, engineering, and dreaming great dreams.

    4. A Year At A Construction Site

    A Year At A Construction Site

    Author: Nicholas Harris

    Reading age: 2-4 years

    Spend a year or a day at a construction site with this book, and watch as the project progresses over its pages. Eight large-scale illustrations combined with simple text tell the story of how the school is built—and follow along as a clock or calendar shows time passing! It’s a fun way to show some of your youngest children how a structure is built over time. Plus, a “search and find” feature encourages readers to zoom in on the illustrations.

    5. Diggy

    Diggy

    Author: Calee M. Lee

    Reading age: 1-3 years

    This picture book is an excellent read for babies and toddlers alike. Its hero is a backhoe named Diggy, and the story has simple actions with one sentence per page. The plot teaches concepts like up, down, in, and out. If your little one loves dump trucks, diggers, and building fun, Diggy is the perfect book for them!

    6. Backhoe Joe

    Backhoe Joe

    Author: Lori Alexander

    Reading age: 2-4 years

    Nolan finds a stray backhoe in the street, but it’s not the nicest machine. Nolan tries to train his new pet truck but quickly learns that his backhoe might already have a home. Beware that this book might make toddlers obsessed with its contents, and if there’s a Joe in your family, the child might nickname him Backhoe Joe. This delightful picture book has a subtle message of responsibility, a funny ending, and more.

    7. Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel

    Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel

    Author: Virginia Lee Burton

    Reading age: Preschool-3 years

    A classic since being published in 1939, this picture book speaks of weighty themes, including how modernization displaces and the importance of perseverance. Mike and his trusty steam shovel, Mary Anne, dig canals for boats to travel through, cut mountain passes for trains, and hollow out cellars for city skyscrapers. However, progression also comes with machine advances, and the hard-working duo is eventually out of work, but they have one last chance to prove themselves. This exciting story is about old-fashioned hard work and ingenuity and is a great read for all ages.

    8. Concrete Mixers

    Concrete Mixers

    Author: Carl Meister

    Reading age: Preschool-grade 1

    This book teaches early readers about the parts of a concrete mixer that help construction workers do their jobs. Full-color photos paired with leveled text engage young readers as they discover the unique features of concrete mixers. 

    9. On The Construction Site

    On The Construction Site

    Author: Carron Brown

    Reading age: 2-5 years

    Shine a flashlight on this fun book’s pages, and it reveals all the details and actions of a construction site in progress. From bulldozers in action to engineers at work, this fun and unique book will teach your child how a project progresses.

    10. Motor Goose: Rhymes That Go!

    Motor Goose: Rhymes That Go!

    Author: Rebecca Colby

    Reading age: 1-5 years

    This picture book is a collection of nursery rhymes with vehicular themes, like “Tow, Tow, Tow the Car” and “Twinkle, Twinkle, UFO.” It’s the perfect collection for every boat/train/crane/care/plane-loving child. As the rhymes progress, the day winds down—it’s the perfect bedtime book to wind a little mind down.

  • Fall safety violators targeted by OSHA

    Fall safety violators targeted by OSHA

    OSHA has recently cracked down on fall safety violators, with penalties reaching high into the hundreds of thousands. Across the country, OSHA is taking contractors to task over fall safety—and sometimes even forcing compliance. 

    While it might seem like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is fining contractors for violations that are questionable, there’s ample evidence to suggest the opposite. Unfortunately, the all-too-frequent fall safety violations in the construction industry generally result from employee deaths on the job. 

    Here are three examples of recent fall safety violations put forth by OSHA. 

    FL roofers fined $174,000  

    The OSHA fined two roofing contractors in Fort Lauderdale, FL, working on a Davie site, a total of $174,000 in proposed fines.  

    Roofing subcontractor AIA Roofing Contractor was fined $163,000 in proposed fines for three serious violations, including:  

    • Working without fall protection on pitched roofs at heights up to 32 feet 
    • A worker using a broken harness 
    • Workers not being trained in how to recognize and prevent falls 

    The primary roofing contractor on the job was Paul Bange Roofing, which was cited for one serious violation with $10,938 in proposed penalties. OSHA’s investigation found that Paul Bange Roofing hadn’t conducted regular inspections of the worksite, as required, to prevent AIA’s workers from being exposed to fall hazards. 

    “Our inspectors found the primary contractor and the subcontractor at a Davie work site failing to protect workers from the risks of falls from elevation, the construction industry’s leading cause of death,” said Condell Eastmond, OSHA Area Office Director in Fort Lauderdale. Fall dangers are widely known in the roofing industry as one of the things that employers must protect employees from. “Neither AIA Roofing nor Paul Bange Roofing have a valid excuse for putting their workers in jeopardy.”. 

    Nearly one in five workplace deaths occurred in construction in 2021—a third of which were related to falls, trips and slips, according to the Bureau of Labor statistics. 

    Updated OSHA fall safety regulations requiring fall restraint systems and the like have been on the books for many years, making contractors who openly flout such laws easy prey for investigators hoping to ensure safety on worksites. Even the smallest infractions can cause an OSHA investigator to linger and possibly impose penalties, and large red flag issues are liable to prompt a harsh response from safety officials. 

    Flouting fall safety laws could cost an otherwise picture-perfect contractor hassles in time, money, legal battles, and a damaged reputation. Still, some must learn the hard way. 

    Consent order for a repeat offender 

    The Department of Labor recently obtained a consent injunction against a repeat offender in New York. The injunction ordered a Rockland County roofing contractor and its owner to provide employees with fall protection equipment and ensure it is being used at all company worksites, as federal law requires.  

    The order found that ALJ Home Improvement Inc. has been exposing workers to imminent danger of death or serious injury by allowing them to do roofing work without fall protection. The injunction is the most recent OSHA action against the contractor. Since 2019, ALJ Home Improvement has been cited repeatedly for fall safety violations. The citations were issued after a company employee suffered a fatal fall in 2019 and also in 2022. 

    In May, ALJ and its owner, Jose Lema, signed a settlement agreement with OSHA to resolve and affirm willful citations issued in 2021. The agreement includes providing better ways to correct and prevent fall hazards. 

    The injunction requires ALJ and Lema to comply with the enhanced abatement provisions of the settlement agreement. Those provisions include: 

    • Notifying OSHA of future company job sites. 
    • Providing all supervisors with OSHA 30-hour safety training. 
    • Hiring a safety consultant to develop safety and health programs and to conduct worksite inspections. 

    IF ALJ and Lema don’t comply with the agreement, the Department of Labor, of which OSHA is a part,  could file a contempt motion in federal court. 

    In a separate legal action in July, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York filed criminal charges against Jose Lema related to the 2022 worker fatality. 

    The injunction is a sort of insurance policy for the Department of Labor. 

    “These settlement terms provide extra assurance of compliance, enforceable via contempt in district court, given this employer’s history, and underscore the Department of Labor’s commitment to effective and appropriate legal actions to help ensure that employers correct violations and take substantive steps to prevent them from recurring,” said Jeffrey S. Rogoff, Regional Solicitor of Labor in New York. 

    If nearly $174,000 in fines for two contractors and a court injunction and criminal prosecution of another contractor are not enough to convince the doubtful that OSHA officials are dead serious about enforcing fall safety laws and will leave no girder unturned to do it, imagine being slapped with proposed fines totaling more than a half a million dollars.  

    OSHA fines contractor $522,000 

    The law will come after fall safety scofflaws working in construction with all tools at their disposal, and it’s doing so in the case of another contractor investigated for safety failures that allegedly led to a worker’s fatal fall. 

    OSHA announced in November that an investigation recently found a Huntington, NY, contractor could have prevented a worker’s fatal fall at a Glen Cove worksite in April 2023 if the company had followed legally required safeguards to prevent falls. 

    The fatal accident happened when a crew was installing metal decking on a flat industrial roof, and a worker fell through an opening to a concrete floor 20 feet below. OSHA’s investigation determined contractor Elite Roofing Inc. did not provide the employees working on the roof with protection against fall hazards, such as guard rails, safety nets, personal fall arrest systems, positioning devices, or fall restraint systems.  

    OSHA determined that Elite Roofing Inc. also failed to train employees to recognize and mitigate fall hazards before performing steel erection work, which falls under OSHA’s steel erection standard. 

    OSHA issued the contractor six willful violations for fall hazards, one violation per exposed worker, and one serious violation for not training the workers. OSHA has proposed $522,527 in penalties for the violations. The high fines appear related to the fact that OSHA officials found the contractor’s conduct to be willful, if not brazen. 

    “Despite knowing the risks from falls and the responsibility to safeguard its employees against them, Elite Roofing Services Inc. chose to disregard the law and the safety of its workers,” said Kevin Sullivan, OSHA’s Area Director in Westbury, Long Island. 

  • Emerging risks outlined in survey

    Emerging risks outlined in survey

    An ongoing research program of global risk management consulting firm HKA found that overruns, time extensions, and other costly problems are preventable. Plus, two-thirds of projects requiring a schedule time extension did so for reasons that could have been prevented.

    Disputed costs accounted for more than a third of the $2.27M in projects that were analyzed by the CRUX program. Clashes that resulted from contract interpretation were a factor leading to time extensions in 19.8% of the projects analyzed. 

    Tellingly, about the same amount (19.5%) of projects that were analyzed were hampered in their operation by poor management or administration of contracts or were bogged down by interaction with subcontractors or suppliers. 

    How do you prevent time extensions?  

    Experts suggest smarter business practices by companies in architectural engineering and construction could close this gap in accountability that leads to change orders, overruns, or adding time to a project schedule. 

    “Modern megaprojects are increasingly complex, but the cruel conundrum for the global construction and engineering industry is that those most common causes of claims and disputes are highly predictable and largely within the control of the contracting parties,” said Renny Borhan, Partner and CEO of HKA. 

    The study by HKA found a wide variation in problems with contracts worldwide: 

    • Deficiencies in design and workmanship plague AEC companies in Europe and the Americas. 
    • Incorrect design was top of the European ranking, amounting to the disruption of about one in three projects (32.3%). That problem ranked second in the Americas, where more than one in five projects were affected (20.4%). 

    Highlights from the study include:

    • A recent increase in rail disputes is explained to a large degree by deficient planning and coordination.
    • Changing scope of the project contributed to more than half (57.1%) of the disputes analyzed worldwide. 
    • An incomplete design was a factor in more than a third (40.3%) of the projects. 
    • Offshore wind projects are much more likely to be blown off course by changes in scope (45%) than other renewables or non-energy-sector projects. 
    • All-risk engineering, procurement, and construction projects may not be as sure as they seem to some.  

    Additionally, the study found that nearly one in five projects (18.8%) worldwide are affected by conflicts over unforeseen physical conditions on the site. This is the second-most-common pitfall in the Americas, according to the report. Deficient workmanship was also a more significant problem in Europe and the Americas as compared to other regions, affecting 23.2% and 20.3% of projects, respectively. 

    Buildings and transportation infrastructure projects faced claims for longer time extensions than other sectors, the report concludes, averaging 76.7% and 70%, respectively, of planned duration. 

    Want to learn more? Read the full 2023 report from HKA.

  • Ontario to ban discriminatory job posting requirements

    Ontario to ban discriminatory job posting requirements

    Ontario’s government is introducing legislation prohibiting employers from requiring applicants to have Canadian work experience to apply for jobs. According to Ontario officials, the legislation would enable more immigrants to work in fields in which they have been trained.

    The new legislation would allow foreign-trained workers to compete for Ontario jobs if approved. The proposed law follows legislation banning Canadian work experience requirements for licensing for over 30 occupations, which went into effect in December 2023.

    Supporters say the proposed law would create a more competitive and productive Ontario by allowing immigrants to compete fairly for jobs to help build Canada’s economy.

    “For far too long, too many people arriving in Canada have been funneled toward dead-end jobs they’re overqualified for. We need to ensure these people can have rewarding careers,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

    Ontario is working to keep educated and talented immigrants who can contribute to the province’s economy and serve in fields where they’re needed. There are currently programs in place to do so.

    In 2024, Ontario will nominate 16,500 immigrants for permanent residence through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). The immigrants work in various sectors, including health care and the skilled trades. 

    Ontario also wants to revise eligibility requirements for one-year college graduate certificate programs around the province to increase the number of international students able to apply to the OINP. The Province recently told the federal government that Ontario should have much more say in choosing the immigrants coming to the province.

    “Ontario is a global leader in welcoming people from an array of backgrounds, cultures, and faiths,”  said Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism Michael Ford. “By banning Canadian work experience requirements in job postings, Ontario is making it easier for internationally trained immigrants to find meaningful work and contribute.”

    The proposed legislation also includes revising the process of vetting internationally educated job applicants. The law would change how regulated professions like accountants, architects, and geoscientists use third-party groups to assess international qualifications to ensure they’re fair, fast, and transparent.

    According to the provincial government, more immigrants come to Ontario annually than to any other Canadian province. Steering them into the right professions—where they can help the profession and earn a decent wage—would benefit not only them but also the local economy.

    Helping internationally trained immigrants to work in the professions they studied could increase Ontario’s GDP by up to $100 billion over five years, the Province said in a press release. However, it did not cite any specific research detailing the origin of that figure.

    Ontario’s new legislative proposal would build on other efforts to increase workers’ paychecks, including the Working for Workers Acts of 2021, 2022, and 2023.

  • Blackline Safety Corp wins $2.7 million job with U.S. energy provider

    Blackline Safety Corp wins $2.7 million job with U.S. energy provider

    Blackline Safety Corp. recently won a $2.7 million, four-year contract with a large upstream energy company based in Houston, Texas. The Calgary-based provider of connected safety technology will provide 800 G7c cloud-connected wearable safety devices, 40 EXO cloud-connected area monitors, and 75 G7 docks.

    The new contract marks the shift away from a tech product the company has used for the last three decades.

    The move is expected to enhance employees’ safety, particularly those employees working alone, by delivering consistent, reliable cellular coverage across a wide territory. Blackline’s features—including SOS latch, fall and no motion detection, push-to-talk, and real-time connectivity—sold the new energy sector client on the partnership.

    “The customer evaluated Blackline’s connected safety devices in comparison to products from their long-term supplier,” said Sean Stinson, President and Chief Growth Officer, Blackline Safety. “It took less than a week for G7c to stand out for its broad connectivity range, and the ability to see where their lone workers might be in imminent danger so they can make sure their people are safe.”

    The energy company was also keen on the EXO area monitor’s ability to monitor rigs, tank batteries, and well sites during repair and maintenance operations. “With no power, Wi-Fi, or infrastructure requirements, EXO’s drop-and-go setup is exactly what they were looking for,” Stinson said. 

    Blackline’s G7 personal gas detectors and EXO area gas monitors are built for extreme conditions and, with location-enabled technology, provide a critical lifeline—anytime. G7 Dock is Blackline’s simple solution to calibrating, bump testing, and charging G7 devices, which doesn’t require complicated ethernet or Wi-Fi connections.

    “Blackline products set the standard for the safest lone worker solution on the market,” said Stinson. 

    This contract provides protection for more than 800 workers and represents the current need for reliable safety solutions for lone workers, such as gas detection and area monitoring.

  • Storing your tools just got smarter with these wall storage systems

    Storing your tools just got smarter with these wall storage systems

    If frustration sets in when it’s time to find a tool, a wall storage unit might be what you need. The classic pegboard, a steel or magnetic wall unit, or the French cleat system are just a few smart wall storage systems that take the stress out of searching for tools.

    Smart tool wall storage systems overview

    1. Why use smart storage for tools
    2. Pegboard wall storage
    3. Steel and magnetic wall storage
    4. French cleat wall storage
    5. Power tool wall storage

    Why install a smart wall storage system 

    If you have a lot of tools, finding what you need when you need it can be challenging. A wall-mounted smart storage system is one way to organize your tools.

    The benefit: It saves floor space in your work area by using wall space and makes tools easily visible at eye level for easy searching. Wall space organizers also allow a custom fit of your tools; you can organize the tools however makes the most sense to you.  

    These systems are generally inexpensive but worth the cost and effort to install. It’s about hours of saved time that might otherwise be spent searching for the right tools in the wrong places. 

    4 wall solutions to store your tools

    1. Pegboard wall storage

    Pegboard tool storage

    The most common wall storage type is the pegboard. You can mount it directly on the wall or on a frame and then the wall, insert J-hooks wherever you want to hang your tools, and that’s it.

    What you need

    • Pegboard
    • Hooks
    • Furring strips (if using)
    • Self-drilling wood screws
    • Washers or spacers
    • Measuring tape
    • Drill
    • Screws
    • Level
    • Circular saw
    • Stud finder

    System highlights

    • Easy to install and cheap; all materials are readily available
    • Not the sturdiest material, but it can typically handle about 100 lbs.
    • More ideal for lighter tools (wrenches, screwdrivers, light mallets, tape measures, lightweight levels, pliers, awls, etc.)
    • Simplest way to organize light tools on a wall

    2. Steel and magnetic wall storage

    Wall control metal pegboard

    Magnetic storage systems can be mounted on any metal surface large enough to accommodate them. This straightforward wall storage system allows you to place the bar magnets anywhere you want—no hooks or holes needed, but you can purchase those if you want them.

    A magnetic pegboard or steel wall mount, along with magnetic hooks and accessories if required, is all you need for a magnetic storage board. Some magnetic steel bars claim they only require the adhesive they come with. Depending on the use, you might want to affix them more securely.

    Metal magnetic pegboards add strength to a pegboard system, and steel wall mount systems are popular and easy to use and install. Steel bar storage systems are also simple to install and affordable. 

    What you need

    • Magnetic pegboard or steel wall mount 
    • Magnetic hooks
    • Accessories (if required)
    • Drill
    • Screws
    • Level
    • Stud finder

    System highlights

    • Strong load capacity
    • Offer a more secure hold on tools
    • More expensive than other wall-mounted tool storage systems
    • Without an auto-release magnetic, some can be tough to adjust
    • Easy to install and modify

    3. French cleat wall storage

    French cleat wall storage

    A French cleat wall storage system can be a tricky DIY project unless you are a fairly competent carpenter. Ready-made kits are widely available online if you’re not up for the challenge. 

    The French cleat system is one of the oldest and most reliable forms of tool storage. It also has a rather elegant appearance, befitting the age of this system. 

    This system uses a series of boards with 45-degree beveled edges that face upward, allowing the cleat to attach securely via a downward-facing bevel. Because the opposing beveled edges lock tightly together, it can support significant weight. 

    This system could be the best option for storing tools you use most frequently, depending on your use.

    What you need

    • Sanded plywood
    • Self-drilling wood screws
    • Wood glue
    • Brad nails
    • Table saw
    • Circular saw
    • Tape measure
    • Level
    • Stud finder
    • Drill
    • Sanding block

    System highlights

    1. Costlier to install than other wall storage systems
    2. More labor-intensive to install and remove 
    3. Most attractive
    4. Ideal for lighter tools but can hold significant weight
    5. Customizable
    6. Easy to rearrange

    4. WORKPRO power tool wall storage

    WORKPRO tool organizer

    The WORKPRO Power Tool Organizer may be the right fit for some handymen. The system features two shelves with ample storage space for screwdrivers, bits, or other small tool kits and five hanging slots for various power tools.

    It’s equipped with a small cut in the side to insert a power cord for the optimal charging station without the mess. It’s easy to mount and keeps tools organized in one location.

    System highlights

    • Large storage space
    • 82°angle divider protects tools from falling
    • Made from 100% high-quality wood
    • Moisture-proof and anti-erosion
    • Inexpensive