The importance of concrete polishing in construction has been given official recognition with the creation of a new section in the MasterFormat system published by the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) and Construction Specifications Canada (CSC).   The new section number and name, 03 35 43 – Polished Concrete Finishing, underscores the burgeoning use of polished concrete, and gives design professionals a unique category for specifying appropriate materials- and performance-requirements.   The new section was created in response to a proposal initiated by David Loe, a veteran concrete polisher and president of Lythic Solutions, Inc., Vancouver, WA, makers of colloidal silica-based … Read more

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Concrete contractors with exemplary safety records were recognized by the American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC), St. Louis, Mo., at the association's Annual Conference, September 17, in Atlanta, Georgia. The W. Burr Bennett Awards for Safety Excellence were given to Lewis Construction, Inc., Schofield, WI, specialty contractor, and McCarthy Building Companies, general contractor, St. Louis, Mo.   These awards are presented in partnership with CNA, Chicago, to contractors that place the highest priority on safety.   Entries were judged on three years of safety performance indicators, values and trends; a self-assessment checklist of company safety practices; … Read more

CHESTER, S.C., Sept. 16 — The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) today officially broke ground for its disaster safety research center in Chester County, South Carolina. Unique in all the world, this lab will have the ability to subject full-sized, 2,000 square foot, one- and two-story homes, light commercial construction and agricultural buildings to a variety of hazards, including realistic Category 3 hurricanes, wind-blown fire (mimicking wildfire embers), and hailstorms. The primary purpose of this $40 million multi-peril research facility – funded entirely by property insurance companies, reinsurers and brokers – is to identify effective methods of minimizing … Read more

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — RSC Equipment Rental (www.rscrental.com), one of the largest rental providers in North America, is making great strides in their safety work. With the goal of nobody getting hurt at work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) incident rate decreased 33% in 2008 over 2007. There was also a 38% decrease in injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work. With a goal of attaining a “0” OSHA rate, as of August 2009, RSC's OSHA rate was 2.3, an improvement since their 5.8 rating and the start of their Delivering Safety First campaign in 2006. RSC … Read more