Tucker Paving has been in the asphalt and concrete paving industry in Central Florida for over 25 years, so we are no strangers to the havoc a natural disaster like a hurricane can wreak on a construction site. Storm surge, rain, and high winds can all cause a significant amount of damage to a construction site. Exacerbating the problem is the unfinished nature of a construction site, the large amount of materials that are usually found that can be turned into projectiles in high winds, and utilities that are more exposed than in finished construction. See what should be on your to-do list for your construction site after a storm has passed.

What to Do After a Hurricane Hits the Construction Site
Having a Hurricane Recovery Team should be part of your company’s overall plan for preparing for and dealing with the aftermath of a hurricane. Your company’s plan should include having a team for preparing the construction site for an oncoming storm and another team—the Hurricane Recovery Team—to deal with the aftermath of a storm. Steps the Recovery Team should take include:

1. Assessing damage after a safety all-clear. Once it is deemed safe for people to travel to and visit the construction site, the Recovery Team should visit to take an assessment of the damage and formulate a plan for recovery. The team should look at standing water, debris, and the instability of anything that has already been erected, and the status of machinery, tools, and materials.
2. Plan for water removal. Having standing water on a construction site is dangerous for numerous reasons, including posing a danger to workers and materials, it softens the ground and the fact that the water could be polluted.
3. Check for unseen hazards. The Recovery Team should also check for leaking gas lines, look for downed power lines, and ensure fire protection systems are in working order, if applicable.
4. Clean up and resecure. The Recovery Team should clean up any dangerous debris and resecure any materials, machinery, or tools that became exposed during the storm.
5. Call back the crew. Lastly, there should be a process in place for calling the construction crew back to work once the site is safe, clean, and secure.

Contact Tucker Paving online, or call us at (863) 299-2262, for assistance with your next asphalt or concrete paving project!

The Atlantic Hurricane Season starts on June 1, and most storm forecasters are calling for a busy year with many storms and a higher-than-average number of strong storms. Being prepared is key to weathering a tropical storm or hurricane, and it’s not just homeowners who need to be ready if a big storm hits. Preparing your construction site for a hurricane is important to minimize damage and liability if a strong storm makes landfall. See the recommendations for securing your construction site ahead of a hurricane or tropical storm.

Preparing Your Construction Site for a Hurricane
Being prepared for a big storm minimizes damage to a construction site and reduces a construction company’s liability. Both save time and money, allowing construction to resume faster after a storm has passed. It’s advised that a construction company write a Hurricane Preparation Plan before any storm is near that outlines what must be done to prepare and who is responsible for doing it. This may also include working with local building departments.

Your Hurricane Preparation Plan should include:

1. Securing the job site. Materials, machines, and tools must be secured or removed so that they do not become airborne in the high winds of a tropical storm or hurricane. Include any signs, construction fencing, trash, dumpsters, and portable bathrooms in the plan.
2. Secure paperwork like plans and other documents, and electronics, in a safe location.
3. Protect in-progress utility systems from sand and water, both from rain and storm surge.
4. Cut power to the site and enact plans for utilizing power generators and fuel after the storm.
5. Enact plans for water removal, such as placing pumps in basements or excavations so they are ready to go as soon as it’s safe.
6. Remove or secure hazardous chemicals as construction companies are on the hook for cleanup if any hazardous chemicals make it into the environment.
7. Ensure the security of buildings or structures. Take steps to make sure your construction projects and adjacent buildings are boarded up and secure.

Remember to assess the damage to your construction site after the storm has passed with extreme caution.

Tucker Paving has been in the asphalt and concrete paving industry for over 25 years in the Sunshine State, and serving Central Florida for over 50 years, so we’ve seen our share of major hurricanes! Contact us online, or call us at?(863) 299-2262, for assistance with your next asphalt or concrete paving project! 

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law in 1990, and its requirements took effect in 1992. In short, the ADA requires that buildings such as public accommodations, commercial facilities, and local and state government facilities be built so that all individuals—regardless of their ability—are able to use a building with minimal impediment. Make sure you are constructing or remodeling your buildings and spaces to comply with ADA requirements or expect heavy consequences.

Complying With ADA Requirements
The purpose of the ADA is to give everyone equal access. Ensuring that your building or space provides equal access to those with handicaps is the right thing to do. It can also be costly to do otherwise. Fines can be between $55,000 to $75,000 for the first offense, and double that for additional offenses. Additionally, not complying with the ADA can leave you open to lawsuits.

There are many ADA requirements for commercial buildings, but some of the most common include:

• Hardware on doors that everyone can access.
• Public and company bathrooms that can be accessed by anyone.
• Parking that is accessible to those with disabilities and have it labeled and enforced as such.
• Wide door frames to allow wheelchairs to fit through.
• Drinking fountains that are accessible to all.
• Flooring that does not restrict or impede mobility.
• Grab bars and railings in locations where they could be needed.
• Handicap ramps and/or installing curb cuts; a building is required to have 60 percent of entrances and exits be accessible to those with disabilities.
• Furniture and other furnishings, or any feature, that do not create barriers to receiving service.

Find the complete list of requirements in the ADA Checklist.

Tucker Paving has over 25 years of experience in the asphalt and concrete paving industry. We are very familiar with ADA requirements for residential, commercial, and municipal construction regarding sidewalks, curbs, and more. Contact us today by calling?(863) 299-2262, or fill out our contact form online, to let our experts handle your next paving project! 

See the best ways to protect your hands while on the job, as hand injuries are very prevalent in the construction industry.

Hand injuries are a common occurrence in the construction industry. According to data from the CDC, hand injuries are responsible for more than 1 million visits to an emergency room each year by workers in the United States. Hand injuries can be costly both in time lost from work and medical costs. Additionally, hand injuries can also be debilitating, leaving those injured with only limited use—or even zero use—of their injured hand. Protecting your hands from work injuries is of the utmost importance.

Tips on Protecting Your Hands from Work Injuries

There are a number of different ways to keep from injuring your hands on a construction worksite, depending upon what line of construction work you are in.

1. Wear Proper Gloves. Machinists, mechanics, carpenters, iron workers, welders, electricians, and more can all benefit from wearing gloves. Gloves protect your hands from being pinched, from picking up splinters from wood, from being cut by sharp metal, from being burned or chemically damaged, and more. With the variety and sophistication of gloves made specifically as PPE, there’s no reason not to wear them.
2. Respect Power Tool and Machine Guards. Guards on power tools and machines are there for a reason, and removing or dismantling them can result in serious injury. Protect your hands and the rest of you by respecting the guards on power tools and machines. Don’t try to remove them or bypass them in any way, and always make sure the guards are present and functional before using a tool or machine.
3. Pay Attention. While you may have performed a certain job or used a certain tool a hundred times without incident, that doesn’t mean you are safe from danger. Becoming complacent and not paying attention when running a saw, using a torch, or performing any number of jobs on a construction site is how you miss details that lead to injury.
4. Pay Attention to Training and Seasoned Workers. Training is meant to protect you from injury, just like the advice of those workers with more job experience! Listen and follow the advice.

At Tucker Paving, safety is always our leading priority! We offer over 25 years of experience in the asphalt and concrete paving industry. We utilize our expertise for residential, commercial, and municipal clients. Contact us today by calling 863-299-2262, or fill out our contact form online, to let us know about your next concrete or asphalt paving project! 

The COVID pandemic has reached into all aspects of our lives, and the construction industry is no exception. Safety should be the first priority on any construction worksite, and that includes taking measures to protect workers from COVID. See guidelines from OSHA on practicing COVID safety in construction, below.

COVID Safety Measures for Construction
While the job description and hazards for those working in carpentry, ironworking, plumbing, electrical, heating/ ventilation/air conditioning/ventilation, masonry and concrete work, utility construction work, and earthmoving work are different than non-construction industries, many of the safety measures companies should take to protect employees from COVID are very similar.

• Create a Job Hazard Analysis as it pertains to Covid. OSHA advises to “Assess the hazards to which your workers may be exposed; evaluate the risk of exposure; and select, implement, and ensure workers use controls to prevent exposure.” It is most important to identify times and locations where workers will be in close proximity or will be touching the same tools, machinery, or controls repeatedly.
• Train employees on the symptoms of COVID, how it is spread, the importance of social distancing and hygiene practices, and any other policies and procedures on reducing transmission of the virus that are applicable to each employee’s duties.
• Implement standard operating procedures and employee training pertaining to social distancing, use of face masks, and for when a worker has contracted COVID.
• Maintain as much space between workers as possible, such as through utilizing staggered work schedules, identifying “choke points” where workers are required to be closer than 6 feet, and creating procedures for limiting the number of people in those areas at a time. 
• Keep in-person meetings, like toolbox talks and safety meetings, as short as possible, limiting the number of workers in attendance, and use social distancing practices.
• Keep toilet and handwashing facilities clean and disinfected, including portable job site toilets. Make sure hand sanitizer dispensers are always filled. 
• Disinfect items regularly that are frequently touched, such as doorknobs, light switches, tools, machinery and vehicle controls, and sink handles and toilet seats.
• Have employees use higher-level PPE, like respiratory protection, if they are in settings where social distancing protocols cannot be followed. 

Safety is always our leading priority on any Tucker Paving job site. We have been in the asphalt and concrete paving industry for over 25 years! Contact us online, or call us at 863- 299-2262 for your next asphalt or concrete paving job!