Find out about the different types of grooves you may encounter on the road and how to deal with them in a safe manner.

Continue reading Navigating Road Grooves Safely →

Construction is one of the most dangerous industries in the US with a high rate of injuries and fatalities. However, those injuries and deaths are preventable, meaning safety should be the top priority on every jobsite. Giving employees information concerning the most common sources of danger on a jobsite is a good start in any effort to reduce the chances of injuries and fatalities. See the best safety tips for asphalt pavers to minimize your employees’ risk!

Asphalt Paving Safety Tips

1. Take Care Getting On and Off Equipment. Getting on and off machinery is one of the leading causes of injury for equipment operators. It seems like a simple act that should be safe, but moving machinery, slippery surfaces, and operator carelessness can all lead to injury or worse. Employees operating machinery should check for wet or muddy footwear, wear high-grip gloves, and make sure they have a stable handhold and footrest on at least three points of the machine at all times when entering or exiting.
2. Give Machinery a Wide Berth. Don’t allow employees to gather around a piece of machinery while it is in use. Those supervising the machine’s operation should do so at a safe distance.
3. Consider Overhead and Underground Dangers. Train employees to not only consider the dangers around them, but also above and below them. Overhead machinery, tools, or materials that can fall, and underground utilities that can cause damage or electrical shock, should be considered as well.
4. Stay Safe From Motorists. Ensure that employees are correctly creating safe work zones when working on roads and highways. This includes using barriers and signage that instruct motorists to slow down and keeps employees away from moving vehicles. Similarly, employees should wear high-visibility clothing and gear.
5. Be Careful During Loading and Unloading. There is a lot going on during the loading and unloading process, and machine rollovers and other injuries are common. Instruct employees to use a spotter, proper tie-down procedures, safety tie wires, and other safety equipment and procedures during loading and unloading.

Safety is always our #1 priority! We?have?over 25 years of experience?in the?asphalt and concrete paving industry. We?put?our expertise to good use for residential, commercial, and municipal clients alike. Contact us by calling?(863) 299-2262, or?fill out our?contact form?online,?to let?us assist you with?your next concrete or asphalt paving project!??

Too many construction workers are suffering from premature hearing loss.

At Tucker Paving, we take the safety of our workers seriously. This includes ensuring that they use proper hearing protection on every job. Many people don’t realize the importance of protecting their hearing until it’s too late.

Why You Should Care About Your Hearing
The construction industry is a noisy one, and according to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), more than half of all construction workers have experienced some degree of hearing loss. Unfortunately, hearing loss is not reversible, so once you lose it, it’s gone.

Starting with the first day on the jobsite, every construction worker should become familiarized with appropriate protective gear, including hearing protection devices. Earplugs are pretty common, but not always very effective. Only about 70 percent of individuals can insert an earplug correctly on the first try. Sometimes, the provided earplugs simply don’t fit a person’s unique ear canal. Also, workers may not want to insert earplugs with dirty hands while working, or waste time removing gloves to do so.

There are advanced hearing protection and communication solutions available. Environmental listening devices muffle loud sounds but amplify sound when things are quieter. This allows for greater auditory situational awareness while still providing adequate hearing protection.

No matter what particular method is used to protect workers’ hearing, the most important component of protection is compliance. Frequently removing hearing protection greatly diminishes its effectiveness. At the end of the day, we at Tucker Paving want all of our employees to go home in good shape and ready for another day.

Count on Tucker Paving
When you have asphalt or paving work that needs to be done, you can rely on Tucker Paving to do a thorough and professional job, while taking all necessary precautions to safeguard not only our own workers but our clients and the general public as well. Count on Tucker Paving to get the job done quickly, correctly, and safely.

Safety should be the leading priority on every job site, and that means keeping safety in the forefront of workers’ minds. Unfortunately, it’s all too easy to cut corners when under a deadline, to reduce costs, or when a problem arises. Many accidents that occur on job sites are behavior-based, rather than the failure of machinery or safety equipment, so ensuring that employees are always focused on safety first can cut down on the majority of safety incidents.

Keeping Safety a Priority for Workers
Safety protocols and procedures require employee adherence in order to work. If employees do not follow safety protocols or procedures for whatever reason, then accidents and injuries will occur. Steps employers can take to get employee buy-in to keep safety the leading priority include:

• Create a safety culture. Safety should be discussed at every morning meeting, tool talk, and company-led employee gathering. 
• Start a monthly safety initiative rewards program. Under such a program, employees nominate other employees for going above and beyond with verifiable details, such as a photo, and the nominated employee earns a reward, such as a $50 gift card. Rewards must be tangible and hold real value for employees; an Employee of the Month picture on a break room wall will not cut it.
• Track near-misses. Companies should not be solely concerned when accidents and injuries occur; they should also take notice when near-misses occur. Employees should be encouraged to report near-misses with the understanding that they will not be in trouble for doing so.
• Have supervisors, foremen, or superintendents accompany injured workers to get medical treatment. Those who are in the position of ensuring employees comply with safety protocols and procedures are much more likely to do so when they see the effects of injuries on crew members and their families.

At Tucker Paving, safety is always our leading priority! We have?over 25 years of experience?in the?asphalt and concrete paving industry. We use our expertise for residential, commercial, and municipal clients. Contact us by calling?(863) 299-2262, or?fill out our?contact form?online,?to let us assist you with your next concrete or asphalt paving project!? 

There are a multitude of things that can go wrong on a construction site as there are so many inherent dangers in the construction industry. The construction industry is one of the most dangerous industries, with falls, trips and slips, and crushing accidents causing numerous injuries and deaths every year. This makes it important for employees to have first aid training while on a construction site for many reasons. At Tucker Paving, our employees are required to go through a number of safety trainings and competencies, including First Aid and CPR training.

The Benefits of First Aid Training
First aid training is important for many reasons. Construction sites include heavy machinery, power tools, the danger of falling from heights, the risk of electrical shock, heat-related dangers, the danger of falling objects, trenching dangers, enclosed space dangers, and many more. Having employees trained in first aid, including CPR, means that certified individuals can:

• Treat minor cuts, abrasions, and burns.
• Stabilize individuals, including those with broken bones or those in shock, until emergency personnel arrive.
• Recognize the symptoms of common work-related medical emergencies like heat stroke, carbon monoxide poisoning, concussions, and more.
• Administer CPR, including using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), in the event of a heart attack, electrical shock, or other heart emergency.
• Recognize the signs and symptoms of other health emergencies, like heart attack, stroke, low blood sugar, and more, and take appropriate action until emergency personnel arrive.
• Perform the Heimlich maneuver in the event someone is choking.

There are many certifications that involve attempting to avoid injuries due to the many safety hazards on a construction site, and it is true that every injury is avoidable. However, until every safety hazard is completely foreseen and eliminated, having employees trained in First Aid and CPR is necessary to help treat those illnesses and injuries that do occur. 

We’ve been in the asphalt and concrete paving industry for over 25 years, and safety is our #1 priority! Contact us online, or call us at?(863) 299-2262, for any assistance with your next asphalt, concrete paving, or site construction project!

With their reduced speeds and greater congestion, construction zones can be a headache for motorists. Unfortunately, they pose an even bigger risk of injury and even death for the workers behind the yellow cones.

According to data from the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, in 2019 there were 762 fatal crashes in work zones in the U.S. with 135 worker fatalities. Motorists shouldn’t just be concerned with worker fatalities alone; those crashes involved 133 pedestrian fatalities and 842 motorist fatalities. Additionally, crashes involving injuries or vehicle damage for 2019 alone reached 115,000 work zone collisions. Ensuring a safe driving experience while traveling through a construction zone is in everyone’s best interest.

Tips for Safe Driving Through a Construction Zone
Safety for both construction zone workers and motorists traveling through a work zone is the first priority. When traveling through a construction zone, make sure to:

• Slow Down. The speed limit in construction zones when workers aren’t present is typically 55 mph, and it can be much lower if workers are present. Traveling at a slower speed is necessary to be able to read the orange work zone signage, adjust to changing lane patterns, merge for closed lanes, and more. Slowing down gives drivers more time to react and drive in a safe manner.
• Follow Signage. Orange signs, cones, barrels, barricades, arrows, and more direct motorists to lane closures and new traffic patterns, and they must be followed for both the safety of motorists and those working behind the barricades.
• Follow the Directions of Flaggers. When traffic needs to be stopped or redirected, a flagger is often used to control traffic. Their directions should be followed without question.
• Pay Attention. A construction zone includes heavy machinery, construction vehicles, loud noise, and hot or dangerous materials. Drivers need to be aware to be able to react quickly to anything that may go amiss.

Tucker Paving has been in the asphalt and concrete paving industry for over 25 years, and safety has always been our leading priority! Contact us online, or call us at?(863) 299-2262, for assistance with your next asphalt or concrete paving project!