23 States...
5,000 Attendees…
& 120 meetings…
What does this mean?
That Concrete Sawing and Drilling Safety Week (CSDSW) 2024 has finally come to a close.
And, with its conclusion, thousands of workers have been positively impacted through the potentially lifesaving messages inside each and every CSDSW presentation centered around the topic of how to stay safe when cutting or drilling through concrete.
Why It Matters
It’s a well-known fact that cutting and coring concrete is necessary in construction, renovation, or expansion projects where precise cuts and openings in concrete structures are required. What is less well known, however, is that concrete cutting can be a potentially hazardous activity due to variety of variables.
These include:
1. Kickback, Push-Backs & Pull-Ins
2. Hazardous Silica Dust
3. Obstructions & Utilities in the Concrete
4. Pinch Points & Blunt Cutting Edges
5. Toxic Fumes
6. Power Cords
7. Wet, Slippery & Uneven Surfaces
8. Vibration
9. Working Alone
10. Noise
Each and every one of these factors can cause serious damage to a jobsite or injury to a worker if not properly addressed. So, it's essential to prioritize your safety and the safety of your team when engaging in concrete sawing or drilling activities.
What Was Discussed
From January 29th – February 2nd, 2024, GPRS safety experts traveled the country to give complimentary presentations for Concrete Sawing and Drilling Safety Week talks throughout the U.S.
It’s Free & We Brought Food!
These free educational seminars included breakfast or lunch and were focused on mitigating the risks of working with and around concrete. From pinch points and kickbacks to electrical shock, silicosis prevention, and toxic fume mitigation, attendees were provided the opportunity to minimize the risks associated with concrete sawing and drilling on their job site.
Personal Safety Plans
The potentially lifesaving information provided within each presentation helped workers develop their own personal safety plans for when they are on the job. Plans included nine main steps to follow to avoid injury or damage to property. They are as follows:
1. Proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
2. Inspecting all equipment before use
3. Safety training that adheres to OSHA
4. Concrete scanning to identify & mark structural reinforcements
5. Proper Ventilation
6. Electrical Safety
7. Securing the work area
8. Emergency & fire safety
9. Communication
Not only were these personal safety developed on site with each participant, but presentations provided opportunities for teams to cultivate and enhance a culture of construction industry safety, nationwide.
By The Numbers
Our team at GPRS had the privilege to lead over 120 different meetings this year with a total of 5,000 attendees. That means that over the past four years since becoming the main sponsor of CSDSW, GPRS has helped over 25,000 construction workers across the U.S. learn to be safer and healthier when working with concrete, so that everyone on site can go home safely at the end of the day.
Who Participated?
Safety-first-minded companies who hosted and participated in CSDSW 2024 talks at their own job sites included:
- DPR Construction
- Skanska
- Lithko Contracting
- Rodgers Builders Inc
- Gilbane Building Company
- Swinerton
- Brasfield and Gorrie
- The Beck Group
- PCL Construction
- BNB Builders
- + 110 other industry leading companies.
Industries Taking Notice
CSDSW gained major traction in the area of media coverage in 2024, with GPRS team members featured on podcasts like The Concrete Logic Podcast, magazines like ISHN, Concrete International, and Concrete Openings, and news outlets such as Chronicle Tribune, APNews.com, and Cleburne Times Review. This media coverage for CSDSW 2024 as well as the thousands presented to on job sites all across the U.S. gives more opportunity to share the importance of concrete sawing & drilling safety to everyone, from construction workers to those at home using this type of equipment.
What’s Next?
As we look ahead to the next few months with grateful hearts for all that was accomplished in CSDSW 2024, another annual safety week is on the horizon. Construction Safety Week, which is held May 1st through 5th, is the architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) industries’ annual nationwide safety awareness week. General contractors from all over the country participate.
This year the Construction Safety Week Theme is to “Value Every Voice”. At GPRS, we will be taking the time to do just that by traveling around the country, just like we do for CSDSW, to present on construction safety and elevate the message of valuing every voice on a job site.
We Can Be Safer, Together
To ensure your team has the opportunity to hear the important message in this year’s Construction Safety Week talks, sign up early, today.
Need Damage Prevention, Existing Condition Documentation, or Facility & Project Management services on your next job site?
GPRS is pleased to bring safety to your site, anytime.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is Concrete Sawing and Drilling Safety Week?
Concrete Sawing & Drilling Safety Week is an annual event designed to help job sites become safer. As workers in the field, we must discuss the common risks and hazards associated with concrete sawing and drilling.
What is Concrete Safety Week & How Can I Sign Up?
Construction Safety Week is an annual, weeklong event that creates space for the construction industry to collectively celebrate a safe mindset and engagement around Environmental Health & Safety (EHS).