Builders’ Notes October 2016

Only Two More Meetings Remain In 2016

Don’t Miss Out – Register Now

OCTOBER MEETING

Date:	Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Co-Sponsor:	Benjamin Obdyke / HydroGap
Topic:	How to Spot the Signs and Manage the “Tough Client” A Round-Table Discussion to share experiencesand suggestions on working with difficult-to-please clients

NOVEMBER MEETING

	Date:	Tuesday, November 22, 2016
	Co-Sponsor:	Sierra Pacific Windows
	Topic:	Is It Reasonable for Builders and Remodelers to be Given a Project Price Range in Advance – and – What Are Architects Really Looking For in a Builder Relationship?
	Guest Speaker:	Vince Piacente, President, Inside Architecture LLC

New Tools From Festool USA

Now Available At Hamilton Building Supply

HK/HKC 55 Carpentry Saw – Probably Festool’s most anticipated tool of the year. The HK 55 is a circular saw with an attachable retracting guide rail that combines miter saw precision with hand-held portability. Definitely a must have for framing, flooring, roofing, decking and more! Available in a corded AC version (HK55) and in a cordless 18-volt version (HKC 55), both with or without the FSK (Guide Rails w/Angle Stops).

DWC 18 Cordless Drywall Gun – This cordless screw gun allows the user to hang loads of drywall quickly, using either strip-fed screws via a magazine with adjustable depth control or with common collated screws. Available as a Basic Gun (no batteries or charger) or in a Plus version (with batteries and charger), both versions come with the detachable magazine.

SysLite DUO – Designed for the jobsite, the SysLite DUO is a hard-wired AC lighting solution with 8000 Lumens projecting evenly diffused light over 180 degrees. Impact, dust and water resistant, the SysLite DUO is available with an optional tripod that provides a firm and stable base for many years of service in the field.

Safety Matters: Avoiding Hearing Loss

It has been estimated that approximately 22 Million U.S. workers are exposed to damaging noise each year. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control, hearing loss is the most common work-related injury in our country today. Statistics show that workers in the mining sector and the construction and manufacturing industries are at the greatest risk to suffer from hearing impairment. The Department of Labor calculates that an estimated $242 Million is spent annually on worker’s compensation for hearing loss disability. Yet many other factors besides a noisy work environment can contribute to hearing loss since it is a problem intensified by cumulative exposure. That means that noise exposure in crowded restaurants, at concerts and sporting events all add to a person’s risk of sustaining a loss in hearing.

What can be done to reduce the hazards from exposure to loud noise?

• Choose low-noise-level tools and machinery whenever possible.
• Maintain and lubricate machinery and equipment.
• Place a barrier between the noise source and employees (e.g., sound walls or curtains).
• Wherever possible, enclose or isolate the noise source.
• Operate noisy machines during shifts when fewer people are on the job.
• Limit the amount of time any one person is required to spend at a noise source.
• Provide quiet areas where workers can gain relief from a hazardous noise source.
• Establish guidelines governing suitable distances to be maintained between workers and noisy equipment.
• Provide workers exposed to loud noise levels with hearing protection devices (HPDs).

How do you know if you may have a hearing loss problem?

Frequently, hearing loss comes on so gradually that people barely even notice they have a problem. They may think that others are mumbling more or that everyone needs to learn to speak up! At early stages, high-pitched sounds (such as children’s and female voices) and the sounds “S” and “F” become harder to decipher. Other symptons of hearing loss include:

• A ringing or humming in the ears (called “tinnitus”) or you notice a temporary hearing loss when you leave work.
• Trouble understanding phone conversations or you experience problems following a conversation when more than one person is speaking at once
• Frequently needing to ask people to repeat themselves.
• You often misunderstand what people say and respond inapporpriately.
• Friends and family members compain that the TV is too loud.

Remember: Not all hearing problems are correctable, so prevention is the best ticket to long-term healthy hearing.

This article contains information published by OSHA(www.osha.gov), from webmd.com and from www.pbs.org