Last month we lost one of our former chairmen, Wes Dicken, who passed away at age 81. Wes, who chaired the NPCA Board of Directors in 1998, was universally loved and admired by nearly all who knew him, a fact that was reinforced by those who eulogized him at the funeral service held in Fort Thomas, Ky.
Great news: You’re buying a new house! You’ve dreamed of a beautiful family home surrounded by open space, fresh air and a healthy environment with children running barefoot on the grass in the sun. And now your dream has come true. Today, for 40% of us who invest most of our lifetime earnings in this dream, our new home will come equipped with a septic tank system to process human waste.
Have you ever found yourself on a project where local codes or requirements specify that vacuum testing of manholes must be done after backfill? We’ve received many calls from producers and contractors or installers faced with this same situation. Can’t really blame the owners. Testing after backfilling provides them with a degree of certainty that a watertight system has been installed. There are three major disadvantages when proceeding with this test:
Worker stress is insidious, because although it is reportedly widespread and increasing dramatically, it is often unreported. Whether a precast employee is worried about job stability, potential layoffs or lack of job incentive, research tells us that exposure to high levels of stress can result in low morale and decreased productivity. Unresolved stress can adversely affect health at both the worker and the administrative levels.
Our industry wants to spread the word that precast concrete products are sustainable. We also want to refine materials, equipment, processes and practices to become more sustainable. How do we measure improvement? Set a baseline. What is our baseline in terms of our impact on the environment? That’s where a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) comes in.
It’s tax season, and as you work with your tax professional to file your 2010 return, it may be helpful to know a few details of the Small Business Jobs Act passed by Congress in 2010.