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Latest Hardware Monitors Construction Workers’ Safety

SmartSite is currently testing out new, technologically advanced sensors, as a way to improve upon the safety of workers at construction sites. Construction is a notoriously dangerous industry, and many construction companies have been working towards finding new ways to improve safety without putting the burden on employees. Passive safety measures such as sensors may be able to improve the overall safety of employees without requiring that they take additional measures to protect themselves.

Sensors for Invisible Hazards

There are many hazards on a construction site that aren’t visible or simply may go unnoticed because they aren’t obvious. The sensors used by SmartSite can be used to detect cancer causing agents and sound and vibrations that could be potentially damaging long-term. The sensors can also monitor the overall health of employees, thereby detecting if they could have heat exhaustion or other symptoms. By adding these monitoring systems in addition to rigorous safety protocols, employers are able to achieve even better safety standards. They will also be able to quickly determine if there may be increased hazards on work sites consistently.

Providing Better Monitoring

One of the major challenges for supervisors on construction sites is monitoring continuously for hazards. Because employees may not notice or resolve issues properly, work sites have to be regularly inspected. Sensors allow many hazards to be checked on through a single consolidated dashboard. Though this cannot replace regular inspections, it can ensure that issues are caught prior to becoming more significant. This saved on much of the monitoring and management activities of the construction overseers. When paired with additional technologies such as drones, many of the traditional responsibilities of overseers can be streamlined, freeing supervisors up for other tasks.

Scaling to Larger Sites

The sensors installed by SmartSite will also make it easier to control environmental hazards over larger work sites, by both improving upon reporting and making it easier for work sites to be appropriately supervised. Sensors will be able to be used throughout sites as they expand for better controls without increasing risk factors. Because these sensors don’t require any additional training, they also don’t introduce any time-consuming initiatives for new employees, and they don’t require employee re-training when introduced to new work sites.

Lowering Overall Cost and Overhead

New safety equipment is always an investment of both time and money. But sensors such as the ones being placed by SmartSite will eventually pay for themselves by reducing employee incidents and streamlining the process of work site management. Employee accidents and injuries can be extraordinarily expensive for a business, in addition to reducing overall morale.

Construction sensors are one of the best ways of maintaining worker safety not only because they can sense unseen dangers but also because they are passive. Passive equipment is often safer because they don’t rely upon workers to self report or to maintain and monitor their environment. Pucuda Leading Edge specializes in passive safety systems for construction companies, including netting designed to protect from both employee falls and debris.

Theme Parks Catching Franchise Fever

Theme parks are now moving towards “world building”: immense, sprawling landscapes that have been experienced throughout movie, television, video games, and other franchise media. With experiences such as Harry Potter, Star Wars, Avatar, and Frozen, this has led to the construction of extensive paradises, designed to be safe, family-friendly, and fun. This new trend will be an interesting boon to both the theme park and franchise industry, necessitating larger constructions and an emphasis on creativity and architecture over thrilling rides and attractions.

Harry Potter World: The Park That Started It All

Hollywood has had theme parks for their franchises for quite a long time. In fact, the theme parks throughout California had featured television shows and movies with immense sets that were designed for full immersion, such as the areas for Indiana Jones or Honey I Shrunk the Kids. But now the shift has gone towards entire themed parks rather than themed areas; instead of descending into the grass blades of a small Honey I Shrunk the Kids play area, entire families are being exposed to the fantastical world of Harry Potter.

The Harry Potter development was one of the first of its kind that promised a full immersive experience, and its success has driven many other theme parks to follow suit. Theme parks have always had slightly erratic attendance, with attendance trending downwards whenever the economy was in a slump. By connecting theme parks to franchises that convey a certain level of nostalgia, companies may be able to mitigate these trends.

Constructing a Whole New World

The construction of these types of movie and television theme parks are not trivial. Immersion is the most important concept, which requires that everything look just right. For movies and television shows, many of the “worlds” involved are constructed out of CGI. They may not be feasible, especially with the implied building materials; areas that look organic may not be able to be organic. This gives construction companies many unique challenges, as they need to build worlds that are extremely convincing without any safety issues or code violations.

For franchises that adults and children are particularly fond of, the construction has to be completed to be very authentic. And some theme parks have been experimenting with the addition of things such as the HTC Vive, which allows individuals to explore a theme park on multiple levels.

These new theme park developments will undoubtedly push many construction companies and architecture firms to their creative and practical limits. For these new franchise parks, construction companies will need to develop entirely new worlds. With immersion being as important a concept as it is, new technologies will need to be developed and construction companies may even find themselves having to integrate cutting-edge systems such as virtual reality into their fixed developments. Throughout this process, the need for visitor safety is paramount. Pucuda Leading Edge offers custom amusement netting products that are designed for amusement park settings, with more information readily available through their expert sales representatives.

Construction Underway for Longest Precast Concrete Cable-Stayed Bridge

Ground has recently been broken on the world’s longest precast concrete cable-stayed bridge, which will be replacing the U.S. 181 Harbor Bridge in Corpus Christi. The ambitious project is likely to be completed in 2021 and will cost nearly $1 billion in total, providing for clearance across the ship channel and the Port of Corpus Christi. A highly trafficked area, the project is critical to provide passage to over six lines of traffic, including a pedestrian walkway.

Designed by Flatiron / Dragados

Flatiron/Dragados has been given both the design and construction contract for this bridge, which will reach 538 feet tall and will have a span of over 1,600 feet. The development itself is particularly important because the ship channel will need to be open throughout the construction of the project, as the project itself will take five years to complete and cannot obstruct the usefulness of the channel. Practical applications such as these often need to be kept in mind with public works projects, making them more complex and a bit lengthier in development. The construction project will also be reconstructing approximately 2.6 miles of streets on the approach and exit, and the old bridge will remain in place until the new bridge has been completed. Once the new bridge is completed, the old bridge will be demolished. The old bridge has been placed since 1959 and is already entering into the last stage of its usable life. As bridges age, they become potentially dangerous, and thus need to be replaced before issues may arise.

A Win for Eagle Ford Companies

The new Harbor Bridge is expected to boost the oil and natural gas exports throughout the shale region of Eagle Ford, thus having a very positive impact on the local economy. Corpus Christi is one of the major areas that has had a positive impact through shale gas development, and this new development will make it easier for businesses throughout the area to perform. Once the Harbor Bridge is completed, larger vessels will be able to enter into the port’s harbor, thus making it far easier to ship large volumes of product. This includes oil and gas products, which are being produced in record-breaking amounts. Eagle Ford Shale will likely see substantial growth as tankers will be far more accessible than ever before. In addition to the shale regions, businesses will be able to increase their own shipping and transportation, potentially drawing in new investors and entrepreneurs into the area.

It’s believed that this new bridge project will be an incredible boon to the local area, in particular the oil and gas industry. But it’s also an extraordinary architectural feat and one of the largest public works projects in the area. The Department of Transportation in Texas has been working closely to make sure that the Harbor Bridge development will not obstruct traffic and that it will have the capacity to serve the area for many years in the future.

This project is of particular interest because it has to be completed alongside the old bridge while still maintaining a safe route for the ships that pass under. Pucuda Leading Edge provides industrial netting products specifically designed to protect from debris and other falling damage. Contact Pucuda Leading Edge today to learn more about their safety and construction products.

Hershey Park Reveals Mystery Ride

Hershey Park has recently released its new ride… which turned out to be three exciting “choose-your-thrill” theme park adventures. The Hershey Park teased guests early in July of 2016 with a new mystery ride that would be opened at the park in 2017. It’s now been revealed as the Triple Tower, much to the interest of avid theme park goers.

Hershey Gets Sweeter With the Triple Tower Ride

The Triple Tower Ride offers three free-fall drops ranging from different heights. The Hershey Kisses tower sees 12 people and sends them on an exhilarating 80-foot drop, while the Hershey Reese’s Tower will drop 16 riders a total of 131-feet. But the true daredevils will want to jump on the final Hershey’s Tower, which seats a total of 20 individuals. Nearly two dozen people will be dropped 189 feet. Though the heights differ, the speed does not. All three towers drop the guests 45 miles per hour. Nevertheless, they can still decide exactly how far they want to drop and how many people they want to share the experience with.

The Tallest, “Most Thrilling” Rides

The new Triple Tower ride will be the tallest non-roller coaster ride in the Hershey Park. The rides themselves will accelerate the passengers to the top and then drop them, differentiating it from the classic “drop” ride. Hershey Park is located in Hershey within the Derry Township, and was initially developed in 1970. Since then, it has expanded and been developed in accordance with new theme park breakthroughs and modern designs.

Current rides and attractions at Hershey Park include their roller coasters, boardwalk, water rides, family rides, and kiddie rides. The most similar rides to the Triple Tower are the extensive selection of 13 roller coasters, which range from the relatively slow-paced Cocoa Cruiser to the 200 foot Skyrush. More sedate family rides include the classic carrousel, the coal cracker, and the “fender bender” bumper cars. This new mystery ride will round out the thrill-seeking rides for Hershey Park, making it far more attractive to those who are looking for an adrenaline rush. It will also stand out against the more traditional roller coasters situated throughout the park.

The construction of the three towers is slated to begin after Labor Day and will be completed sometime in 2017. In order to accommodate these brand new, exciting rides, the Hershey Park will be moving some other rides such as the Kissing Tower Hill. The park will also be removing the Flying Falcon. The construction of theme park rides does generally take quite a few months, but this is necessary in terms of safety. For the workers on the Hershey Park mystery ride, safety equipment such as protective netting will need to be used throughout construction. Pucuda Leading Edge offers protective mesh netting ranging from 3 1/2″ to solid netting structures, perfectly designed for the building of any large structures.

Texas Amusement Park Finally Under Construction

Grand Texas will soon be seeing the 632-acre amusement park that has been delayed for the past year. Originally intended to be completed in 2015, the amusement park will include an RV park with 144 lots, kart-racing track, and water park. It w ill be located at the intersection of Highway 59 and 442 in New Caney and will hopefully be ready for action by Spring of 2017. Until then, local residents have been watching the clearing and construction occurring over the past few years.

Dozens of Rides Coming to New Caney

In addition to the racetrack and water park, the new Grand Texas Theme Park will include a total of five roller coasters, dozens of rides, and live entertainment. 150 acres will be devoted to the theme park itself, and there will be a 40 acre section for the waterpark. A sportsplex will cover 83 acres for community events and visiting teams, and there will also be a total of four hotels located throughout the complex.

Finally, 450,000 square feet of this complex will be devoted to dining areas, retail, and a factory outlet mall. Apart from the amusement park itself, this represents a significant expansion of the downtown area and will make the entirety of Grand Texas an incredible sight for visitors and residents alike. But the project will take time and is intended to be completed in stages, spanning from 2017 through 2020.

1.2 Million Visitors Projected

It’s projected that there will be 1.2 million visitors to the park within the first year of operation, ideally boosting commerce and tourism within the area, and attracting additional investments. One of the major goals of the development is to have a permanent fixture close to Houston that can draw in the crowds of more temporary events, such as the American Cup COPA and the NCAA. The mayor took a personal interest in the development of this project, hoping that it would not only alter the atmosphere of the region but also bring in outside investors.

The entirety of the Grand Texas Amusement Park should be completed by 2020, though the developer is aiming for mid-2019. The Grand Texas project had been initially announced in 2013, but both setbacks and delays occurred throughout the rather complex development and staging process. Though there have been some delays, the project is now on track and the Grant Texas Theme Park represents an unprecedented entertainment venue that will be sure to recoup the company’s investment. The first part of the project to open will be the Grand Texas RV Resort, which is designed as a luxury resort for up to 144 RVs.

With roller coasters, live entertainment, rides, and sports complexes, one of the major concerns for the Grand Texas Theme Park will undoubtedly be safety. Pucuda Leading Edge offers a wide selection of safety netting, including those designed for construction, entertainment, and sports use. Contact Pucuda Leading Edge today to learn more about their industrial strength safety netting, specially designed for the amusement industry.

Importance of Continual Safety Training

Safety training isn’t a one time proposition. Continual safety training is essential to maintaining a safe work site and safe employees. Continual safety training provides a refresher for older, senior employees while offering information that newer employees may have been missed or may not have properly absorbed. It’s very easy for safety training to be forgotten or fall by the wayside when other priorities are in mind. Continual safety training fills in these gaps.

Training Refreshes Existing Knowledge

Employees can’t be expected to retain knowledge forever. Safety courses include hands-on training segments, reviews, question and answer periods, and more, ensuring that employees will have their knowledge periodically refreshed. Anything that may have been forgotten or may have slipped by will be revisited so that they can be consistent in the maintenance of their safety and their work site safety.

Work Sites and Safety Can Change

What is considered safe on a work site can change from year to year. New studies can show that different techniques and materials require different safety measures. As an example, asbestos and lead paint were once considered to be far safer to work with than they now are. Continued safety training is necessary to update this information and make sure that employees are now complying to current OSHA regulations and safety standards, rather than outdated protocols. Employers can also use this time to educate their employees on internal policies, such as new reporting requirements or other information.

Company Culture Can Promote Safety

Company culture is one of the best ways to promote safety. Through safety initiatives, training, seminars, and other continued education, company culture can be fostered. A continual discussion of safety will make it far more likely that employees will think about safety on a day-to-day basis. Safety training also offers employees the opportunity to interface with supervisors and managerial staff about safety procedures, again fostering safety through company culture.

Continued Safety Training Improves Team Work

Working as a team can improve safety, but for most work sites the team members may frequently change. Working through simulations and safety training together will improve upon the way that employees work together, and will thus reduce the potential for risk on the work site. Ultimately this can also reduce the number of incidents that occur.

Lifelong Learning is Critical to Many Positions

Particularly dangerous fields, such as logging, put a premium on lifelong learning. This includes not only the essentials of the job but also safety. Employees within these positions slowly learn to be more intuitive about their work and to remain safe in even uniquely dangerous situations. The more experienced and knowledgeable an employee is, the less likely they are to be injured. Additional safety training provides more experience, especially when combined with drills and simulated situations.

In addition to continued safety training, companies need to have a continued dedication to developing the training of their work sites. Pucuda Leading Edge offers passive safety systems that meet OSHA regulations. The construction netting provided by Pucuda Leading Edge includes industrial guard nets, debris nets, and fall protection netting, specifically designed to protect employees even if their training falters.

World’s Largest Ferris Wheel Reaches Construction Milestone

The World’s Largest Ferris Wheel is presently in construction and has reached a construction milestone as its foundation has been completed. The Ferris wheel is being constructed in New York and will eclipse the previous holder of the title, which currently resides in Las Vegas.

An Impressive Foundation

The World’s Largest Ferris Wheel has required an impressive foundation that extends to a depth of 11 feet or three meters. This foundation (which was poured in stages) was necessary to hold the sheer weight of the project. Each of the Ferris wheel’s legs weighed 500 tons individually. Concrete projects of this sheer scale are rare, so the completion of the pouring is a major milestone in the construction project. When completed, the project will be a staggering 630 feet tall.

Now that the foundation has been laid, the legs can be erected and the wheel itself can be put in place. This will include the rim, LED lighting, spokes, and everything else that the Ferris wheel is to be constructed of. The pieces themselves have already been fabricated and (like many Ferris wheels) can simply be constructed in place, so the actual creation of the foundation was one of the most important aspects of development.

International Collaboration

The pieces of the Ferris wheel are being constructed in Europe and then being shipped to New York, making this piece an international project. Once completed, the Ferris wheel will be facing the Statue of Liberty and will permanently change the skyline of the area. This immense Ferris wheel has been constructed so that it can take aboard 40 passengers within a single one of its cars. This type of wheel is often called an observation wheel because its design is specifically constructed to give passengers an excellent look at the city around them. This particular Ferris wheel will bring passengers high over Manhattan where they can enjoy the entirety of the city. And in an interesting note, a time capsule has also been buried beneath the foundation.

Years in the Making

The Ferris wheel project was initially conceived and developed back in 2012 and was approved in 2013. Now that the foundation has been successfully completed, it’s likely that the project will be going up on schedule by late 2017. This will be exciting not only for New York residents but also those interested in tourism. Staten Island is an area that is generally used by commuters, so this will draw out more tourists and visitors around the region.

When it comes to attractions like this one, safety is absolutely necessary. This Ferris wheel will be the tallest in the world, and this can represent some significant safety challenges during construction and assembly. It’s for these applications that Pucuda Leading Edge constructs the best industrial and safety netting supplies. Contact Pucuda Leading Edge for information about safety netting systems today.

Legoland Is Coming To Upstate New York

A new amusement park will be coming soon to upstate New York, to the excitement of many families and hobbyists. Legoland is reportedly being developed across a 500 acre plot of land in New York. It will be the third such park within the United States, with the other two Legoland parks being located in California and Florida. This new family-friendly attraction will have many of the traditional theme park amenities (such as dining and rides) all with a Lego theme.

Legoland Being Courted in New York

Legoland has been courted by New York with approximately $4 million in grants. New York is not the only area that has been considered for development. New Jersey has also been considered for the development. New York and New Jersey are both interested in the construction for more than just entertainment purposes. The construction of such extensive projects can create hundreds of jobs on a temporary basis and many jobs on a permanent basis as well. Visitors brought in by the attraction will also spend money on local businesses, improving upon tourism and entertainment spending in general.

Few Details Yet Confirmed About the New Park and Attractions

It’s estimated that the new Legoland park will bring in anywhere from 10,000 to 20,000 visitors on a daily basis, creating a half thousand full-time jobs. The Legoland attraction park will be connected to a Lego-themed hotel with 250 rooms and the park itself should include around 50 rides and other entertainment attractions. Legoland California and Legoland Florida both bring somewhere between 1.5 million and 2.5 million visitors a year to their parks; the new Legoland property is expected to perform similarly. Once the park is approved it can begin breaking ground. In addition to the two parks within the United States, there are additional parks in Germany, Malaysia, Denmark, and other countries.

The New Legoland Park Is Slated for 2019

The Legoland park is estimated to be completed by 2019 and will be ready for booking. As an attraction that includes a hotel, it can be an all-inclusive family-friendly retreat. The Legoland park will be targeted towards families that have children aged from 2 to 12, but like many Lego products it may also be of interest to hobbyists.

The New York Legoland park is still in the initial planning stages. There will still need to be some zoning modifications before the park is developed and most of the details have yet to be confirmed. Theme park development often takes quite a while, as security needs to be in mind. Not only do parks need to protect their developers and employees, but they also need to protect their guests. Pucuda Leading Edge provides a wide inventory of netting products that are designed to protect customers in areas that may be high risk such as theme park attractions.

How To Train Temporary Workers For Safety

Careful training of temporary employees is critical not only for the safety of the temporary employee but also the rest of the crew. The training of temporary employees is often complicated by a few factors: temp employees come from a variety of backgrounds, often have a limited amount of time for safety training, and usually aren’t familiar with the environment or the equipment. OSHA has been cracking down on safety regulations for temporary workers and has given some suggestions to employers looking to improve their safety.

Assume Your Workers Have Only Been Generally Trained

Most temporary workers only have general purpose training under their belt. Any specialized knowledge (such as specific equipment and practices) should always be discussed before workers begin their duties. Employers should ask themselves whether their working environment has any hazards or special protocols that are unique to both their environment and their business. It’s these hazards and protocols that will need to be specially considered.

Provide Safety Training in Simple and Clear Language

In many working environments, there may be certain phrases or terminology that is not immediately understood to outsiders. It’s absolutely vital that safety training be provided in simple and easy to understand language. Otherwise temporary employees may believe that they understand the training but may be mistaken. If you aren’t certain whether your training guides are simple enough, you can have them read by another person who is not within your company or industry. Language can also be a barrier. If workers do not speak English, they still need to be given safety material that they can understand.

Be Proactive About Potential Health Hazards

Employers must take action to maintain their working environments in a way that is safe for all employees. This includes quickly reacting to any hazards and keeping a clean work site. Many temporary employees either get injured or even killed during the very first day on the job. They aren’t familiar with the environment and can easily stumble into an area that they should not. All hazardous areas need to be clearly marked and debris and unused equipment should be cleared from the site quickly.

Establish an Injury and Fatality Prevention Program

A prevention program is one of the easiest ways to engage your permanent and temporary employees in improving health and safety. Ensure that your employees are empowered with the ability to easily report potential issues to a supervisory staff member. Further, educate them on the things that they should be looking out for: a lack of hard hats in hard hat only zones, a lack of proper fall protection, or simply equipment malfunctions. In this way, you can ensure that all eyes on site are working together to find potential issues.

But how do you make sure that your work site is ready and prepared for temporary workers? One of the best ways to do this is to install passive safety equipment. Passive safety equipment doesn’t need to be properly engaged by temporary employees to work. Even better, it will protect permanent and temporary employees at once. Pucuda Leading Edge offers fall protection netting, industrial netting, and debris containment systems all designed to protect employees without the need for specialized training.

Six Flags Is Opening A Theme Park In Saudi Arabia

Six Flags is reportedly seeking to open a theme park in Saudi Arabia, which will have all of their ordinary attractions included: roller coasters, bumper cars, and more. Understandably, this is an interesting project, as it involves a cultural barrier that will need to be surmounted. There are currently ongoing meetings regarding the park and its presence within the country. It’s believed that the Six Flags development will be able to move Saudi Arabia towards more entertainment and culture focused initiatives.

Six Flags Around the World

Six Flags has often been known for its global expansion plans. There are currently Six Flags parks in nearly every continent, despite the fact that interest in theme parks tends to rise and dwindle depending on the economy. Six Flags has been able to achieve its global success through its strong branding and through its ability to create a unique and consistent atmosphere. In recent years, Six Flags and other related theme parks have been exploring the possibility of smaller boutique parks that hit upon specific branding, IPs, and themes. These smaller parks may be more resilient to economic fluctuations.

Preliminary Plans Now Announced

Though Saudi Arabia is not known for being a “fun loving country,” the country has been looking for new alternative revenue streams ever since energy prices plummeted. Saudi Arabia’s economy was once almost primarily based on oil, but in recent years it has started looking at petroleum and chemical alternatives to supplement its dwindling income. Saudi Arabia, much like Dubai, has been seeking to find ways to make itself more attractive to visitors. This new Six Flags park may be one of many initiatives designed to make Saudi Arabia more friendly to potential tourism, especially within their own region. Though American visitors may not be inclined to visit Saudi Arabia just for a Six Flags park, those in the countries nearby may be.

The details of this new theme park are not yet known, but it is known that the project will very likely continue. Not only will this be a great way to draw in new tourists, but it will also be an excellent opportunity for Saudi Arabia to grow its entertainment value within its own country. Though there are some issues that may come up (such as gender segregated public spaces), Six Flags undoubtedly has plans for dealing with these issues as they arise.

As with any new construction, the most important thing is going to be safety. The construction of theme parks is one of the most hazardous types of construction; it’s often completed with seasonal or contracted employees and it involves heights and falling dangers. One of the easiest ways to promote safety in such areas is through the use of passive fall systems, such as the commercial netting products provided by Pucuda Leading Edge.