Any construction supplies like nylon slings, lifting hooks or wire ropes play an important role when moving heavy materials at the construction site. Just as important as these materials, handling it is a priority to all to ensure safety.
Qualified employees using such construction supplies or the construction equipments must be trained and permitted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a federal regulatory agency charged with the enforcement of safety and health legislation for the labor force.
The main hazard in any construction projects is an accident -- that is why you’d see signage in almost every area telling, “Safety First.”
Accidents like dropping the load or unintentionally hit someone with the load or any construction supplies is a risk not worth taking. These risks are life-threatening and financially crippling if you find yourself in this kind of situation, which may halt a construction project.
The best way to identify construction hazards is to keep your eyes open, be alert, and know the capacity of your construction equipments and supplies. You should always be aware of the operating machineries, the supplies and the load. As much as possible, do not overload, make a distance, and make others distant on the way of the moving machine and its load.
In most construction projects, if the construction vehicles or equipments are beyond overlook, there is someone aiding you from afar by using construction hand signals to traffic the flow of the vehicles and the equipments.
As a safety procedure for your construction supplies: monitor and conduct inspection dates. You can time it frequently (daily, weekly, or monthly) or annually; you might also have to step up inspections for equipments or materials nearing its lifespan.
If defects are found, report it immediately for repair (if minor) or replacements. You cannot just look at it and declare that it is ‘fine.’ If you do, you’re violating the law and putting a lot of people and some very expensive equipments or loads at a big risk
Equipment such as powered industrial trucks, cranes, hoists and derricks are used to aid in the movement of materials especially large, bulky or heavy loads. These types of equipment use slings.
In a September 2007 news release by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in Washington, the released document Guidance On Safe Sling Use entails the safe selection and use of slings. The types of slings mentioned in the report are alloy steel, chain slings, wire rope slings, metal mesh slings, natural and synthetic fiber rope slings, synthetic web slings and synthetic round slings.
Though they're designed to handle heavy loads, slings really are precision equipment. Every part, every fiber, has to be in top condition and used with skill and care or the whole construction project operation can fail – with potentially hazardous results.
If you are involved with any tasks that relate to or with slings, or if you are from Massachusetts looking for high-quality construction supplies, you may visit this slings supplier website for more information.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Guideline for Home Building
So you want to build your own home. Have you considered everything you need to in order to undertake this challenge? If you feel you are ready to start home building then read the following eight tips to see if you really are or not. These tips will really help you consider everything that must be considered before you begin building your own home.
Tip #1 Organization
You must be organized in order to build your own home and you need to have everything laid out in a step by step way to help you along the way. Takeoff software will help you stay organized so this is a good investment early on.
Tip #2 Construction Crew
You won’t be hammering every single nail and installing every single faucet by yourself, or at least most won’t be. So, a construction crew is important. Know who to choose to be on your construction team in order to make your home building project a fun and enjoyable one not to mention one that is successful!
Tip #3 Finances
You need to know how much the home will cost so you know what you can afford in regards to style, framework, style, and the like. Use construction estimating software to help you in this area if you are not good at estimating.
Tip #4 Budget
If you will be applying for a mortgage or construction loan you will need to have a very detailed budget. Your construction estimating software will come into play here as well and help you create an estimate and stick to it.
Tip #5 Style
There are a lot of choices to make when it comes to the style of your home. This includes the foundation and everything else. So, be prepared to choose the styles you like best.
Tip #6 The Perfect Plan
A perfect house plan is important if you are building your own home. You will want to know where you want to go and a guide to get you there. Your house plan will work wonders.
Tip #7 Home Structure
If you have a lot of experience building homes then you are probably well aware of home structure and the internal and external elements. If you are not be sure to do your research ahead of time to avoid all potential problems. It is guaranteed you will run into problems if you are not prepared.
Tip #8 Use Quality Materials
You want to use quality building materials in your home so make sure you are aware of where you can find them. DO a little research to find the best quality materials and the best prices.
Tip #1 Organization
You must be organized in order to build your own home and you need to have everything laid out in a step by step way to help you along the way. Takeoff software will help you stay organized so this is a good investment early on.
Tip #2 Construction Crew
You won’t be hammering every single nail and installing every single faucet by yourself, or at least most won’t be. So, a construction crew is important. Know who to choose to be on your construction team in order to make your home building project a fun and enjoyable one not to mention one that is successful!
Tip #3 Finances
You need to know how much the home will cost so you know what you can afford in regards to style, framework, style, and the like. Use construction estimating software to help you in this area if you are not good at estimating.
Tip #4 Budget
If you will be applying for a mortgage or construction loan you will need to have a very detailed budget. Your construction estimating software will come into play here as well and help you create an estimate and stick to it.
Tip #5 Style
There are a lot of choices to make when it comes to the style of your home. This includes the foundation and everything else. So, be prepared to choose the styles you like best.
Tip #6 The Perfect Plan
A perfect house plan is important if you are building your own home. You will want to know where you want to go and a guide to get you there. Your house plan will work wonders.
Tip #7 Home Structure
If you have a lot of experience building homes then you are probably well aware of home structure and the internal and external elements. If you are not be sure to do your research ahead of time to avoid all potential problems. It is guaranteed you will run into problems if you are not prepared.
Tip #8 Use Quality Materials
You want to use quality building materials in your home so make sure you are aware of where you can find them. DO a little research to find the best quality materials and the best prices.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Environmental And Green Products Supplies For Homes
With the popularity of "green" products on the rise and the trend not looking to slow down anytime soon, construction products and building techniques that are friendly to the environment are seeing a rapid rise in sales. Let's look at some of the green trends in construction:
From The Ground Up
Green practices can be incorporated from the very beginning of the building process. From the concrete. masonry, beams, doors, windows, mechanical and electrical systems, moisture and heat protection, finishes, appliances, pretty much for any aspect of building, there are green options and choices that can be made.
Flooring
There are many green types of flooring now available. Wood flooring made from wood that has been taken from old or disused buildings has gained more popularity, since this is a smart way to recycle. For new flooring products, green builders can now choose from green choices like cork, rubber and bamboo. New linoleum products are also now available that can be recycled and are less toxic than their predecessors.
Carpet
Carpets are now available that are recyclable, use little or no toxic materials in manufacturing and are also lower in cost. Carpet tiles are a very green choice and are extremely easy to install and replace.
Goals Of Green Building
The main goal of green building is not just to be more friendly to the environment, but also be a healthier place to live for the home's occupants. In every aspect of a green home, non toxic or less toxic materials are employed. Green homes will also blend in better with their surroundings and use much less energy and water.
Advantages
There are many advantages to building and living in a green home. While there may be a bit more upfront cost, over the life of the home, the savings on energy costs alone would more than make up for any upfront costs. More cost savings will arise from energy efficiency, water efficiency, landscaping efficiency and materials efficiency. Also, for very sensitive homeowners, a green home will have used much less toxic or chemical based materials, making a green home much safer and healthier for the owner.
Green Remodeling Trends
Not only is green home construction a hot area, green remodeling has also come to the forefront. Existing homeowners can now incorporate green building practices and materials when they are remodeling their homes. For example, in a typical kitchen remodel, the appliances are all replaced. In the case of a green home remodel, the appliances would all be replaced with energy star efficient appliances. Thus saving energy and money at the same time. In the case of a bathroom remodel, simply replacing a toilet with a newer model toilet will save several gallons of water for each flush, which adds up to a significant water savings over time.
Whether you choose to use green practices to build or remodel for cost savings or environmental reasons, it's certain that green building is a trend that will only continue to grow.
From The Ground Up
Green practices can be incorporated from the very beginning of the building process. From the concrete. masonry, beams, doors, windows, mechanical and electrical systems, moisture and heat protection, finishes, appliances, pretty much for any aspect of building, there are green options and choices that can be made.
Flooring
There are many green types of flooring now available. Wood flooring made from wood that has been taken from old or disused buildings has gained more popularity, since this is a smart way to recycle. For new flooring products, green builders can now choose from green choices like cork, rubber and bamboo. New linoleum products are also now available that can be recycled and are less toxic than their predecessors.
Carpet
Carpets are now available that are recyclable, use little or no toxic materials in manufacturing and are also lower in cost. Carpet tiles are a very green choice and are extremely easy to install and replace.
Goals Of Green Building
The main goal of green building is not just to be more friendly to the environment, but also be a healthier place to live for the home's occupants. In every aspect of a green home, non toxic or less toxic materials are employed. Green homes will also blend in better with their surroundings and use much less energy and water.
Advantages
There are many advantages to building and living in a green home. While there may be a bit more upfront cost, over the life of the home, the savings on energy costs alone would more than make up for any upfront costs. More cost savings will arise from energy efficiency, water efficiency, landscaping efficiency and materials efficiency. Also, for very sensitive homeowners, a green home will have used much less toxic or chemical based materials, making a green home much safer and healthier for the owner.
Green Remodeling Trends
Not only is green home construction a hot area, green remodeling has also come to the forefront. Existing homeowners can now incorporate green building practices and materials when they are remodeling their homes. For example, in a typical kitchen remodel, the appliances are all replaced. In the case of a green home remodel, the appliances would all be replaced with energy star efficient appliances. Thus saving energy and money at the same time. In the case of a bathroom remodel, simply replacing a toilet with a newer model toilet will save several gallons of water for each flush, which adds up to a significant water savings over time.
Whether you choose to use green practices to build or remodel for cost savings or environmental reasons, it's certain that green building is a trend that will only continue to grow.
Influence Of Plastic Products In Home Construction And Supplies
In recent years, the real estate and infrastructure boom in China has stimulated a rapid development in the plastic doors and windows sector. The sector has now become an important pillar in China's plastics industry and significantly lifted its market share. But at the same time, the sector is also facing issues such as varied quality, lack of uniform industry standards and vicious competition.
Plastics industry overview
China's plastics industry has experienced rapid growth in recent years. According to China Plastics Processing Industry Association, during the "10th Five-Year Plan" period (2000-2005), total domestic supply of plastic construction pipes and plastic doors and windows to the Chinese market amounted to 1 million tonnes per year, achieving 45% and 20% market shares respectively. Due to their superior energy saving feature, plastic construction materials have now become the second largest pillar in China's plastics industry, with annual growth rate exceeding 15%. In North-eastern provinces and Inner Mongolia, 40% of the new buildings have installed plastic doors and windows, while the installation rates in Qingdao City and Dalian City are above 80%.
Positive factors for the sector
The following factors have contributed the rapid development of China's plastic doors and windows sector in recent years. First of all, the newly announced Catalogue Guidance for Foreign Investment Industries last year encourages foreign investments in plastic construction materials projects, such steel replacement and timber replacement materials. This has brought about an excellent opportunity for the plastic doors and windows sector, hence fast developments.
Also, the continued real estate boom and infrastructure investment surge have provided a huge demand market for plastic doors and windows. China currently has building construction projects of approximately 2.1 billion square metres per year, equivalent to the sum of European and American volume. There are about 500 million square metres doors and windows construction pipeline per year in China, four times of the European annual volume.
Third, according to the "11th Five-Year Plan" (2006-2010), in the next five years, China has to achieve construction energy saving target of 101 million tonne coal-equivalent. Therefore, total energy saving construction will exceed 2.16 billion square metres, including new construction and existing building renovation of 1.6 billion and 560 million square metres respectively. The energy saving materials and technologies market for these projects could amount to several thousand billion dollars, providing huge potential for energy saving and environmentally friendly plastic construction materials.
Issues in the plastic doors and windows sector
Firstly, the Chinese government has adjusted its foreign trade policy since 2006, and changed from encouraging exporting of plastic products to limiting their exports. From September 2006 to July 2007, China reduced its export rebates for plastic products from 13% to 5%. And in July 2007 the Ministry of Commerce and China Customs officially included plastic products into the export-restricted category of processing trade products. Since then, many plastics companies have significantly reduced their export volume, while importing of plastic products continues to rise.
Secondly, in recent years, international crude oil prices has been climbing and pushing up raw materials prices, causing a big blow to the plastic processing industry. On one hand, companies have to absorb cost pressure from upstream suppliers. On the other hand, the market for major plastic products are highly competitive, so it will be hard for plastic producers to pass on costs, hence searching for new profit growth points.
China's plastic doors and windows sector is big, but compared to other countries, their market shares are still relatively low in their home market. Their production output level is still low, while energy consumption is high. China's per unit energy consumption of residential constructions is currently 3 times of developed countries', while doors and windows energy consumption and air leakage of doors and windows are 1.5-2.2 times and 3-6 times of developed countries' respectively.
And home buyers' doors and windows consumption is still insufficient in China. Chinese home buyers normally focus on construction quality of the property, but pay much less attention to doors and windows. This is because most people don't have enough knowledge about doors and windows. And many people also consider doors and windows as supplementary products to the property, hence indifference to their quality. For an apartment valued at 10,000 yuan per square metre, the equivalent expenditure on doors and windows in developed countries would be 1,000 yuan, while it is only 300 yuan in China.
There is also a lack of uniform plastic industry standards in China. Currently China has not yet had a housing price-related doors and windows standard. The 5 major performance criteria for doors and windows, namely wind-pressure proof, air leakage, rain leakage, thermal insulation and sound insulation, are normally tested on individual samples, while the pass rates after being installed on properties are usually low. This is because most home buyers don't have the capability and means to test the 5 criteria on finished properties, and there are little regulatory restraints on the products. Therefore, many developers and builders may play tricks on doors and windows in order to save costs.
Finally, price competition within the sector is severe. As China listed plastic doors and windows as one of the key construction materials to develop, their production and applications have gained rapid growth in the last 10 years. But the development surge also created a supply surplus situation. At present, China's annual demand for plastic doors and windows is about 1.5 million tonnes, but their annual output already reached 3 million tonnes, resulting in vicious price-cutting competition. There are rampant product substituting and jerry-building practices in the industry, negatively impacting the reputation of plastic doors and windows. And the price wars have also lead to widespread losses among China's plastic doors and windows producers.
In conclusion, under the continuing real estate and infrastructure boom, there will be a huge demand market for plastic doors and windows in China. And the government's energy saving policy could also provide substantial investment value to this sector. But the sector is also affected by short to medium term issues, which need to be practically resolved, in order to improve producers' long term sustainability.
Plastics industry overview
China's plastics industry has experienced rapid growth in recent years. According to China Plastics Processing Industry Association, during the "10th Five-Year Plan" period (2000-2005), total domestic supply of plastic construction pipes and plastic doors and windows to the Chinese market amounted to 1 million tonnes per year, achieving 45% and 20% market shares respectively. Due to their superior energy saving feature, plastic construction materials have now become the second largest pillar in China's plastics industry, with annual growth rate exceeding 15%. In North-eastern provinces and Inner Mongolia, 40% of the new buildings have installed plastic doors and windows, while the installation rates in Qingdao City and Dalian City are above 80%.
Positive factors for the sector
The following factors have contributed the rapid development of China's plastic doors and windows sector in recent years. First of all, the newly announced Catalogue Guidance for Foreign Investment Industries last year encourages foreign investments in plastic construction materials projects, such steel replacement and timber replacement materials. This has brought about an excellent opportunity for the plastic doors and windows sector, hence fast developments.
Also, the continued real estate boom and infrastructure investment surge have provided a huge demand market for plastic doors and windows. China currently has building construction projects of approximately 2.1 billion square metres per year, equivalent to the sum of European and American volume. There are about 500 million square metres doors and windows construction pipeline per year in China, four times of the European annual volume.
Third, according to the "11th Five-Year Plan" (2006-2010), in the next five years, China has to achieve construction energy saving target of 101 million tonne coal-equivalent. Therefore, total energy saving construction will exceed 2.16 billion square metres, including new construction and existing building renovation of 1.6 billion and 560 million square metres respectively. The energy saving materials and technologies market for these projects could amount to several thousand billion dollars, providing huge potential for energy saving and environmentally friendly plastic construction materials.
Issues in the plastic doors and windows sector
Firstly, the Chinese government has adjusted its foreign trade policy since 2006, and changed from encouraging exporting of plastic products to limiting their exports. From September 2006 to July 2007, China reduced its export rebates for plastic products from 13% to 5%. And in July 2007 the Ministry of Commerce and China Customs officially included plastic products into the export-restricted category of processing trade products. Since then, many plastics companies have significantly reduced their export volume, while importing of plastic products continues to rise.
Secondly, in recent years, international crude oil prices has been climbing and pushing up raw materials prices, causing a big blow to the plastic processing industry. On one hand, companies have to absorb cost pressure from upstream suppliers. On the other hand, the market for major plastic products are highly competitive, so it will be hard for plastic producers to pass on costs, hence searching for new profit growth points.
China's plastic doors and windows sector is big, but compared to other countries, their market shares are still relatively low in their home market. Their production output level is still low, while energy consumption is high. China's per unit energy consumption of residential constructions is currently 3 times of developed countries', while doors and windows energy consumption and air leakage of doors and windows are 1.5-2.2 times and 3-6 times of developed countries' respectively.
And home buyers' doors and windows consumption is still insufficient in China. Chinese home buyers normally focus on construction quality of the property, but pay much less attention to doors and windows. This is because most people don't have enough knowledge about doors and windows. And many people also consider doors and windows as supplementary products to the property, hence indifference to their quality. For an apartment valued at 10,000 yuan per square metre, the equivalent expenditure on doors and windows in developed countries would be 1,000 yuan, while it is only 300 yuan in China.
There is also a lack of uniform plastic industry standards in China. Currently China has not yet had a housing price-related doors and windows standard. The 5 major performance criteria for doors and windows, namely wind-pressure proof, air leakage, rain leakage, thermal insulation and sound insulation, are normally tested on individual samples, while the pass rates after being installed on properties are usually low. This is because most home buyers don't have the capability and means to test the 5 criteria on finished properties, and there are little regulatory restraints on the products. Therefore, many developers and builders may play tricks on doors and windows in order to save costs.
Finally, price competition within the sector is severe. As China listed plastic doors and windows as one of the key construction materials to develop, their production and applications have gained rapid growth in the last 10 years. But the development surge also created a supply surplus situation. At present, China's annual demand for plastic doors and windows is about 1.5 million tonnes, but their annual output already reached 3 million tonnes, resulting in vicious price-cutting competition. There are rampant product substituting and jerry-building practices in the industry, negatively impacting the reputation of plastic doors and windows. And the price wars have also lead to widespread losses among China's plastic doors and windows producers.
In conclusion, under the continuing real estate and infrastructure boom, there will be a huge demand market for plastic doors and windows in China. And the government's energy saving policy could also provide substantial investment value to this sector. But the sector is also affected by short to medium term issues, which need to be practically resolved, in order to improve producers' long term sustainability.
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