Landscape Management, December 2018

profit centers CLEANER DESIGN BUILD INSTALLATION BREATHING The new OSHA standards are meant to protect contractors and their employees Dust from harmful silica particles off your safety plan L andscape contractors who work with hardscape materials are taking note of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA Respirable Crystalline Silica standard which affects the type of equipment and practices they use on the job site Crystalline silica is a mineral found in materials like stone concrete brick sand and mortar Respirable particles are created from the crystalline silica when workers cut drill crush or grind these materials The particles can get into workers lungs and cause an incurable and sometimes deadly lung disease called silicosis as well as lung cancer other respiratory diseases and kidney disease More than 200 workers die each year from silicosis according to the National Association of Landscape Professionals NALP To limit workers exposure OSHA passed two new standards one for construction and the other for general industry and maritime that reduce the permissible exposure limit for respirable crystalline silica to 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air averaged during an eight hour day Construction employers including landscape contractors LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET DECEMBER 2018 24 were required to comply by Sept 23 2017 The standard includes implementing an exposure control plan for projects with crystalline silica training employees to safely work around silica and keeping records of the compliance practices See the sidebar on page 41 for more details Heres a look at what industry experts are saying about the new standards and what landscape business owners can do to comply INDUSTRY IMPACT The three experts we interviewed agree that the new silica standard is good for the industry because it helps create safer work environments However that doesnt come without extra effort and resources This new standard may be a bitter pill for some to swallow now due to new equipment costs and added safety protocols says Sarah Hurtado marketing communications manager for iQ Power Tools But it will be very beneficial in the future by improving the health of contractors and will increase Sarah Hurtado the longevity of their careers Landscapers who work with affected hardscape materials such as Caleb Auman owner of Auman Landscape are making the changes a daily part of their job site routines to protect their companies and most importantly their employees Its something you know thats terrible for you and can get in your lungs Auman says The more Ive read it really drives home the fact that its serious Continued on page 41 PHOTO IQ POWER TOOLS What OSHA silica standards mean for your company and the industry BY LAUREN DOWDLE NEWSFEED BLUE THUMB ACQUISITION Blue Thumb a water feature supplier headquartered in Saginaw Mich acquired Bacti Twist a manufacturer of filtration media supplying the water garden and aquaculture industries in Frankfort Ky CV SERIES TRUCK LAUNCH International Truck a subsidiary of Navistar launched its International CV Series a Class 4 5 truck that is designed distributed and supported by a manufacturer specializing in commercial vehicles HNA SEES HIGH PARTICIPATION Hardscape North America held in Louisville Ky Oct 17 19 welcomed 50 new exhibitors The co location with GIE EXPO provided HNA exhibitors exposure to more than 12000 hardscape and landscape pros Total participation in the two events was 24796