Georgia School of Construction Elects Non-Renewal Status with NCCER

On August 1, 2008 Georgia School of Construction (GSC) elected to not renew its Accredited Training Sponsor and Accredited Training Unit status with the National Center on Construction Education and Research NCCER. In late August GSC notified NCCER of its intended actions regarding election to not renew its training entity status with NCCER; however, the value of the NCCER sponsored training curriculum; i.e., Contren Learning Series will remain an integral part of the GSC and all NAHETS member schools’ curriculum.

So You Think You’re a Backhoe Operator?

This guy is good!

Backhoe–From the ground to the top of a train!

LoJack Annual Theft Study Reports Growing Equipment Theft

On March 12, 2008, the LoJack Corporation released the results of its annual Construction Equipment Theft Study. The reports indicated that construction equipment theft is still a growing problem throughout the industry. Here is a summary from the report . . .

For 2007, LoJack’s report breaks down construction equipment theft into various categories:

Professional Theft Rings Continue to Plague the Industry

• In 2007 police discovered eight theft rings and chop shops with the LoJack system.
• These discoveries led police to find an addition $2.5 million in stolen assets that were not tracked with LoJack equipment.

Popular Equipment Make Popular Theft Targets

Newer equipment types are more popular theft targets because of higher resale value.

• Skid Steers
• Backhoe Loaders/Skip Loaders/Wheel Loaders/Track Loaders . . .

States with the Highest Theft Rates

• California
• Florida . . .

Construction Theft is a Local Issue

In 97% of cases, the stolen equipment was recovered in the same state that it was reported in . . .

LoJack’s Guide to Theft Protection

• Keep Good Records
• Focus on Physical Site Security
• Use Theft Deterrents and Proven Recovery Systems

About the Study

The 2007 LoJack Construction Equipment Theft Report is based on state theft statistics and equipment recoveries documented by LoJack in 26 states from January to December 2007 . . .
Please see the complete reports results at LoJack Annual Theft Study.

NAHETS would like to express thanks to the LoJack Corporation for its services in preventing and recovering heavy equipment theft. In addition to working with construction equipment, LoJack also specializes in securing automobiles, motorcycles, laptops, cargo, and more.

Please also visit the LoJack Theft Page.

Sources:

LoJack Corporation. (March 2008). “Local Annual Theft Study Reveals Construction Equipment Theft Continues to Plague Equipment Owners in 2007.” Retrieved March 25, 2008 from http://www.forconstructionpros.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=4&id=9670&pageNum=1.

JCB Unveils 60 MPH “World’s Fastest Backhoe Loader” to Assist U.S. Army

Help is on the way for the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, but not in its usual form. This time “help” is the “JCB High Mobility Engineer Excavator (HMEE),” a.k.a. the “world’s fastest backhoe loader.” I like to think of it as the “Batmobile of Heavy Equipment.” Its speed, mobility, and design will improve the capabilities of field commanders in front patrols. See batmobile of heavy equipment for the original article. See website directly below for video and other multi-media HMEE resources.

A few highlights of the article:

Specs

• The HMEE travels up to 60 mph on paved roads and cross country surfaces
• Full suspension and ABS brakes
• Computer diagnostics
• Run-flat tires and roll-over protection
• 17.55 tons with armor and 15.75 tons without armor
• 6.7-liter diesel
• Lifts 2.2 tons, digs 13 ft deep

Purpose

• Provide battlefield commanders more capabilities in front patrols
• Increase Mobility and counter-mobility
• Provide water and supplies, build burms, lay electrical lines, etc.

JCB Construction Equipment is the creator of the HMEE. It was 4 years in the making and built specifically for the U.S. Military. JCB is the world’s largest privately owned construction business.

Here is a brief video about some other JCB military equipment.

Sources

http://www.acppubs.com/article/CA6518489.html?rssid=112

http://www.jcb.com/hmee/

Construction and Heavy Equipment Jobs . . . For Women Too

For those of us who know construction workers and heavy equipment operators, I am sure most of them are males. Lets face it, shopping and bulldozers just don’t seem to match up all that well; however, many of us will be surprised to learn that there are more women employed in construction and heavy equipment industries than we would think.

The U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau keeps track of statistics for nontraditional occupations for women. Here are some relevant statistics in construction and heavy equipment occupations.*

Although the statistics do not show a high percentage of women involved in these occupations, it is obvious that hundreds of thousands of females across the United States are interested in or already are employed in construction jobs, including heavy equipment operating. Similar trends hold true for countries outside of the United States as well. The following is a summary from an article written on November 8, 2007 by Matthew Craze on Bloomberg.com entitled, “Andean Women Use Gentle Touch to Conquer Monster Mining Trucks”:

South America’s mining industry is being flooded by women who come mainly from the Andean Mountains to work as mining truck drivers. The main reason the women do this is because it greatly increases their income compared to typical work in the villages and communities they live in. As would be expected by some, the men did not believe that these women would last under the harsh mining and weather conditions; however, many women feel the same way as mining truck driver, Patricia Guajardo, who said, “The winters can be very harsh, but I love it.”

 

Despite concerns or issues regarding the performance of these female equipment operators, many industry personnel actually say the women have a better touch in operating than some men do. Cristian Silva, a truck and earth-moving equipment trainer for Caterpillar, Inc., said “Women tend to take more care of the machine and don’t abuse the brakes or the engine…Operating the machine better means more profits.” This is one of the main reason mining companies in South America, such as Barrick Gold Corp. and BHP Billiton Ltd, like the female operators—their performance actually cut costs and increase output.

 

It is a win-win situation with these South American women becoming equipment operators for mining companies. It not only allows the women to increase their lifestyle and show their capabilities but it also brings in profit for the mining companies. There have been few minor difficulties in hiring women operators (some have legs that are too short to operate and it can be hard to find them because many women stay home with children). Despite these obstacles, it has been a positive experience for both the women and mining companies of South America.

 

Until 19993, women were banned from working at mines in Chile. By 2005, women made up 4.3 percent of the mining workforce in Chile, according to Codelco, the world’s largest copper producer.*

So it appears that it is safe to say that women can experience success in construction and heavy equipment work, just as men can.

References:

*(1) Nontraditional Occupations for Women in 2006. U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau. Retrieved November 26, 2007 from http://www.dol.gov/wb/factsheets/nontra2006.htm

*(2) Craze, Matthew. (November 2007). Andean Women Use Gentle Touch to Conquer Monster Mining Trucks. Retrieved November 22, 2007 from http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601100&sid=aAR9kj8RyLyU&refer=germany.