In the blog.

In the Blog.

by Jorge Vazquez on

We have talked about eye protection many times in the past. There is no question how fragile our eyes are and how important it is to protect them. We all know when to wear eye protection on the job, but today we want to talk about other eye injuries that occur and how to prevent them. The majority of eye injuries do not occur because we failed to… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Scaffolding hazards continue to rank high on the list of the most frequently cited standards in construction. They also account for approximately 9 percent of all fatalities at construction worksites. When working on scaffolds, be sure you know and follow these SAFETY rules. We also want to remind you that we have a “ZERO TOLERANCE” for fall… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Notice to supervisors: If you are not using stilts on your job, make sure you mention the War on Falls for ladders, lifts, scaffolds, guardrails, and holes. Make sure you also mention the two-day suspension for any fall exposure. PROJECT SAFE STATES:Only those employees who have been certified under the company’s stilt policy will… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

When was the last time you saw someone "on the job" also on their phone? In a single day a large number of employees are checking their phones: Reading and typing text messages while trying to operate power tools Updating social platforms with their latest selfies and posting unsafe condition of their work… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

DISCIPLINARY POLICY All companies, no matter what their business, have certain rules of behavior, which must be observed to ensure a productive, safe operation. The Marek Companies are no exception. For the welfare of all of us who work together on a day-to-day basis, certain actions are serious enough to warrant disciplinary procedures.… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Grab a ladder. Stand it up and climb. So simple anyone can do it, right? But if it really were all that simple, 130,000 people wouldn’t get hurt on ladders each year, would they? Most ladder accidents are caused by improper selection, setup or use, not defects. SELECTION Be sure the ladder you select is strong enough to support your weight and… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

While recent news across the country might be confusing on the use of face mask or not, MAREK’s standard of care will not change at this time. Continue to wear your face covering over your nose and mouth and follow other guidelines. For example,  On jobsites, wear a face covering over your nose and mouth. If you are performing a task requiring… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

ACCIDENTS In the event an employee is involved in an accident or sustains an injury while on the job, they must report it to their supervisor immediately regardless of its severity. First aid supplies are normally maintained at jobsites to take care of certain minor injuries. When medical attention is warranted, the supervisor will assist the… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

As the weather becomes “frightful” during winter months, construction workers who must brave the outdoor conditions face the occupational hazard of exposure to the cold. You need to be especially mindful of the weather, its effects on the body, and proper prevention techniques. Environmental conditions The following four environmental conditions… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Most people don’t think much about their feet, until a foot begins to hurt. Damage to even one bone, ligament, or muscle in the foot can be very painful and make it difficult or impossible for you to keep on your feet and do your job. Unfortunately, statistics tell us that work related foot injuries are common. Foot injuries can result from:… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Sprains and strains continue to be one of the highest types of injuries within our company. By following a few simple rules, many of these injuries can be avoided or their severity greatly reduced. Medical evidence has shown that performing warm-up exercises before work and after breaks reduces strain and sprain type injuries.These rules are:Warm… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Let's take a quick test. How many basic senses do we have at birth? Name them. Is it one.... two.... four? I'm sure we all agree the answer is FIVE. These five senses are SIGHT, HEARING, TASTE, TOUCH and SMELL. If you were faced with sacrificing four of these five basic senses, which ones would you keep? Most people would keep their sense of… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Electricity has long been recognized as a serious workplace hazard, exposing employees to such dangers as electrical shock, electrocution, fires and explosions. However when we talk about fires, is also important to mention that sprinkler systems are installed in projects to prevent fire breakouts inside buildings, but when these lines with high-… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

When we do accident investigations, a lot of times we’ll find injuries can be attributed to some type of distraction. Although it may not be possible to eliminate distractions, experts say steps can be taken to minimize them and recognize when they occur. Different types of distractions When people are distracted, they are not paying attention… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

MAREK hopes you had a great holiday season with your loved ones. Is now time to look at our road ahead and is important to remember that safety is our top priority. We need to remember that we are not getting any younger and that an injury can not only put us out of work but can also jeopardize your family’s wellbeing. In fact, according to the… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Do you often need to make strange or awkward movements to get your work done? Long reaches, twists, bends and stretches put your shoulders, back and elbows in uncomfortable and unnatural positions. These postures can injure your nerves and even blood vessels that supply your muscle. Merely reaching behind you or above your head can put your body… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

At MAREK we care for our employees. Safety is a major role in everybody’s life and doing the right thing for the right reason is the key to our success. We, as a group of employees, must focus on safety and prevention by practicing problem identification and problem-solving. To work at MAREK you must care about safety by paying attention to and… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

STILTS POLICY STATES: Employees shall always use a stable surface, scaffold, material stack, or wall for support when getting on or off stilts. When mounting stilts, the top leg strap first will be buckled first. When dismounting, the leg strap is unbuckled last. (Wheels on scaffold must be locked) Today we will discuss the simple precautions… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Attention All Foremen: You will demonstrate a powder-actuated tool to all your employees today. Safe production practices need to be covered in this meeting. You may choose to demonstrate multiple tools with live firing. Powder actuated fastening tools have many things in common with sporting rifles and pistols. All use a load to fire a… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

As the weather becomes “frightful” during winter months, construction workers who must brave the outdoor conditions face the occupational hazard of exposure to the cold. You need to be especially mindful of the weather, its effects on the body, and proper prevention techniques. Environmental conditions The following four environmental conditions… read more