It’s déjà vu all over again” is a famous quote by the late, great Yogi Berra. I’ve lived this scenario, and I’m betting you have, too. I’m talking about callbacks — the woe of the contracting industry.

Once you know your learning style, you can start to create real change within your company.

Planning ahead helps ensure you get the most out of the events you attend.

When I was the last of the three brothers to enter the family business, my dad said to me, “I owe you an opportunity, not a guarantee.”

For more than 17 years, I’ve been helping contractors learn and practice good habits. It has improved their lives, their employees’ lives and even the lives of the customers they serve.

What does getting employees to “released” mean?

I’m lucky enough to work with a lot of good-hearted contractors. What I know is contractors in general, despite the skewed view of the media to the contrary, want to do the right thing for their customers and their community.

I got an email from a client the other day that instantly reminded me of how I once delivered “poop sandwiches” to my own employees.

I’ve been incredibly lucky to work with some great contractors over the years. I shared what I had learned along the way at my own company, and I brought those insights and systems to their companies to help them grow and succeed.

It was still hot and sweaty in the midday sun just a couple of days after Labor Day in New York, and at first glance, you’d think we were out in the yard in the dead of winter.

The old adage goes, “Do something good for someone and they’ll tell 10 people. Do something bad to someone and they’ll tell 100 people.”

A client called me awhile back because he wanted to know what my family did with the scrap metal from jobsites, and he wanted to know what the other companies I work with do on this matter too.

"It’s a drug and we’re hooked!” is what I said to my brother, Richie, about the fix I felt we got from doing the really big monster commercial and residential jobs for what we felt were lots of dollars.

One of the nice things about my job is I’m usually busy. I like when I look up at the end of the day and see that the day has flown by. 

I’ll admit it. I’m not a giant fan of reading financials and management reporting.

Why is it that your staff isn’t quite as excited as you are when you discuss a new project, a new process, new policy or a habit you want to change?

There are only two types of companies I’ve ever worked with in my 18 years of being a consultant to the contracting industry.

It was working when I left!” 

Everything in business is important! Not everything in business is urgent — thank heavens!

“Hire willing people and provide them the skills — as opposed to hiring spoiled, experienced people with skills and behavior problems.” 

What is finally going to fix things at your company? 

One of the most common things I see when I begin my work with a new contracting client is the resistance to train employees. 

Bad attitudes are everywhere, or so it would appear. In most cases, it is based on nothing other than your opinion. 

With every new consulting client, I begin our work by asking the following: “How are you judging your staff’s performance?”

The conversation typically goes like this: The owner tells me, “Al, I don’t know if I can get buy-in here for the operating manuals.”

I’ll admit it. I was skeptical that distance learning could be a worthwhile experience for service contractors. 

By the time you read this, most people’s New Year’s resolutions or goals will be a distant memory, and they’ll be back to doing the same things they said they weren’t going to do. 

You may think you are too small to have a fleet manager, or so big you need a full-time fleet manager, and neither of those things is necessarily true.

When we see a testimonial, we know someone else has already tested the waters for us. Especially in today’s crowded marketplace, you need something that sets your contracting company apart.

There’s an ancient proverb that says, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago.

Located in Louisville, Kentucky, Zoeller’s state-of-the-art training facility, the Center for Excellence, has been drawing contractors, engineers and distributors in for product training over the past five years. 

The owner of a 107-year-old home sought an advanced hydronic heating solution for a major basement finishing project and to alleviate his existing heating woes on the first and second floors of the residence. The installation of an innovative and highly efficient boiler from Weil-McLain helped make the basement remodel a success and the family’s home comfortably warm throughout.

In my years in the workforce, I’ve had jobs with amazing bosses and managers. On the flip side, I’ve also had terrible managers who made me question whether or not I wanted to stay in that organization.

Generosity is the new marketing. In this era of social media, charitable companies can earn an enhanced brand reputation as being a “good” company and will make people want to do business with them.

By following the tips below, you can mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 on your business and lay some groundwork that will make your company more successful in the long run.

Not long ago, Ray asked the Wallies who post daily on The Wall at HeatingHelp.com what advice they would give someone just starting out in this business. Here’s some of what they had to say. There’s a lot of street-smart experience here.

U.S. Navy Captain Mike Abrashoff was given command of the USS Benfold at age 36, making him the youngest commanding officer in the Pacific fleet. His challenge was daunting: the destroyer with 310 sailors was a notable loser, with low morale and the highest turnover in the Navy. Many safety and health pros early in their careers face the challenge of establishing their credibility.

Complimentary webcast on March 21 will cover the most pressing challenges in the Environment of Care and Life Safety.

Ergonomics principles can guide employers towards systems that adapt to workers’ needs and decrease the potential for discomfort and harm.

As part of the rulemaking process, the agency will seek and consider input from a ride range of stakeholders and the public at-large as it works to propose and finalize its rule.

Today, optrel, a leading manufacturer of active eye protection products, introduced its new crystal2.0 welding helmet with Crystal 2.0 Lens Technology (CLT2.0) — representing a quantum leap forward in optical clarity for welders before, during, and after welding.

A manufacturing plant has been dealing with hot machinery and punishing Texas heat. The buildings are made of tin with little insulation. That means it gets really hot. They solved this issue with evaporative coolers.

The shipping and trucking industry has had to work within unique OSHA standards for years. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, logistics companies will have to adapt to new, changing regulations. Not everything is a matter of law, and some guidelines may be unclear, so this isn't always a straightforward task

There have been some unsettling reports recently of large increases in the number of whistleblower complaints to OSHA related to COVID-19.

The schedule of free-to-attend, accessible webinars cover Casella’s core areas of expertise, including workplace monitoring for noise, environmental boundary, hand and arm vibration, and asbestos sampling.

The company is accused of failing to protect workers from dangerous silica dust, leading to serious health issues.

Fall protection remains in the No. 1 spot. Incident data shows potential connection to top workplace compliance issues.

In 1998, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report, 413 workers were struck and killed by vehicles. That was “the highest number in the 7-year period that the fatality census has been compiled.”₁ Without a standard in place, the numbers were steadily rising.

These new services join a comprehensive suite of consulting services offered by J. J. Keller, a leader in safety and regulatory compliance for 70 years. 

SoterGenius uses image and video analysis, chat functionality and document analysis to automate compliance checks against OSHA guidelines.