by Marek Brothers on Oct 18, 2019
The following article was authored by Scott Braddock and originally published on Construction Citizen.A commitment ceremony was held this past week for dozens of Houston students in a new dual credit, two-year construction certification program at Houston Community College. The whole thing is being done in partnership with MAREK, one of the... read more
by Jorge Vazquez on Oct 18, 2019
PROJECT SAFE STATES:Only those employees who have been certified under the company’s stilt policy will be allowed to use stilts.STILTS POLICY STATES:Employees shall always use a stable surface such as a scaffold or material stack when getting on or off stilts. When mounting stilts, the top leg strap first will be buckled first. When dismounting,... read more
by Marek Brothers on Oct 11, 2019
The following article was authored by Norman Adams and originally published on TXSIP.org.At a recent Texas Summit on Immigration in Houston last week, my good friend Stan Marek, co-founder of TXSIP and CEO of MAREK, explained a sensible immigration policy we call “ID and Tax.”With Texas’ unemployment at 3.4% and businesses in need of more workers... read more
by Marek Brothers on Oct 10, 2019
Just as legislative action appears to be grinding to a halt in Washington amid an impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump, business leaders and others gathered in Southeast Texas for a day-long summit focused on the next steps in their fight for immigration reform.
by Jorge Vazquez on Oct 8, 2019
Crystalline silica is a common mineral in the earth's crust, and is found in many types of rock including sand, quartz, and granite. Silica is present in both work and non-work environments, and exposure to crystalline silica dust has long been known to cause a disease called silicosis. When you inhale crystalline silica the lung tissue reacts by... read more
by Jorge Vazquez on Oct 2, 2019
Tools and equipment include anything from ladders, scaffolds, utility knifes, extension cords, hammer, etc. They seem simple, but tools and equipment can be hazardous on the jobsite or anywhere they are being use. Their greatest hazards are misuse and improper maintenance.Therefore, the Marek Family of Companies provides the necessary equipment to... read more
by Jorge Vazquez on Sep 24, 2019
DISCIPLINARY POLICY All companies, no matter what their business, have certain rules of behavior, which must be observe 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. Therefore... read more
by Jorge Vazquez on Sep 18, 2019
ACCIDENTSIn 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 Sep 10, 2019
ATTENDANCERegular and on-time attendance is essential to the efficient operations of the Company, and is an essential function of every employee’s job. Excessive absenteeism and tardiness are not only inconvenient, they are also costly problems. While it is recognized that occasional illness or personal reasons cause unavoidable absence or... read more
by Arthur Ehmling on Sep 10, 2019
A construction craft professional was just assigned his first supervisor position as the jobsite foreman. Things went relatively well while the crew was small. As other crafts ramped up, it was necessary for his crew to increase in numbers to keep the job schedule on track. As he was accustomed to working with an experienced crew, he didn’t know... read more
by Jorge Vazquez on Sep 4, 2019
How long you work for us is based on how you safely perform your job and meet the production expectations of your supervisor.Every Front Line Supervisor is responsible for timely reporting of all work-related injuries, accidents and fall exposures. To properly carry out his duties, today we are reviewing with all employees, the responsibilities of... read more
by Marek Brothers on Sep 3, 2019
In my role as Executive Director of Construction Career Collaborative (C3), I make many presentations each year to building owners, general contractors, specialty contractors, design professionals and industry trade groups as I evangelize the important work we do. Nearly everyone with whom I meet recognizes that C3’s mission of achieving a safe,... read more
by Jorge Vazquez on Aug 27, 2019
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 Marek Brothers on Aug 26, 2019
Craft professionals in construction have the “gift of choice” and the chance to be the author of their own future. That was the main message from Mike Bellaman, President and CEO of the Associated Builders and Contractors, as he spoke to students graduating from the Workforce Development Program at MAREK this year.
by Jorge Vazquez on Aug 23, 2019
Powder actuated fastening tools have many things in common with sporting rifles and pistols. All use a load to fire a projectile and all are commonly referred to as “guns.”All powder-actuated tools have safety requirements. When not followed, a deadly situation can result. Just as you would never point a field rifle or pistol at another person... read more
by Jorge Vazquez on Aug 14, 2019
Hot weather causes more fatalities than any other weather-related source. Heat waves rarely are given adequate attention but in fact, they claim more lives each year than floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes combined. Heat waves are a silent killer. Heatstroke also affects both genders equally. However, because many men were exposed to heat in the... read more
by Marek Brothers on Aug 12, 2019
I have always been a no-nonsense girl and have rarely taken ‘no’ for an answer in my career. The idea of not being allowed to do something simply because I am a woman is difficult for me to tolerate. But this has been a reality for women in the workplace for generations. Although much has been done to create a more equal career opportunity for... read more
by Marek Brothers on Aug 12, 2019
The filmmakers at The Rational Middle this week put a bow on the first season of their immigration documentary series, calling it a “holistic view” of the issue they hope will “inform the public, shape sensible policy solutions and create a deeper understanding of this important challenge.”
by Marek Brothers on Aug 12, 2019
The following article about the construction and design of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston building called the Nancy and Rich Kinder Building, was authored by Jim Kollaer and originally published on Construction Citizen. MAREK is involved in this project and our scope of work includes Drywall, Tape & Float, Thermal Insulation, Acoustical... read more
by Jorge Vazquez on Aug 7, 2019
At the Marek Family of Companies we thrive on having safe equipment. Keep in mind that equipment is only as safe as the people who use it are. We have two sizes of the Web-Tex scaffolds: 6’ and 8’. You should use the smallest size possible to reach your work.Today you will discuss the proper uses for a Web-Tex Scaffold, covering the following... read more
