In the Blog.

by Jorge Vazquez on

Toolbox Talk Icon WAR ON FALLS STILTS 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, scaffold, material stack, or wall for support when getting on or off stilts. When mounting stilts, the top leg strap first… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Toolbox Talk Icon EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK PART II 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,… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Toolbox Talk Icon Notice to Supervisors: Mandatory Demonstration requires a Minimum of 20 minutes to effectively cover topic. Sprains and Strains 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… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Toolbox Talk Icon EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK PART I ATTENDANCE Regular 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… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Toolbox Talk Icon NOTE: The MAREK Employee Handbook for all full-time MAREK employees has been revised and updated. Beginning Monday, January 16, 2023, employees will need to complete the learning course that is assigned to them in MyMAREK and acknowledge that it has been read and understood. You can access in MyMarek by going to ME→LEARNING→Current Learning… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Toolbox Talk Icon HAZARD ANALYSIS WORKING AROUND SPRINKLERS OR ELECTRICAL AREAS Notice to Supervisors: Read and prepare for safety meeting. Make sure all employees understand the importance of following our Hazard Analysis and the procedures to work around sprinkler and electrical areas. Electricity has long been recognized as a serious workplace hazard… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Toolbox Talk Icon SAFETY IN YOUR LIFE 2023 MAREK hopes you had a great holiday season with your loved ones. It is now time to look at our road ahead and it's 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… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Toolbox Talk Icon COLD WEATHER SAFETY 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… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Toolbox Talk Icon SILICA DUST AWARENESS  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… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Toolbox Talk Icon Web-Tex Scaffold Safety 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… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Toolbox Talk Icon SAFE FOR THE HOLIDAYS The Marek Family of Companies wants to take this opportunity to give thanks to the most important part of our business – YOU. We hope that you and your family have had a safe and healthy year. We hope you can spend these holidays with family and be able to give thanks for what you have. All of us at Marek can be… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Toolbox Talk Icon 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… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Toolbox Talk Icon Carelessness Causes Accidents Note to Supervisors: Read and prepare for meeting by looking over your jobsite and how your personnel are approaching their jobs. Carelessness is not acceptable. Project Safe states quite simply: Employee Basic Safety Rules, Safe Work Habits: “Careless disregard for the safety of other employees will not… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Toolbox Talk Icon FIGHTING In any company, whether differences among members are great or small, functioning as a team is critical to success. In today’s meeting, we want to focus on behaviors that violate these principles in the worst way. We are speaking of verbal and physical confrontations, more commonly known as "having words” and fighting. Our… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Toolbox Talk Icon WHY SAFETY Why is accident prevention so important? Do you view accident prevention as simply a way to avoid getting hurt? Do you work safely just because you want to? Perhaps you view accident prevention as a way of keeping the company happy or your supervisor off your back. Maybe you just do it because you have been told to. Of… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Toolbox Talk Icon Struck-By Falling/Flying Objects You are at risk from falling objects when you are beneath equipment, scaffolds, etc., or where overhead work is being performed. There is a danger from flying objects when power tools, or activities like pushing, pulling, or prying, may cause objects to become airborne. Injuries can range from minor… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Toolbox Talk Icon WORKPLACE DISTRACTION 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… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Toolbox Talk Icon CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? Noise is one of the most common health problems in workplaces today. Right now, about 30 million workers are exposed to high noise levels. If you’re one of those workers, you may be losing some of your hearing. And you might not realize it until it’s too late!!! Most of us take hearing for granted. When we go home at… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Toolbox Talk Icon SAFE BEFORE THE STORM RAIN CAN RUIN A JOB Rain may be good for the farmer, but it can turn the jobsite into a giant mud pie. The rain can ruin materials and supplies and generally make things downright messy. Steel gets slippery, equipment gets stuck, and workers get wet. By covering equipment, materials, tools, supplies and people, rain… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Toolbox Talk Icon WAR ON FALLS SUSPENSION RECAP ZERO TOLERANCE These zero tolerances means that certain unsafe employee actions will automatically result in suspension from work. So that employees understand what these actions are that will result in suspension, we will recap the WAR ON FALLS safety violations that will result in a minimum two-day… read more