News + Blog + Social
Check out what's happening at Marek and in the construction industry.
IN THE NEWS.
by Jorge Vazquez on Nov 4, 2020
This zero tolerance 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 suspension.
LADDERS
Standing on the top or the second step… read moreby Marek Brothers on Oct 29, 2020
Construction Citizen’s Elizabeth McPherson joined MAREK’s Laura Contreras on a jobsite last year to discuss her success through a NCCER training course at Community Family Centers (CFC). After completing the program at CFC, Laura was immediately hired by MAREK to work in their new flooring division.
While Contreras’s mother was taking English… read moreby Jorge Vazquez on Oct 28, 2020
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 moreby Marek Brothers on Oct 22, 2020
The following article was authored by Angela Robbins-Taylor, People Development Program Manager at Construction Career Collaborative:
We held our 10th annual golf tournament this week and it struck me that this is exactly why I wanted to work for Construction Career Collaborative (C3). Not because I love golf tournaments or days out of the office… read moreby Jorge Vazquez on Oct 21, 2020
Notice to Supervisors: Mandatory Demonstration requires a Minimum of 20 minutes to effectively cover topic.
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… read moreby Jorge Vazquez on Oct 14, 2020
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 moreby Jorge Vazquez on Oct 7, 2020
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 moreby Jorge Vazquez on Oct 1, 2020
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 moreby Jorge Vazquez on Sep 23, 2020
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 cause unavoidable absence or… read moreby Jorge Vazquez on Sep 16, 2020
Of all the equipment placed at our disposal, common hand tools, which we take for granted, are the most useful and the most often abused.
A recent review of construction injuries reveals quite a number of minor accidents involving the use of hand tools. To counteract this trend, it would be wise to review the basic rules governing the use of hand… read moreby Marek Brothers on Sep 15, 2020
Center for Houston’s Future hosted a conversation with Loren Steffy about his new book with Stan Marek, Deconstructed: An Insider’s View of Illegal Immigration and the Building Trades.
Illegal immigration is one of the most challenging issues facing America. Histrionics rule the day, and the debate over what to do about the estimated eleven… read moreby Marek Brothers on Sep 9, 2020
The following article was authored by Loren C. Steffy and originally published in the Houston Chronicle.
On a Monday morning in 2009, the phone chirped on Stan Marek’s desk, and he snapped up the receiver. On the other end, the front-desk receptionist sounded nervous. Half a dozen men in dark windbreakers had filed into the lobby moments earlier… read moreby Jorge Vazquez on Sep 9, 2020
Note to Supervisors: Read and prepare. Your objective is to point out the dangers of the most common – AND PREVENTABLE – causes of serious accidents. Explain practices to help avoid these types of accidents. You should hold this meeting on the floor so you can move around and point out and identify possible slip, trip and fall hazards.
We have… read moreby Marek Brothers on Sep 8, 2020
The following article was authored by Charles Frantes.
On a recent Rational Middle podcast, Executive Producer Loren Steffy spoke with Mark Erlich, a Wertheim Fellow of Research on Misclassification and the Underground Economy at the Harvard Law School and former union leader. They examined payroll fraud and worker misclassification in the… read moreby Jorge Vazquez on Sep 2, 2020
WHY TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER?Actually, we have no control over rain, snow, sleet, wind, lightning or sunshine. But we can control what happens on our job as a result of the elements. Some of the biggest problems on construction jobs are caused by wind and lightning. Wind probably causes the most accidents; lightning can be deadly.WATCH OUT FOR… read moreby Marek Brothers on Sep 2, 2020
Please join Center for Houston’s Future on Wednesday, September 9, for a conversation with Loren Steffy about his new book with Stan Marek, Deconstructed: An Insider’s View of Illegal Immigration and the Building Trades.
Illegal immigration is one of the most challenging issues facing America. Histrionics rule the day, and debate over what to do… read moreby Jorge Vazquez on Aug 26, 2020
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 doesn’t have a chance to do as… read moreby Jorge Vazquez on Aug 19, 2020
At the Marek Family of Companies we take pride on everything we do. Our type of work is often performed at heights and working at heights can be hazardous-falls rank as the chief cause of death on the construction jobsite. That’s why the Marek Family of Companies is always looking for ways to protect their employees and get the work done more… read moreby Jorge Vazquez on Aug 12, 2020
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… read moreby Jorge Vazquez on Aug 5, 2020
There are several dangers on job sites simple because of the nature of construction work. When the natural hazards found on construction jobs sites are compounded with clutter and debris, the hazard level increases and the potential for an accident or an injury substantially increases. A construction site with poor housekeeping creates an unsafe… read more