BY WINTER, STADIUM WORKERS WILL NUMBER 1,400 EACH DAY
take time to think,” said Paul Dudzinski, project director. “It’s also a mental thing. (It’s) just to get everybody shifting gears and get their mind off what they did last night or problems at home, just to give us five minutes a day to get their mind going to think about safety and what they’re doing for the day.”
There are five safety managers onsite at all times, with group breakaway safety sessions conducted throughout the day. A focus is made on ensuring that workers stay hydrated and get enough shade during the day, especially as the scorching summer heat ramps up.
As the work progresses and different trade workers are needed, Dudzinski said the number of daily workers on site will swell to about 1,400 by the winter. For the full scope of the project, he estimates 8,000-9,000 workers will go through the onsite safety orientation, to carry out some level of work on the stadium.
It’s tough to miss the four massive yellow cranes. When fully extended, each can reach heights of about 300 feet. Measures are in place to keep everyone safe while they are in use.
“Each one is individually numbered, and those guys have dedicated radio channels so they can communicate with each other,” Dudzinski said. “We also have a dedicated safety person watching the cranes to make sure they don’t bump into each other. They have their own working space, working radius and an activity planned for the day. One of our big focuses is to make sure in such a close-knit area with so much going on that we’re watching out for where the hooks are and what each crane is doing.”
Air horns also are sounded each time a crane has an object dangling over the head of workers, alerting them to be mindful of the space above them, as there could be a potential hazard.
An operation is only as successful as those who carry out the work each day. Site supervisors credit each worker for the successful and safe operation thus far.
“Your (construction workers) commitment to making safe choices makes us stronger in safety through the power of those choices,” Nestor said in his morning address to the crew. “You guys have a lot of knowledge when it comes to safety.”