• Build my Future: Collaboration Engages Youth, How did it come about? What are its Goals

    Tuesday, March 26, 2024

    Perma-Structo of Sturtevant, Wisconsin, a Certified Contractor member of the Concrete Foundations Association, has a long history of participation in efforts aimed at awareness and trades education for youth to bring about a stronger future for the construction industry. The most recent event, Build My Future, continued to demonstrate the value for all involved. Build […]

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  • Why Membership Matters

    Tuesday, March 26, 2024

    “PRECISION FOCUS!!” I have had the privilege in the last two years of being introduced to the field of concrete construction in an incredibly dynamic way.  While it started with photographing job sites for my brother-in-law, Russ Talpey of Talpey Construction, I have been inspired to continue telling the story I find so compelling.  Not […]

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  • Concrete Reasons to set BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goals) for your Concrete Business

    Tuesday, March 26, 2024

    By Bill Humbert, recruiterguy.com There is a difference between properly setting a goal and making a resolution for your business. I know. I have been in business for 34 years. Why not make a “resolution”? The answer is easy. Are many New Year’s resolutions kept? Over my past 34 years, maybe two New Year’s resolutions […]

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  • Ensuring Worker Safety: The Vital Role of Alternative Fall Protection Plans

    Tuesday, March 26, 2024

    By Tim Neubauer, MS, CSP For construction, safeguarding the lives of workers is not just a regulatory mandate but is also a moral obligation. As the construction industry grapples with the persistent challenge of fall-related fatalities, the importance of proper fall protection measures becomes increasingly evident. Data from 2020 reveals a stark reality: out of […]

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  • Navigating Generational Shifts in Family Construction Businesses While Keeping the Construction Legacy Alive

    Tuesday, March 26, 2024

    Prepared by: Jerry Aliberti, Owner of Pro-Accel Surviving and thriving in the construction business is no walk in the park! Passing the family business on to the next generation should be a moment of pride. But let’s be real: it is a challenge loaded with all sorts of fears. Fear of letting go, fear of […]

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Feature

Dec
12

Holiday Blues: How To Manage Seasonal Depression

The holiday season is often seen as a time of joy, family gatherings, and celebrations. However, it’s important to recognize that not everyone shares in this festive spirit. For some, this time of year can be challenging, filled with feelings that are less about joy and more about coping with stress or sadness. This lesser-discussed […]

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Oct
27

Building Careers CFA’s Wall Foreman Qualification @ WOC2024

This January we welcome year number two of an exciting new professional development program offered by the Concrete Foundations Association: the Wall Foreman Qualification Industry Training. The program has expanded and looks to provide an even broader range of learning experiences. This program is designed for individuals engaged in residential cast-in-place construction to grow in […]

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Oct
27

Fiber-Reinforced Concrete as an Alternative to Conventional Steel

As the demand for more sustainable construction grows and raw material shortages like steel continue to be a challenge, fiber-reinforced concrete has become an increasingly popular choice for flatwork and elevated construction—from precast and ready-mix concrete to shotcrete. Fibers make concrete significantly more resistant to cracking from plastic and drying shrinkage, leading to a highly […]

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Jun
27

Federal OSHA Announced the Launch of a National Emphasis Program (NEP) On Heat Illness and Injury 

by Tim Neubauer, MS, CSP, President of Exceed Safety LLC When it is extremely hot and humid weather, your body’s ability to cool itself is diminished. If your body heats too rapidly it will use body fluids to cool itself. When this happens, too much fluid or salt is lost through sweating. The body temperature […]

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Dec
3

Is Your Safety Manual OSHA Compliant? | A Summary of the Required Topics

By Julia Kunlo, CSP, Vice President CFA Consulting Member A written safety manual is often seen as the backbone of a workplace safety program. Documented processes are powerful tools, helping to outline expectations, train employees, bid work, and even avoid legal trouble. What many people do not know, however, is that the Occupational Safety and […]

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Jul
13

YOU’VE RECEIVED AN OSHA CITATION – NOW WHAT?

The 4-Step Process Every Company Should Know  By Julia Kunlo, MSOSH, CSP The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) usually conducts around 32,000 inspections a year. For companies who are involved in an inspection and receive fines/citations, most are surprised by the hazards discovered and unsure of next steps to take. While avenues exist to […]

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Magazine Issues

Jan
15

Off-Season Employee Retention, Will You Entertain Creative New Ideas?

Let’s face it. Recruiting can be a pain back there… And I am a recruiter!  “Sometimes, I see things differently” is my tagline, and it is how I handle problems, especially those problems surrounding Talent Attraction. Hey! I am lefthanded! My life as a lefty forced me to look at problems differently. Have you attempted […]

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Jun
21

El liderazgo autodefinido proviene de tomar riesgos

English | Translation Provided by the CFA Skye Kelley, Gerente de Participación de la Membresía Una entrevista con Amanda Kurt, finalista de Contratista del Año de 2023 de Equipment World Las mejores asociaciones incluyen una amplia variedad de miembros. Esta diversidad alimenta el pensamiento variado y desafía el crecimiento de la industria. Sin embargo, en […]

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Jun
21

Self-Defining Leadership Comes From Risk Taking

Español | Translation Provided by the CFA Skye Kelley, Manager of Membership Engagement An Interview with Amanda Kurt, finalist for Equipment World’s 2023 Contractor of the Year The best associations are filled with a diverse array of members. Such diversity powers expansive thought and challenges industry growth. At the surface of the concrete industry, though, […]

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Jun
21

Conseguir Involucrado

English | Translation Provided by the CFA ¡Me encanta “jugar en prototipo”! Aunque algunas personas necesitan un plan meticulosamente organizado antes de comenzar, yo a menudo opto por empezar y aprender a medida que avanzo. Es por eso que me emocionó tanto ser parte del primer Retiro de Ejecutivos de la CFA. Nuestro Director Ejecutivo, […]

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Jun
21

Get Involved

Español | Translation Provided by the CFA I love “playing in prototype”! While some individuals require a meticulously crafted plan before getting started, I often choose to dive in and learn as we go. That’s why I was so excited to be part of the first CFA Executive Retreat. Our Executive Director, James Baty worked […]

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Jun
21

Palabras de inspiración

English | Translation Provided by the CFA Esta edición se publicó al final del Q2 2023. Esta carta, en muchos sentidos, fue difícil de escribir para mí. El clima invernal prolongado pareció transformarse en mayo en un instante. De igual manera, el mercado revirtió el reposo radical que se produjo en septiembre del año pasado […]

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Jun
21

Words of Aspiration

Español | Translation Provided by the CFA This issue comes to you at the end of Q2 2023. In many ways, it is hard for me to write this. The lingering winter weather seemed to transform into May in an instant. Likewise, the market reversed the radical break that was induced last September, and companies […]

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Jun
21

NEx and the CFA Partner to Advance the Use of Nonmetallic Building Materials in Concrete Foundations

Español | Translation Provided by the CFA Farmington Hills, MI – NEx, an ACI Center of Excellence for Nonmetallic Building Materials, is excited to announce a new partnership with the Concrete Foundations Association (CFA) aimed at advancing the use of nonmetallic building materials in concrete foundations. NEx is a leading research center focused on the […]

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Jun
21

Lanzamiento de la iniciativa Carbon Zero Youth Initiative para motivar a los jóvenes a apoyar las prácticas de construcción ecológicas

English | Translation Provided by the CFA Los jóvenes pueden ayudar a hacer construcciones más conscientes de las emisiones de carbono, si saben qué –y quién– hace que un edificio sea “ecológico”. Esa es la idea fundamental detrás de la Carbon Zero Youth Initiative [Iniciativa de una juventud con cero emisiones de carbono] (www.carbonzeroyouth.org) fundada […]

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Jun
21

Carbon Zero Youth Initiative Launches to Empower Youth to Support Green Building Practices

Español | Translation Provided by the CFA Youth can help make buildings more carbon-conscious–if they know what – and who – makes a building “green”. That’s the core idea behind the Carbon Zero Youth Initiative (www.carbonzeroyouth.org), founded to engage students ages 12-18 in the rapidly growing movement to decarbonize the built environment. While currently responsible […]

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Jun
21

Concrete Foundations Association Announces Partnership With Informa Markets at WOC 2023 for Inaugural Wall Foreman Qualification Certificate 

Español | Translation Provided by the CFA Mount Vernon, IA – Concrete Foundations Association is excited to announce that sixteen individuals received recognition in the first year of a new industry professional development program titled “Wall Foreman Qualification Certificate.” This newly established education effort pairs management skills with technical development education to fill a void […]

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Jun
21

Out of Plumb may not Mean Damaged and Unsafe

Español | Translation Provided by the CFA Question: The foundation for my new home has one wall showing two vertical cracks and the top of the wall is not even with the base of the wall. I’m concerned the backfilling has pushed the wall in and the building inspector wants an engineer to certify the […]

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