Weekly Toolbox Talk: Carelessness Causes Accidents

Project Safe states quite simply: Employee Basic Safety Rules, Safe Work Habits: “Careless disregard for the safety of other employees will not be tolerated and is grounds for immediate termination." “Employees will be expected to regularly inspect and evaluate the work area for hazardous conditions, and to report any changes immediately to the jobsite supervisor or safety advisor.” Who is responsible for safety on the jobsite? Everyone and anyone who works for Marek is responsible for...

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Rational Middle Podcast: Exploring “Deconstructed,” A New Book on Immigration & Construction Industry

The following article was authored by Charles Frantes: Loren C. Steffy discussed the new book he co-authored with Stan Marek, Deconstructed: An Insider's View of Illegal Immigration, on a recent Rational Middle podcast with host Chris Lyon. The book, which is available on Amazon, tells the story of Stan Marek’s family and their specialty contracting business in Houston, MAREK. It also provides a history of immigration policy in the US and a detailed explanation of how a broken...

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Weekly Toolbox Talk: War on Falls - Suspension Recap, Zero Tolerance

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 from the top of a ladder Walking a ladder Standing on the backside of a portable ladder or standing while facing away from the...

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Houston’s ABC13 Features Construction Career Success Story from Training Program at Community Family Centers

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 language courses at CFC, she learned about the NCCER training offered there, so Laura took the course in which she enjoyed working with...

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Weekly Toolbox Talk: Take Care of Your Feet

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: Broken bones caused by heavy falling or rolling objects, like sheetrock dollies Bruises and stubbed toes caused by bumps...

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C3: It's a Mission

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 enjoying the fall weather and beauty of the course. Both of those are really great things, but what I truly love is the congregating of so many...

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Weekly Toolbox Talk: Sprains and Strains

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 warm-up exercises before work and after breaks reduces strain and sprain type injuries. These rules are: Warm up before performing a...

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Weekly Toolbox Talk: Employee Handbook - Part III

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. Therefore, infractions such as the ones listed below will result in such action, which may be in the form of a verbal warning, written warning, suspension,...

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Weekly Toolbox Talk: 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, the supervisor will assist the employee in getting to proper medical facilities. Where the seriousness of an injury is in question, the supervisor and/or the Company reserve the...

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Weekly Toolbox Talk: Employee Handbook - Part 1

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 tardiness from work, regular on-time attendance is required for continued employment. Employees must call their supervisor or the office prior to 6:30 a....

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Weekly Toolbox Talk: Hand Tools Safety

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 tools. Choose the right tool for the right job. Use only tools in good condition – no tools with cracked or broken handles,...

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Immigration and the Construction Industry

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 million undocumented workers in the country has become bitter and divisive. Immigrants have long been the source of America’s economic strength. Yet our...

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‘I Was Too Big a Target’ — ICE’s Audit of Marek Exposes Our Irrational Immigration Policies

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 and demanded to see the owner of the company. They looked like FBI agents, she said. The company Stan runs with his two cousins was founded by...

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Weekly Toolbox Talk: Safety Stand Down - Slips, Trips and Falls (Fall Prevention)

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 all experienced slipping, tripping, stumbling or falling. Usually the only result is that you feel silly, embarrassed, and perhaps got a scrape or...

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Rational Middle Podcast: Payroll Fraud, Worker Misclassification and ID & Tax Explained

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 construction industry and discussed ID and Tax as a solution. Payroll fraud involves illegal practices committed intentionally by employers to avoid...

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Weekly Toolbox Talk: Severe Weather

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 WINDDon't let the wind catch you off guard. I'm not just thinking of tornadoes or hurricanes, but of everyday winds and unexpected gusts. Wind just loves...

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Join Center for Houston’s Future for a Conversation on "Deconstructed: An Insider’s View of Illegal Immigration and the Building Trades"

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 about the estimated eleven million undocumented workers in the country has become bitter and divisive.  Immigrants have...

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Weekly Toolbox Talk: 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 doesn’t have a chance to do as much damage as it could. One way to eliminate slip- ping hazards is to sweep water out of low areas used as passageways on worksites. WATCH OUT...

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Weekly Toolbox Talk: War on Falls - Ladder Safety

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 efficiently. Accidents involving ladders are usually caused by improper selection, care, or use, rather than design or manufacturing defects. Some...

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Weekly Toolbox Talk: War on Falls - How To Report an Accident

  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 supervisors and employees to report accidents. The first and primary responsibility for accident reporting falls to the employee. If you...

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