Ford Transit Weatherguard van shelving

Posted on March 7, 2018 by Chuck

We just completed another installation of a Ford Transit Weatherguard van shelving for Ewald Venus Ford. Weatherguard has many van shelving options available for the contractor depending on the Ford van purchased. A contractor can pick a standard Ford Transit Weatherguard van shelving package or customize it for specific applications. Van shelving is available in 13.5″ and 16″ widths and different heights. If you need to carry a ladder there are many options available. For the low roof and mid roof Topper Mfg. make a hot dipped galvanized rack that is great for carrying items of different lengths and widths. For the high roof van Weatherguard manufactures a drop down ladder rack that makes it easier to get your ladder down from the roof. If storage is required in the cab a command center is available. You can also check on our site for for pricing. Another option available when security is required are slick locks. They are installed without having to drill any holes in the van. The contractor can also incorporate floor drawer unit that are lockable. Many other accessories are available from Weatherguard. If you already own a van and would like to update we have installation available at our St. Francis location. Packages are also available for GM vans, Promaster and Promaster City, Merceds Sprinter and Metris, and Nissan NV and NV200. With all these options there is no reason for a contractor to not have a van that is a rolling work shop.

Ford Transit

OSHA increases fines August 1st.

Posted on August 2, 2016 by Chuck

Effective August 1, 2016; OSHA will increase the max fine amount from $70,000 to $124,000 for willful (knowing the law but ignoring it) and repeat violations. You know the law – do not fail to train your crew.

OSHA to increase penalty fines

Posted on January 8, 2016 by Chuck

I found this article and thought I you should know.

OSHA penalties set to skyrocket: Are you in compliance?

By: Dolan Media Newswires January 8, 2016 1:06 pm

By Erik K. Eisenmann

For 25 years, the maximum penalty amounts for violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act have remained frozen. A thaw is about to set in — and quick.

The budget act President Barack Obama signed on Nov. 2 contained a provision titled the “Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015.”

This provision does two things.

First, it directs the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to make a “catch-up” adjustment, and bring the agency’s penalties in line with inflation since 1990, which is the last time they were increased. Second, it amends the law to allow OSHA to increase the penalty amounts ever year in accordance with the Consumer Price Index.

The new penalties

Currently, the maximum penalty that OSHA can impose for “other-than-serious” and “serious” violations is $7,000, and the maximum penalty for “willful” or “repeat” violations is $70,000. This new law directs OSHA to increase both of those penalty amounts to correspond with the rate of inflation as it was recorded between 1990 and 2015. The relevant CPI data were released on Nov. 17, and the maximum increase has accordingly been set at 78.16 percent.

This means that OSHA has the authority to increase the maximum penalties to $12,471 for other-than-serious and serious violations and to $124,709 for willful or repeat violations. The change is scheduled to happen no later than Aug. 1, 2016, but we expect OSHA to act sooner than that using an interim final rulemaking.

Advice to employers

Although this change does not alter an employer’s obligations to comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Act, it does substantially raise the stakes for those who fail to comply. Even employers with spotless safety records could now face fines in the six figures for a first OSHA offense.

The changed circumstances make it even more essential for employers to take preventative steps such as providing safety training and conducting self-audits. It is also now more important to ever to seek out experienced counsel when OSHA comes knocking.

The lawyers on Whyte Hirschboeck and Dudek’s Occupational Safety and Health Team are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can work with you through every step of OSHA compliance, investigation and litigation processes.

For more information, contact Erik Eisenmann at 414-978-5731 or eeisenmann@whdlaw.com, David Hertel at 414-978-5303 or dhertel@whdlaw.com, or another member of WHD’s Occupational Safety & Health Team.

Bird Ladder Annual Open House May 14th, 2015

Posted on April 21, 2015 by Chuck

I would like to invite you to our annual open house May 14th, 2015. We will again feature our pig roast for lunch. All our equipment will have an additional 10% off that day. We will have factory reps doing demos on their equipment. We will be featuring a couple of new items.

The first is the redesigned shingle hoist from Tranzsporter. It features a new platform, the 200lb model hoist features a 25% increase in lifting capacity, up to 250 lbs(TP250). The new collapsible carriage comes with cam followers for better tracking and handling. Carriage also features an aluminum deck and flap for lighter weight and longer life. A rolled goods/plywood bracket comes with unit and pins into carriage. For heavier roofing materials, the 400 lb. platform hoist features a lighter weight carriage and revised track system. The TP400 carriage has a 30% reduction in weight over previous models. The aluminum deck and flap provide longer life and lighter weight. This carriage also features a re-engineered and simplified cam follower system with less wear parts than other hoists. Rolled goods/plywood brackets comes included and pins into carriage. Tranzsporter has also developed a new roof guard rail system. It’s the quickest and easiest guardrail system to install, tear down and no tools required. Galvanized for the same price or less than competitor’s painted steel guardrails.

We will also be demonstrating the Reechcraft powermast system. The PowerMast is great for mid to high access needs, offering unmatched portability and simplicity for a wide variety of wall access needs, up to 200+ feet. The tools-free mast assembly is not only easy to put together and connect, it is so compact a 65 ft. twin system can fit in the back of your truck or van! We will have a unit set up at the show. We will also be demonstrating the Powerlift. The PowerLift is a triple threat: convenient, secure and easy to use. It provides additional security and safety, while still helping you gain access to difficult-to-reach indoor and outdoor spaces. One person can easily move and operate this equipment up stairs or inclines – it’s the lightest low-level lift on the market.

Knaack reps. will also be demonstrating the new model 118-M Data Vault. A step above the traditional jobsite protection device, KNAACK® DataVault™ mobile provides a highly mobile jobsite connectivity solution, empowering productivity and digital collaboration. KNAACK® DataVault™ arrives on the job ready for use, and is supported with a nationwide manufacture certified support network to bring agile solutions to customers.

We will also have our free ladder safety and fall protection classes again this year. The class times are as follows:

10:00 and 2:00- Ladder Safety 11:00 and 1:00 Fall protection

Please contact chuck@birdladder.com to reserve a spot. The fall protection classes are limited to the first 20 registered.

OSHA New Reporting Requirements

Posted on December 19, 2014 by Chuck

Beginning January 1, 2015, there will be a change to what covered employers are required to report to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Employers will now be required to report all work-related fatalities within 8 hours and all in-patient hospitalizations, amputations, and losses of an eye within 24 hours of finding about the incident.

Previously, employers were required to report all workplace fatalities and when three or more workers were hospitalized in the same incident.

The updated reporting requirements are not simply paperwork but have a life-saving purpose: they will enable employers and workers to prevent future injuries by identifying and eliminating the most serious workplace hazards.

Employers have three options for reporting these severe incidents to OSHA. They can call their nearest area office during normal business hours, call the 24-hour OSHA hotline at 1-800-321-OSHA (1-800-321-6742), or they can report online at www.osha.gov/report_online. For more information and resources, including a new YouTube video, visit OSHA’s webpage on the updated reporting requirements.

Roof Guard Rail System

Posted on December 10, 2014 by Chuck

When employees are required to do maintenance on the heating and cooling equipment located on the roof they must be protected from falls. The solution must comply with OSHA (Standards-29CFR) 1910.23 and 1926.502. The simplest way to do this is with a roof guard rail system that is easy to install, requiring no tools and does not damage the roof. Roof Zone has developed a product, the RZ Guardrail System, that meets these requirements. Made in the USA, it’s the quickest and easiest guardrail system to install and remove, requiring no tools, no permanent installation, and galvanized to eliminate rust issues.

The guardrail base mount is hot-dipped galvanized with protective protective vinyl pads attached to protect roof. The base holds two rails and comes with easy grip openings on each for one or two persons to carry. Optional toe board brackets are available. The galvanized guard rail are available in 6 ft., 8 ft. and 10 ft. length. For roof hatch or skylight applications, a swing gate guardrail is available.

For applications where it is required to maintain sight lines while offering fall protection an optional collapsible guardrail bracket is available so the guard rail system can be laid down on the roof to maintain architectural integrity.

Please visit our website for more info or call us at 800-776-3595 for more information.

New Knaack Storage Chests 79-D and 89-D

Posted on October 1, 2014 by Chuck

Knaack is now offering two new piano box chests. Always looking to improve their products for the contractor these two new boxes offer features unique to the industry. They offer pull out drawers that lock independently for extra secure storage. A bi-fold door is standard on interior shelf that can be Independently secured and view tools and accessories. Work surface available when Tool Kage is open.

The Knaack 79-D STORAGEMASTER® Piano Box measures 48 in wide, 49 in tall and has a capacity of 36.2 cu ft. Ideal for every trade, it is caster-ready and includes full-width shelves for organization of tools and supplies. It also features a bi-fold cover which folds completely out of the way for unrestricted access and fits perfectly in the width of a full-size truck bed.

The Knaack 89-D STORAGEMASTER Piano Box with Junk Trunk™ Independent Locking Drawer measures 60 in wide, 78 in tall and has a capacity of 43.8 cu ft. Ideal for mechanical trades, it is caster-ready and includes full-width shelves for organization of tools and supplies. It also features a bi-fold cover which folds completely out of the way for unrestricted access. JunkTrunk™ Quick Access Drawer locks independently for quick access to high demand tools and accessories.

These boxes in addition to the 4830-D make Knaack the leading innovator in jobsite storage equipment. “Our goal is to bring innovation and functionality enhancements to our jobsite storage products,” said Mike Bykowski, Senior Product Manager at KNAACK^®. “We added real-world functionality to these typical piano boxes so that our professional contractors can access, organize and ensure their valuable tools are protected and secure during and after jobsite hours.”

Self Closing Safety Gate

Posted on May 13, 2014 by Chuck

The best way to stop a fall is to eliminate the hazard. By using a self closing safety gate many falls can be prevented. Applications for a safety gate would be: ladderway openings, stairwell openings, equipment access ladders, scaffolding, mezzanines, and working platforms to name a few. Safety gates can be ordered painted safety yellow, hot-dipped galvanized, stainless steel, or aluminum. They are shipped fully assembled, meet OSHA standards, self closing, and are easy to install. They feature dual stainless steel springs, adjustable lengths, and reversible swing direction by simply inverting gate. Such a simple solution to eliminate a fall.

OSHA Job Site Safety

Posted on May 13, 2014 by Chuck

This summer OSHA is promoting two new job site safety programs. The first is OSHA’s National Stand Down. The week of June 2nd thru 6th will be their week to raise awareness of preventing fall hazards in construction. In 2012, 269 construction worker fatalities out of a total 775 were caused by falls. Many of those deaths were preventable by proper job planning and instruction. Fall prevention safety standards were among the top 10 most frequently cited OSHA standards, during fiscal year 2012. Here is a link to planning a step down program for your organization.

In conjunction with this program they are concurrently promoting OSHA’s Plan, Provide, Train program. Using OSHA’s three simple step program, many job related falls can be prevented. OSHA’s website is part of a nationwide outreach campaign to raise awareness among workers and employers about the hazards of falls from ladders, scaffolds and roofs. Plan ahead to get the job done safely. Provide the right equipment equipment. Train everyone to use the safety equipment safely. Three simple steps that save lives.

Bird Ladder Open House May 15th

Posted on April 15, 2014 by Chuck

Bird Ladder will be having their annual open house May 15th. Every year we have customer appreciation day which includes a truck load sale on everything. Werner ladders, pump jacks, planks, Granite scaffolding, MBW compactors, trowels and mixers, Werner fall protection, Acro roofing equipment, Tie down shingle hoists, Van Mark brakes, Knaack job boxes, Weatherguard truck and van equipment, Reechcraft PowerPole, PowerLift and PowerMast to name a few.

We will also have factory reps demonstrating their products. We will be introducing new products at the show. The NEW Knaack 118 data vault will be on display with demonstrations. We will also have the new Reechcraft Powermast set up. They also have a new free standing base that will be shown. We will also have new MBW plate compactors on display.

Free safety classes will also be returning this year. We will offer ladder safety courses, fall protection courses and also a presentation by Acro products on use of their roof edge protection. Cards will be issued for the ladder and fall protection training. We are also attempting to have a representative from OSHA here to answer questions.

We also serve lunch from 12:00 till the food runs out. So bring your shopping list, save money, get trained, and have lunch.