MOVING MOUNTAINS


Focusing on Safety and Mental Health


BY STEVE RULE, PRESIDENT, AGC OF CALIFORNIA I


t is hard to believe that Spring has arrived. It seems like just last week that many of us gathered in


San Francisco at the Fairmont for the 2024 Installation and Awards Gala. It was great to see so many member companies represented in the awards categories. Congratulations to all the finalists and winners! As I think about spring, I think about


renewal, spring cleaning and new growth. Tis is a great time for all of us to renew our commitment to safety, dust off our existing policies and procedures, check our culture, and think about how we can do better. How we can grow, and effect change in the industry as it pertains to safety. Nothing is more important than protecting our workforce. Getting every- one home at the end of the day in the same shape or better than when they arrived is paramount to our success. Trough Lean Construction practices we are taught to continually make improvements or adjustments to increase efficiency and productivity – Plan, Do, Check and Adjust. Let’s apply that to project safety. Safety Week this year begins on May


6. Our safety renewal should begin by participating in Safety Week activities. Safety Week turns 10 years old this year. It was started in 2014, when more than 40 national and global construction firms joined forces with a single aim: to inspire everyone in the industry to be leaders in safety. Learn more at www. constructionsafetyweek.com/. No conversation about safety is com-


plete without talking about mental health. May is mental health awareness month, and that discussion is very important in


2


CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTOR MAY/JUNE 2024


our industry. We must work to create a culture and environment where con- versations about mental health, suicide prevention and substance use disorders are as easy and prevalent as discussions about PPE and fall protection. It is a cul- tural shift that requires demonstrating with words and actions that we care for each other. Take the time to ask how your buddy is doing, then take the time to truly listen to their answer. On May 17, the AGC of California will


host a Mental Health standdown. Our association has been actively leading in the mental health space, both in Cal- ifornia and across the country, and our mental health standdowns have been growing each year. I encourage all of you to participate by having project Mental Health standdowns in your offices and on your project sites. Whether related to safety, the environ-


ment, labor, or workforce development, advocating for our industry is critical. Please support our Legislative Day on May 7-8, including a PAC fundraising dinner on May 7 and Capitol office visits on May 8. Learn more at www.agc-ca. org/event/legislative-day/. Also note that the 2024 CONSTRUCT


Annual Conference is scheduled for Oc- tober 1-4, 2024 at the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort in Ranch Mirage. In the meantime, take care of each


other. Stve Rul


Kindest Regards, Steve Rule, President


Published bi-monthly for members of the Associated General Contractors of California 3095 Beacon Boulevard West Sacramento, CA 95691 (916) 371-2422 www.agc-ca.org


PUBLISHER Al Rickard Association Vision (703) 402-9713 arickard@assocvision.com www.associationvision.com


EDITOR Carol A. Eaton Eaton Communications (707) 789-9520 carol@eaton communications.com


ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Carolyn Ward Association Vision (704) 677-3051 cward@associationvision.com


DESIGNER THOR Design Studio Washington D.C.


| Austin


info@thor-studio.com www.thor.design


CORRESPONDENCE Address editorial and circulation correspondence to: California Constructor AGC of California 3095 Beacon Blvd., West Sacramento, CA 95691 (916) 371-2422 or call Carol Eaton at (707) 789-9520 or eatonc@comcast.net


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