• Asbestos Handling Health Hazard. Throughout the project, the team encountered various unforeseen sources of asbestos piping buried within excavations. Granite quickly implemented a communication and isolation procedure that was adhered to throughout the project. In addition to pulling expedited Procedure 5 permits with the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the team also quickly moved to hire qualified subcontractors to abate the asbestos generated from the airport.


• Silica Dust Protection. Because the project required many concrete and asphalt chipping and hand-grinding efforts, silica dust hazards were prevalent. All individuals involved in these operations were properly trained and wore the appropriate PPE. Daily safety walks and reviews of task hazard analyses kept safety at the forefront.


• Speed Hazards. Although the schedule is extremely important on an airfield project, Granite worked hard to ensure this didn’t come at the expense of safety. The company installed radar speed limit signs to actively encourage drivers to slow down on the jobsite, constantly reinforcing the importance of safety over speed.


• Airfield Operational Planning and Logistics.The closure of an active runway is no easy feat and posed a unique challenge at LAX. With approximately 24 active taxiways in the North Airfield and two of the most heavily utilized runways in the United States, everything was planned to the exact minute. Granite and the many project stakeholders collaborated through daily and weekly coordination meetings. They closely coordinated with key subcontractors, outlining specific details and work plans associated with necessary closures. Critically, they worked with stakeholders to detail how they would clean up and restore the work areas to a condition that would be extremely safe and satisfactory for approaching and departing aircraft after the construction team departed the work area.


Through these and other solutions, Granite successfully completed the project without any major incidents. The project recycled 80,000 tons of material, produced 75,000 cubic yards of FAA-certified concrete, and delivered lasting improvements to airfield safety and efficiency at LAX.


CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTOR NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025


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