N.M. Association Renews Safety Partnership, Promotes Recycling

By Dennis W. Roberts

The N.M. Building Branch, AGC and OSHA renewed their construction safety partnership. The AGC also joined an alliance to support recycling efforts on green building projects.

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When the New Mexico Building Branch, Associated General Contractors, signed another three-year partnership agreement with the New Mexico OSHA office on May 23, it marked the continuation of a program which has demonstrated that private industry and government can set meaningful standards when they both dedicate resources toward a common goal.

The first three-year New Mexico Construction Health and Safety Excellence (CHASE) partnership was signed in May, 2001. It was re-signed in 2004. On the eve of its third renewal, the parties agreed that they have a meaningful program which has played an important role in reducing construction accidents in New Mexico and spreading the safety culture throughout the commercial building industry.

AGC and NM OSHA have worked together in developing ‘best practices” for construction safety and have shared in the process of safety education for the commercial industry.

Included in the “best practices” category was the development of a set of safety standards for aerial lift safety. The guidelines specify the responsibilities of equipment rental companies and contractors who rent their equipment. They address maintenance of equipment, inspections, maintaining a history of the equipment, and training for those who use the equipment.

Participation in the New Mexico CHASE partnership is determined by a review of a contractor’s safety program and injury/illness incidence rates plus a verification visit to a jobsite by a four-person team made up of AGC and NM OSHA representatives. There are currently 25 contractors participating in the CHASE program at three different levels: Red, White and Blue. At the Blue level, the company is taken off NM OSHA’s programmed inspection list. A compliance officer can still appear in cases of fatalities, catastrophes or imminent danger.

Butch Tongate, bureau chief for NM OSHA and Woody Norwood, AGC’s point of contact within NM OSHA for the CHASE Partnership, both profess the goal of “making New Mexico the safest state in  the nation in which to work.”  It’s an ambitious goal, but partnership programs such as CHASE have helped regulators work towards the ultimate goal of government and industry -- to provide a safe workplace.

New Mexico Recycling and Illegal Dumping Alliance

The most commonly-asked question in New Mexico is “Green or Red?” This query usually applies to the type of chile one would like for his or her meal. There is no clear consensus as to which is the most popular hue.

However, when it comes to building construction in New Mexico, the answer is becoming clearer: The choice is green.

Public officials in the Land of Enchantment continue to mandate that new buildings be designed and built according to LEED standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council.

An executive order issued in 2006 by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson mandates that state buildings over 15,000 sq ft be LEED Silver certified. The City of Albuquerque passed an ordinance in 2005 that all city buildings larger than 5,000 sq ft be LEED Silver certified as well. The City of Santa Fe Convention Center, set to be completed in 2008, will be LEED-certified.

One of the important parts of the green building process is the use of recycled materials. To help with this part of the process, the New Mexico Recycling Coalition, a non-profit statewide professional membership organization, has developed “A New Mexico Construction and Demolition Recycling Guide”, in conjunction with the Construction and Recycling Task Force, established by the City of Albuquerque.

This guide was developed at the urging and with the support of the New Mexico Recycling and Illegal Dumping Alliance, a 13-person group appointed by Gov. Richardson. The group will provide annual grant funding to support projects that promote environmentally sound methods for reuse and recycling and encourage economic and community development that promotes efficient and sustainable use of resources, sustainable recycling and a cleaner and healthier environment.

The guide contains a construction and demolition recycling overview, a detailed outline for a Waste Management Plan, contract language for recycling, a list of recycling resources and individual case studies of New Mexico projects that have been built green using recycled materials.

The publication was sponsored by the N.M. Building Branch, AGC; the N.M. Home Builders’ Association; Builders’ Trust of N.M.; Build Green New Mexico; and the N.M. Environment Department Solid Waste Bureau.

Vicki Mora, CEO of the N.M. Building Branch, AGC, is a gubernatorial appointment to the alliance, a mayoral appointee to the task force and a board member of the coalition. She points out, “The guide is a perfect example of AGC keeping pace with the latest green construction issues and keeping its members informed of industry trends and compliance matters

“The collaboration of AGC with industry partners helps make sure that our members are best prepared to address industry challenges and advance sustainable building in New Mexico,” she adds. 

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