PileDriver magazine - See the Project of the Year winners

Congratulations to all the winners of The 2021 PDCA Project of the Year Awards Program! For an in-depth read on all winning projects, please click the image to access PileDriver magazine Issue #4-2021 which reveals the projects selected by our judge's panel as the top entries in each category.

Here is a quick recap of the projects you will find within the publication:
  • Land: Less than $5M - "Holbrook Springerville Highway (US 180), Jim Camp Wash Bridge #1602 & Cottonwood Wash Bridge #1603" by Ralph L. Wadsworth (page 70)
  • Land Greater than $5M - "Sierra Point Phase 1 & 2" by Foundation Constructors, Inc. (page 74)
  • Marine Less than $5M - "Ravenswood Tower 001/007 Replacement" by Foundation Constructors, Inc. (page 82)
  • Marine Greater than $5M - "Port of Alaska Modernization Program - Petroleum and Cement Terminal - Phase 1" by Pacific Pile & Marine (page 90)
  • Earth Retention - "Mill Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant High Rate Treatment Facility Diversion Structure" by Richard Goettle, Inc. (page 96)
  •  Associate/Engineering Affiliate Category - "Harbor River Bridge Project" by ICE - International Construction Equipment, Inc. (page 100)
The PDCA Project of the Year Program is the premier competition of the Pile Driving Contractors Association. PDCA thanks all Members who submitted an entry for the 2021 awards. While Issue #4 (the current magazine linked to the image) features all the winning submissions, watch for Issues #5 and #6 which will feature the 2021 runners-up. 

And the time is now to start thinking about what projects you are completing this year and would become eligible for entry in The PDCA 2022 Project of the Year Program. PDCA will open for submissions in January 2022.

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PileDriver magazine - Issue #3 2021

July 6, 2021:  The latest issue of PileDriver magazine is now available, click on the image to be directed to the digital version - PDCA members and subscribers are receiving hard copies in their mailboxes at the time of this writing.

In this issue of PileDriver, PDCA provides a photographic review of its week at the International Foundations Congress & Equipment Expo, which took place in Dallas in May. Relive the first in-person industry event since March 2020 by flipping through the pages.

PDCA is also excited to highlight two of its innovative engineering affiliate members Smart Structures and RACE Coastal Engineering. Learn more about these two amazing companies and the work they do in the driven pile market.
 
This edition of PileDriver magazine also highlights the reason behind PDCA's "A Driven Pile is a Tested Pile" slogan the quality assurance and quality control of driven pile applications.

Inside the pages of the latest PileDriver, you can read more on QA/QC in the industry through these and many more articles:                  
1. "Lessons for Young Engineers" - A few words of advice for engineers just beginning their careers, such as reviewing their work through their company's QA/QC processes

2. "Faster, Better, Safer: Today's Safety QC Challenge" - A checklist for a safety program that inspires compliance.

3. "QA/QC of Steel Piling" - Ric Anderson, P.E., S.E. with Nucor Skyline highlights the advancements in technology that have improved the versatility of steel construction.


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PileDriver magazine - Issue #2, 2021

Check out the latest issue of PileDriver magazine

The latest news and information for professionals in the pile driving industry is now available in the digital edition of PileDriver magazine, Issue 2 - 2021. Check out the cover story which details a major, coastal project just completed in Florida. Poseidon Dredge & Marine recalls its experiences building the new Daytona Beach Riverfront Park Seawall Replacement using composite sheet piles. Read the full story starting on Page 106.

Other highlights include an all-inclusive guide to the International Foundations Congress & Equipment Expo, or IFCEE-2021, coming up May 10-14 at the Hyatt Regency Downtown Dallas. Preview the more than 50 technical presentations, learn times for all PDCA standing committee meetings and see which of your friends will be onsite in either the indoor or outdoor exhibit areas. The full brochure starts on Page 43.

Norwalk Marine Contractors provides a fascinating account of a unique method it employed for foundation construction of a new condominium development in Connecticut. This technical story takes a deep-dive into the innovative construction method known as Timber Inclusion Systems, beginning on Page 102.

Past PDCA President Buck Darling brings a revealing commentary entitled Reputation Matters on Page 111. In it, the longtime president at Herbert F. Darling Engineering Contractors buttresses a narrative previously disseminated by Joe Hogan, CDT, VP of Building Services at AGCNYS.

On Page 115, Keller shares an in-depth look at its diversifying workforce through their story about a thriving employee resource group at Keller North America, designed exclusively to encourage women to build their careers with the geotechnical specialty contractor. Read KWIC Connections.

And a very timely, legal perspective is available on Page 120, it explores the pros and cons for employers to consider in regard to COVID-19 vaccinations for their employees. The authors Lisa Griffin Hodgdon and Jason Lambert are both partners in the Tampa, FL offices of Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP; they provide valuable guidance through eight different considerations for employers in COVID-19 - Vaccines in the Workplace.

Don't miss the Career Stories of John Skinner of Parker Marine Contracting Corp. and Wystan Carswell of Haley & Aldrich. You can also read Member Profiles on GeoQuip, JD Fields & Company, Koppers Utility & Industrial Products and SJL Consulting.  Several other regular sections are also all part of PileDriver magazine, Issue #2 - 2021; click here to read it now!



 

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PileDriver Magazine: Harry Robbins, A Career Story

Harry Robbins - Making a Difference for the Driven Pile Industry

By Mark Halsall

Few people have had as big an impact on the Pile Driving Contractors Association as Harry Robbins. During his long and storied career in pile driving, Robbins has played a vital role in the success of PDCA as it's grown into a thriving national organization and was the driving force behind  the establishment of its first local chapter in 2003.

Robbins has also been about as strong a proponent of the driven pile that you'll ever see in the industry. Just ask Jason Moore, the vice president and general manager of Palmetto Pile Driving in Charleston, S.C., who was mentored by Robbins. Click to read more in Issue #6, 2020 of PileDriver magazine.


 

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PileDriver Magazine: Gwen Sanders, P.E., A Career Story

Gwen Sanders, P.E., Eustis Engineering

First woman to serve as company president
By Jess Campbell

When we talk about equality in the workplace, conversations are often laden with stories of challenges overcome and ceilings broken through. Hardly ever do we hear stories where women are supported and nurtured throughout their careers without bias or backlash for being a woman in the first place.

Those stories are just as important to tell. Women who work in an inclusive environment have the kind of story other women need to hear in order to keep progressing in their own careers, knowing that equality is possible. 

Gwen Sanders, P.E., the first woman to be president of Eustis Engineering, a regional Gulf Coast firm headquartered in New Orleans, has that kind of story. Click to read more in Issue #5 2020,  PileDriver Magazine.

 

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PileDriver Magazine: Issue #5, 2020

Orange Park, FL (Oct. 27, 2020): The latest edition of PileDriver magazine is now available in digital format (click the image to open it).

In this issue, you can read a contractor's perspective on the The Soma Hotel project in California. Foundation Constructors, Inc. details mounting challenges they overcame while erecting the new building in San Francisco's Mission Bay District. This account begins on Page 64.

Then travel east and learn about the innovative engineering that Insight Group in Charleston, SC incorporated into the ground improvements for the Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal, one of the nation's largest port expansion projects. Read a 'deep dive' into this massive effort on Page 58.

Also, meet Gwen Sanders, P.E., the new President of Eustis Engineering in New Orleans; she's the first woman to ever hold that title. Her Career Story is on Page 21. Then visit the new North American headquarters of foundation equipment manufacturer CZM. A photo spread featuring their the brand new Georgia facility starts on Page 45.

Balfour Beatty details an important mental health endeavor they have launched on Page 81. And new PDCA Contracts & Risk Committee Chair Rick Kalson co-authors an insightful opinion exploring "who is liable for additional construction costs caused by differing site conditions," on Page 85.

You can read company profiles on longtime PDCA member Hammer & Steel, as well as one on new PDCA member EMC Engineering Services. You can read regular features like Pile Tips, a Business article, a Leadership perspective and plenty more in this issue. PileDriver Issue #5, 2020 closes with a remembrance of the late Pete Schell of Equipment Corporation of America who left an indelible mark on the pile driving industry throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond.

Read the full magazine here.

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PileDriver Magazine: 25 Years of PDCA

PileDriver magazine:
Celebrating 25 Years of PDCA!
The Anniversary Edition

For 25 years, the Pile Driving Contractors Association (PDCA) has been the leading organization dedicated exclusively to the representation and advancement of the driven pile in deep foundations construction. Make sure to browse this issue of PileDriver magazine which chronicles the organization's history dating back to its formative years in 1994-95. 

There is plenty of nostalgia if that is your pleasure. You will sit in with several of PDCA's Past Presidents who reflect on industry developments and share ideas for continued progress in pile driving. Also, review the contents of a recently unearthed time capsule depicting PDCA's earliest days, including some of the organization names that were considered, logos that printed on letterhead, advertisements that ran in various publications and more.

If you are seeking technical content, new and compelling analyses are available, too. Some of the unique and thought provoking material you will find includes "A Comparison of Factors Affecting the Static Axial Resistance of Drilled and Driven Piles" by Dan Brown, P.E., D.GE., M.ASCE of Dan Brown and Associates on Page 60. Also, you can read "A Legacy of Innovation in Testing" by Ryan Allin, P.E., of Pile Dynamics, Inc. on Page 56. And don't miss "Driving Technology With the Latest Structural Retaining Wall Systems," submitted by the PDCA Steel Sheet Pile Committee on Page 100. There is plenty more shared knowledge available in this issue, so take your copy to your favorite reading spot and enjoy.

Finally, several PDCA members share their own business experiences and evolutions from the past 25 years. Chris Kinley of Foundation Constructors provides a 'look under the hood' at how his California contracting company has pivoted safety operations this year to meet the demands necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Jim Dash of the Carlson Dash law firm in Chicago shares unique perspectives on Construction Law and some of the major developments that have happened since 1995.

The digital edition is available here; if you are a subscriber of the print edition, it should be reaching your mailbox soon. Thank you for your interest in PDCA and please never hesitate to share your thoughts and ideas about this, or any issue of PileDriver magazine. And if you want to submit content for future magazines, we want to hear from you as well. We appreciate your support of PDCA.

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PileDriver Magazine: Living out a Legacy, A Career Story

A Career Story in PileDriver Magazine
Chris Pashkevich, Clark Construction
By: Natalie Pressman

Having worked for Clark Construction for 45 years, Chris Pashkevich says that friends and family are probably getting sick of him pointing out jobs he's worked on in the Maryland and Washington, D.C. areas.

"I did a job recently where I stood on one corner and saw ten different buildings that I had worked on," he said. "I've done a hundred or so jobs, easily, just in D.C."

Construction, for Pashkevich, is a family affair.

His father was a pile driver beginning in the early '50s until he retired in 1992, and his older brother started in 1971 until his 2016 retirement. Likewise, Pashkevich's younger brother started at Clark Construction in 1980 and still works there today.

"My family has always been here," he said. "We all drive pile."

Even with retirement on the horizon, driving pile will continue to stay in the family. Pashkevich has a son and stepson who are both foremen at Clark Construction, in addition to another stepson who works for the company as a foundation superintendent.

In spite of his long career and family legacy in the industry, Pashkevich didn't always see himself working in construction he originally wanted to be a police officer. But when he went down to the police academy in 1973, he was told that at 5'7", he was two inches too short. That's when he decided to join his family in construction.

Click here to read more in PileDriver Magazine, 2020 Issue #2 

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PileDriver magazine: From the Ground Up - a Career Story

 Career Story on Dylan André, Patriot Deep Foundations
 By: Jess Campbell

Dylan André is a lover of the outdoors, so it makes sense that he would get into a job that allows him to work outside. With a degree in construction management from Louisiana State University, André has worked in construction since graduating in 2012, but is new to the deep foundations industry.

"I didn't get to work in deep foundations until I came to work for my current company, Patriot Deep Foundations, which was only about a year and a half ago. So, I'm pretty fresh," he said. "But I absolutely love it."

Coming to work for Patriot may have been an easy decision for André, but that doesn't mean there wasn't any hesitation. Patriot had just formed their deep foundations division and André was very up front about his lack of knowledge. Yet his boss, Patriot Deep Foundations president Kevin Gourgues, encouraged André to take the leap.

"It was scary to say yes to the deep foundations opportunity," said André. "I said to Kevin, 'Man, I don't know anything about this.' And Kevin said, 'Look, you ain' got a thing to worry about. You sit next to me and I'll lead you to the promised land. I'll teach you everything I know and you'll learn from the people around you.' And that's exactly how it's been the last year and a half."

It's clear that André is grateful for every learning opportunity that comes his way, no matter who it's coming from. As project manager and estimator, he works with many different types of people. But he's always willing and open to learning from everyone, which he feels is an important aspect of being successful at the work he does.

"I don't look at it like there's a hierarchy and the superintendents that I work with work for me. Those guys know way more than I will probably ever know. It's been fun learning the ropes from people who have years of experience and know what they're doing."   Continued, read the remainder of the story in PileDriver magazine.

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PileDriver magazine: Managing the Unmanageable

 
 Workplace safety in a cannibas revolution
 By: Bob Morgan, Esq. and Rick Kalson, Esq., Benesch Law
 Photo credit:  openrangestock/123RF

 There are now 33 states that have legalized medical cannabis and 10 that   have legalized recreational cannabis, with more soon to come. Many of   these state's laws have employer protections for safety-sensitive jobs, and   generally allow an employer broad discretion to enact and implement   zero-tolerance policies. For example, Arizona allows employers to   discipline an employee for possessing or using marijuana on company   premises or during work time, even if that employee is authorized to use   medical cannabis (A.R.S. Sec. 36-2814(B)). However, note some contradictory caselaw in states such as Rhode Island (See Callaghan v. Darlington Fabrics, C.A. No. P.C. 2014-6680, where an employer was found to have violated the state medical cannabis law for failing to hire a job applicant that had a medical cannabis card and stated she could not pass a drug test) and Connecticut (Noffsinger v. SSC Niantic Operating Company, LLC, 2018 WL 4224075, at 1, D. Conn. Sept. 5, 2018, where an employer was found to have violated the state medical cannabis law when refusing to hire a medical cannabis patient who tested positive on a pre-employment drug test).

Notably, the vast majority of cases have ruled in favor of employer discretion regarding whether to discipline or terminate medical cannabis users. Even when anti-discrimination provisions were implicated, courts have consistently left open the possibility for an employer to take action against medical cannabis users in safety-sensitive positions (See Barbuto v. Advantage Sales and Marketing, LLC, SJC 12226; July 17, 2017).

On its face, these decisions make sense. There are some industries where workplace drug testing is increasingly rare such as in the technology sector where millennial workers are more in-demand and others where the employer approaches cannabis as a substance scientifically less harmful than alcohol or more dangerous drugs. Yet, safety-sensitive positions such as construction sites, medical facilities and large warehouses will always require more stringent workplace standards.

Read more in PileDriver magazine...

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