Job safety is the number one concern at Maple Grove Enterprises. Steve Noel, MGE road supervisor and on-site safety coordinator, holds “job box” safety talks before work begins and after work ends every day. Always a stickler for safety, Steve ensures that every member of his crew is meeting or exceeding MGE safety guidelines, OSHA guidelines, and the facility’s own guidelines. While safety awareness at any time of year is important, it is especially critical during the winter months, when crews face sub-freezing temperatures.
According to OSHA, “when the body is unable to warm itself, cold related stress may result. This may include tissue damage and possibly death. Four factors contribute to cold stress: cold air temperatures, high velocity air movement, dampness of the air, and contact with cold water or surfaces. A cold environment forces the body to work harder to maintain its temperature. Cold air, water, and snow all draw heat from the body.” The most common problems induced by the cold are hypothermia and frostbite.
To prevent cold stress, Steve makes sure that his crew wears the appropriate gear to maintain their body warmth. This includes insulated gloves and boots and hard hat liners. Beyond personal warmth, other winter-related safety issues relate to icy conditions at the job site. Steve makes sure that they have sand, salt or cracked corn on hand to deal with the ice. He also makes sure that ladders, tools, and other job materials are kept under cover when not in use.
According to Steve, the twice-daily job box safety talks keep safety at the forefront of everyone’s mind, ensuring the safety of both our crews and our customers.
One of our feed mill customers needed a round molasses storage tank that would hold 10,000 gallons. To hold that much, we designed a tank that’s 20 feet high and 10 feet in diameter. The project required that we roll 10′ sheets of steel with our pinch roll. This was a Maple Grove Enterprises project from start to finish. We designed the tank for its custom application, designed and fabricated the OSHA-approved custom outside safety ladder, fabricated the tank, and installed it at the feed mill.
This was a total team effort from initial design concept through fabrication, with communication flowing back and forth between designer and fabricators throughout the entire project. Our customer was onsite during installation and is ecstatic with the results!
Watch a video of our crew flipping half the tank on its side so two pieces can be welded together.
With the addition of Brian Gonzalez to our staff, we now offer Design Services for our customers. More than ever, we’re your one-stop shop for facility maintenance!
The drop deck trailer is finished! As you can see from the “before” photo, it has come a long way. The trailer was sandblasted, cross members were cut off, and new cross members were added. The trailer required custom fabrication of the tool boxes and modifications for the addition of the head rack, and it received a full 3-coat system paint job. Now our customer will be proud to take it on the road!
The drop deck trailer is nearing completion! Maple Grove Enterprises fabricated all new cross members and a head rack. We’ve also sandblasted the entire trailer. The trailer is nearly ready for our full 3-coat system paint job. Compare the photos from our first posting to see how far it’s come!
Job safety is the number one concern at Maple Grove Enterprises. Steve Noel, MGE road supervisor and on-site safety coordinator, holds “job box” safety talks before work begins and after work ends every day. Always a stickler for safety, Steve ensures that every member of his crew is meeting or exceeding MGE safety guidelines, OSHA guidelines, and the facility’s own guidelines. While safety awareness at any time of year is important, it is especially critical during the winter months, when crews face sub-freezing temperatures.
