The spring season creates the potential for jobsite safety hazards.

With these seasonal challenges in mind, Celerity is highlighting some of our late spring safety practices.

1. Mud. While our trucks are more than capable of dealing with offroad conditions, mud is a hazard that we must take into consideration and treat with respect. Mud is not only a driving hazard, but a trip hazard. Remember to watch your footing when working in mud.

2. Unstable surfaces. When driving offroad, be sure to analyze your path! Use your best judgement when driving over wet areas. If an area or surface looks questionable, walk the path before attempting to drive your vehicle in the area.

3. Be mindful of thunderstorms. With spring, comes rain. At Celerity, we watch the daily weather to indicate suitable working conditions. Our thunderstorm policy requires our crews to stop conductor-related work when a thunderstorm is approaching 50 miles of the job site.

4. Wear appropriate clothing. Make sure to have your appropriate clothing for working in the ever-changing spring weather conditions. Choose footwear with appropriate traction for slippery surfaces. Keeping dry is important when working out in the elements.

5. Sunburn protection. Wear sunscreen, protective sun brims and appropriate protective clothing. Sunburns are not exclusive to hot, summer months.

Celerity strives for jobsite safety. Safe workplace practices are the key to protecting our employees.

View our Safety Feed Here to learn more about Celerity's safety culture.

Celerity designs, builds, services and maintains fiber optic and wireless infrastructure. Well Planned, Well Crafted, Well Done.

Cooler, autumnal weather presents its own set of seasonal challenges.

During this time of year, hotter temperatures are replaced with the autumnal weather. During the fall we experience the potential of thunderstorms, hurricanes, dewy surfaces, and shorter days. The drop in temperatures, weather conditions and shorter days increase potential dangers for employees.

With these seasonal challenges in mind, Celerity is highlighting some of our autumnal safety practices.

Preventing slips and falls. Walkways can become slick when it rains or dews. Make sure to keep walkways clear of leaves and other hazards.

Layered clothing. Wearing layers is key to managing autumnal weather. With frequent weather changes, layers are an important key to preparing for changes in temperature throughout the day.

Autumnal driving hazards. Deer crossings, rain, mud, dew and fog are fall hazards to be aware of while operating a vehicle during the fall months. Driving off-road during the fall can lead to getting stuck in muddy conditions.

Inspecting space heaters. Space heaters are one of the leading causes of residential fires. Check to make sure the space heater is in working condition. Do not leave the space heater in operation while unattended.

Inspecting smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and first aid kits. In case of emergency, check these items are in working condition.

Reporting illness. Celerity employees are encouraged to stay home when feeling ill.

School Zones. Back to school season brings pedestrian and bus traffic. Pay attention to school zones, urban and suburban neighborhoods.

Outdoor work requires proper preparation. View OSHA Cold weather practices.

Celerity designs, builds, services and maintains fiber optic and wireless infrastructure. Well Planned, Well Crafted, Well Done.

Celerity’s focus on behavior-based safety has proven to be a useful tool in creating a safe work environment during confined space entry.

Celerity’s safety department prioritizes behavior-based safety. Our qualified safety professionals coach employee actions toward safer outcomes by preventing injury or accidents. The proactivity within the walls of Celerity correlate to our technicians displaying acts of safety in the field.

Celerity technicians were on site preparing to enter a manhole during a local construction project. Manholes and other permit required confined spaces are defined as, "a space large enough for a person to bodily enter and perform work." The confined space may contain dangerous concentrations of hazardous gases or vapors or an oxygen deficient atmosphere. Entry to these spaces must be rigorously controlled to prevent serious injury or death.

Before proceeding with the manhole entry, technicians tested the designated atmospheric monitoring multi-gas meter. The multi-gas meter was discovered to be improperly functioning. Celerity technicians did not enter the space, per protocol, protecting themselves from exposure to unknown hazards, injury, or death.

Celerity procured working equipment to the job site. With working equipment, technicians were able to continue with the project, safely entering the confined space.

“Employees lives are at stake every time there is an entry into a confined space. Employers have the responsibility to protect them.”

OSHA. “Permit Required Confined Space Entry.” 29 CFR 1910.146 Occupational Safety & Health Bureau. Accessed October 5, 2021.

Our biggest takeaway from this event was the payoff of our proactive learning process.

For more information on confined spaces, visit OSHA’s website.

Celerity designs, builds, services and maintains fiber optic and wireless infrastructure. We proudly serve telecommunications companies, electric utility companies, education and healthcare organizations using the most efficient network technology available, through all phases of pre-planning, construction, splicing, testing and close out documentation. Well Planned, Well Crafted, Well Done.

Safety is the culture of Celerity.

Quakertown, Pennsylvania, —Celerity announced it has achieved Gold in Associated Builders and Contractor’s STEP Safety Management System, meaning Celerity is 655% safer than the industry average. Founded more than three decades ago, STEP has evolved into a world-class safety program that dramatically improves safety performance among construction industry participants..

“This achievement is a payoff of everyone’s efforts at Celerity.”

Ron Leight, JR. Vice President and Co-Owner.

Safety is the culture of Celerity, from the training we provide, to the PPE and equipment we use at each jobsite, to the communication among our crews that ensure we are keeping each other safe.

STEP participants measure their safety processes and policies on key components through a detailed questionnaire with the goal of implementing or enhancing safety programs that reduce jobsite incidents.

Each of Celerity’s safety efforts are designed to protect our employees. Through the ABC STEP Program process, Celerity’s EMR dropped to a projected .838, which is below the industry average of 1.0. Celerity hired a Safety Professional to promote the culture of safety throughout the company, as well as maintain our fleet through the lens of safe driving behaviors. Additionally, Celerity has maintained zero days away from work and zero instances of lost time and continue to improve our safety practices within Celerity’s Safety Orientation Training process.

Celerity’s team managers diligently meet to discuss safety topics each week. The gold level achievement is a reflection of our dedicated team of professionals.

“Safety is a journey, and that journey is possible because of systems like STEP, which enables ABC member contractors like Celerity to have a safer and more productive jobsite,´ said Greg Sizemore, ABC vice president of health, safety, environment and workforce development. “Committing to total human health is essential to ensure both the physical and mental health and safety of our workforce, and I commend Celerity for consistently fulfilling those commitments to raising the bar of safety performance.”

According to ABC’s annual Safety Performance Report, STEP participants, regardless of company size or type of work, and can reduce recordable incidents up to 85%, making the best performing companies more than eight times safer than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics industry average. Ratings range from Diamond, the highest, to Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Participant.

To learn more about the STEP program, visit abcstep.org.

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Celerity designs, builds, services and maintains fiber optic and wireless infrastructure. We proudly serve telecommunications companies, electric utility companies, education and healthcare organizations using the most efficient network technology available, through all phases of pre-planning, construction, splicing, testing and close out documentation. Well Planned. Well Crafted. Well Done. For more information, visit nextmiletech.com.

This week, our Fleet and Facilities Coordinator conducted internal safety inspections of our fall protection, restraint and work positioning devices. Each employee that works in the field has been fitted for a new harness. These harnesses are organized and labeled for efficiency in emergency situations.

Employees are trained on inspection of harnesses, as well as proper adjustments and correct usage. Celerity strives to continuously train and adhere to the required safety standards when operating aerial lift equipment as well as all OSHA standards for the construction industry.

Celerity designs, builds, services and maintains fiber optic and wireless infrastructure.