Construction is one of the most important industries in our country, but it is also one of the most dangerous when it comes to mental health. According to the CDC, construction workers die by suicide at a rate nearly four times higher than the national average. The crisis is largely hidden, but it’s real.  

The Construction Suicide Prevention initiative and OSHA are providing resources, training, and support aimed at reducing the stigma around mental health in the trades. From peer-support programs to toolbox talks and national awareness campaigns, the goal is simple: make it okay to speak up and get help.  

Contractors, supervisors, and workers all have a role to play. It starts by creating a culture where safety includes mental wellness.  

For more information and free resources visit Preventing Suicides in Construction | Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Construction Suicide Prevention - Home - Construction Suicide Prevention 

Creating a safe workplace isn’t just a one-time effort; it is an ongoing commitment. It is a year-round initiative that promotes proactive safety and health programs in every industry.  

The campaign encourages employers and workers to recognize the core elements of workplace safety:  

• Management Leadership: When leaders actively support safety efforts, the entire organization follows.  

• Work Participation: Safety improves when everyone is involved, from top management to the front line.  

• A Systematic Approach to Finding and Fixing Hazards: Identifying problems before they cause harm is key to prevention.  

This campaign is strongly aligned with Celerity’s mission. We believe that every worker has the right to go home safe at the end of the day, and we are committed to building a culture where that’s not just expected, but it is in every decision we make.  

For more information on this campaign, visit the Safe and Sound page here. 

Ticks are tiny arachnids that feed on the blood of mammals and birds, and they can carry dangerous diseases. The most common tick-borne disease in the U.S. is Lyme Disease, with an estimated 476,000 people diagnosed and treated annually. Other serious illnesses like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Anaplasmosis are also on the rise.  

Who Is at Risk? 

People who spend time outdoors, especially in wooded or grassy areas, are most at risk. This includes outdoor workers, hikers, and pet workers.  

How to Protect Yourself, especially on the Jobsite: 

• Wear long sleeves and pants when working outdoors, particularly on vegetation-heavy job sites 

• Use tick repellents that contain DEET or permethrin on skin and clothing 

• Conduct thorough tick checks on yourself and teammates after shifts in the field 

• Shower soon after returning from the job site to help remove ticks 

• Maintain work areas: trim back vegetation where possible to limit exposure 

• Educate your crew about symptoms and prevention as part of routine safety talks 

Know the Symptoms:  

• Fever, fatigue, or muscle aches 

• Rash (bulls-eye pattern) 

• Swollen lymph nodes 

If you develop symptoms after a tick bite or outdoor activities, see a doctor right away. Early treatment can prevent serious illnesses.  

For more information about this topic visit Tickborne Disease - Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration 

Whether you’re laying asphalt under the blazing sun or working near ovens in a warehouse, heat-related illness is a serious workplace hazard. Every year, thousands of workers get sick from heat exposure on the job, that is why heat safety is important.

Who’s at Risk?
Heat hazards exist in many industries including:  

Outdoor Work:  

• Construction 

• Landscaping 

• Agriculture 

• Oil and gas operations 

• Mail and package delivery  

Indoor Work: 

• Manufacturing  

• Warehouses  

• Boiler rooms 

• Fire service 

Heat-related illness can strike at any time of the year, not just during heat waves. It happens anytime the body can’t cool itself down fast enough.  

Understanding Heat Illness 

The body needs time to adjust to working in heat, a process known as heat acclimatization. Most outdoor fatalities happen in the first few days on the job because workers aren’t acclimated. Risk factors include:  

• Heavy physical activity  

• High air temperatures 

• Inadequate hydration  

• Protective clothing that traps heat 

• Pre-existing health conditions  

Preventing Heat-Related Illness 

A good prevention plan includes planning, supervision, engineering controls and worker training. Here are some important prevention steps:  

• Start slow: shorter shifts and light workloads for new workers 

• Hydration: encourage regular water and electrolyte drink breaks 

• Rest breaks: frequency breaks in shaded or cool areas 

• Engineering controls: use fans, ventilation, or AC when possible 

• Training: teach workers and supervisors to recognize and respond to heat illness symptoms 

Keep Your Crew Cool and Safe 

Employers have a responsibility to keep workers safe from heat hazards. A well-done heat illness prevention program protects your workers.  

For more tools, training and guidance on heat safety, visit this page: Heat - Overview: Working in Outdoor and Indoor Heat Environments | Occupational Safety and Health Administration 

As summer temperatures rise, so do the risks of heat illness for the hardworking technicians and construction crews who spend their days outdoors. With the exposure to high heat and physically demanding tasks, they face serious threats from heat stress and heat stroke. These conditions can escalate quickly without proper precautions.  

Celerity is committed to raising awareness about the dangers of working in extreme heat and stressing the importance of preventative measures to protect our workers.  

Heatstroke 

The Mayo Clinic described heatstroke as, “a condition caused by the body overheating. This usually happens because of exposure to high temperatures or physical activity in high temperatures for too long.” 

Symptoms of Heatstroke:  

• A change in mental state of behavior like confusion, agitation, or slurred speech.  
• Change in sweating pattern: skin may be hot and dry or profusely sweating. 
• Nausea and vomiting may occur. The skin may become flushed, and breathing can become rapid and shallow. 

Heat Exhaustion 

A condition of fatigue and weakness, usually with a normal body temperature, stems from prolonged exposure to heat. 

Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion:  

• The individual may be dizzy or faint and have blurred vision.  
• The skin might be cool or moist with goosebumps.  

Heat Illness Prevention

Preventing heat-related injuries starts with awareness and action. OSHA states, “Most outdoor fatalities, 50% to 70%, occur in the first few days of working in warm or hot environments because the body needs to build a tolerance to the heat gradually over time.” That is why it is important to take proactive steps, especially during the initial days of heat exposure.  

Drink Water: Drink water every 15 minutes when working in hot conditions. Do not wait until you are thirsty to drink water. We have provided hydration powder packets for our employees to use. We strongly encourage using electrolyte beverages throughout the day to replenish what it loses through sweat. Do not drink alcohol and avoid caffeine, as these can contribute to heat stress.  

Take Breaks: Take frequent rest breaks in shaded, cooled, or air-conditioned areas. Pacing yourself and giving your body time to recover is especially important when working in heat or when you are not yet acclimated. 

Speak Up: Finally, if you see a co-worker with symptoms of heat exhaustion, speak up. If you see a co-worker with symptoms of heat stroke, seek medical attention immediately. Heat stroke is a medical emergency and can be fatal if not treated quickly.  

QUAKERTOWN, Pennsylvania, June 9, 2025 – Celerity’s splicing team gathered in the company’s training area for a hands-on OPGW Coil Lifting Training session that focused on field safety and operation efficiency. 

The training began at 6:00 AM and was led by Scott Hartman, Splicing Field Superintendent, and Daryl Zaremba, Safety and Training Manager. It focused on the proper techniques for lifting Optical Ground Wire coils on and off the “H-Bracket” on utility poles and similar structures.  

The session included 

• Review of a detailed handout covering technical specifications including coil weights, lengths, and lifting procedures 

• A live demonstration that showed multiple lifting techniques, which included the use of an aerial bucket, UTV winch, and a block and tackle.  

The training offered crew members a better understanding of the best practices in OPGW coil lifting. This goes along with the company’s commitment to safety for every member to feel confident and capable in the field.  

The next session is scheduled for June 16, when the remaining members will complete their training.  

While safety is always at the forefront of everything we do here at Celerity, the potential for an “incident” of any kind, at any level, at any time, is always there. This can potentially lead to a devastating and fatal on-the-job incident, where someone doesn’t make it back home to their family.

Our continued goal here at Celerity has been, and always will be, to ensure that all of us go home to our families at the end of the day alive, well, and un-injured.

But unfortunately, there are many others across the country who don’t make it home at the end of the day due to a fatal on-the-job incident. Celerity encourages the need to recognize those in the workforce who are no longer with us.

Each year, a day is set aside to recognize those that we’ve lost within the workforce due to a workplace accident. On Sunday, April 28^th, we are recognizing those persons on WORKERS MEMORIAL DAY. OSHA and many employers across the country, partner together to recognize those persons who were lost during their normal workday. We ask that you take a moment this weekend to recognize those that were lost. Below is a link to a website that will take you to the OSHA Workers Memorial site. On the Workers Memorial site, you see  names and faces of those we’ve lost this year across the country due to an on-the-job incident.

Celerity will keep the names and faces of those that we’ve lost due to an on-the-job incident in our minds as we go about our day and as we perform our daily tasks. Let their legacies be a reminder to each of us that anything can happen at any time. No one goes to work each day with the mind set that they are not going home at the end of the day, so please, let’s be safe out there, watch out for each other, and remember those that have passed while we go about our day.

Quakertown, PA / October 27, 2022

PPL Electric Utilities offered a Live Line Electrical Safety Exhibit and demonstration for Celerity employees!

On October 27th, Celerity held our Quarterly Safety Meeting which included dinner for the entire staff and ended with a live event hosted by PPL in the rear parking lot.

Event Description: "The PPL Live Line Exhibit is a 7,200-volt electrical distribution grid that features live electrical wires, utility poles and transformers, used to present dangers associated with electricity. Trained PPL staff wearing protective equipment use ladders, gloves, shovels and other tools in a controlled environment to recreate sparks, flames, smoke and crackling that occur when items come in contact with live electrical lines."

Source: “Our Live Line Exhibit is back on tour.” stories.pplelectric.com, PPL Stories, https://stories.pplelectric.com/2021/05/19/our-live-line-exhibit-is-back-on-tour/.

Thank you to JR and our safety committee for organizing this event!

One Touch Make Ready, Scranton, PA / Sept 16, 2022

Celerity’s focus on behavior-based safety has proven to be useful, not only for creating a safe workplace environment, but providing an swift response to an emergency.

Celerity technicians, Ian Schmidt and Christian Oates, were on site performing make ready work when they noticed an elderly man had fallen. Christian saw the incident from his bucket's vantage point and alerted Ian to the situation.

Ian got out of the truck to check on the man and realized he was unconscious.

Luckily, a nurse was driving by the job site and pulled over while Ian was assessing the situation. Ian and Christian provided the first aid kit stocked on their truck to the nurse. She was able to administer first aid until the ambulance arrived on scene.

This was a highly unexpected and unlikely emergency situation for any of our crews to run into, but Ian and Christian responded to it in the best way possible.

Ian and Christian rose to the occasion to help someone. Celerity safety representative stated, "I was proud to hear of the crew’s ability to do the right thing. This is an example of the different problems we may encounter in the field and how many of them are unexpected."

Thank you to Ian and Christian for your swift response to this emergency.

Construction workers exposed to hot, summer weather are at risk of Heat Related Injury and Illness.

Technicians work in non-climate controlled spaces, in direct sunlight, on roadways, right-of-ways, and other conditions that may generate excess heat within the body. This may put construction workers at an increased risk for Heat Related Injury.

There are two primary conditions that may result from being exposed to and working in extreme heat environments.

Heatstroke

Heat Stroke is a condition in which the body retains heat progressively and the body temperature rises rapidly to life-threatening levels of 108 to 111 degrees.

Signs and symptoms of heatstroke are:
A change in the patient's mental functions. They may appear very fatigued, confused, or lose consciousness.
The body temperature is very hot. The skin is intensely hot and flushed. And finally, the pulse is usually rapid and strong, becoming weaker.

Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion is a condition of fatigue and weakness, usually with normal body temperature, resulting from prolonged exposure to heat.

Signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion are:
The individual may feel faint or fatigued while working in a hot environment.
Body temperature is normal or nearly normal.
Skin is moist and cool.

Although prevalent, there are ways to prevent Heat Related Injury. The following guidelines are OSHA recommended and should be considered to prevent workers from falling victim to these conditions.

Dress for Hot Conditions: Wear light colored, loose fitting and lightweight clothes.

Drink Water: Drink water every 15 minutes when working in hot conditions. Do not wait until you are thirsty to drink water. We have provided hydration powder packets for our employees to use. We strongly encourage using electrolyte beverages throughout the day. Do not drink alcohol and avoid caffeine.

Take Breaks: Take frequent rest breaks in shaded, cooled, or air-conditioned areas.

Speak Up: Finally, if you see a co-worker with symptoms of Heat Exhaustion, speak up. If you see a co-worker with symptoms of Heat Stroke, seek medical attention immediately.