Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/89769
72 • NOVEMBER 2012 • WORLD FENCE NEWS Do you like shopping around for a good deal? Some turn out better than others. I remember hearing about a guy who got a good deal on a new paint job for his truck…his brother-in- law was going to do it. No need to write any more, because you can prob- ably finish the rest of that story! But I like a good (legitmate) deal, and as a business owner I always try to get the best price from our suppliers, while taking into consideration all of the facts, looking beyond just price. Take fuel, for example. If you are driving a few blocks to save a couple of cents per gallon to fill up your per- sonal vehicle, it makes sense. But is price-per-gallon the best way to shop for your fleet? Let me ask you a question: Is fuel a commodity or an investment? If you view fuel as a commodity, ASTM publishes updated edition of fence standards W. CONSHOHOCKEN, Penn. — ASTM International now has available the 12th edition of its ASTM Standards for Fence Mate- rials and Prod- ucts. The new edi- tion will be the most current re- source for the fencing industry and will include 49 ASTM standards. The price of ei- ther a book or CD-ROM is $175. Anyone who deals with fence projects which include standards and specifications is urged to get the new edition, as many standards have been changed or revised, and there are new Ask the Fuel Expert When cheap fuel costs you more BY JACK LEE, PRESIDENT/CEO, 4REFUEL INC. chances are you shop for fuel based on price alone. If you view fuel as an in- vestment, your main concern is about maximizing the return on your fuel in- vestment and the resulting productiv- ity. Let me explain. Sound complicated? It's not really. If you refuel your fleet with a sup- plier that gives you a "low price guar- antee" you don't get much else, just the fuel. There usually is not a written service guarantee that ensures you get the fuel you need, anytime, day or night; not to mention emergencies. And what about fuel shortages? ones added. Forty-nine ASTM standards cover: • Chain-link and wire fence fabric • Fence construction and installa- tion practices • Fences for playgrounds, sports fields, sports courts, and other recre- ation facilities • Fence fittings and protective coatings • Industrial and commercial hori- zontal slide gates • Fencing materials used in deten- tion and correctional facilities • Design and fabrication of wood fencing E-mail Suzanne Daulerio at sdaulerio@astm.org for bulk quantity purchases. For more information, visit www.astm.org. Associated General Contractors announces plans to continue fall protection safety training The Associated General Contractors of America announced it will con- tinue to provide fall protection safety training in 2013 due to a federal safety grant the association is being awarded. The association will use the $120,000 Susan Harwood Training Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to offer the fall protection safety training designed to prevent potentially fatal falls among construction workers. "Nothing is more important to our members than the safety of every con- struction worker," said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association's chief execu- tive officer. "The expanded program will help give construction workers the training they need to remain safe on the jobsite," he said. According to the latest safety statistics, fall-related fatalities remain the single largest cause of construction deaths while the overall number of con- struction fatalities has declined by nearly 50 percent over the past five years, Sandherr said. In 2010, fall-related fatalities account for 35 percent of the total, 260 out of the 751 construction fatalities, he added. The fall protection safety program will be offered in eight different lo- cations next year, reaching as many as 500 construction workers, Sandherr noted. The program will provide comprehensive information about fall pro- tection for both commercial and residential construction. In addition to the fall protection program, the association offers a vari- ety of safety programs and materials that many member construction firms currently use. The association offers educational materials to member firms and in-seat safety training programs across the country. For information, visit www.agc.org. Will you be lined up with everybody else waiting for the big oil companies? Cheap fuel suppliers can leave you in the lurch too, stopping your work. Now that's expensive! If you view fuel as a commodity, chances are you shop for fuel based on price alone. If you view fuel as an investment, your main concern is about maximizing the return on your fuel investment and the resulting productivity. If the cost of fuel is your only con- cern, then how can you be 100% sure you are getting every drop you pay for? Unless there is 100% trans- parency, you could be getting less. If your fuel delivery company does not monitor each refueling occa- sion digitally and can show you how much fuel was delivered, to the exact drop, you have no real proof. Low cost price leaders typically do not invest in technology and as a re- sult you do not get more than a simple invoice with each fill…that's it. Total Fuel Management delivers more for your money! When you use a Total Fuel Man- agement company, like mine, 4Refuel, you will get a competitive price and they will deliver a whole lot more. A big part of that is information that you can use to calculate the return on your fuel investment. With each fill up, you know, to the drop, how much fuel each truck or piece of equipment got and when it was refueled. You can get that data delivered to you in real time via e-mail, in addition to data that shows how much time that particular unit was productive, how much downtime and key operating in- formation like time spent idling, hard acceleration etc. All this is important stuff if you care about your bottom line productiv- ity. Total Fuel Management mini- mizes the risks associated with refuel- ing too because drivers are certified, trained professionals, so you won't have to pay for costly clean-ups. If there is a regional fuel shortage, the top TFM companies will guaran- tee delivery because they work with a number of suppliers in and outside of your territory. You'll be working while others are waiting. And that is priceless! Jack Lee is CEO of 4Refuel – the largest onsite fuel management com- pany in Canada and a global leader in technology designed to help businesses reduce their fuel expenses. Got a ques- tion about fuel? Ask the fuel expert by e-mailing Jack at pert@4Refuel.com. AskTheFuelEx-