Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/953148
W hile remodeling my basement during a recent weekend, I had to concoct sev- eral hooks and other workarounds to secure the end of my tape measure so I could pull it tight over 20 feet or so at a half dozen spots overhead. Then I had to write down the measurements, add, subtract, etc., etc. It's a fussy process, but the only option when working solo. The following Monday, I came into the office and saw a press release for the new DeWalt laser distance measuring devices, the handheld units where you just push a button and they read out an exact measurement to whatever solid wall or object the laser dot hits. Then it occurred to me. I have one of those in my tool box that would have been per- fect for my overhead basement measurement chores. Had I remembered that I owned one, I could have saved a half hour of precious weekend time. Or as Homer Simpson often said: "Doh." We all know that people who build things, from furniture to skyscrapers, are always looking for a better, smarter, faster way to do things. So I began to wonder: how could I have overlooked a tool that would have saved me so much time and effort? The question is relevant to anybody who works in construction and maybe the industry as a whole. Four reasons come to mind: • Force of habit. I've been using the same solo carpentry tricks for 30 years, and the old ways worked, so I didn't question them. • Pride. It seems every time I start thinking of myself as too clever, I quit thinking. • Technology blindness. I didn't grow up with technology, so it's rarely top of mind. • Too busy to think things through. On my own, I usually launch into a project with only a vague idea of what the end result will look like. I don't start with a plan. I just start doing and figuring it out as I go along. Now, if one were to take these cognitive shortcomings and apply them to the $1.16 trillion construction industry as a whole, what would that look like? A lot of lost time and money probably, billions of dollars in all like- lihood. The bidding and estimating process ensures most companies are organized, at least at the macro level. It's on the individual level where better efficiency and profits can be found. Since most of you do toolbox safety talks. I'd recommend you do an additional talk at the start of the week and encourage your work- ers to offer ideas on how to do things smarter, better and faster. Analyze what slowed the job down last time. Ask what kinds of tools or processes could speed things up. Ask what part of the job frustrates them. Is it pounding stakes, tying rebar, moving material, cleaning up? Is there a tool, subcontractor or vendor with a solution? Workers will discuss these things on their own – sometimes – but you should formalize the process. Do it every week. Make it a scheduled habit for the crew so it becomes a mental habit – a mindset – for each individual. As for me, I'm keeping a laser distance mea- suring tool in my tool belt whether I think I need it or not. It's a no-brainer…now. March 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com 66 final word | by Tom Jackson That Homer Simpson moment TJackson@randallreilly.com