Taking Time for Preventive Maintenance: An Update for Genie Scissor Lift and Telehandler Owners and Users

I came across this handy piece of advice from the Tulsa, Oklahoma-based on-line magazine Utility Products.  While their respective focus is power, telecom and cable tv product solutions, they recently came out with updated guidance on aerial lift safety-specifically Genie Scissor and Telehandlers.  The writer noted that maintenance time and costs are being reduced with a consolidated maintenance protocol for all Genie GS-scissor lift models and Genie GTH-telehandler models in North America. It appears that following updated procedures and simplified intervals, new Genie maintenance instructions now provide rental companies, including those here in the Western Pacific, the flexibility needed to keep their equipment on rent longer while making routine tasks a priority.

With rental equipment constantly going out and coming in, the streamlined maintenance procedures reduces the number of visits a Genie scissor lift or telehandler needs to make to the shop for preventive care. That means that less time in a lift shop translates to more time out on rent, lowering customers’ total cost of ownership and driving a higher rental return on invested capital. 

With this maintenance protocol, Genie has condensed six separate maintenance manuals into one easy-to-use manual. This one-stop maintenance manual contains complete performance specifications, as well as a streamlined list of maintenance tasks to complete. And it is available in hard copy or digital format for easy integration into custom electronic systems.

Designed to save and simplify, the protocol also includes recommendations for extended service intervals opportunities; for example, many periodic procedures for scissor lifts have moved from quarterly and semi-annually to annually. 

Commissioning has changed, too. Rather than perform some of the tasks at the 30-hour mark and some at 50 hours or longer, now all of the commissioning assignments for scissor lifts and telehandlers sold in 2016 and beyond are set for 50 hours and 150 hours.

If you have any aerial lift needs and would like to discuss potential solutions, please drop GET, LLC a line via our website at www.get-guam.com or give us a call at 671-797-0789-your authorized Terex/Genie Representative for Guam and Micronesia.


TARUC WINS GENIE ASIA PHOTOGRAPH CONTEST-Guam-based Photographer beats out regional competition with a photo featuring GET,LLC's TZ-50

GET,LLC Managing Partner Tricia Gumataotao received word today from Genie Industries Asia that a photo taken by Guam-based Photographer Norman Taruc won its 2016 Jobsite Photo Contest. 

"We are so honored that our friend and colleague won the Genie Asia Jobsite Photo Contest," said Gumataotao.  "Norman has been instrumental in the growth of our company and has documented some of the most important moments that has shaped our business since its founding."

Entered into the Regional Genie Contest back on May 17, 2016, the photo shows a worker completing typhoon preparations on a Commercial Building in Tamuning using GET,LLC's Genie Trailer Mounted Boom-TZ-50. The Taruc photo beat out scores of photos submitted from across Genie Asia including two exceptional photos taken on jobsites in Vietnam that were named the consolation winners.

"This photo shows the versatility of the TZ-50," said Gumataotao. "The strength of this important Genie Aerial Work Platform is that it is battery powered-a sustainable alternative to the gas powered units in the marketplace to work effectively and efficiently at height."


GET, LLC has been appointed by the Terex Corporation as its authorized distributor for Terex and Genie aerial work platforms, cranes, construction and materials processing equipment and parts in Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Republic of Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia. Working directly with the best name in the aerial lift business, GET, LLC utilized the global sales, service and support network of Terex to provide the Guam market with Genie Industry's TZ-50 Trailer-Mounted Articulating Boom-named in 2004 as an Innovative Product Award Winner by Rental Equipment Register (RER). 

If you have any aerial lift needs and would like to discuss potential solutions, including the TZ-50, please drop GET, LLC a line via our website at www.get-guam.com or give us a call at 671-797-0789.

NAWIC GUAM CHAPTER DISCUSSES FEDERAL OT CHANGES

This past July, the federal government sent the shot over the bow to all employers in America that there will be changes to federal overtime rules. In advance of the December 1, 2016 implementation date, the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Guam Chapter used their August Monthly meeting to discuss this important change with their membership.  Member and Chief Operating Officer of Pacific Human Resources Services Inc. Grace Donaldson broke down the final rule changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act.  Donaldson shared that the final rule focuses primarily on the updating the salary and compensation levels needed for Executive, Administrative and Professional workers to be exempt.

Among the changes, the rule sets the standard salary level at the 40th percentile of earnings of full-time salaried workers, sets the total annual compensation requirement for highly compensated employees (HCE) subject to a minimal duties test and establishes a mechanism for automatically updating the salary and compensation levels every three years to maintain the new percentile levels. Donaldson used examples and sought member input and questions relative to the duties test to better understand the impacts to the Guam workforce.

Donaldson noted that Guam's visitor industry would be hit the hardest with this rule change.  The hotel industry relies heavily on modestly paid middle managers, who are exempt from overtime, to pick up the slack—and extra hours—when called upon. Some of the flexibility may be a thing of the past as property owners adjust to the new rule.

The changes could rattle industries that have long used a federal exemption for so-called “creative professionals” to avoid paying some workers overtime, like architects. The US Department of Labor currently gives businesses some latitude in deciding who meets the criteria. But under the new rules, no one making less than $47,476 a year could be considered a creative professional exempt from overtime.

Even the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) has formally asked DOL for removal from the regulatory list that blocks travel agents from an exemption from federal overtime rules.

Will there be an end?

One thing is for sure, change is coming and the Guam NAWIC Chapter will be keeping a close eye on its developments as we head into the latter half of the year.


GET, LLC is proud to be a member of NAWIC and the Guam Chapter-one of 150 chapters with a network of 4,500 members nationwide.  We hold NAWIC's core values close to our business- Believe.  Persevere.  Dare. Check out our website at www.get-guam.com or drop us a line to help us do our part to grow this important industry.

COMING TO A STREETLIGHT NEAR YOU...DRONES!

With each day comes pretty neat ideas from some of the brightest minds in the world-and some of the richest.  Late last month,  Amazon was granted a US patent for a drone docking stations on  standalone structures to include streetlights.  While the patent mentions these drone home bases on top of buildings and pylons, the linking to a street light is the most interesting.

Amazon has been working on this effort of awhile. News stories across the news networks, print and the internet highlighted the drone plans of the 29th Ranked Company on the Fortune 500. Believe it or not, most of the effort seemed like a great sci-fi novel.  It is reported that Amazon hopes that the docking stations will act both as package handling facilities and as a final destination where drones are able to recharge and refuel. The drone docking stations would incorporate solar panels, security cameras, and even Wi-Fi.

The development of the streetlight safe havens in theory means that drones would be able to continuously hop from drop off point to drop off point, opening up, potentially, whole villages to the Amazon drone service.

It is also hoped that the docking stations will be able to offer navigational assistance, helping to guide the craft to the location of their drop-off.

The imagery is something straight from the 1960's cartoon "The Jetsons". Millennials may need to consult the World Wide Web for that reference.

We should not get too excited here in the Western Pacific. 

It is important to note that the filing of the patent does not necessarily mean that the docking stations will get built, but it does allow us to see how Amazon is preparing for their future drone revolution, whenever it arrives

This street light drone docking is as much the future as is Intelligent street lighting,. Also referred to as adaptive street lighting, the lighting on our roadways and walkways will dim when no activity is detected, but brightens when movement is detected. Devised in Europe, this type of lighting is different from traditional, stationary illumination, or dimmable street lighting that dims at pre-determined times. 

If these two product ideas take off, literally and figuratively, we will be looking for George Jetson and his boy Elroy for a tutorial.


To learn more about the lighting products that GET, LLC provides, including the LED lines of our partners, Independence LED Lighting and Deco Lighting Inc., please check out our website at www.get-guam.com or call us to discuss solutions for your important lighting needs-All Made in America!!!

AMA Warns of Risks With LED Street Lighting

When I was doing my daily search of the news making headlines around the world, a story on www.cnn.com last week caught my attention and forced me to look closer at the whole issue of Light-Emitting Diode (LED) and impacts on healthcare.

It all started with "community guidance" by the American Medical Association (AMA) earlier this month to reduce the harmful human and environmental effects of high intensity street lighting.  While many American communities, including Guam, are taking significant efforts to modernize  roadway lighting systems, it appears that converting to "improper" LED technology can have great impacts on health and the ecosystem near these lighting fixtures. 

The AMA cites the Blue Lighting, or the white light of an LED to the naked eye, can decrease visual acuity which can create a road hazard for drivers.  The AMA guidance also cites the impacts of LED lighting on species of animals that need a dark environment in which the related systems can disorient some birds and sea-life in and around the modern streetlight. The AMA guidance would imply that all Guam drivers and much of our mangrove ecosystems, in and around our main roadways, are at risk.  There were recommendations to utility companies to use among other things lower correlated color temperature fixtures, LED lighting shields to minimize glare and utilize dimming technologies in the street lighting during peak time periods as a way to reduce such risks. 

"The guidance adopted today by grassroots physicians who comprise the AMA's policy-making body strengthens the AMA's policy stand against light pollution and public awareness of the adverse health and environmental effects of pervasive nighttime lighting, " said the AMA in a news release.

The AMA did recognize LED street lighting does have energy efficiency benefits. Nearly 10 percent of the Nation's roadways feature LED lighting today. More of Guam's roads can expect to see more of this technology installed during these times of rising costs to manage this important public program as directed by the Guam Consolidated Commission on Utilities.

"The new AMA guidance encourages proper attention to optimal design and engineering features when converting to LED lighting that minimize detrimental health and environmental effects," said AMA Board Member Dr. Maya A. Babu.

University of Connecticut School of Medicine Professor Richard G. Stevens also noted that there is almost never a completely satisfactory solution to a complex problem-the impacts of LED Streetlights to human health. 

"We must have lighting at night, not only in our homes and businesses, but also outdoors on our streets, said Dr. Stevens. "The need for energy efficiency is serious, but so too is minimizing human risk from bad lighting, both due to glare and to circadian disruption. LED technology can optimize both when properly designed".


For more information on bringing an LED lighting solution to your facility, please contact us at GET, LLC at 671-483-0789 or see our website at www.get-guam.com for details of the technologies that can be of significant value to all building and property owners-All Made in America!!!

NAWIC GUAM CHAPTER FUNDRAISER DREW MORE THAN DRINKS, DUDES AND GREAT GEAR

It was a great opportunity to attend the National Association of Women In Construction (NAWIC) Guam Chapter's first "Beer, Boys and Toys" Fundraiser at the Triple J Showroom in Upper Tumon. The recent event featured a host of craft beers, the attendance of the construction industry elite and plenty of cool jobsite gear that was eventually raffled off.  

As important was the NAWIC Guam Chapter leaning forward to bring more awareness to their efforts to enhance the success of women in the construction industry.  The Chapter does utilize its time meeting regularly to bring together the small influential group of women construction industry executives. They do always invite their male counterparts to participate.  

In talking to many in attendance, the efforts of NAWIC seemed a bit new to them. When disclosing that the Guam Chapter has been around since 2013, there was a collective interest in the membership. Most were impressed with the fact that the "Beer, Boys and Toys" effort was well organized. As impressive-the turnout of the NAWIC Guam Chapter members.  It was hard to hide the ladies with the red scarves who were all smiling from ear to ear and enthusiastically engaging each guest.  The discussions were also fruitful.  Plenty of networking in support of a host of projects was happening at each table. Insight into local construction industry policy was also discussed in and around the food and drink stations. 

It was pretty clear that there were many in the crowd who had attended previous events hosted by NAWIC Guam and were satisfied with the unique fundraiser-something hard to come by with the scores of competing philanthropies and their respective themed functions throughout the year.  This blogger had a great time and believe the "Beer, Boys and Toys" events to support the Chapter's education programs and Hard Hats and Huge Hearts programs will be a hit for years to come.  

GET, LLC is proud to be a member of NAWIC and the Guam Chapter-one of 150 chapters with a network of 4,500 members nationwide.  We hold NAWIC's core values close to our business- Believe.  Persevere.  Dare. Check out our website at www.get-guam.com or drop us a line to help us do our part to grow this important industry.

Report: Nationwide Construction Job Losses Worst in Three Years

It is hard not to pay attention to job numbers these days.  But just as Guam is seeing some traction on the Guam Buildup front, news out of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) late last week is paining a bleak picture of the days and months to come in relation to construction jobs.  

Citing a U.S. Bureau of Statistics report, an ABC analysis has found that America's. construction industry lost 15,000 net jobs in May. The monthly number is the worst for the industry since December 2013.  During the period, just shy of three years ago, payroll shrank by 15,000 jobs. The ABC says that the construction industry has lost jobs over the last two consecutive months-the first time this has happened in four years. 

"Today's jobs report was earth-shattering," said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu on the June 3, 2016-dated report. "This signals the worsening of the industry-wide skilled labor shortage."

Basu notes that the job losses will spark discussions across the Country of a  recession after staving off such for the past three months. 

"Without question, the U.S. economy is associated with significant weakness," said Basu. "Still, contractors should be on guard."

The construction industry unemployment rate fell to 5.2 percent in May, its lowest level since October 2006. The nonresidential construction sector lost 2,100 jobs in May after adding 4,700 jobs in April.  Nonresidential specialty trade contractors added 3,000 jobs for the month, and employment in that category is up by 67,500 jobs or 2.9 percent from the same time one year ago. The heavy and civil engineering construction segment lost 8,200 jobs in May but is up by 7,000 positions or 0.8 percent on a year-over-year basis. 

To find out more about how GET, LLC, through our construction equipment and materials partners can help your next project, give us a call at 671-483-0789 or check out our website at www.get-guam.com for more information. GET, LLC is a proud member of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) and stand in support of enhancing the success of women in the construction industry.

Revised Standards for Aerial Work Platforms on the Horizon

Interesting news from the 99-year old Engineering News-Record that will soon have some impact on construction job sites in the Western Pacific. The Troy, Michigan-based publication earlier this month reported that the use of aerial work platforms is on the rise citing a recent study by the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) which found that AWPs continue to grow as a percentage of rental fleets.

We have heard concerns from island specialty rental firms and construction companies that is in line with a growing nationwide effort to revise ANSI safety standards and curb the number of potential operators calling for quotes and renting out our collective gear that not highly experienced using an aerial work platform. 

“In these new standards, we’re looking at what we know today that we didn’t know when we wrote the last standard,” said IPAF North America Development Manager and ANSI committee member Tony Groat. “We’re looking at new equipment in the marketplace, as well as new technology available to us.”

The proposed draft standards from IPAF and the Scaffold & Access Industry Association are A92.20 Design, Calculations, Safety Requirements and Test Methods for Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs); A92.22 Safe Use of MEWPs; and A92.24 Training Requirements for the Use, Operation, Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of MEWPs. These will replace the existing A92.2, A92.22 and A92.24 standards.

Aerial work platforms, referred to in the new standard as “mobile elevating work platforms,” or MEWPs, have been reclassified in the new A92.2 as either vertical- or boom-based lifts. The categories now also include truck-mounted lifts, which were not addressed in the previous edition of the standard.

One of the biggest changes in the draft standard is the requirement for load-sensing alarms and cutouts to be built into new work platforms. 

In addition to design changes, the new ANSI standards will include new guidelines for operators, passengers and supervisors. Fall-protection gear will be required on all boom-type lifts, and the new standard will discourage the use of MEWPs to transport workers from one level to another. The standards will also make it the responsibility of a supervisor to prepare a risk assessment for any use of the platform, placing the onus not just on the worker at the controls but also on site managers and contractors.

If you have any aerial lift needs and would like to discuss potential solutions, please drop GET, LLC a line via our website at www.get-guam.com or give us a call at 671-797-0789-your authorized Terex/Genie Representative for Guam and Micronesia.

GET, LLC and Deco Lighting Team Up on GFA Futsal Lighting Retrofit Project

GET, LLC AND DECO LIGHTING TEAM UP ON GFA FUTSAL LIGHTING RETROFIT PROJECT
D823LED Showcased As Part of Asia Football Confederation-Funded Project

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 11, 2016

GET, LLC and Deco Lighting, in cooperation with the Guam Football Association (GFA) has completed the installation of energy efficient lighting of the sports federation's recently renovated futsal court at the GFA National Training Center in Harmon, Guam. The installation of 14 Deco Lighting D823-Light-Emitting Diode (LED) 23" Area Lights by GFA partner SET Pacific Inc., was part of a major retrofit of the futsal court which included the installation of a modern artificial playing surface.  

"Two great teams came together for a great cause/program at GFA," said GFA Executive Director Cheri Stewart. "This project will do much to support our National Teams and allow us to incorporate LED lighting into our expansion plans of the world class soccer facilities here."

The project was funded through the generous financial support of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).  The AFC is the governing body of Asian football and one of the six Confederations making up the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). This is the first retrofit and renovation on the futsal courts since GFA constructed the facility in 2008.  

The D823-LED 23" floodlight is the right choice for applications requiring high light levels, excellent beam utilization, and smooth distribution making the D823-LED ideal for tennis courts, building perimeters, large parking lots-and outdoor basketball courts.

"GET,LLC is so very proud to have worked on this important retrofit project for the GFA, AFC and the soccer players of Guam," said Managing Partner Tricia Gumataotao. "We credit the expertise of the Deco Lighting Team that continues to help us bring modern commercial lighting technologies and solutions to Guam's village communities."

GET, LLC was appointed by Deco Lighting as its company's Sales Representative for Guam and Micronesia in December 2013. 

Deco Lighting has done a number of signature projects across America including the recent LED retrofit of the Staples Center and Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles, California. The GFA Project joins similar efforts in the Municipality of Santa Rita, Guam and the Guam International Airport Authority using Deco Lighting LED products to further illuminate important public facilities using state of the art energy efficient lighting technology.

GET, LLC is a Women-Owned and Minority-Owned Small Business serving both federal and local government agencies and commercial businesses of Guam and the Western Pacific in business-to-business consulting services and construction supplies and equipment sales.

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Warning! Hazards with Improperly Installing Lighting Retrofit Kits

Even for the most savvy and skilled of Do-it-yourselfer, the prospect of installing a lighting retrofit kit to save money on the installation and operations is very attractive.  But the premier safety science organization this week announced that there may be some adverse consequence for the un-educated and or novice electrical worker.

The 120-year old global independent safety company UL sent out a warning to building owners, installers and consumers that  there is a growing number of reports of improperly installed and non-certified retrofit lighting kits that may pose a fire or shock hazard. 

The move to more modern and efficient lighting fixtures is a positive step towards energy savings and sustainability, but care must be taken to use certified retrofit kits and install them properly. A qualified electrician must complete the retrofit according to accompanying installation instructions, as improper installation may pose a fire or shock hazard.

UL say that many retrofit installations are completed in ways that create safety hazards where none existed before, creating unintended consequences in the name of energy efficiency. The components used in the retrofit may have individual certifications, but if the kit (including the accompanying installation instructions) is not certified per the applicable Standards for Safety, problems can occur. 

"The common thinking is that LED retrofits are low-voltage. This is not true. All retrofit kits will include branch circuit connections, and should be treated with proper safety precautions," said UL Lighting Division Principal Engineer Bahram Barzideh.  "A retrofit kit is more than just parts. When a luminaire is modified using off-the-shelf parts, there is no way to know if the luminaire is compliant or even safe." 

UL urges those installing a lighting retrofit to use only third-party certified retrofit kits and follow the accompanying installation instructions. UL Certified lighting retrofit kits can be verified in UL's Certification database found on ul.com at http://iq.ul.com/ssl/ and selecting LED Retrofit Kits from the product category pull-down. 

GET,LLC can provide you with one of those kits-the Deco Lighting Linea LED Kit. They come in 1x4, 2x2 and 2x4 configurations. We have seen these kits in action already as the Guam International Airport Authority is utilizing the Deco Lighting Linea Kits as part of an Emergency Lighting Pilot Project in the main terminal of the A.B. Won Pat International Airport.

To learn more about the lighting products that GET, LLC provides, including the LED lines of our partners, Independence LED Lighting and Deco Lighting Inc., please check out our website at www.get-guam.com or call us to discuss solutions for your important lighting needs-All Made in America!!!

NAWIC Guam Chapter 381 Takes Part in Women in Construction Week March 6-12, 2016

Guam Chapter 381 of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) will celebrate Women in Construction (WIC) Week March 6-12, 2016. 

 “The National Association of Women in Construction is committed to enhancing the success of all women in construction - not just those who are NAWIC members,” says NAWIC Guam Chapter 381 President Jessica Barrett.  “Our organization accomplishes this through educational opportunities, networking, and community/industry service projects.  If you are a woman employed in any area of the construction industry on Guam, we welcome you to join us".   

The focus of WIC Week is to highlight women as a visible component of the construction industry. It is also a time for local chapters to give back to their communities. WIC Week provides an occasion for NAWIC’s thousands of members across the country to raise awareness of the opportunities available for women in the construction industry and to emphasize the growing role of women in the industry.  A proclamation signing by the Office of the Governor of Guam to celebrate WIC Week on Guam is set for Friday, March 4, 2016.  


“There are more than one million women employed in the construction industry. Ten percent of these women are administrative specialists, general contractors, subcontractors, trades people, or professionals, are vital to the construction process,” says Barrett. “WIC Week brings attention to the industry and encourages women to realize that construction is a viable, profitable career field.”

NAWIC’s mission is to enhance the success of women in the construction industry.

For more information on NAWIC and the efforts of the Guam Chapter 381 feel free to contact us at 671-797-0789.  GET, LLC is a proud member of NAWIC and stand in support of enhancing the success of women in the construction industry.  

How and When to Use a Satellite Phone


Extreme Weather has challenged the power and telecommunications infrastructure in the Western Pacific,  As we found out in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) last year, if our cell phone towers or undersea cables are severed during a natural disaster, the connecting network between our isolated islands in Micronesia and the rest of the world is at risk of failure.  One tool that can utilized in preparation of such an emergency is the satellite phone.  

Satellite phones rely on a network of satellites that are either fixed above the Equator (Geostationary), or in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) anywhere from 500 to 1,000 miles above the surface of the Earth. These phones are rarely affected by violent storms and, depending upon their system architecture, work virtually anywhere in the world. Their compact design is familiar to many of us and very similar to that of the cell phone in our bags and purses.

For years, the traditional sat phone buyer and user has been the government, public safety agencies, shippers and energy companies.  That is changing. Private individuals are securing the use of sat phones so they do not lose their capability to communicate with the rest of the world. Why get one?

With its origins dating back to 1965, the launch 20 years ago of the first low earth orbit satellite network by Motorola and today about 66 satellites crisscrossing the globe on a continual basis via the now thriving Iridium, sat phone options are better and allow us to  communicate via this technology more than ever.

A March 2013 article in Forbes Magazine noted that if you purchase a sat-phone, expect to spend between $600 and $1700, depending upon the network. All of the phones are lightweight, small, and replicate the functionality of your cellular telephone. Some have Bluetooth and WiFi capabilities so you can use a remote headset, and wirelessly connect your computer for data access.

Today, there are options-even the use of sat phones with U.S. based SIM cards that are available for lease.

All satellite phones have a number of common characteristics that you need to be aware of in order to select the one that will work the best for you. The most important point to understand is that sat-phones are not cell phones, and they work on an entirely different network architecture and radio propagation characteristics. There are certain inherent limitations as to how they operate, and where.

Satellite phones help save lives, provide communications during natural disasters, and link users with the outside world when terrestrial-based networks fail. Cellular networks can be fragile and can be unavailable for a variety of reasons. Satellite networks rarely if ever are out of service, which means that if you have a satellite phone, you are almost guaranteed a connection with emergency services, business, government agencies, friends and family. 

They are, in my view, inexpensive communications insurance. 

To find out more about how GET, LLC, through our Iridium satellite phone partner at Range Global Services, LLC, can help your satellite phone needs, give us a call at 671-483-0789 or our website at www.get-guam.com for more information.

Newest National Lighting Bureau Sponsor-IBEW

This blogger is not "anti-union" or "pro-union".  I believe we should have the individual freedom as Americans to not be subject to compulsory union abuses. My younger brothers are union members and I write this as their respective union has engaged with the leading advocate of high quality illumination for the greater good. I don't do it often-giving credit where it is due.

This week, the 750,000-member International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) has become the newest sponsor of the National Lighting Bureau (NLB). For 40 years, the independent, not-for-profit foundation has educated commercial, industrial, residential, and other lighting-system owners, managers, and users about the benefits of High Benefit Lighting® or  function-focused, purpose-specific lighting systems designed to maximize bottom-line returns.  The Bureau and IBEW share a common focus on lighting.  For the IBEW, they recognize that lighting systems are becoming a part of the electronic infrastructure-essential to contemporary buildings.

"Our interests have always been close," said IBEW Business Development Represetative Edwin Hill, Jr. "We both believe that quality pays for itself, from design and specification through installation and commissioning. We look forward to helping the NLB make that point ever more vigorously in the years ahead.”

The IBEW joins GE Lighting, the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, Lighting Controls Association and the National Electrical Contractors Association among others as sponsors of the NLB.

This news comes on the heels of pending fourth quarter news after a huge third quarter as demand for lighting equipment jumped 4.4% between the second and third quarters of 2015 to achieve what the National Lighting Bureau hails as “the best quarterly performance since the second quarter of 2008.”


Kudos to the IBEW!

Check out our website for energy efficient lighting solutions at www.get-guam.com or give GET, LLC a call at 671-797-0789.  We are a provider of Independence LED Lighting and Deco Lighting Inc. products-Made in America!!!

Metal Roofs-The Right Choice

There are two facts that cannot be disputed relative to the usage of metal for the roof of your home or business.  The first is that The Metal Roofing Association (MRA) has reported that non-metal roofs last 17 years on average, but metal roofs can last a lifetime. Though higher in initial costs, they can boost homes’ resale value and cut homeowners’ insurance premiums in some states by up to 35 percent.  The second is The Metal Construction Association (MCA) has produced a study that found that certain metal roof systems can last at least 60 years, meaning they do not require replacement during a commercial building’s service life.

What do we know about metal roofs?  Metal roofing systems do not rot, warp, crack or break. They are also superior to conventional roofing systems in standing up to extreme weather with great finish warranties and guarantees to warranty in high winds-an important factor of roofing systems in Micronesia.  Metal roofs last two to three times longer than ordinary roofs, meaning they can last 40 to 60 years or longer, according to both the MRA and MCA.

The MCA holds that  the expected service life of an unpainted 55% Al-Zn coated steel (known by many trade names throughout the world, principally GALVALUME® and Zincalume® in the United States) standing seam roof constructed today in a wide range of environments using best practices can be expected to be in excess of 60 years, a value that equals the assumed building service life as described in the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design building rating program, Version 4. The study also confirmed that these types of metal roofs resist corrosion even in "weak" spots, such as sheared edges and panel profile bends. Inspections showed an absence of significant red rust after up to 35 years, indicating exceptional corrosion resistance in areas susceptible to exhibiting the first signs of corrosion.

While we would be the first to ask you to make the switch, it is clear that one thing needs to be done to protect these investments over time-maintenance.  All roof systems require a regular maintenance program to annually clean off debris and to inspect the condition of the roof in order to achieve the kind of service lives reported in this blog post.  While  steel standing seam roof systems were projected to last up to 60 years, components such as fasteners may need to be replaced during the roof life, but this represents significantly less than 20% of a total roof replacement cost.

To find out more about how GET, LLC, through our metal building partner Fabral can help with your next steel building or aluminum roofing project, give us a call at 671-483-0789 or our website at www.get-guam.com for more information.    

Working at Height in Windy Conditions-Be Safe, Not Sorry

As an owner of an aerial work platform, we spend much time to understand the challenges of working at height and how to help our customers with their unique requirements on the job site.  While much of our discussions center on getting the right lift for the job, I stumbled across an interested read that led me to a resource and particularly a section about working at height outdoors in windy conditions.

The University of Kentucky Aerial Lift Safety Program is a document that is provided to all of their employees and contractors who work at height.  As part of the program, each operator is required to complete a Work Area Checklist for Aerial Lifts before and during use.  Among the items that crews are asked to look out for on the job is wind and weather conditions.  The University directs lift operators that at 20 miles per hour wind speeds or anticipated gusts, lifts will be lowered to a maximum height of 20 feet. With wind speeds or anticipated gusts of 25 miles per hour or more, all lifts are grounded for that day.

Such wind hazard reporting is important for the safety of those working at height and for the integrity of projects that could be compromised by less that ideal work in higher wind conditions. A number of universities across America have similar wind policies relative to working at height including the University of New York, Temple University and the University of Montana just to name a few.  State Governments and private sector companies in the U.S. also have such wind safeguards in place as well.

All organizations must address the hazards of operating aerial work platforms in windy conditions as the hazards can include the lift falling over,  a worker slipping off the platform if the lift is used during bad weather or high winds, positioned on soft or uneven ground, overloaded with heavy objects and driven over uneven, unstable ground, or surface in poor condition, with the lift in an elevated position.

While all lift owners and operators stress following their manufacturer’s instruction regarding operation in windy conditions, If at any time, personnel feels unsafe, due to weather or wind conditions prior to using an aerial lift, they may make a decision to ground the lift and cease. 

No questions asked

The lift industry has recognized for years that we all have a responsibility to do our part in supplying safe, efficient equipment to users, and to ensure that those users know how to operate the equipment in a proper manner so that the job is completed safely... and then go home.


If you have any aerial lift needs and would like to discuss potential solutions, please drop GET, LLC a line via our website at www.get-guam.com or give us a call at 671-483-0789-your authorized Terex/Genie Representative for Guam and Micronesia.

Polished Concrete Floors Are the Way to Go

In 1905, Frank Lloyd Wright used reinforced concrete in the Unity Temple in Oak Park, Illinois-the first of such structures to be ever be built and was considered by architects around the world as the first modern building in the world.  For the past 110 years, concrete would continue to be leveraged for worship, work and living spaces and other applications all around the world. Lately, concrete, wood and hot-rolled steel are seeing a rise in popularity for sustainable living and business activities across the globe.  In a Wall Street Journal October 2015 survey of 100 U.S. home builders, nearly 80% of respondents said industrial-influenced design was already popular or becoming popular with just 7% of the builders surveyed thought it was a passing fad.

As we are living in Guam with the initial influences of Wright for protecting against the seasonal winds through our latitude, thanks in large part to American military engineers, concrete flooring as an option for home improvement seems to be one that has been often overlooked for its beauty, sustainability and economy. Concrete flooring gives you a durable, low maintenance floor that will last the life of your home and business-heck, many businesses on island have been using them to sustain their bottom lines for decades. 


There is no question that concrete floors, when left exposed, conserve resources by functioning both as a foundation slab and finished floor. This eliminates the need for carpeting and other floor coverings that would eventually require replacement.  In addition to conserving materials, concrete flooring offers many other environmental benefits, such as contributing to better energy efficiency and improving indoor air quality. 

Concrete floors utilize sustainable materials. The predominant raw material for the cement in concrete is limestone, the most abundant mineral on earth and is the material our island sits on. Because of their thermal mass and ability to retain heat, concrete floors are ideal for passive solar home designs.  In hot and tropical climates like those found in Micronesia, concrete floors shielded from the sun will stay cool longer and can actually help lower air-conditioning costs. An exposed concrete floor is often an economical alternative to other finish solutions such as hardwood flooring and tile. For new residential construction or commercial projects with site-cast concrete floor slabs, choosing to leave the concrete floors exposed can save big money over the life of the building. First, you don't have to buy and install an additional floor covering to put on top of the floor slab. In addition, the durability and low maintenance needs of concrete flooring will save you the recurring maintenance and replacement costs associated with less-enduring flooring materials, such as carpet and vinyl tile. In a typical home environment, concrete floors are very low-maintenance, requiring only periodic sweeping or wet mopping.

A darling of architects including Frank Lloyd Wright, for its versatile applications and honest good looks, polished concrete surfaces are enjoying something of a renaissance.

An recent article from The Concrete Network pointed out that when properly installed and sealed, a concrete floor should last a lifetime and will never need replacement. Few flooring materials can boast this same longevity. Carpet, tile and even wood floors eventually need replacement, which uses up resources and creates waste disposal problems. 

"Oversupply" Causes Korean Manufacturers to Trim LED Business

As we come into the New Year, we have to take notice of the changing landscape of the Asian lighting technology business.  With many Guam based businesses looking to the region for more economical ways to reduce energy costs and illuminate their respective facilities, we all must be aware that the region's lighting business climate will take some interesting twists in 2016.  Of note, the Korean lighting industry is starting to see significant shakeups.

Taiwan-based LEDInside, citing a number of reputable industry sources,  is reporting that the oversupply situation in the light-emitting diode (LED) industry this past year has pushed large Korean LED companies to downsize.  The market intelligence provider, reported late last month that Iljin Group intends to close down its LED chip and package business, which has faced constant losses into profit since its founding in 2008. It is reported that the company has sent its application to Seoul Central District Court as of Dec. 18, 2015, and is waiting for the judge’s final ruling. It is rumored the LED business restructure was made to avoid negatively impacting the finances of the 49 year old parent company Iljin Group

In addition, Korean company SKC is reporting that it will integrate its LED lighting business SKC Lighting back into the parent company by March 2016. SKC Lighting was established as an independent entity in September 2011, at the time SKC was bullish about the LED lighting industry’s sustainable development, but the lighting business operation flopped, and its revenue performance has been below par.

Samsung Electronics announced its plans to down size its LED business in September 2015 with their rival LG Innotec, which intended to become a leader in the LED industry has secretly sold its sapphire wafer business to Samsung Sumitomo LED Materials, a joint venture established by Samsung and Sumitomo Chem.

With Korean lighting to see some bumps in the road, the picture is better industry wide with the National Lighting Bureau (NLB) reporting today that demand for lighting equipment jumped 4.4% between the second and third quarters of 2015-the best quarterly performance since the second quarter of 2008. 

“Three months ago we said that ‘lighting-equipment demand is moving in the right direction’," said NLB Executive Director John Bachner.  “We’re optimistic that the next report will show continued growth over the third quarter. Our optimism has been justified; in fact, it has been more than justified. Lighting’s back!”

The dramatic improvement – a 4.8% year-over-year gain – was revealed by data developed by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) for the NEMA Lighting-Systems Index (LSI). 

Need an LED solution for your facility? Check out our website at www.get-guam.com or give GET, LLC a call at 671-797-0789.  We are a provider of Independence LED Lighting and Deco Lighting Inc. products-Made in America!!!