GET, LLC's Blog

NAWIC Guam Chapter #381 Joins Annual Women in Construction Week Celebrations

On the eve of the Proclamation signing of 2017 Women in Construction Week in Guam by the Office of the Governor of Guam, GET, LLC wanted to take this opportunity with all the members of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Guam Chapter #381 to get out the word on this annual celebration of the success of women in the construction industry.

“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,” said Immediate Past-President of NAWIC Sandy Field. “We accomplish this through educational opportunities, networking, and community/industry service projects. If you are a woman employed in any area of the construction industry, we welcome you to join us!"

It is important to note that 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, including the Guam Chapter, to give back to their respective 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.

“'Women in Construction Week' is simply a time set aside to thank those women for all their efforts toward successful construction projects. WIC Week will also bring attention to the industry and encourage others to realize that construction is a viable, profitable career field,” said NAWIC Guam President Shierly Caceres.

Among the NAWIC Guam Chapter Activities this week: a Foundations for Safety Leadership Education Program hosted at the Guam Contractors Association and the annual NAWIC Builds Event at the GCA Trades Academy in Barrigada.

WIC Week comes as we enter the 35th annual National Women's History Month. The 2017 theme for National Women’s History Month honors women who have successfully challenged the role of women in both business and the paid labor force. We can all agree that women have always worked, but often their work has been undervalued and unpaid. GET, LLC thanks all women for their role in building Guam and America and their role in maintaining our great society.

Check out the NAWIC Guam Chapter page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/nawicguam381 for more details about this year's WIC Week Guam activities. Also 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.

GPA ROLLS OUT NEW MY ENERGY STATEMENT

This past week, the Guam Power Authority (GPA) rolled out its new My Energy Statement as an effort to improve the sharing of vital energy information with its customers. For our small business, this new product is not just another social media campaign we helped roll out with GPA on Monday via the agency's Facebook page. As a home based business, the new GPA statement has features that really jump out at us. It is a product that all 50,000 GPA customers should take notice of.

At first glance of the GPA My Energy Statement, the Read Date shown on the statement is key to knowing when GPA was in your neighborhood and monitored your meter for proper billing. I think this issue puts to bed many concerns that questioned whether GPA actually did their job at our respective homes and home-based businesses each and every month. Also, the outlining of the monthly customer charge is prominently displayed-even if you opted out of this by turning away the use of the Smart Meter. Effectively highlighted are the assortment of Energy Charges-well it better be prominent as Guam Public Law 21-142 mandates the GPA complete this important task for all its rate-payers. Not too far below this particular nugget of information is the infamous Fuel Recovery Charge. The Charge reference is the most well publicized of costs on this Statement and is followed closely by many on fixed incomes from Yigo to Merizo. While this blogger is not so crazy about the Emergency Water-Well and Wastewater Charge being shown on this product-the GWA Bill would be a better place for this-I am happy about the Average Daily Amount of Power Used Section. This bit of data is helpful for decision making for our homes and home-offices. This is the type of information that can drive the local sales of energy efficiency products like smart controls, Light-Emitting Diode (LED) lighting, solar thermal and even solar photovoltaic systems.

The GPA My Energy Statement is a great tool for all GPA customers. If you have yet to see it, we encourage you (yes-as a social media advisor to GPA) to visit myenergyguam.com to take that first step towards managing your household power use.

For more information on how GET, LLC can assist you with your social media and energy efficient product needs, please call us at 671-483-0789 or check out our website at www.get-guam.com.

IRIDIUM TO GROW SERVICE WITH THE LAUNCH OF NEW SATELLITES

Last month, SpaceX launched 10 communications satellites into low-Earth orbit for the Virginia-based company Iridium. In the lead up of a week filled with heavy rain and strong winds, just a few clouds dotted the skies in Southern California when the rocket climbed skyward. The first batch in a $3 billion 72-satellite network that will replace the company’s current fleet of aging low-Earth-orbit mobile voice and data relay stations.

The stakes are high for both companies.

For SpaceX, which has now lost two of 29 Falcon 9 rockets -- one in flight and one on the ground -- a successful mission will help restore confidence in the low-cost boosters and clear the way for a resumption of commercial and government launches that have been on hold since a September mishap.

For Iridium, the launch was the first step in a complex satellite-by-satellite swap out, part of a long-range effort to retire satellites that have operated long past their design life, replace them with upgraded, more capable spacecraft and expand the company’s capabilities in an increasingly competitive commercial space operations environment.

“Frankly, it means our future, because we have to replace this network anyway,” Iridium CEO Matthew Desch said in an interview with CBS News.

Going into the long replacement operation, Desch said the first order of business is “to do no harm to our 800-and-some-thousand current subscribers. So the new satellites do everything the old satellites did, but they do a whole lot more. It really gets us seriously into sort of broadband connections.”

Range Global Service General Manager Terry Daniels tells this blogger that the Iridium launch will help initially with overall coverage and service which could mean less dropped calls and improved signal quality.

"In the big picture, the new constellation - which will take about two years to get launched and fully operational - will offer higher speed data solutions," wrote Daniels in an email. " Of course, higher data speeds come at a higher price. All pricing is still yet to be determined, and higher speed service won't be available until late this year."

Daniels is excited about the short term prospects in which there will be due to couple of satellites that are not working at 100%.

Down the road, the software upgrades implemented after launch, the first-generation satellites can relay voice and data at ISDN-class speeds, but the Iridium NEXT spacecraft will work at up to 1.4 megabits per second or "a whole lot more performance".

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.

NAWIC Guam Hosts 2017 Block Kids Event

It was not a typical Saturday on Guam. While many were just stirring their way to start yet another weekend in Paradise, a handful of our Island's young people made their way to the Guam Community College (GCC) to participate the in the third annual Block Kids Lego Competition hosted by the National Association of Women In Construction (NAWIC) Guam Chapter #381.

It was event that showcased originality.

It stirred creativity.

The event brought out imagination.

This Blogger was taken aback by the interest showed by the many kids and teachers in attendance. These school children, representing the villages of Yigo south to Merizo and all areas in-between, were eager to show off their skills with a Lego and their imaginative thinking using the iconic plastic construction toy.

I talked to a number of parents at the event and all were very proud of the prep work each of their respective youngsters put into the NAWIC event. No question that there were many in the 2017 edition that had participated in the two previous events. Additionally, many of the volunteers were excited to be a part of this signature event too. I was impressed by the organization and energy-it was not hard to smile at the enthusiasm.

NAWIC Guam works hard during the year to share the Block Kids Program with many island schools that culminates in the annual event at GCC. The work of the NAWIC Guam sisters paid off. Prizes were awarded for the top designs across the different grade levels-including a Lego version of the United States Capitol Building.

Attitude and insight were rewarded today. I understand that the judges were impressed with the range of final products which they said gets better each and every year.

At a time when we are wondering if our kids are losing their interest in such activities with the amount of mass media and technology getting the best of many their age, this event reminds us that the creation of the structures today are creations of Guam's future engineer or construction professional.

One final note, a good portion of the participants in the Block Kids event were girls-including the youngest of my four daughters.

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.

The Internet of Things-Keeping Your Data Safe

Recently our friends at American Family Life Insurance Company of Columbus (AFLAC) rolled out a new service to support the fraud and identity protection needs of its voluntary insurance customers.

Over the last year, AFLAC had been working with its customers with a cost-effective service to help protect business owners and their respective employees personal and financial information complete with internet monitoring and identity restoration services to keep at bay a growing threat in the US consumer marketplace.

In 2014, Americans lost $16 billion due to fraud and identity theft victims spent hours trying to recover from this emerging white collar crime.

This is an important issue to this Blogger and it should be front and center to your current business processes if it isn't already.

As the Internet of Things or IoT continues to evolve, the focus of much of this emerging technological crime, we thought we could share some advice to protect you and your devices from compromise. Keep in mind, this has been a growing issue since 1985 and many would have never thought that such crime would be proliferated while the technologies or "smart devices" have brought the world closer to our fingertips.

First, consider setting up a separate network for your IoT devices in your home or office. By keeping IoT devices and other information separate, those unscrupulous hackers will have a harder time gaining access to your personal information. Second, never connect your IoT devices to unsecured networks. Sure it is convenient when you are on the road or when you need to quickly respond for fear of losing that business lead. Be sure to create strong passwords for your Wi-Fi networks-the easiest way for hackers to gain entry into your home or business device that will further compromise your respective Wi-Fi network. Finally, look into any available security measures offered for your smart devices. It helps that once you get it, to constantly update your IoT software since these devices are especially susceptible to cyber attacks.

Do not be discouraged by such news or the threats of the hacks of IoT devices worldwide.

Just take the necessary precautions to avoid having your information compromised and keep yourself aware of other threats to your identity.

Our hats off to AFLAC and Independent Insurance Agents like ours, Jenny D. Sarmiento, for their advocacy on this important issue. For more information on the AFLAC suite of fraud protection services via EZ Shield, please contact Jenny at 671-488-3669 or jenny_duenas@us.aflac.com. For all of your network security needs in the Western Pacific, please contact GET, LLC for information on our solutions that can be of assistance to you and your respective businesses including access to the Panduit and Cisco line of network security products-of which we are proud Business Partners of both. Give us a call at 671-483-0789 or find out more at our website at www.get-guam.com.

GET, LLC AWARDED ISLAND ROAD MAINTENANCE CONTRACT

GET, LLC AWARDED ISLAND ROAD MAINTENANCE CONTRACT

Talofofo, Guam-based Small Business Executing GVB Services Along Guam's Roadways

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 12, 2017

GET,LLC has been awarded an Independent and Professional Services Contract for the Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) Island Road Maintenance Program. The award is for the duration of the Government of Guam's Fiscal Year 2017 with two available option years. A Notice to Award was issued to the Talofofo-based business by GVB on November 22, 2016 and the Notice to Proceed followed on November 28, 2016. The scope of work includes grass cutting/mowing, trash collection, edging of medians and planting strips, scraping of curbs and sidewalks and post-disaster cleanup.

"We understand the Guam Visitors Bureau has made it a priority to promote Guam as a favorable visitor destination by maintaining the basic tourism plant and infrastructure," said GET, LLC Managing Partner Tricia J.S. Gumataotao. "Our experience in managing policies, processes and procedures, our expertise and familiarity required to manage and support GVB Projects, setting up and managing staff requirements and implementing procurement and buying processes make GET, LLC uniquely positioned to assist you in achieving your overall goal of industry leadership and enhancing the visitor experience."

GET, LLC has worked in cooperation with GVB and the Guam Department of Public Works to ensure this important GVB contract is executed from Yigo to Merizo and has cut nearly 100 miles of roadway along Route 1, Route 2, Route 4 and Route 34 (Two Lovers Point) since their work began on the program on December 2, 2016.

"Our team is excited to be a partner with GVB on this important program," said Gumataotao. "By helping keep our island beautiful, our work we hope gives that lasting impression to our tourists to come back to Guam and our residents proud of the responsible use of such valuable resources to support an industry that is the lifeblood of our economy ".

GET, LLC is a HUBZone Certified Women-Owned and Minority-Owned Small Business serving Federal and local government agencies and commercial businesses of Guam and the Western Pacific in the areas of business-to-business services, construction materials, supplies, and equipment.

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Teaming Partner/Project Manager Dominick San Gil, left, and GET, LLC Managing Partner Tricia J.S. Gumataotao, right, pose with one of a number of recently manufactured traffic signs in support of the Guam Visitors Bureau Island Road Maintenance Program on Friday, January 13, 2017 in Harmon, Guam. (GET, LLC)

Terex Completes the Sale of Its Material Handling and Port Solutions Business

Some news from our friends at Terex. The Terex Corporation has announced that it has completed the sale of its Material Handling and Port Solutions business to Finland-based Konecranes Plc for $595 million, €200 million in cash and 19.6 million newly issued class B shares representing a 25% interest in Konecranes.

“We believe that the Konecranes-MHPS combination represents compelling industrial logic that will deliver significant value to Konecranes customers, team members and shareholders, including Terex” said John L. Garrison, Terex President and CEO. “The sale of our MHPS business is a major milestone on our journey to become a more focused, high performance enterprise. We are committed to delivering improved profitability and return on capital across Terex as we implement our strategy of focus, simplify, and execute to win. Also, we will move forward over the coming weeks with our planned debt reduction, significantly reducing our interest expense and leverage as we enter 2017.”

The final transaction consideration is subject to post-closing adjustments for cash, debt, working capital, MHPS actual 2016 EBITDA and the closing of the sale of the Stahl CraneSystems business.

A great step for Terex-we do believe 2017 will be good for business for the entire Terex family.

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.

Smart Lighting Is On the Way

There is no question that wireless technology has become an important part of our daily routines here in the Western Pacific. It should come at no surprise that wireless technologies like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and "RF Ids" are experiencing a rise in usage both here and beyond our shores in communities all over the world.

Correspondingly, the rising popularity of wireless technology in lighting solutions is thus considered to be one of the major reasons driving the smart lighting market. The wireless lighting solutions are easy to control and help its customers to attain maximum energy saving.

Pune, India-based The Insight Partners issued a report last month that calls out the emergence of the smart lighting industry.

What is it?

Fancying themselves as the industry research provider of "actionable intelligence", The Insight Partners defines smart lighting as a technology that enables its users to govern the lighting of any space without being surrounded by unnecessary wires.They call out in their 198 page report that Smart lighting is a part of upcoming IoT technology, facilitating mobile and sensor based control on the luminosity of lights in a particular space. Additionally, they claim that the intelligent connected lighting offers its users a eco-friendly environment and effectively reduces the consumption of energy. Based on their research, they surmise that the global Smart Lighting market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 17.1% between now and 2025 and would grow into a $51 billion industry into the next decade.

The report wisely notes that the global smart lighting market is fragmented based on geographical area and the types of lighting being used across commercial and residential applications in those areas. Whether it be from Light Emitting Diode (LED) Lamps, Fluorescent Lamps, Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) to High Intensity Discharge Lamps, the usage of these lamps will vary across the globe with many developing countries in the region of Middle East and Africa expected to have the highest growth.

Experts believe that the shortcoming of a wireless system will be the occasional disturbance in communications among devices. When a wireless lighting system is installed in a place, one should always make sure that the keypads, processors and dimmers are within a specific range. For example, some old residential buildings may be constructed with metal wire integrated in the walls that might create disturbance or weaken the signals of a wireless system. Though it has certain drawbacks, it is expected to capture more than half of the lighting market in next few years.

The prospects are peaking the interests of many tech companies and the lighting manufacturing giants who have been switching their product portfolio to wireless smart lighting solutions.

Need a lighting controls or LED lighting solution or both for your facility? Check out our website at www.get-guam.com or give GET, LLC a call at 671-483-0789. We are a provider of Independence LED Lighting and Deco Lighting Inc. products-All Made in America!!!

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.

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.

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.

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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