CONSTRUCTION SERIES

The Explosion

I was a young field technician working for a consulting company. My success was measured by how many chargeable hours I billed to clients. I was young, invincible, and ambitious - I wanted to be one of the top earners in the firm and I was on track for a great year.

But then I caused an explosion that put me in the hospital for three months. Try to figure out what I learned about essential competencies of the job?

• Being Accountable
• Being Adaptable
• Being Careful
• Being Effective

Heavy Machinery Rollover

I was driving a 773-dump truck on a windy day after taking the winter off. I was a few weeks into working a new construction site, but the vehicle felt familiar to me. All my training was coming back to me quickly. You can imagine how surprised I was to find myself and my dump truck lying sideways across the middle of the road. Try to figure out what I learned about essential competencies of the job?

• Being Adaptable
• Being Alert
• Being Conscientious

Who's Got My Back?

A bunch of competing demands led to a high-stress situation on a construction site. I was faced with a difficult choice: should I proceed into an unsafe work situation? While my employer was generally known for insisting on a safe work environment, we were always facing decisions to balance productivity and safety. Sometime productivity was allowed to trump safety. Try to figure out what I learned about essential competencies of the job?

• Being Cautious
• Being Adaptable
• Being Open-Minded
• Being Conscientious

Buried But Alive

I was working for a construction company as a valve and pipe-fitting specialist. My training told me that I needed an extra piece of safety equipment before entering an unsecured trench but it wasn't readily available. A bunch of competing demands led to a pressure-cooker situation, and I was feeling anxious to get the job done. Should I proceed into an unsafe work situation or risk getting fired from a job I needed? Try to figure out what I learned about essential competencies of the job?

• Being Courageous
• Being Conscientious
• Being Safe
• Being Courageous

A Slippery Slope

I was responsible for investigating an incident that occurred on a cold winter morning around 8:30 a.m. The site was a large, bustling work zone, with many sub-trades collaborating on a five-story structure with a pitched roof. Most of the workers were seasoned professionals, except for one young roofing apprentice who had only been on the job for a few months. I was the investigator looking into what led to this incident. Try to figure out what I learned about essential competencies of the job?

• Being Consistent
• Being Diligent
• Being Responsible
• Being Aware
• Being Careful

The Class-4 Pole

It was a very cold January afternoon in southern Alberta. I was a journeyman on a small crew, tasked with setting up structures and tying in de-energized power lines. The day before, we had completed the structure setup, and now we were focused on sagging and tying in the lines. Try to figure out what I learned about essential competencies of the job?

• Being Careful
• Being Careful
• Being Diligent
• Being Cautious

The Last Job of the Week

This incident took place at 4:30 p.m. on a Friday. Our experienced crew of eleven workers, plus myself and a foreman, were on our last job of the week replacing spacers and carts with new ones. Everyone was wearing the correct PPE. Hazards, Controls, and the Emergency Response Plan had all been reviewed prior to work beginning for the day.

• Being Adaptable
• Being Proactive
• Being Precise
• Being Accountable

The Sky is the Limit

Our crew was going down a highway in northern Alberta installing marker balls on power lines over road crossings. It's a simple task and one I had done many times before without incident. Try to figure out what I learned about essential competencies of the job?

• Being Adaptable
• Being Alert
• Being Disciplined