Ten years in the Marcellus - love seeing the growth here!

MOMS’ WORK                                                                                                         May, 2017

Happy Mother’s Day! Today I received a box of my favorite oatmeal cookies. They were made by my friend Liz in Texas. This was her amazing way of wishing me a Happy Mother’s Day. These delicious cookies caused me to pause and reflect on women (more so Moms) who work. You see, I sell tools to construction companies and manufacturers – typical non-traditional workplaces for women.

Recently, an engineer for a construction company, Tara and I talked about how we are seeing an increase of women on the job site. Hold onto your hat man, less than 10% of workers in trades, safety and engineer professionals are women on site. Something that is improving but we still need to work on. I still walk onto a site occasionally devoid of women. I see a growing acceptance of women in non-traditional roles. Why? Wage equality, job equality, work force availability it could be one of or all of these reasons.

Following are some interesting statistics I found while researching this topic. Also I am including some resources if you or your daughters are looking for a non-traditional career. Now is the time! We are building, repairing and growing at a pace not seen in decades in places like Pittsburgh, PA and Cleveland OH.  I salute all working Moms – thank you for paving the way, setting the example and encouraging a new generation in a new exciting field. To all the men that see the potential in women and help forge a path to equality – thank you for supporting us and being a trail blazer! 

Here is a link to Mom inspired buildings. https://buildingradar.com/construction-blog/mothers-day/

Resources:

Visit the trades to learn more about career options:

http://www.buildersguild.org/careers.html Free apprenticeship programs in 17 different trades.

http://www.nawic.org/nawic/default.asp National Association of Women in Construction

http://www.ubcsisters.org/ United Sisterhood of the Brotherhood of Carpenters

http://pittsburgh.swe.org/  Society of Women Engineers

Statistics:

http://www.stuffmomnevertoldyou.com/blogs/womens-work-construction.htm

https://www.dol.gov/wb/stats/Nontraditional%20Occupations.pdf  I selected some of the stats to view.

Occupations	# of workers (thousands)	Women as a % of total employed
Architects	178	25.3%
Industrial Engineers	194	16%
Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters	51	9.9%
First -line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers	696	2.4%
Electricians	796	2.4%

Author:

Linda Richardson, Director of Business Development

Working for a trail blazing woman owned business

PowerTool and Supply www.powertoolandsupply.com

Want to share your experience in non-traditional roles?

Contact me at linda@powertoolandsupply. 

WOMEN IN MANUFACTURING AND CONSTRUCTION

The Deloitte Analysis article (women in manufacturing)very informative. Working in a male dominated industry for a woman owned company makes me realize how many areas women should be growing and succeeding in. Manufacturing seems to be an area ripe for women workers. The technological advances with computers and robotics means the dirty back breaking, repetitious manufacturing of by-gone eras are no more.

Manufacturing requires training, education and is looking for a skilled workforce. Initiatives in Eastern Ohio and Western PA by government and corporate collaborations to educate is based on getting the word out to the right people. No longer does everyone's path to success mean a 4 year degree. There are technical schools that will enable a student after 1 to 2 years to be employed in manufacturing or construction. These collaborations have it right, get to the students and educators. Show them what manufacturing is today and help them make a decision that is based on knowledge.

I was involved with Oh-Penn for business - a wonderful bi-state collaboration between Ohio and PA. Their value was in educating the upcoming workforce through tours, videos and classroom visits. Check them out!
http://www.ohpenn.org/

 The nation's workforce is shrinking, many in manufacturing are retiring. This industry is welcoming diverse workforce solutions. Many universities are teaming with manufacturers adding curriculum that advances interest in these fields. I applaud these efforts and am proud to work for a woman in a male dominated industry. She is making strides and working hard to build a reliable business regardless of gender.

Celebrating NAWIC's (National Association of Women in Construction) National Rebuilding Day with the Pittsburgh Chapter on Saturday April 29, 2017. We will be rebuilding a local home and adding much needed repairs. I will post more about this event afterwards. Let's hope I paint straight lines, hammer straight nails and show some skills as I work side-by-side with lady carpenters, builders, construction workers and engineers.
NAWIC Chapter information

Let's hope we can all women and men make this country great by including diversity in our workforce!

Linda Richardson
Business Development Director
Power Tool and Supply ( a woman owned business)
www.powertoolandsupply.com
linda@powertoolandsupply.com

You asked - now we carry Hanes Geo products!

Cleveland Opportunity Corridor Aerial Animation phase 3 begins soon!

New from PORTER CABLE: 20V MAX* BRUSHLESS EDGE Power Tools

WE ARE SEIRUS ABOUT WINTER

https://youtu.be/VIztk9k1dLQ Seirus Gear on YouTube

 Are you a skier, winter sport enthusiast?  Are you finding yourself spending hours in the woods freezing your buns off looking for Bambi’s father, brother, mother…. Cold weather technology has advanced to keep you warmer and drier than ever before. As companies like Seirus and Milwaukee patent new ways to combat the cold, we will be sure to offer these advanced technical products.

At Power Tool and Supply we have heard our customers request cold weather gear and we offer a great assortment of clothing. In our store, we have hats, coats, gloves and heat reactive socks. Hey these Heatwave™ socks from Seirus are great for hunters, exclusive Heatwave™ thermodynamic lining as a comfortable, 4-way stretch sock lets you increase the heat of any footwear.

Check out our variety of cold weather gloves from the Heatwave™ glove liner to the Youngstown heavy duty work gloves. Outer wear designed to keep your hands warm and dry in the extremist conditions.

Forbes reviewed over 200 US ski resorts to come up with their top 10 list of ski resorts.  Check it out here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/christophersteiner/2015/11/17/the-top-10-ski-resorts-in-north-america-for-2016/#4b83914e1bf0

Let’s keep your core warm! Your body temperature is just as important as your hands and feet. Yes, your hands and feet will get cold first but you need to keep that core warm to stay in the cold for extended periods of time.  

  

New technology enables Milwaukee to offer heated jackets. They stay warm with a small 12 V rechargeable battery for up to 8 hours! We have coats and vests in Camo, black and florescent colors for those out working on the roads.New technology enables Milwaukee to offer heated jackets. They stay warm with a small 12 V rechargeable battery for up to 8 hours! We have coats and vests in Camo, black and florescent colors for those out working on the roads.

Reducing the need for bulky layers, 

Milwaukee®M12™ Heated Gear utilize carbon fiber heating elements to generate and trap heat across core body areas. Adjustable heat technology allows users to adapt to changing conditions by increasing or decreasing the heat level with the touch of a button. 

Powered by M12™ REDLITHIUM batteries, you will stay warm for 8 hours of run time.

Why shop at Dicks Sporting Goods, REI, Gander Mountain or Amazon when you can get what you need to stay warm and dry this winter season at the right price! The Farmer’s Almanac said this would be a cold and snowy winter. Be prepared to stay warm and dry with our great brands and gear. We also carry hand warmers to stick in your gloves or boots if you are looking for a basic and quick fix to your cold fingers and toes.

We look forward to seeing you in the store and showing you our gear! Proper head gear and gloves will keep frostbite away; warm jackets or vests will keep your core temperature up. 

Important information about Frostbite and Hypothermia from OSHA is below:

What is hypothermia?

Hypothermia occurs when body heat is lost faster than it can be replaced and the normal body temperature (98.6°F) drops to less than 95°F.  Hypothermia is most likely at very cold temperatures, but it can occur even at cool temperatures (above 40°F), if a person becomes chilled from rain, sweat, or submersion in cold water.

What are the symptoms of hypothermia?

§  Mild symptoms:

o    An exposed worker is alert.

o    He or she may begin to shiver and stomp the feet in order to generate heat.

§  Moderate to Severe symptoms:

o    As the body temperature continues to fall, symptoms will worsen and shivering will stop.  

o    The worker may lose coordination and fumble with items in the hand, become confused and disoriented

o    He or she may be unable to walk or stand, pupils become dilated, pulse and breathing become slowed, and loss of consciousness can occur. A person could die if help is not received immediately.

What can be done for a person suffering from hypothermia?

§  Call 911 immediately in an emergency; otherwise seek medical assistance as soon as possible.

§  Move the person to a warm, dry area.

§  Remove wet clothes and replace with dry clothes, cover the body (including the head and neck) with layers of blankets; and with a vapor barrier (e.g. tarp, garbage bag). Do not cover the face.

§  If medical help is more than 30 minutes away:

o    Give warm sweetened drinks if alert (no alcohol), to help increase the body temperature. Never try to give a drink to an unconscious person.

o    Place warm bottles or hot packs in armpits, sides of chest, and groin. Call 911 for additional rewarming instructions.

§  If a person is not breathing or has no pulse:

o    Call 911 for emergency medical assistance immediately.

o    Treat the worker as per instructions for hypothermia, but be very careful and do not try to give an unconscious person fluids.

o    Check him/her for signs of breathing and for a pulse. Check for 60 seconds.

o    If after 60 seconds the affected worker is not breathing and does not have a pulse, trained workers may start rescue breaths for 3 minutes.

o    Recheck for breathing and pulse, check for 60 seconds.

o    If the worker is still not breathing and has no pulse, continue rescue breathing.

o    Only start chest compressions per the direction of the 911 operator or emergency medical services^*

o    Reassess patient’s physical status periodically.

^*Chest compression are recommended only if the patient will not receive medical care within 3 hours.

What is frostbite?

Frostbite is an injury to the body that is caused by freezing of the skin and underlying tissues. The lower the temperature, the more quickly frostbite will occur. Frostbite typically affects the extremities, particularly the feet and hands. Amputation may be required in severe cases.

What are the symptoms of frostbite?

§  Reddened skin develops gray/white patches.  

§  Numbness in the affected part.

§  Feels firm or hard.

§  Blisters may occur in the affected part, in severe cases.

What can be done for a person suffering from frostbite?

§  Follow the recommendations described above for hypothermia.

§  Do not rub the affected area to warm it because this action can cause more damage.

§  Do not apply snow/water. Do not break blisters.

§  Loosely cover and protect the area from contact.

§  Do not try to rewarm the frostbitten area before getting medical help; for example, do not place in warm water. If a frostbitten area is rewarmed and gets frozen again, more tissue damage will occur. It is safer for the frostbitten area to be rewarmed by medical professionals.

§  Give warm sweetened drinks, if the person is alert. Avoid drinks with alcohol.

https://www.osha.gov/as/opa/cold_weather_prep.htmlhttps://www.osha.gov/as/opa/cold_weather_prep.html

Stop in Power Tool and Supply's Store at 3699 LeHarps Road, Youngstown or call us at 330-792-1487 and one of our sales people will visit you to discuss how we can help outfit you and your workers and keep you warm and safe this winter season.

About the Author: Linda Richardson, Director, Business Development 330-792-1487