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Housekeeping is something we all grow up with. Some learn it better than others. On the job site, we all must practice good housekeeping because it affects safety and productivity. There are three main housekeeping issues: job site scraps, personnel debris, and tool organization. Job site scraps are the cut-off ends of pieces of wood, […]

To operate a forklift, you need to be certified. To obtain certification, you need to be trained and actually operate a forklift. The points below are intended as a refresher for those who are already certified, and as an introduction to those intending to be certified. • It is the weight of the forklift and […]

Inappropriate use of ladders is the number one cause of falls. Ladders are used so often in framing that it is easy to overlook basic safety guidelines. Always remember the following: • The feet of the ladder need to be on a stable surface so the ladder will be level. • When ladders are used […]

Nail guns are one of a framer’s most commonly used tools. They are also one of the most dangerous. Most framers can show you a scar from having shot themselves with a nail gun. Fortunately, many of these injuries are not serious. However, there have been instances where serious injury or death has occurred. Following […]

If you have been framing long enough to understand advanced techniques or to be considering a career as a lead framer, you have probably seen enough accidents to make you aware of the importance of safety. Common sense will help guide you in knowing what is safe and what is not, but you must also […]

Some tasks require more than one framer, for example, lifting large walls. Any time framers have to be called from other tasks to perform a common task, care must be taken not to waste time. The cost per minute of a 5-framer task is 5 times that of a single framer task. The person organizing […]

Your objective is most likely to frame a quality building for the least possible cost. Wages represent the greatest percentage of the total cost, and since wages are paid for time spent working, it follows that if you lessen the time it takes to complete a building, you thereby reduce the wages paid and, thus, […]

Recordkeeping is quite possibly one of those tasks that you thought you were getting away from when you started framing. The reality is that recordkeeping is an important, but not necessarily major, task for the lead framer. There are three things you will want to keep records for: timekeeping, changes to the plans, and extra […]

While lead framers are not responsible for developing project costs or schedules, they are asked for input into the decisions of others who must estimate and schedule construction. The superintendent, for example, might need to know if he can meet a deadline with the crew that is in place; a lead carpenter might need to […]

Material Organization, Mitre Saw 1. Set up your table in convenient locations for moving lumber in and out. 2. Place the incoming material as close as possible to the side of the saw where you will be positioning it to cut. 3. As it is cut, stack the lumber in a pile that is neat […]