Preston Boomars of Ventana Construction wins CSSE Safety Innovation in Construction Award
I admire people who can see a problem, find a solution, and put it into practice. Preston Boomars of Ventana Construction saw problems with electrical cords on construction sites, so he created a new system for keeping them organized.
What did he make?
It’s a portable stand that houses an electrical panel and keeps cords organized using holes drilled into its sides. It charges batteries for portable tools, and has places for a light, fire-extinguisher, air horn, and emergency eye-wash station.
This new “Electrical Cord Management System” won a Safety Innovation in Construction Award from the Canadian Society of Safety Engineers at the 2010 Safety Forum ceremony.
Electrical cords are plugged in through holes in the sides of the ECM system. By keeping cords organized and out of the way, the system protects cords from damage and avoids the frustration of tripping GFCIs [ground fault circuit interrupters]. Trades workers tag their cords to keep track of which ones are theirs.
The Electrical Cord Management System. Photo credit: Preston Boomars
“It’s in the back of the truck”
At the safety award ceremony, someone asked if we could see the system, but Preston said it was “in the back of the truck” – which drew some laughter from the crowd.
I was super-curious to see it, so I introduced myself to Preston and his colleagues at the end of the ceremonies, and followed them out to the parking lot. As we walked, I asked Preston if Ventana might ever do a sideline and produce some of the ECM systems to sell to others in his industry. He said no – that it would be easy enough for people to model their own version of his set-up.
There it was in the back of his pick up, painted an excellent, bright red, as you can see in the photo. It’s inspiring to see someone follow through on their ideas. Thanks and congratulations to Preston, for coming up with such a cool innovation!
Telling safety stories
This is the first story about people I met at the Safety Forum. I went home with so many new cards and ideas, and I have a lot to follow up on.
Do you know someone who should be acknowledged for good work on the safety front? Please email me if you have a story to tell.
