Safety Factor

Join us for a special episode of "Safety Factor" as we celebrate Mazzella Companies' 70-year journey in the rigging industry. This episode is a tribute to the legacy of innovation, dedication, and excellence that has defined Mazzella's history as a family-owned rigging industry leader.

Hear from CEO Tony Mazzella and Co-owner Jim Mazzella as they share intimate details about the company's founding, key milestones, and the core value...

Dive into the world of industrial lifting and rigging as we celebrate Global Lifting Awareness Day. We discuss how the industry has evolved as well as the importance of making your voice heard on Global Lifting Awareness Day. Then, this episode of Safety Factor delves into career advancement opportunities through specialized industrial training programs and features insights from industry experts.

"This industry is going nowhere, B...

The rigging industry has come a long way in prioritizing worker safety, moving from an era where fatalities were expected to a modern approach focused on rigorous standards and continuous improvement in rigging industry safety and standards. As AWRF members Tim Klein, Emily Wagner, Jeff Ferchen, and Terry Driscoll reveal, the association plays a crucial role in shaping the future of the industry through its technical committees, re...

Consistent rigging inspections identify damaged equipment before failures occur, preventing accidents and injuries. Not only do they prevent accidents and injuries, but documented inspections are required for OSHA compliance and can help companies avoid costly fines.

"When you look at the failure criteria for any type of item you're looking at, alloy chain slings, it's obviously written, and it's objective. It tells you a gouge, it ...

As steel mills utilize multiple cranes on varying elevations, collisions and injuries remain an ongoing concern. New technologies aim to address these challenges.

"The steel industry has predominantly been a little bit behind the technology curve, and really, we should be leading the curve. Because this is one of the most expensive downtime-related industries."

In this episode, Laser-View Technologies president Steven Lubeck joins Ma...

Major changes in the latest version of the ASME B30.2 Overhead and Gantry Cranes safety standard took effect in 2023, bringing new requirements and guidance.

In this episode, Tad Dunville and Bobby Hamilton from the ASME B30.2 Overhead and Gantry Cranes committee help interpret key updates for owners and operators.

"So this guy was calling me 'cause he had just purchased the new 2022 Standard. And he's like, "Man, trolley rail sweeps...

The automation revolution has arrived for overhead cranes, transforming safety and efficiency in groundbreaking ways.

In this episode of Safety Factor, industry veterans Kenny Wright and Tad Dunville talk about how automation is modernizing cranes.

"When you have people with a two-page or three-page proposal for automating a crane that says automate the crane. Someone with a 300-page one that specifies where the rail cars are and how...

Steel mills have come a long way! The "hot, nasty, dirty, and dangerous" mills of yesteryear were all about tonnage. But now it's people over production.

In this episode of Safety Factor, we follow the fiery trail from OSHA to smart sensors. Three mill veterans bare their battle scars from the early days. We're talking about tearing your rotator cuff atop 3,000° furnaces. No tie-offs, no fall protection, no nothin'. Just sweat and s...

In this episode of Safety Factor discover how virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are revolutionizing industrial training for safety purposes. Join us as we discuss the advancements in industrial training with Adam Franz from Mazzella and Andrew Kauser from ITI (Industrial Training International).

Learn how VR crane simulation enhances operator training by creating a safe environment to learn and practice crane operatio...

In this episode of Safety Factor, we delve into the importance of Global Lifting Awareness Day (#GLAD) and its efforts to combat the labor shortage within the industry. Join our guests, Ross Moloney, CEO of the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA), and Mike Close, Mazzella Corporate Marketing & Communications Manager, as we discuss the strategies employed to develop talent, raise awareness, and tackle the growing gap ...

In this episode of "Safety Factor," we discuss how technology is being used to enhance safety in crane lifts. Our guests, Wayne Wille and Denny Davis, Development Managers for Technology Solutions at The Crosby Group, and Tyler Henley, National Account Manager for Specialty Ropes at Mazzella, share their expertise on the latest technological advancements that have been developed to improve safety in crane lifts.

We explore common ca...

The demand for wind energy is growing. The size of turbines is growing. Wind energy is forcing the lifting industry to evolve. So, how will the lifting industry adapt to the increasing size of these turbines? What challenges does the US face as they begin to move their turbines off-shore?

To shed some light on this industry and what the future has in store, we sat down with The Crosby Group’s Director of Business Development for Win...

In 2022, OSHA's most frequently cited violation was the failure to meet General Fall Protection requirements. In fact, four of the top ten citations issued by OSHA were related to fall protection, encompassing citations regarding ladders, scaffolding, and fall protection training. Shockingly, nearly all of the largest OSHA fines handed out in 2022 were penalties for neglecting to comply with fall protection regulations, with one Oh...

Today we are talking about the legal ramifications of building your own lifting devices and rigging equipment and why ASME has specific standards in place for the creation of a below-the-hook device.

We are joined by a few lifting experts from Caldwell Lifting Solutions, one of the leading manufacturers of below the hook lifting solutions, as well as Mazzella's Kevin Brewer, Below-the-Hook Sales Specialist, to discuss why the device...

Welcome back to Safety Factor. In this episode we are talking about overhead cranes and how smart non-contact measurement solutions can make your overhead crane more efficient.

Today, we are joined again by Steven Lubeck, President of Laser-View Technologies, a provider of non-contact measurement sensors and systems for industry and Mazzella Companies' Mark Shubel, Director of Business and Training Development for Crane Service to ...

Welcome back to Safety Factor. In this episode we are talking about in-house safety programs. How you can you start one, how can you improve yours, and how can you be a better safety coordinator.

Today, we're joined by Mazzella Companies' Kevin Paul, Director of Safety, and Alana Cohen, Safety Coordinator, to discuss how they got their start in the world of safety, how they helped develop Mazzella's safety program, and what wisdom ...

Legal Disclaimer: Any advice, graphics, images, and/or information contained herein are presented for general educational and information purposes and to increase overall safety awareness. It is not intended to be legal, medical, or other expert advice or services, and should not be used in place of consultation with appropriate industry professionals. The information herein should not be considered exhaustive and the user should s...

Welcome to the first official episode of safety factor. This is a podcast where we are going to be talking a lot about how you can stay safe while you are doing your job, or how you can keep your employees safe while they do their jobs.

In this first episode we are talking about overhead cranes and how to create safer work zones with smart non-contact measurement solutions.

Today, Steven Lubeck, President of Laser-View Technologies,...