We installed the stamped concrete on both bridges leading up to the new Rowan Street intersection. The stamped designs were applied to the medians and “monolithic islands.”

What is Stamped Concrete?

To put it simply, stamped concrete is like standard concrete, but it’s more decorative. Concrete is typically gray, while stamped concrete often has color added and is printed to create a design.

“Installing stamped concrete is a first for ���Ҵ�ý and will open the door to great opportunities for the company,” said Superintendent George Boise.

How do you Make Stamped Concrete?

The process of applying stamped concrete is not much different from regular concrete. Our crew just adds a few steps to make the product more decorative.

For the Rowan Street project, we used a brick design. The design matches existing sidewalks in the area and other recent projects throughout Fayetteville.

Here’s how it worked for this brick design:

1. ADD COLOR AND POUR THE CONCRETE. We added red color to the concrete at the plant, then trucked it and poured it on the jobsite.

2. STAMP THE CONCRETE.

• After we leveled the concrete, we sprinkled a charcoal-colored release agent (similar to a very fine powder) by hand onto the concrete. When the agent combined with the red color, it made the print look aged.
• Then, we pressed down the actual rubber stamps onto the concrete to create the design.
• The stamp made an indentation shaped like a brick. We used the stamp until the entire area was covered – the pattern fit together like a puzzle.
• Lastly, we used push brooms to push the charcoal color further into the print. This process is also known as “antiquing.”

3. FINISH THE PRINT. After 48 hours, we washed off anything left over from the antiquing process, sprayed a clear coat agent to make the concrete shine, then swept the surface.

“Decorative designs in pavement have become a trend in the industry, as many commercial projects are using stamped concrete across the state,” said Boise. “I’m excited to see how we incorporate the product down the road.”

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We all must practice self-care.��

Caring for You First

Taking care of ourselves, more than anyone else, is essential.

We all tend to put others’ needs before our own. But the better we take care of ourselves, the better we can help and engage with others.

Practice Daily

Self-care is not something you do once, like taking a vacation, but then going right back to working 60-hour weeks. Self-care is about “filling up your tank” every day.

Self-care can be little things like:

• Getting as much sleep as you can.
• Taking a walk.
• Doing deep breathing exercises at the start and end of your day.

Self-care can also be broader things like:

• Letting go of a toxic friendship.
• Talking to family and coworkers about your feelings and issues.
• Asking for help when you need it.

Not sure where to start? There are self-care checklists available from your physician or online if you’re looking for ideas that work for you.

Be Guilt-Free

True self-care is not selfish. It is simply keeping yourself the focus of your own life. It’s about paying attention to how you feel, communicating clearly, speaking up for yourself, and saying yes or no…guilt-free.

When practiced regularly, self-care creates significant personal, social, and economic benefits.

The post It’s OK to Care for You appeared first on ST Wooten.

These are dangerous situations that can often be avoided with “situational awareness.”

September 26 is National Situational Awareness Day.

Situational Awareness Defined

Situational awareness is being aware of one’s surroundings and identifying potential hazards and dangerous situations.

Most experts agree that situational awareness is the number one skill to learn for the safety of everyone. The more aware you are of your surroundings, the safer you are.

Situational awareness is more of a mindset than a skill. The primary elements in establishing this mindset are:

1. Recognizing that threats or hazards exists. Bad things do happen. Apathy, denial and complacency can be deadly.
2. Understanding the need to take responsibility for one’s own safety.

Levels of Awareness

People typically operate on five distinct levels of awareness:

Level 1: Tuned Out – ex. zoning out while driving.

Level 2: Relaxed Awareness – ex. driving and aware of your surroundings.

Level 3: Focused Awareness – ex. driving in hazardous road conditions.

Level 4: High Alert – ex. reacting to a car pulling out in front of you; you’re surprised, but you break and avoid a crash.

Level 5: Comatose – ex. “freezing up” in a dangerous situation.

Strive for Relaxed Awareness

When you are in an area where there is potential danger (which, in reality, is almost anywhere), you should be in a state of relaxed awareness.

A good way to start is to stay off electronics when they are not necessary – at the park, in the car, and on the job. Then, if you spot something out of the ordinary that could be a threat or hazard, you can “dial up” to a state of focused awareness, analyze the situation, and take action if needed.

Pay attention to the people and events happening around you every day to keep everyone safe.

The post Be Aware to Stay Safe appeared first on ST Wooten.

Labor Day History

Labor Day was celebrated for the first time in New York City in 1882. It was created as a “working man’s holiday.” The day gained popularity across the country and Congress declared Labor Day a national holiday in 1894.

Our History

Mr. Seth Wooten, Sr., founded ���Ҵ�ý in 1952. It started as a small equipment repair shop, but it quickly grew into a construction business. Over the next 65 years, despite ups and downs in the construction industry, the company grew.

• 1957 – First construction contract: adding a lane to U.S. 301.
• 1960s – Company enters asphalt business and formally establishes Engineering and Estimating Division.
• 1970s – Company grows to 450+ employees, 5 asphalt plants and 1 concrete plant.
• 2010s – Company grows to 900+ employees, more than 20 plants, and multiple additional services including structures, utilities, and site development.

Today, the company is in its third generation of family ownership, and it is still growing. ���Ҵ�ý was recently awarded its largest project to date – a $360 million project for I-40 in Wake County, North Carolina!

This growth – for the company and our state’s infrastructure – would not be possible without our dedicated employees.

“We are proud of those who came before us, and those who work beside us, to build and repair North Carolina’s infrastructure,” said President Chris Wooten.

Become A Part of History

We’re always looking for dedicated people to join our team and help us build communities.

We offer:

• Paid vacation/holidays.
• 401(k) with employer matching.
• Health, dental, life insurance & paid disability.
• Chances to move up.
• Yearly and ongoing training.
• On-the-job training for new skills.

If you want a lasting career at a proven company, !

The post The History of Our Labor appeared first on ST Wooten.

The company also invests in upgrades for our people and facilities to remain competitive.

Last winter we installed a new drum, updated the dust collector, and added a third silo at the Henderson Asphalt Plant.

Our efforts were highlighted in Asphalt Contractor Magazine. Check out the article here: .

These plant upgrades are helping us support both customers and our own paving projects such as Interstate 85. After work had begun, NCDOT accelerated the project, and over 300,000 tons were placed on the project last year alone.

“The updates have allowed us to save time and boost productivity at the plant, which helps us get product to project sites quickly and drive results on behalf of our customers,” said Vice President Brian Gurganus.

The post Henderson Plant 2.0 appeared first on ST Wooten.

���Ҵ�ý is setting its own consecutive award-winning records.

The N.C. Department of Labor Safety (NCDOL) presented ���Ҵ�ý with 18 Gold Safety awards and seven Silver Safety awards – including an eighth consecutive-year Gold award for the New Bern Asphalt Plant.

These multiple, consecutive Gold and Silver awards are possible thanks to our employees’ continuous dedication and commitment to safety. Congratulations team!

Why These Matter

In our industry safety is a key to our success. Safety keeps our crews healthy and working steadily. Safety also helps us earn more work as our safety record is compared to other companies during the job bidding process.

We value these awards because they reward our employees’ efforts to create and maintain a safe workplace.

About the Awards

The NCDOL Safety Awards Program recognizes private firms and public agencies across the state that achieve and maintain outstanding safety records.

To qualify for an annual safety award, a firm must:

• Have no fatalities during the calendar year at the site or location for which the award was given;��and
• Have maintained an incidence rate at least 50 percent below the average for its particular industry group.

The post ���Ҵ�ý Wins Gold Again… and Again and Again…. appeared first on ST Wooten.

Whether you’re on a job site, on vacation at the beach, or in your backyard, we want you to stay safe in the heat.

Here are some ways to protect yourself when you’re out in the sun:

Staying Safe

Water

• Drink water all throughout the day. Drink four cups (32 ounces) every hour.
• Avoid or reduce the amount of caffeinated and sugar-filled drinks – they just make you more thirsty.
• Drink even if you aren’t thirsty.

Rest

• Take it easy the first couple of days on the job or on vacation until you are more acclimated to the heat.
• Take a five-minute break in the shade whenever possible.

Shade

• Wear a wide-brimmed hat that keeps your face, ears and neck shaded.
• Apply sunblock to all exposed skin.
• Wear light-colored clothes.
• Wear long sleeves and pants made of lightweight material.

When to Call for Help

Too much sun exposure can cause serious illness like heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Move to a shaded area and call 911 if you, or anyone you’re with, are experiencing these symptoms:

Signs of Heat Exhaustion

• Dizziness
• Headache
• Sweaty Skin
• Fast Heartbeat
• Nausea or Vomiting
• Weakness
• Cramps

Signs of Heat Stroke

• Red, Hot, Dry Skin
• High Temperature
• Confusion
• Fainting
• Convulsions

Check out more summer safety tips from the American Red Cross on , ,��.

Summer is the most fun when we plan and stay safe.

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The QIC is awarded for “excellence in construction of an asphalt pavement.”

This month we highlight our award-winning repair and paving work on I-95 in Wilson County.

The Project

I-95 is one of the oldest and most-used routes on the East Coast. Our project was to make emergency repairs on eight locations along 10.1 miles of I-95. In this area, the road is a divided highway, with two lanes on each side of the median.

The highway has concrete slabs under 2 inches of pavement. When something below the surface fails, a slab is put under pressure and pinches upward or downward. This causes the pavement to buckle and crack.

Our work included:

• Widening the shoulder to create more work space.
• Replacing sections of the buckled concrete slabs.
• Paving and striping the repaired road.

Project Challenges

• Because we needed to close one lane to work, we created a large shoulder inside the median area. This gave the travelling public an extra 7 feet of space to get around traffic control measures, while giving our crews more room for equipment and repairs.

• Due to heavy traffic and the emergency work, we had only one month – April 19 to May 19 – to complete the project.

Despite these challenges, the quality of the asphalt and laydown was still extremely high. This high quality, timeliness and our safety record earned us the QIC honor.

We couldn’t have done it without the dedication of our crews and supervisors!

The post QIC #3: I-95 appeared first on ST Wooten.

Right under our feet are utilities that keep our community working. We often walk, drive and live right over these pipes. But you may not ever think about them – and we’re working to keep it that way.

At ���Ҵ�ý, we install wet utilities. There are three main types of wet utilities:

1. WATER – Carries clean water to buildings.
2. STORM DRAIN OR STORM SEWER – Carries rainwater away from streets and landscapes.
3. SEWER – Carries drainage water and waste matter from sinks, showers and toilets.

Wet utility pipes are made from:

• PVC: “Polyvinyl chloride,” one of the most-used plastics in the world.
• RCP: “Reinforced Concrete Pipe” is a cylindrical wire cage encased in concrete.
• DIP: “Ductile iron pipe” is an improved form of cast iron.

Ductile is a newer, stronger material with a tighter seal.

“In a lot of our NCDOT work, we are replacing old pipes with new ductile line,” explained Project Manager Davis Wooten. “A long time ago, the pipes were clay, so now we are upgrading them. The results are improved joints and stronger, longer-lasting pipes.”

For the past three years, several crews have been working to upgrade utilities on the 10^th Street Connector project in Greenville. In the last 15 years, the city has grown from 60,000 residents to around 90,000. If you include the surrounding “metro” area, it’s more like 175,000.

To help handle this growth, we’re installing an upgraded drainage system. It includes 30,000 ft. of storm drain and 350 stormwater catch boxes, culminating with the 40,000-lb box pictured here.

Stronger systems. Stronger communities.

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The QIC is awarded by the National Asphalt Pavement Association for “excellence in construction of an asphalt pavement.”

This month we’re highlighting our winning open-graded friction course (OGFC) work on U.S. Route 64. Last summer, we updated a 10.8-mile section of this road between Zebulon and Rocky Mount in North Carolina.

What’s Special About OGFC?

Open-graded friction course is a type of porous pavement. That means it has more air pockets than normal pavement. These pockets allow rainwater to drain into the pavement, away from the road’s surface. This is safer for drivers because OGFC:

• Reduces hydroplaning and skidding, so tires grip the road better.
• Lessens splash and spray behind vehicles, leading to better visibility.
• Cuts down on traffic noise.

The Sims plant produced the asphalt for this project, and foreman Lane Ward’s crew performed the work.

Project Challenges

Traffic, especially during rush hour, was a big challenge on this busy road. So was the rain and the heat.

It took the crew about two months to repave the entire 10.8-mile section. This was good progress considering OGFC is sticky and not as workable as other materials.

Hard Work Is Recognized

Thank you again to the U.S. Route 64 project crews and supervisors. We are proud of your dedication and teamwork!

The post And the Wins Keep Coming… appeared first on ST Wooten.