HOLT, Hispanic Contractors Association Participate in Car Seat Crunch

A 962G Wheel Loader from HOLT CAT, in partnership with the Hispanic Contractors Association, crushed more than 100 old, unsafe and unapproved car seats.

Left to right: Senior Corporal “Monty” Moncibias; Martha Stowe, LMSW, director, Injury Prevention Center of Greater Dallas; Russell Appel, machine application specialist, HOLT CAT; Deputy Chief Julian Bernal, Deputy Chief Cynthia Villarreal, Lt. Janice M. Easterling; Lt. Mike Holder, Lt. John Branton, and Sergeant Andrew Davis.

Holt Crunches Unsafe Child Seats

The Car Seat Crunch, held recently at the Parkland Injury Prevention offices in Dallas, provided parents information about car seat safety while certified technicians were on site to replace stretched and unapproved car seats. The Injury Prevention Office also provided and installed new child safety seats free of charge.

A 962G Wheel Loader from HOLT CAT, the largest Caterpillar dealer in Texas, in partnership with the Hispanic Contractors Association, crushed more than 100 old, unsafe and unapproved car seats. The feat symbolized the Injury Prevention Office's ongoing efforts to improve child passenger safety awareness.

"Safety is our number one priority in our work at HOLT. It should be priority number one in our own lives -- for our kids," said Peter M. Holt, CEO of HOLT CAT. "We commend the Parkland Hospital Injury Prevention Office and Dallas Police Department for their work to protect the lives and futures of our children."

Children under the age of four or less than 36 inches in height are required by law to ride in an approved child safety seat.

"It's important to recognize the life-saving value of child safety seats," Holt said.

Although 82 percent of child passengers are restrained in a vehicle, four out of five car seat models are installed incorrectly. Between 2000 and 2004, more than 200 child safety seats were recalled by manufacturers.

HOLT CAT is the authorized sales, parts and service dealer for Caterpillar machines and engines in 118 counties in Texas.

Partnership to Address Increased Fatalities Among Hispanics

Hispanic contractors and construction industry leaders recently announced the formation of a model partnership to address safety in light of statistics that demonstrate the challenge of changing demographics in the construction business.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the construction industry recorded the highest number of fatal injuries of any major industry in 2002; Hispanics are about 80 percent more likely to die on the job than other workers, up from 30 percent in the mid 1990s.

In hopes of reducing this trend, the U.S. Hispanic Contractors Association met at the Texas Capitol with Texas State Senator Gonzalo Barrientos, (D-Austin) the Hispanic Contractors Association de Tejas, the Hispanic Contractors Association de Austin, the Consulate General of Mexico and representatives from corporations in construction industry including FaulknerUSA, The Home Depot, Newmark Homes/TOUSA, ICI Paints, Senco Products and Red Wing Shoes.

Beck Headquarters Wins Solutia Design Award

The Beck Group's corporate headquarters in downtown Dallas has been awarded an honorable mention in the Doc Awards design competition. Sponsored by Solutia Inc., the annual competition honors superior achievement in commercial projects. Beck's headquarters was previously honored with a design excellence award from the Texas/Oklahoma Chapter of the International Interior Design Association.

The award-winning facilities provide a unique and engaging environment designed to stimulate collaboration among design and construction professionals.

The 1960s five-story building with an adjoining park has been upgraded but retains its original signature elements. An exterior bronze screen, for example, rises on both sides of the building.

Beck's headquarters brings together more than 150 employees who were previously located in three separate buildings. The work areas are divided into a series of "neighborhoods" composed of open offices. The residents of a neighborhood may include an architect, a contractor, an estimator and a computer programmer. Open, casual seating areas promote spontaneous conversations and stimulate interaction among people in varied disciplines.

Visually, the interior design is contemporary and highlighted by clean lines, geometric shapes and attention to finishes. Exposed masonry walls contrast with wood, clear lacquered steel and plaster finishes. Furnishings are custom-designed cubicles combining wood, laminate and fabric surfaces. Transparent screens allow workers to see through to other work spaces, defining the work areas while providing a sense of openness. The paint palette features a fire-cracker red as the core color, with blue and green defining the neighborhoods. A random-patterned mosaic tile wall in the employee lounge incorporates these colors.

Intimate meeting rooms, serving two to eight people, are grouped in clusters between each neighborhood. The tables are wired for electrical and data access, allowing users to work on laptop computers and access the Internet. The traditional board room is similarly equipped, but includes additional amenities, such as wireless computer access, microphones embedded in the table surface, VGA technology and rear screen projection capabilities.