EVOLUTION OF THE INDUSTRY

As today’s most commonly used building material, concrete plays a role in most every structure, surface area, and roadway in modern civilization. Its chemical compounds have evolved over thousands of years and the industry itself has rapidly evolved in the last hundred or so years.

We thought it would be fun to look back at the evolution of the concrete industry. From Ancient Egypt to Israel and Rome, concrete can be seen everywhere. It may be utilizing modern day technology but it has been with us for some time now.

Even though we appreciate the concrete industry and its marvelous history, at MCR Safety our number one focus is protecting people. So, before we begin our journey showcasing concrete throughout the ages, we’ve included “OSHA’s Worker Safety Series” on concrete manufacturing to educate companies on this industry’s common hazards and recommended solutions.

Israel, Syria, and Jordan 12,000 BC – 12,000 BC CONCRETE BC Nabatean traders were the first to build concrete-like structures. They used - surface deposits of pozzolan materials combined with lime to create the first traces of a -like substance. ------Around 11,000 years after those initial Nabatean traders, King Solomon built the first temple on the great Temple Mount. -

- “The Great Pyramid at Giza - required about 500,000 tons Egypt 3,000 BC – - of …” Using compounds like mud and straw, some scientists and historians dispute Egypt’s use of a standard “cement-like” compound. They did, however, use - - International Association of Certified Home different types of mortars while building the pyramids. - Inspectors (InterNACHI) 3,000 BC Romans 2,000 BC – - Sometimes referred to as “prolific in building with concrete,” the Romans initially 2,000 BC engineered a more “cemented rubble.” Roman cement was composed mostly of simple limestone mixtures and many have questioned if it really went through a - hydration process. The Pantheon, built by Rome’s Emperor Hadrian, is the largest - unreinforced concrete dome in the world. ------The Pantheon is one of the top tourist attractions in Rome. - - - Lost Art of Concrete 400–1700 AD – - Concrete science came to a screeching halt after the fall of the Roman Empire. - CONCRETE AD - - - - 400 AD - - - - - The Colosseum, made of concrete, is one of the Roman Empire’s greatest structures. - - - England and Hydraulic lime, 1793 AD – - In the late eighteenth century, concrete technology made big strides when John Smeaton of Cornwall, England discovered the ability to use fire with limestone and - clay until it formed a clinker. This modernized method was used in the rebuilding - of the Eddystone Lighthouse. ------The Bridge of Sighs located at the University of Oxford, England. It was completed - in 1914 and its construction used insight from John Smeaton’s discovery. - -

- , 1800’s – - PORTLAND Portland cement makes its debut in the nineteenth century when Englishman 1700 AD Joseph Aspdin developed a method for burning a mixture in a kiln to remove CEMENT carbon dioxide. The discovery of Portland cement was an important innovation - because it recognized the overall importance of the hydration process. This 1800 AD LAUNCHES A enlightened knowledge revolutionized the concrete industry and opened doors - MODERN DAY for manufacturers to play with different chemical compounds, ultimately adding - INDUSTRY strength and durability. - 2000 AD According to the Portland Cement Association, “The first recorded shipment of Portland cement to the US was in 1868. The first Portland cement manufactured - in the US was produced at a plant in Coplay, Pennsylvania in 1871.” -

- The association makes a fantastic educational video outlining the safety - precautions one should take when working around and with concrete. One of - the industry’s most common injuries occurs when working with wet cement. A concrete industry favorite for this hazard is MCR Safety’s MG9648 glove, due to - MG9648 its featherweight feel and waterproof materials. -

- Evolution of Kilns, 1885 – - The late nineteenth century brought about the development of the rotary - kiln. Because it was slightly titled in a horizontal position, the rotary kiln was more efficient when mixing materials as well as maintaining better control of - temperatures. Thomas Edison received a patent for the first long kiln, which was - approximately 150 ft long. - - - - - Concrete Comes to America, 1875 – 1900 THE GOLDEN Because of his wife’s fear of fire, William Ward built the first home in the United States in Port Chester, New York. In 1891, George - AGE OF Bartholomew poured the first concrete street in the United States. The road in - CONCRETE Bellefontaine, Ohio still exists today. The concrete used for this street tested at - about 8,000 psi, which is about twice the strength of modern concrete used in - residential construction. - OSHA Historical Safety Fact: According to NACHI, “This was the start of what is today a - Massachusetts passed the $35 billion industry that employs more than 2 million people in the U.S. alone.” - nation’s first safety and health - legislation in 1877, requiring the Pavements and Roadways – guarding of belts, shafts, and The road in Bellefontaine was the start of a massive revolution in pavements and - 4 - gears, protection on elevators, roadways in the United States. Today, concrete is used in approximately 60% and adequate fire exits in of US roadway construction, including restoration and rehabilitation of existing - factories. - OSHA roadways. Concrete has become the material of choice over asphalt when - constructing pavements and roadways because it requires less maintenance and - generally has a lifespan twice that of asphalt. - - Bridges and Dams – Reinforced, pretensioned and prefabricated concrete elements have become - a popular and efficient strategy for constructing bridges and dams. The - revolutionary science of high-performance mixes has allowed manufacturers to - build durable bridges more efficiently. - - According to the InterNACHI, “In 1935, the Hoover Dam was completed after pouring approximately 3,250,000 yards of concrete, with an additional 1,110,000 - yards used in the power plant and other dam-related structures. Bear in mind that - this was less than 20 years after a standard formula for cement was established.”

- OSHA Historical Safety Fact: In - 1903, the U.S. Bureau of Labor - began publishing graphically - detailed studies of occupational fatalities and illnesses in the - dusty trades, as well as other - safety and health topics. - OSHA - Concrete Underpass -

- Buildings and Structures – - The development of reinforced concrete brought about the completion of the first - concrete high rise building in 1904. The sixteen-story Ingalls Building in Cincinnati, - Ohio was the first concrete, reinforced high rise building in America. - Since the early twentieth century, concrete technology for erecting high-rise - structures has continued to evolve. It utilizes better structural systems to take up - less floor space, uses, less reinforcement, and employs lighter-weight . - - - OSHA Historical Safety Fact: In 1933, Frances Perkins was appointed the new Secretary of Labor by - President Franklin D. Roosevelt. She was the first woman to serve as a cabinet member. Perkins - brought an experienced background in occupational safety prompting her to create the Bureau of Labor - Standards in 1934. This was the first permanent federal agency established primarily to promote safety and health for working men and women. This was the beginning of what is now known as OSHA. - - - Decorative Concrete, 1915 - Now – - OSHA Historical Safety Fact: From colored and stained concrete to textured and imprinted concrete styles, - The Occupational Safety and decorative concrete has become a big part of our modern world aesthetics. - Health Act was signed into Overlays and resins are also used to create gorgeous techniques with concrete, - law on December 29, 1970 along with the most recent concrete craze of floors. - by President Richard M. Nixon, - culminating nearly a century of Air-Entrained Concrete, 1930 – endeavors by the states and the A revolutionary development in modern concrete, air-entrained concrete is - federal government to mitigate essentially concrete infused with tiny air bubbles improving its flexibility as the - the vulnerabilities of employees bubbles act as a lubricant between the particles. Air entrainment allows for greater - exposed to hazards of the resistance to freezing, cracking, and weathering over time. - industrial age. - OSHA - 2018 AD Concrete Today – Today’s high-performance concrete technology has greatly improved the efficiency of modern day construction. It has greatly reduced job time, materials, and the environmental impact of construction itself. The science behind the compositions themselves have increased the durability of our modern-day structures. Pre-cast concrete elements have greatly reduced turnaround time on

jobsites helping manufacturers work more efficiently and increase profit margins.

The Lincoln Memorial rests on World’s Tallest Concrete Building Today – 122 solid concrete piers. The Burj Khalifa in Dubai holds the record as the tallest concrete structure in the world, stealing that title from The Great Pyramid at Giza which held the record for about 4,000 years. It is over 2,716.5 feet high (828 meters) and more than 160 stories.

An industry that has evolved over thousands of years, today concrete PROTECTING production is both highly technical and highly efficient; involving both advanced machinery and chemicals. Even with all the numerous EMPLOYEES improvements, it still comes with age-old safety concerns and hazards. FROM THE Rest assured, MCR Safety has been evolving along with the industry. We have forty plus years of experience providing personal protective HAZARDS OF equipment to concrete workers. In fact, MCR Safety has been a part of TODAY’S EVOLVED the great golden age of gloves, which started back in the 1970s. CONCRETE Read more about this golden age here. MANUFACTURING In addition to manufacturing the highest quality PPE, we are highly committed to providing our customers with best technical expertise PROCESSES and customer service available. We’ve designed a unique 360 Protection Program emphasizing risk reduction, cost savings, and productivity. This program provides users with a comprehensive selection process that ensures proper safety gear is worn. With our help, conducting a PPE audit can help companies equip their employees with the most optimal safety gear.

We Protect People!

A modern concrete worker is protected with MCR Safety For more information, browse our website, request a catalog, find gloves, glasses, and garments. a distributor, or give us a call at 800-955-6887.