We can all agree that 2020 was a year like no other. Our personal lives bled into our professional lives, with little distinction between the two. Even though construction was classified as an essential business, that didn’t mean Conco could continue “business as usual”. Far from it.

All businesses have a social responsibility to their workers, contractors, and the general public to operate as safely as possible.

For Conco, responsible operation means making work practices safer for our employees and contractors. Though 6’ social distancing sounds like a simple concept, it runs counter to an industry that is most successful when people work closely to accomplish a common goal. Conco isn’t one to back away from a challenge, and we quickly adapted with minimal disruption to construction schedules.

The pandemic wasn’t the only extreme circumstance Conco overcame in 2020.

The flurry of West Coast wildfires necessitated that work couldn’t be performed when the air quality reached unhealthy levels. Civil protests brought on by national events also required work to cease at times.

For Conco’s work to continue, we needed a plan—or in this case, several plans. We quickly adopted a COVID-19 Hazard Analysis plan along with Risk & PPE Assessments specific to placing concrete.

Part of Conco’s COVID-19 plan included:

1. Stepping up pre-task planning when maintaining 6’ social distancing becomes necessary.
2. Daily health screening with medical questionnaires and temperature checks.
3. Increased supervision to assist crews with work plans and monitor compliance.
4. Staggering work hours and breaking out crews into smaller groups.
5. On projects where feasible, implement access restrictions on the jobsite to control movement around a project.
6. Daily toolbox talks that stress the importance of staying home when not feeling well.
7. Tools sanitized at the end of each shift, and shared equipment sanitized before and after tasks.
8. Bathrooms serviced 2-3 times more frequently than in the past.
9. Daily housekeeping and cleanup.

In addition to our COVID-19 plan, we developed another action plan for when air quality is a concern.

When wildfires ravaged the West Coast, Conco made a significant investment in respiratory equipment and training for proper utilization. Even with new equipment and training, there were times when Conco decided it was best to suspend work duties for the time being. 

In spite of the unanticipated challenges, we are proud of our dedicated employees and their ability to find ways to get the job done. As the pandemic continues to impact every aspect of our lives, we’ve adapted to deliver our concrete services on time.

Amidst the pandemic, Conco has topped out the following structures:

• Esterra Park Block 3 – Redmond, WA. Contractor: JTM

8-story office building part of a 30-acre master planned community.

Topped out October, 2020

• 400 University – Seattle, WA. General Contractor: BN Builders

10-story office building in the heart of downtown Seattle.

Topped out November, 2020

• 24^th & Harrison – Oakland, CA. Contractor: Holland Partner Group

20-story residential tower with retail/restaurant space.

Topped out November, 2020

• 2016 Telegraph – Oakland, CA. Contractor: Holland Partner Group

24-story residential tower.

Topped out January, 2021

• The Grand – Los Angeles, CA. Developer: Related Companies

Twin tower (29-story and 46-story) development with a hotel tower, residential tower, and retail on a city block.

Topped out North tower: November, 2020 | South tower:  February, 2021

• One Santana Row West – San Jose, CA. Contractor: Devcon Construction

8-story office building designed for research and development.

Topping out: March, 2021

Topping out a structure is the culmination of months of hard work by many different people.

The obstacles overcome during the pandemic have been challenging, but the resilience and dedication of the Conco family brought many projects to their successful conclusion. 

Conco is one of the foremost suppliers of concrete services for the Western U.S. We started in 1959 in the Bay Area by offering clients the best value on a broad range of concrete services and products. Since then, we have taken a leading role as top concrete contractors in the region. We have regional offices serving Northern California, Southern California, Oregon, and Washington.