Previous Polls
May 21 - May 25, 2018
New reports indicate that the Federal Emergency Management Agency may not reimburse California fully for repairs to the Oroville Dam. Should FEMA step in to help?
May 14 - May 18, 2018
The U.S. military has expressed recently that it would like to block offshore drilling and wind projects in some U.S. waters where it operates. Should military exercises trump energy development at sea?
May 7 - May 11, 2018
A Dutch highway was recently rigged with rumble strips that would "sing" a song when motorists drove over them at the prescribed speed, but the project ended when nearby residents objected to the noise. Cool idea or just plain annoying?
April 30 - May 4, 2018
Many coatings suppliers have reported that increased raw-materials prices hurt their bottom line in 2017. Have rising material costs impacted your business in the past year?
April 23 - April 27, 2018
Mississippi’s governor recently closed dozens of bridges in the state because they did not meet safety standards. Should more states be taking bridge condition more seriously and shutting down unsafe spans?
April 16 - April 20, 2018
Last month’s Gulf of Mexico offshore drilling lease auction offered more acreage than any before it, but resulted in only about $3.5 million more in bids compared with last year’s auction. Will energy companies be investing considerably more in U.S. offshore drilling in the coming years?
April 9 - April 13, 2018
A recent PaintSquare blog by Robert Ikenberry stressed the importance of jobsite photography. Do you take photos for documentation throughout a project?
April 2 - April 6, 2018
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently issued a new bulletin regarding hearing loss brought on by solvent exposure. Is the painting industry properly educated on ototoxicity?
March 26 - March 29, 2018
The U.S. government has instituted tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from other countries, after years of alleged “dumping” that critics say hurt American steelmakers. Is this a positive move for the United States?
March 19 - March 23, 2018
Researchers worldwide have been working in recent years to develop nontoxic and biobased antifouling agents to eventually replace traditional antifoulants in marine coatings. Is a sea change coming soon in the antifouling world?
March 12 - March 16, 2018
SSPC recently opened a call for papers for its Coatings+ conference in Feburary 2019. Will you be submitting a potential presentation?
March 5 - March 9, 2018
A water tower construction project in Texas was recently put on hold after a single endangered toad was found at the jobsite. Are environmental rules like this going too far?
February 26 - March 2, 2018
It was recently revealed that parts of the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster are being converted into a solar farm that can power 2,000 homes. Should renewable energy become commonplace on sites with toxic or radioactive waste risks?
February 20 - February 23, 2018
The Pennsylvania DOT is filling plug welds with bolts on 13 bridges in the wake of last year’s damage to the Delaware River Turnpike Bridge. Is this good preventive maintenance or is it unnecessary?
February 12 - February 16, 2018
In January, USA Today released a list of the country’s most dangerous jobs, with painting in construction and maintenance taking 24th place (out of 25) based on data related to injuries and deaths. Do you think this is an accurate depiction of the danger of professional painting?
February 5 - February 9, 2018
PaintSquare recently reported on engineers from the University of Cincinnati working with the Ohio DOT to determine whether polyaspartic coatings might be effective in controlling spalling on concrete bridge parapet walls. Do you think this approach will work?
January 29 - February 2, 2018
How important are industry conferences and trade shows to your business?
January 23 - January 28, 2018
What did you enjoy most about SSPC 2018?
January 22 - January 26, 2018
OSHA recently renewed its alliance with the National Association of Women in Construction, aiming to safeguard women in the building trades. In your experience, are women at special risk for workplace injury in the construction industry?
January 18 - January 24, 2018
How often do you work with coatings for concrete?
January 17 - January 23, 2018
What do you think of the decision to rename the SSPC conference "Coatings+" starting in 2019?
January 15 - January 19, 2018
Researchers at a U.K. university have reportedly developed a method of 3-D printing stainless steel that’s stronger and more ductile than steel printed with current methods. Will "printing" large steel structures be commonplace in the future?
January 8 - January 12, 2018
What do you expect will be the biggest story in the protective coatings field in 2018?
January 2 - January 5, 2018
A major infrastructure plan is reportedly a priority for early 2018 in Washington, D.C. Do you think an infrastructure bill will jumpstart construction this year?
December 18 - December 22, 2017
As 2017 comes to a close, how do you feel the economy treated your company this year?
December 14 - December 20, 2017
Do you expect your company to seriously consider autonomous blasting equipment in the near future in order to cut down on the danger to blasting workers?
December 11 - December 15, 2017
Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline has faced controversy over the past year, as more and more gaps in the underwater line’s coating have been discovered. Should the 60-year-old liquids pipeline be retired?
December 4 - December 8, 2017
California recently passed the “Buy Clean California Act,” requiring state contractors to use materials with low carbon impact. Are laws like this a positive step?
November 27 - December 1, 2017
OSHA recently released its list of the top 10 violations cited in the past fiscal year, with fall protection again topping the list. Does the industrial painting industry do enough to ensure safety from falls on jobsites?
November 20 - November 22, 2017
A Canadian worker’s recent death has been blamed on an allergic reaction to walnut-shell blasting media. Should these products be subject to further safety regulations?
November 13 - November 17, 2017
OSHA recently began enforcement of its new silica standard in the construction industry. Has your company made adjustments to comply with the new rule?
November 6 - November 10, 2017
Aside from price, what is the primary factor influencing your decision to buy surface prep and application equipment instead of renting or leasing?
October 30 - November 3, 2017
Overall, do you find that your company buys, rents or leases surface prep and application equipment for your coating projects? Select one, and please explain why in comments.
October 23 - October 27, 2017
The $3B Atlantic Sunrise natural gas pipeline began construction in September, having received the last of the necessary state permits earlier that month. However, the pipeline does face at least one more hurdle: A lawsuit brought by a group of Catholic nuns whose plot of land would be divided by the construction, which says the division breaches their religious freedom. Do you agree?
October 19 - October 26, 2017
Do you ever use waterjetting as part of the surface preparation work you do?
October 16 - October 20, 2017
Registration for SSPC 2018 is now open! Are you planning to attend?
October 9 - October 13, 2017
Recent research indicates that paraffin wax may be key to creating concrete roadways that deice themselves. Will developments like this eventually lead to the elimination of road salts?
October 2 - October 6, 2017
Calgary, Alberta, officials are reportedly looking at luminescent paints to help light some rural roadways. Is this a good idea?
September 25 - September 29, 2017
A federal appeals court recently sent a pipeline approval back to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, asking FERC to consider the greenhouse-gas effects of the product the pipelines will move as part of its environmental impact. Will this ruling change the way pipelines are permitted in the U.S.?
September 21 - September 28, 2017
How often do you work with specialty-function coatings (such as fire-resistive coatings, antifouling paint or heat-resistant coatings) in your day-to-day work?
September 18 - September 22, 2017
A plan for a bullet train in Texas continues to move forward, while Caltrans recently released a report supporting its plans to expand rail travel in California. How great a role will rail play in the next 20 years of transit development in the U.S.?
September 11 - September 15, 2017
A German energy company recently became the first to use thermal spray aluminum to protect the monopiles of a new offshore wind farm. Will TSA soon become the standard for protecting these assets?
September 4 - September 8, 2017
A number of jobsite health incidents in the U.S. this summer were attributed to heat exhaustion. Are painting companies and other contractors doing enough to prevent heat-related illness and injury?
August 28 - September 1, 2017
Last month, 4th Coast Productions released its new documentary, Bridge Brothers, chronicling two bridge-painting jobs in the Philadelphia area and following some of the workers. Have you seen the film yet?
August 21 - August 25, 2017
The Department of Labor is currently seeking applications for its annual Susan Harwood Training Grants program, which funds worker-safety training conducted by nonprofits like employer associations and unions. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta has discussed eliminating this program in the future. Should the Harwood Grants go?
August 14 - August 18, 2017
Several states have passed or discussed “Buy American” rules for steel and other materials on public works projects recently, in addition to President Donald J. Trump’s executive order calling on pipeline companies to use U.S.-made materials. Are these laws a step in the right direction?
August 7 - August 11, 2017
A global group focused on infrastructure recently reported that the world will need to step up its spending in the next 20 years in order to keep up with the demand for new infrastructure and fixes to what already exists. Will world governments and private investors heed this call?
July 31 - August 4, 2017
With 2017 half over, how has your business performed so far this calendar year?
July 24 - July 28, 2017
In recent months, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has delayed or proposed changes to several rules that were promulgated under the Obama administration. Is this good or bad news?
July 20 - July 27, 2017
What method of surface preparation does your company use most often on jobs?
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