News

Gribbins Wins NIA Platinum Safety Award

April 1, 2022 by theVR

Herndon, Virginia—March 31, 2022—The National Insulation Association (NIA) announced Gribbins Insulation as a Platinum winner of the 2021 Safety Excellence Award in conjunction with its 66th Annual Convention, San Antonio, Texas, March 30–April 1, 2022. Gribbins President Brian Willett was honored to accept the award in person on behalf of the entire Gribbins team.

NIA’s Safety Excellence Award is the only national award for outstanding safety performance in the mechanical insulation industry. NIA created the award program more than a decade ago to recognize top companies that have established structured safety programs to ensure the well-being of their employees and create safe working environments.

NIA’s Safety Excellence Award program honors four levels of excellence: Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze for Associates (Manufacturers), Contractors, Distributors/Fabricators, and Metal Building Laminators.

NIA’s Executive Vice President/CEO Michele M. Jones said, “Safety is an enduring cornerstone of our industry, and we are extremely proud to welcome 3 new applicants and to honor 30 Platinum winners, 9 Gold winners, 2 Silver winners, and 4 Bronze winners this year. Each one of these NIA member companies prioritizes a culture of safety and seeks to make continuous improvements to their program. The growing number of Platinum winners is a testament to the value of their continued participation and growth stemming from the STAR Report.”

Throughout the judging process, applicant companies remain anonymous and winners are evaluated on the basis of their overall safety program, means of communication, and safety policy. All applicant companies receive an individualized and detailed Safety Training Analysis Results (STAR) Report™. The STAR Report includes personalized recommendations based on each applicant’s answers to the application questions.

Kyle Forrester Promoted to Southern Vice President

March 31, 2022 by Gribbins Insulation

With 14 years of experience with Gribbins Insulation, we are thrilled to promote Kyle Forrester to Southern Vice President. Kyle started his career with Gribbins in 2008 as an estimator and then took over as Louisville Area Manager in 2015.

As Southern Vice President, he now oversees estimating, project management, and client satisfaction in Evansville, Louisville, Paducah, and Nashville. A native of Henderson, KY, Kyle continues to live there with his family and travels as needed to oversee our Southern footprint. On his time with Gribbins, Kyle states,

“I feel very fortunate to have been a part of the Gribbins team for over 14 years and truly feel like I could not have found a better fit for my career. I am extremely excited about the upcoming opportunities and responsibilities.”
– Kyle on his time with Gribbins

Jake Gribbins Promoted to Louisville Area Manager

March 1, 2022 by Gribbins Insulation

We are proud to announce the promotion of Jake Gribbins to Area Manager of the Louisville office. Jake’s nine years of experience with Gribbins, starting with the safety department and progressing to project management, serve as an excellent foundation for his new leadership role in the Derby City. Jake officially started in his new role on March 1, 2022, and reports to Kyle Forrester, our recently promoted Southern Vice President. Jake’s wife and daughter moved with him to Louisville and are excited to start exploring their new hometown.

Gribbins Insulation Launches Scaffolding Services

November 19, 2021 by Gribbins Insulation

Building on the success of 36 years in industrial and commercial construction, Gribbins Insulation announces the launch of a scaffolding services division, led by experienced carpenter and scaffolding project manager, Clay Lankford, with the support of Gribbins Insulation’s management team. As a one-stop-shop for our customers, Gribbins Insulation can now provide one contact and one quote for insulation and scaffolding, allowing our customers to avoid multiple POs, contracts, and 3^rd party prequal registrations for these services.

Gribbins Insulation’s journey to offer scaffolding began with customer requests and depended ultimately on finding the right person to lead the team. As Brian Willett, Gribbins Executive Vice President, emphasizes, “We want to make it as easy as possible for customers to do business with Gribbins Insulation, and we believe offering mechanical insulation and scaffolding services as a single entity is key.” Gribbins is fully invested in the effort, with a significant scaffold purchase, industry-specific software, and the right person as General Manager.

Clay Lankford joins the Gribbins Insulation team as the General Manager of the Scaffolding Division with 12 years of scaffolding experience, most recently as a regional project manager for a national scaffolding company. In making the decision to join Gribbins, Clay states, “When you think of Gribbins Insulation, you think of the best insulation contractor in the Midwest. After I got to know their leadership team, I understood why. I am excited to receive their mentorship as we grow the scaffolding division with the Gribbins core values.” A Southern Indiana native, Clay and his wife Jenna live in Patoka, Indiana, and enjoy spending time with their two daughters at Kentucky Lake.

Gribbins Insulation is part of the Gribbins Specialty Group family of companies, offering insulation, scaffolding, abatement, and restoration specialty construction work throughout the Midwestern United States and beyond. Headquartered in Evansville, Indiana, with six branch offices in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee, Gribbins Insulation employs 250 people throughout its footprint.

For more information visit https://www.gribbins.com/scaffolding-services/

Asbestos Awareness

June 3, 2021 by Gribbins Insulation

General

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber that has commonly been used for a variety of building materials in the construction industry for insulation and fire-retardant applications. Due to the overall strength, heat-resistant properties, and live expectancy it has bene used in packaging, gaskets, coatings, linings, manufactured goods, and friction products. When asbestos materials are damaged or disturbed, there is a potential that the microscopic fibers become airborne and can cause significant health effects if inhaled into the lungs.

Hazards

If the very small asbestos fibers are inhaled deep into your lungs, and stay, they can cause disease 10 to 40 years later
Asbestosis (a lung disease) is a long-term inflammation and scarring of the lungs due to asbestos fibers.
- Symptoms may include shortness of breath, cough, wheezing, and chest pains.
Mesothelioma (a rare type of cancer) is a malignant tumor caused by inhaled asbestos fibers, and forms in the lining of the lungs, abdomen or heart.
- Symptoms may include shortness of breath and chest pain.

Identifying Asbestos

Non-friable, any material that when dry, can not be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder and is not capable of being released into the air by hand pressure. Includes transite, roof and floor materials.
Friable, any material that when dry, can be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder or capable of being released into the air by hand pressure. Includes pipe, fittings, and duct insulation, applied ceiling, fireproofing, and paper wrap (pipes & ducts).

Asbestos Abatement

Only trained and licensed employees are allowed to remove asbestos containing materials.
Only trained and licensed employees are able to sample potential asbestos containing materials.
Do not assume materials do not have asbestos containing materials based off of tricks of the trade.
- Just because metal is not corrugated, doesn’t have pan head screws, or the look of the insulation doesn’t appear to be asbestos, doesn’t mean it is not asbestos.

Verify with customer or safety department prior to removal of insulation.

Benzene Awareness

June 3, 2021 by Gribbins Insulation

Health Effects

Benzene poses the most serious long-term threat. Exposure over time, to even low levels of Benzene can cause leukemia, blood changes and aplastic anemia. Benzene is a cancer-causing agent in humans. All contact should be reduced to the lowest possible level. Skin contact may also cause overexposure.

Benzene is one of the most hazardous of all petroleum products because of its adverse health hazards and high flammability.

The following adverse health effects are important to remember when there may be a potential exposure to Benzene:

Acute: At high concentrations (1000 PPM) Benzene has an acute effect on the central nervous systems causing headaches, dizziness, drowsiness, unconsciousness, and possible death. Acute exposure can also cause breathlessness, irritability, and giddiness.
Chronic: Benzene has the chronic exposure effect on bone marrow (aplastic anemia leukemia). Chronic exposure can also cause convulsions, liver damage, heart damage, blood diseases (aplastic anemia), and cancer (leukemia). These symptoms can take months or years to surface and can develop without physical or visible indications.
Repeated skin contact leads to irritant contact dermatitis (rash); as with any petroleum solvent (which Benzene is also classified as), it will leach the natural oils out of the skin. Direct contact with the skin can cause erythema and/or blistering.
Benzene is irritating to eyes and mucous membranes
Flammable/dangerous fire risk: benzene has a very low flash point making it dangerous to have any open flame, spark or source of ignition when vapors are present. Explosive limits in air 1.5 to 8% by volume: benzene is highly flammable at low levels of vapor quantity in air.

CHARACTERISTICS

Benzene is a colorless to light-yellow liquid with a pleasant sweet odor. Benzene is a flammable liquid that can accumulate static electricity. Benzene vapors are heavier that air and may travel to a source of ignition and flash back. The vapors are readily dispersed by wind movement and/or air currents. Liquid benzene tends to float on water and may travel to a source of ignition and spread fire. Benzene is highly reactive with no oxidizing materials.

Formula (C6H6) CAS No.: 71-43-2

TRAINING

All employees will be provided awareness training in this program in order to be familiar with the potential hazards and proper safe work procedures to follow if exposed to this health hazard.