The 25th anniversary of Women in Construction Week™ (WIC Week™) has a clear theme: Many paths, one mission. The purpose is to recognize the different journeys women have taken to strengthen and amplify the success of all women in the construction industry. We're fortunate enough to feature some of those women, working at Brennan, who have agreed to share their thoughts on starting out in construction, and give advice to women considering joining the industry.

Did you know that more than 800,000 women in America are employed in the construction industry? Please help us honor them by showing support for women in the trades, especially those within the Brennan organization.

Originally announced by the Western Dredging Association (WEDA).

In recognition of his extensive and outstanding contributions to the dredging community and to the Western Dredging Association, Andrew A. Timmis has been named the 2022 Dredger of the Year at the WEDA Summit & Expo held in Houston, Texas. 

Working for many years on the frontlines of environmental dredging, when Mr. Timmis joined WEDA in 2004, he became a member of its Environmental Commission. He helped develop policy for the group and pointed out the need to provide a program for regulators to learn about environmental issues.

ROV stands for remotely operated vehicle. They are highly maneuverable unoccupied machines used to observe and work underwater, often in areas that are deemed too dangerous for commercial divers. ROV pilots can operate them from a nearby shore or boat.

Remotely operated vehicles are versatile tools commonly used in our industry to inspect, monitor underwater structures, and perform complex work tasks in depths divers cannot access. Although, more recreational ROVs are available with advancements in technology. These revolutionary machines are utilized by many industries to reduce costs to clients and keep divers safe in unknown or dangerous conditions.

Safety starts with putting people first.

It’s not just about checklists, inspections, and meetings, said Steve Skau, vice president of safety and compliance for J.F. Brennan Company. It’s also about everyone on a job having the ability to give feedback and know it will be valued.

“Everything we do at Brennan starts with safety, no matter what scope of work we’re doing,” Skau said. 

J.F. Brennan Company (Brennan) recently established a permanent presence in the Mid-South Region. Our company’s new Mid-South location is in Paducah, Kentucky, and will provide all Brennan services, including above and below-water construction and environmental remediation services.

J.F. Brennan Company (Brennan) formally announces their Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) certified joint venture with Ahtna Marine & Construction Company, LLC (AMCC). Publicly titled the Ahtna – J.F. Brennan JV, the partnership establishes a mentor protégé relationship between Brennan and Alaska Native Corporation subsidiary AMCC.

LA CROSSE, Wis., October 28, 2020 — J.F. Brennan Company (Brennan) announces certification in occupational health and safety management, quality management, and environmental management, in accordance with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

(La Crosse, WIS – August 12, 2020) – Specialty marine construction firm J.F. Brennan Company, Inc. (Brennan), announces its 4^th consecutive certification from international research and analytics organization Great Place to Work®.

95% of its employees consider Brennan a great place to work, compared to just 59% of employees at a typical U.S.-based company. Brennan’s high-ranking status among other companies is compounded this year by the changes in safety, travel, and essential work protocol brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In industries like marine construction, the penalty for skipping or rushing through “simple” industrial rigging inspections or “ordinary” storage practices can be catastrophic for all of our equipment and tools, but most importantly for the people involved. 

For example, Brennan uses endless and synthetic slings (straps or tie downs) to hoist and secure all kinds of materials: from piping and equipment, to dredges and other vessels. Reliable slings are critical to the work we do. We must ensure they are in excellent working condition before we use them and maintain them for our teammates who must safely use them next. Here are a few important questions we answer from curious customers and our own people.

Brennan blog posts were viewed 13,622 times in 2019. Reviewing our most-searched blog topics helps us construct a list of the marine industry's most critical topics and those most pertinent to our company. So, what were the most-searched topics?