This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
This Website Uses Cookies
By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Learn More
This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
Subscribe
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • Projects
    • Buildings
    • Construction Methods
    • Design
    • Sustainability
    • Transportation
    • Environment
    • Power & Industrial
    • Water & Dams
    • Best Projects
  • Business
    • Safety & Health
    • Workforce
    • Finance
    • Companies
    • Project Delivery
    • Ethics & Corruption
    • Government
    • Risk
    • Pulse
    • Contractor Business Strategy
  • Talent
    • Awards
      • Top 25 Newsmakers
      • Award of Excellence
      • Legacy Award
    • Promotions & New Hires
    • Obituaries
    • Annual Photo Contest
  • Regions
    • ENR California
    • ENR MidAtlantic
    • ENR Midwest
    • ENR Mountain States
    • ENR New York
    • ENR New England
    • ENR Northwest
    • ENR Southeast
    • ENR Southwest
    • ENR Texas & Louisiana
    • Regional Contests and Surveys
  • Tech
    • Information Technology
    • Construction Technology
    • BIM
  • Products
    • Equipment
    • Materials
    • Product Snapshot
  • Ideas
    • Blogs
    • Editorials
    • Viewpoints
    • Letters
    • Book Reviews
  • Costs
    • Construction Economics Archive
    • Historical Indices
    • Quarterly Cost Reports
    • FAQs
  • Lists
    • ENR Top Lists
    • ENR Sourcebooks
    • Survey Schedule
    • 2019 Top 100/400/500 Survey
    • 2018 Top 600 Specialty Contractors Survey
    • 2018 Top International Survey
    • 2018 Top 200 Environmental Firms Survey
  • CE Center
  • InfoCenters
    • The Business of Projects
    • Revolutionizing Productivity Safety
  • Events
    • AEC BuildTech
    • Award of Excellence
    • Best of the Best Project Awards
    • Engineering Management Training
    • FutureTech
    • Groundbreaking Women in Construction
    • Global Best Projects Awards
    • Port Authority of NY & NJ
    • Regional Best Projects
    • Top 25 Newsmakers
    • Upcoming Events
    • Webinars
  • More
    • Subscription
    • Proposals & Bids
    • Industry Jobs
    • Special Reports
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • Videos
    • Interactive Spotlights
    • Digital Editions
    • Photo Galleries
    • Special Advertising Sections
  • About
    • Contact
    • Advertise
Home » How the Photo Team Settled the Dust Dispute
EditorialsIdeas

How the Photo Team Settled the Dust Dispute

Chattanooga, Tenn.

The photo that appears on the cover of this issue of ENR, a drill rig puncturing concrete or stone at the base of a new retaining wall being built in Chattanooga, Tenn., came out on top in online voting for the image that would make the best foldout cover.

PHOTO COURTESY DYLAN JONES\GEOSTABILIZATION INTERNATIONAL

January 24, 2019
KEYWORDS construction photography / ENR photo contest
Reprints
No Comments

The photo that appears on the cover of this issue of ENR, a drill rig puncturing concrete or stone at the base of a new retaining wall being built in Chattanooga, Tenn., came out on top in online voting for the image that would make the best foldout cover.

One of the most important elements in the gritty scene captured by Dylan Jones, project engineer for GeoStabilization International, is the backlit shroud of particles hanging in the air to the left side of a project superintendent. But it presented a problem for a safety manager who saw the photo. He asked ENR why we weren’t more concerned about the particles in the air and the possible health effects on the driller and others.

“With the heightened awareness around silica dust exposure, I would strongly encourage you not to include this photo in the magazine,” he wrote. The drills can be equipped, he wrote, with an integrated water delivery system that suppresses dust. Or the dust can be controlled with a shroud or cowling and  dust collection system with filtered vacuums.


Related Link
ENR's 2018 Year in Construction


The last thing we want to do in our photo contest is show unsafe practices without realizing it. That’s why, beginning with the fourth of our 16 photo contests, published in 2005, ENR’s panel of judges has always included a safety professional who can help us pick out hazards or violations that escape our notice.

Before the alert viewer raised questions about that photo, we had been advised that it portrayed no clear violation or hazard that required abatement.

We then spoke to the winning photographer, who said his company often uses water controls on its drilling equipment and equips drillers with respiratory protective equipment on most of its drilling. He wasn’t sure, but he believed the amount of stone or concrete being drilled at the base of the wall—at night, with the project team working long hours to finish the job—was small. Otherwise, he said, it’s likely dust control would have been used.

The issue of photos and safety hazards isn’t new to ENR. Editors regularly deal with this subject, and take it very seriously.

Our policy is to show the industry as it is in our many news stories. But for project features, where we have photo choices, we avoid showing safety violations or unabated hazards. If we think there is one in a photo, we look for alternatives. For the photo contest, readers have told us loudly and clearly that they do not find beauty in scenes where workers are at risk. That makes sense to us, too. And it reminds us why it’s so important to write about safety practices, to investigate accidents and to do everything journalists can to help prevent them.

ENR Subscribe

Related Articles

Gary H. Baker: Guiding the Team on a Tough Tunneling Job

Photo Contest Judges Made the Tough Calls

How to Add 39 Tons of Steel to the Top of the Empire State Building

Post a comment to this article

Report Abusive Comment

Subscription Center!
  • Print Edition Subscriptions
  • Digital Edition Subscriptions
  • eNewsletter Subscriptions
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • Connect with ENR

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the ENR audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep.

Close
Camerasystem-sitecloud-devicesimage1__5fhrhhgw9z__
Sponsored By
Sensera Systems, Inc

Comprehensive Jobsite Monitoring Simplified

Sensera Systems works with the construction industry to improve efficiency, profits, and safety. Providing solutions for real-time visual jobsite monitoring and automation to address progress execution, risk management, and winning work.

Popular Stories

Debbie Skrynski

ENR's 2018 Construction Photography Contest Winners

I-4

Fourth Fatality on I-4 Revamp Adds to Skanska's P3 Woes

SR99tunnel.jpg

Weekend of Events Precedes Seattle Tunnel Opening

Trump Issues New 'Buy American' Directive for Infrastructure Projects

French-influenced legal approach

How Texas' Uncommon Law Is Different on Design Defects

Industry Jobs



ENR Proposals and Bids

Events

March 21, 2019

ENR's Award of Excellence

On March 21, 2019, hundreds of your colleagues will gather at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers in New York City for ENR's 54th Annual Award of Excellence Black-Tie Gala. Just like past events, in 2019 you will have the opportunity to network with more than 1,000 construction leaders and make critical connections, while joining us to celebrate the Top 25 Newsmakers for their achievements in 2018 and be inspired by the Award of Excellence Winner.
April 30, 2019

AEC BuildTech

Join us for the inaugural AEC BuildTech Conference & Expo!

View All Submit An Event

Products

2019 BNi Green Building Square Foot Costbook

2019 BNi Green Building Square Foot Costbook

See More Products

Special Ad Section

Underground Today I
 Underground Today I
 View all Special Ad Sections
 Archives

 


ENR

ENR Jan 9, 2016 Cover

Feb 25, 2019

Big Calif.-Ore. dam removals, which triggered the Jan. 25 federal ruling on state clean-water okays, are proceeding to contract.

View More Subscribe
  • Resources
    • advertise
    • contact us
    • about us
    • photo submissions
    • customer service
    • digital edition
    • Survey And Sample
  • Subscription Center
    • Subscribe
    • Website Registration
    • Privacy Policy
    • eNewsletters
    • FAQ
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Slideshows
    • Reader Photos
    • Photo Contest

Copyright ©2019. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing