By Emma Peterson.

October was a busy month. Let’s catch up!

Autumn has hit full swing this month and outdoor professionals around the country are being kept busy with everything from fall leaf raking and winterizing garden beds to snow removal and holiday light preparations. But, end-of-the-year jobs aren’t the only thing professionals are thinking about right now – they're also planning for the new year! And, as we look at our top articles from the last month, we can see that this is what our readers have been thinking about.

For example, our readers were very interested in two articles from John Kenney, the CEO of Cotney Consulting Group. One was all about how to better manage your project load in order to stay profitable while the other was about protecting business margins at each stage of a project.

Another article on our list, written by our senior content developer Emma Peterson, highlighted a conversation between our president Heidi J. Ellsworth and Alex Chausovsky, the president and CEO of 3DM Consulting. In their discussion, these two took a look at the Q4 economic market, the current industry outlook and more!

And our readers aren’t the only ones planning for the new year! In fact, our top article of the month was all about the development of our 2027 media kit, led by our principal designer Joshua Smith and how it won a platinum award at 2026 MarCom Awards competition!

5 must-reads from October

5 - Good project managers think three weeks ahead

4 - Going into the last quarter of 2026

3 - The job was profitable when you sold it — So where did the margin go?

2 - Equip Exposition named third largest trade show in the United States by Trade Show Executive’s Gold 100 Awards

1 - The Coffee Shops® wins Platinum MarCom Award for 2027 Media Kit

By Emma Peterson. 

Woodchuck.ai rethinking how jobsite waste is handled in order to support sustainability goals while creating measurable financial benefits. 

Sustainability has become a key talking point for contractors. As John Kenney, the CEO of Cotney Consulting Group put it, “Not that long ago, sustainability discussions were limited to a handful of projects...Today, that conversation has become much more mainstream. Building owners are asking about energy efficiency, architects are exploring sustainable design options and municipalities are increasingly adopting standards that encourage greener building practices.” And as this demand for more sustainable practices rises, it is crucial that contractors not only consider the sustainability of the products they are installing, but also the sustainability of their building practices. 

This idea, of building more sustainable practices in addition to products, is what Todd Thomas and the team at Woodchuck.ai focuses on. We got the chance to learn more about their work and its benefits on an episode of Contractor Outlook™ we recorded with Todd. 

What Woodchuck.ai does is bring dumpsters to jobsites. But rather than your typical, throw everything and the kitchen sink into the same place, these dumpsters are designed to be used for material sorting. In fact, they utilize cameras and artificial intelligence software to help ensure that materials are separated properly. Then, when a dumpster is full, the Woodchuck.ai team can collect it, and take that sorted material, whether that’s asphalt products or wood products, and recycle it easily because it’s already sorted. 

Todd described how this separating and recycling of materials is such a good thing for sustainability, sharing, “We have a finite number of landfills across the United States and if you look at these landfills, they're often 30-40% wood by volume. And that wood is coming from things like construction site mixed dumpsters.” He went on, “So if we can get crews to sort their materials, we can keep that wood out of the landfill, extend the life of that landfill and get additional value out of that wood all at the same time.”  

And the best part of this whole set up? Not only can contractors feel good about their impact on the environment, it also can give them financial benefits. Todd explained:  

It might seem like a big change to start sorting materials, but it’s something that actually is pretty easy after you do it once and comes with benefits beyond sustainability. For example, we just partnered with a contractor who worked on Ford’s EV battery factory in Marshall, Michigan. Over the course of that project, we diverted 10,000 tons of wood from the landfills and instead were able to turn it into 10,000 megawatts of clean electricity. In addition to being an incredible win for sustainability, that diversion also returned a savings to the contractor of $1.6 million!  

With that kind of savings, it’s hard to deny the positive impact the Woodchuck.ai team is providing for both the environment and contractors in the field. As Todd put it, “If we can extend the life of our existing landfills by making sure that valuable materials don't get buried there, it's a win for everybody. It's a win for the contractor, it's a win for the community and it's a win for whoever was going to have the next landfill next to them.” 

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recorded episode to learn more about Woodchuck.ai. 

OCS Influencer John Kenney recommends cross-training during the slow season. 

Every construction business has periods when production changes. Weather, seasonality,and customer demand can all affect the workload. Contractors sometimes look at slower periods as something they simply have to get through until business picks up again. I look at them differently.

A slower period gives a company something that is difficult to find during the busiest months: time to work on the business while everyone is not consumed with getting today's projects completed. Equipment maintenance is an obvious place to begin. Inspect, repair and prepare vehicles, tools, pumps and other equipment for the next production cycle. Organize storage areas, check inventory for damage and identify outdated equipment before someone needs it on a job. But I would not stop there.

The slower season is one of the best opportunities contractors have to look at how the operation actually performed during the busy months. Where did projects get delayed? What caused callbacks? Which information repeatedly failed to make it from the office to the field? Were crews waiting for materials? Were project managers spending too much time solving the same problems? Did customers have questions that should have been answered earlier? Those issues can be difficult to address while the company is running at full speed. Once production slows, management has an opportunity to correct them. Training should be part of that work.

Employees can be cross-trained so more people understand multiple parts of the operation. Crews can review installation procedures, equipment care, safety expectations and customer-service standards. Supervisors can spend time developing employees who may be ready for greater responsibility. This is also the time to review procedures that employees have learned to work around.

Every company develops workarounds. Someone keeps a separate spreadsheet because the main system does not provide the information they need. A crew makes an extra phone call every morning because project information is incomplete. Materials are stored wherever there is room because no one has developed a consistent system. During the busy season, those workarounds become part of getting the job done. During the slower season, management should determine why they exist and decide whether the process needs to change.

Customer follow-up can also be productive. Past customers may need maintenance, repairs or additional work. Warranty records can be reviewed. Open estimates can be followed up. Project photographs and documentation can be organized while the details are still reasonably fresh.

Strategic planning belongs in this period as well. Owners should review where the company made money, where margins were disappointing, which types of projects performed best and whether staffing and equipment will support the coming season. The point is not to fill every slow hour with activity just to keep people busy. Activity and productivity are not the same thing.

The goal should be to use available time to remove problems that will cost the company time when production increases again. The busy season reveals how well you used the slow one. A contractor entering the next production cycle with maintained equipment, better-trained employees, cleaner processes and a clear operating plan has already done much of the work required to perform well when the schedule fills up.

By John Kenney, Cotney Consulting Group.  

Exceptional project management isn't about staying busy. It's about staying ahead. 

One of the biggest differences I've noticed between average project managers and exceptional ones has very little to do with experience, personality or technical knowledge. It has everything to do with where they'relooking. 

Average project managers spend most of their day dealing with today's problems. Exceptional project managers spend their day preventing next month's. That may sound like a small distinction, but after more than four decades in the roofing industry, I've come to believe it's one of the defining characteristics of successful operations. 

Roofing has always been a business of moving parts. Materials, labor, equipment, weather, subcontractors, inspections, customers and schedules are all moving simultaneously. No project manager controls every variable. That's simply the reality of construction. What separates the best from everyone else is their ability to see problems developing before they begin affecting production. 

I've rarely walked onto a roofing project and found a serious issue that appeared overnight. Most of the time, the warning signs were already there. Materials were arriving later than planned. Coordination with another trade had started slipping. Weather forecasts were changing. Decisions were being postponed because everyone was busy dealing with today's work. None of those situations looked urgent on their own. Together, they quietly changed the direction of the project. 

One lesson this industry has taught me is that roofing projects rarely become reactive all at once. They drift into it. One delayed decision leads to another. One unanswered question becomes tomorrow's field problem. One missed follow-up creates three additional conversations that never should have been necessary. Eventually, the project manager feels like they're putting out fires from sunrise until the end of the day. The interesting part is that most of those fires could have been prevented weeks earlier. 

That's why I've always believed the best project managers are planners before they're problem solvers. Planning isn't glamorous. It doesn't usually receive recognition. Nobody congratulates a project manager for materials arriving exactly when they were supposed to or for permits being secured ahead of schedule. Those things are expected. But when they don't happen, everyone notices. 

Strong project managers understand that their job isn't just managing construction. Their job is protecting production. That means constantly asking questions that extend beyond today's schedule. 

• What decisions need to be made next week? 
• What information will the foreman need before asking for it? 
• What materials should already be ordered? 
• Which customer conversations should happen now instead of after concerns develop? 
• Where could this project become difficult if nothing changes? 

Those questions create visibility. Visibility creates control. Control protects profitability. 

I've often said that project management is really the art of reducing uncertainty. Every decision should make tomorrow a little more predictable than it was yesterday. Every conversation should remove confusion rather than create it. Every meeting should provide clarity about what comes next. 

When that happens consistently, projects develop a rhythm. Crews arrive knowing what they're expected to accomplish. Suppliers understand delivery schedules. Customers receive updates before they begin asking questions. The office and the field stay aligned because communication happens before misunderstandings have a chance to grow. 

That's not luck. That's preparation. 

One thing I've noticed over the years is that experienced project managers become remarkably calm. That calmness isn't because they have fewer problems. It's because they've already considered many of them before they happen. They've reviewed weather forecasts several times instead of once. They've spoken with suppliers earlier in the week. They've confirmed equipment availability. They've walked through the next phase of construction mentally before the crew ever reaches it. When something unexpected happens—and it always does—they're adjusting a plan instead of creating one. There's a tremendous difference between those two approaches. 

I've also found that good project managers don't spend their days asking, "What happened?" They're asking, "What's coming?" 

That simple change in perspective alters nearly every decision they make. Instead of reacting to delayed materials, they're confirming deliveries before delays occur. Instead of explaining schedule changes to customers, they're communicating potential adjustments while options still exist. Instead of discovering labor shortages Monday morning, they're evaluating manpower needs while the current phase of work is still underway. 

That isn't pessimism. It's leadership. 

Another observation that's stayed with me is that project managers don't actually manage roofing projects. They manage commitments. Commitments made to customers. Commitments made to crews. Commitments made to suppliers. Commitments made during estimating. Every commitment carries expectations, and every expectation requires communication. When communication slows down, projects become harder to control. When communication stays ahead of the work, projects become far more predictable. 

I've seen companies invest heavily in project management software hoping technology would solve operational challenges. Technology absolutely has its place, and today's tools are more capable than ever. Butsoftware cannot think ahead. It cannot recognize a conversation that should happen before someone realizes it needs to happen. It cannot replace the judgment that comes from years of watching projects succeed — and watching others struggle. That's still the responsibility of leadership. 

One lesson I've carried with me throughout my career is that the best project managers don't measure success by how many problems they solved today. They measure success by how many problems never reached the jobsite in the first place. Those victories rarely appear on reports. 

Nobody notices the delivery that arrived exactly on time because someone made one extra phone call two weeks earlier. Nobody celebrates the change order that was approved before production was affected because the project manager recognized the issue before it became urgent. Those quiet decisions don't attract attention. But they protect schedules. They protect crews. And they protect margins. 

The longer I've been in this industry, the more convinced I've become that exceptional project management isn't about staying busy. It's about staying ahead. Because the strongest project managers don't spend their careers chasing today's problems. They're already thinking three weeks ahead.

OCS Influencer John Kenney says the real value of technology is not replacing judgment, but giving experienced people better information and a better way to deliver the project.

Technology is changing how pool and outdoor projects are designed, sold and managed. Drones, digital modeling, artificial intelligence, smart controls and connected equipment are becoming more common across the industry. But after decades of working with construction businesses, I believe contractors need to keep one question in front of every technology decision: Does this actually improve the project for the customer and the company? Technology has tremendous value when it helps people make better decisions. It becomes much less valuable when it is being used simply because it is new.

Digital visualization is a good example. Outdoor projects can be difficult for customers to picture from drawings, measurements and material samples alone. A pool may be only one component of a much larger environment that includes patios, outdoor kitchens, landscaping, lighting, fire features and entertainment areas. Three-dimensional modeling and other visualization tools allow customers to see how those pieces relate before construction begins. That can improve the sales presentation, but I think its greater value is reducing misunderstandings. A customer who clearly understands what is being proposed is better positioned to make decisions about layout, finishes, features and budget. Changes made on a screen are generally easier to manage than changes made after construction begins.

The best technology doesn't just help you sell the project. It helps you define the project. Drones can provide another useful layer of information, particularly on larger properties where contractors need to document existing conditions, understand site relationships or communicate project progress. Artificial intelligence is also beginning to help contractors with communication, documentation and repetitive administrative work. I see value there, but I do not view AI or any other digital tool as a replacement for experienced people. A computer can generate options. It cannot walk the property, understand every drainage concern, recognize the customer's priorities or take responsibility for whether the finished project works. That still requires judgment.

The same principle applies after the project is completed. Smart pool technology has moved well beyond simply turning lights on from a phone. Modern control systems can manage pumps, filtration schedules, heaters, lighting and other equipment, while some systems provide monitoring and alerts that help owners better understand what is happening with their pool. There are really two benefits here. The first is convenience. Customers gain greater control over how and when systems operate.
The second is efficiency. Equipment such as variable-speed pumps can operate at lower speeds when full output is not required, which can reduce energy use and operating costs compared with running continuously at one fixed speed. That is where technology becomes more than a feature. It becomes part of the long-term operating value of the project.

But smart equipment also creates another responsibility for contractors. Don't sell technology customers will never use. I've seen this throughout construction. Companies sometimes become so focused on offering the newest features that they forget to ask whether those features solve a problem for the customer. Some homeowners will want complete automation. Others may need only programmable equipment and straightforward controls. The right solution depends on how the pool and outdoor space will actually be used. Contractors should explain both the capabilities and the limitations.

The same discipline should apply internally. Technology can help contractors prepare presentations, estimate projects, communicate with customers and document progress. But adding more software does not automatically make a company more efficient. I've always believed you should fix the process first and then use technology to strengthen it. If estimating information is incomplete, putting it into better software does not make it accurate. If the handoff from sales to production is weak, another application will not solve the communication problem by itself

Technology works best when it supports a defined process. I think that is where the greatest opportunity exists for outdoor and pool contractors. Use visualization to help customers understand what they are buying. Use digital information to improve planning and communication. Use automation where it creates measurable convenience or efficiency. Use AI to reduce repetitive work and help people access information faster. But keep experienced people making the important decisions. Customers are not hiring technology to build their backyard. They are hiring a contractor they trust to turn an idea into something that works. The real value of technology is not replacing judgment. It is giving experienced people better information, better tools and a better way to deliver the project.

Managing growth with a long-term mindset.

When contractors talk about growing an outdoor or pool business, the conversation usually starts with selling more projects: more pools, more outdoor kitchens, more hardscapes more backyard renovations.

That can certainly increase revenue, but after spending decades working with construction businesses, I’ve learned that real growth isn't simply about doing more work. It is building a company that can generate stronger, more predictable revenue without creating unnecessary strain on people, cash flow or operations.

One of the best ways to do that is to expand the value you provide to the customers you already serve. A company that builds a pool may also provide ongoing maintenance, equipment upgrades, lighting, automation, water features or other backyard improvements. A contractor completing a major outdoor project may be well positioned to help the customer with future enhancements.

That does not mean trying to sell everything to everyone. It means paying attention to what your customers already need and identifying services that fit naturally with the work you perform.

I’ve always believed the easiest customer to serve is often the one who already knows and trusts you. That is why maintenance programs can be such an important part of business growth. A construction project may generate significant revenue, but it eventually ends. A maintenance relationship can continue for years.

Recurring service also helps companies stay connected with customers after the original project is completed. That creates opportunities to identify equipment issues, recommend upgrades and stay involved as the customer’s outdoor space evolves.

The same applies to enhancements. Homeowners rarely finish an outdoor project and decide they will never change anything again. They add lighting. They upgrade controls. They replace equipment. They expand entertaining areas. They add shade, landscaping or other features. Contractors who maintain that relationship are often the first ones called when the next project begins.

Partnerships can also create growth without requiring a company to become an expert in every trade. A pool contractor may develop relationships with landscape, electrical, outdoor kitchen, irrigation, or specialty construction professionals. Those partnerships can enable contractors to deliver a more complete experience to customers while staying focused on what they do best. But partnerships need to be managed carefully.

Your reputation becomes connected to the people you recommend. That means evaluating partners the same way you would evaluate your own employees or subcontractors. Quality, communication, scheduling and professionalism all matter. Growth should never come at the expense of the customer experience.

There is another side of growth that contractors sometimes overlook: cash flow. Outdoor construction is highly seasonal in many markets. Revenue can be strong during peak months and slow considerably during other periods. That creates a financial challenge because many expenses continue regardless of how much work is being installed. Payroll, insurance, vehicle and equipment payments, rent and administrative costs do not disappear just because the season slows down.

One lesson I’ve learned is that seasonality should be planned for, not reacted to. Contractors should understand their monthly overhead, monitor cash reserves and forecast when collections are likely to rise or fall. Strong summer revenue can create a false sense of security if the company spends as though that pace will continue all year.

This is another reason recurring service revenue can be so valuable. Maintenance programs, service agreements and smaller enhancement projects can help create a more balanced revenue stream between major construction projects.

The goal is not to eliminate seasonality. In many outdoor businesses, that is not realistic. The goal is to reduce the extent to which seasonality affects the company. The strongest growth strategies usually combine several things: larger project opportunities, recurring service revenue, additional customer solutions, strategic partnerships and disciplined financial planning.

None of those should be pursued simply because competitors are doing them. Every new service should answer a basic question: Does this make our company stronger and provide more value to the customer? If the answer is yes, it may be worth pursuing. Growth should create opportunity, not chaos.

The outdoor and pool companies that build lasting businesses will not necessarily be the ones that sell the most projects in a single season. They will be the ones who learn to turn individual projects into long-term relationships, build complementary revenue streams and manage the business well during both busy and slow periods. Because the best measure of growth is not how busy you become. It is how much stronger the business becomes as you grow.

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn how a simple documentation system can save you a huge legal headache down the line. 

Across the outdoor industry, whether you work on landscaping design, pool maintenance or some other area outside, there is one consistent challenge – navigating the legal side of operating a business. To learn about how to handle the legal details in a professional way that protects you and your company, we invited John Kenney of Cotney Consulting Group to OutdoorCoffeeShop™ for an episode of From the Ground Up all about the legal side of the outdoor industry.  

John’s primary legal recommendation for contractors and professionals is to make sure your documentation is in order. He elaborated:  

I see a lot of contractors run into issues because they don’t have a good documentation practice in place. There are two common scenarios. The first one is that everything gets documented after there's a problem. The other is that things live in unofficial spots, like test message, or worse, in someone’s memory. 

And while it is understandable that things happen on a job quickly and without the time to fill out a form or report immediately, you have to make it a priority to go back and redocument it so that there is a paper trail to reference. “You have to have an organized system. One of the most valuable things you can do is put a simple checklist together of exactly how your documentation flow is going to go,” John explained. “Because if any conflicts come up, it always goes back to the best paper wins. You don’t want to have to scramble to figure out what happened when a dispute hits, you want to be able to pull everything out and tell a story of exactly what happened.”  

What should that story you showcase include? John said that a strong claim will be able to answer three questions clearly:  

1. What changed?  
2. How did it impact your work?  
3. What did it cost? 

In John's words, "The strongest claims have to be timeline based, supported with documentation and clearly tied to contract language. That's the key.” In other words, building a strong, credible claim in the face of dispute is directly dependent on the processes and organization you have in place for documentation.  

How do you build that system? It’s a process. John explained:  

My advice is really keep it simple. Don't try to fix everything at once, because that will really overwhelm you. So, what I'd like you to do is create a daily report first. That report should cover the weather of the day, where you were that day, what got done, how it went and any issues that cropped up. Additionally, you don't want to forget to track visitors to the site. It’s very important to write on there, so-and-so showed up and we had a conversation about xyz.  

With that report alone, you can often answer those three claim questions already. But to make your case solid, John says the other documents to prioritize are your notice processes and change order forms. He elaborated, “You want to make sure a simple notice process is in order and your team understands it. This is a process determined by your contract that outlines how you notify your client, and they notify you of changes. And speaking of those changes, you want to have your change order forms ready up front with the full process so that you can get your change orders handled immediately.” 

By having that notice process in order and change order documentation system in place, you will have all the legal paperwork needed to back up your daily report and build a strong, credible claim. And then, when a problem does arise, as they always seem to do in this industry, you’re prepared. As John put it, “If you do all those things and you do them as quickly and up front as you can, it's going to make your job and your company run a lot smoother in the long run.” 

Want to learn more about managing the legal side of your business? Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recorded conversation with John! 

By Emma Peterson. 

As regulations evolve, contractors who embrace systems and accountability are finding it easier to stay compliant and protect their operations. 

In a new From the Ground Up™ episode, Karol Weyman sat down with John Kenney, CEO of Cotney Consulting Group, to talk about the legal, safety and compliance changes happening right now and how outdoor contractors can keep up with everything that’s happening.  

What’s changing right now 

When Karol asked John about the biggest changes is regulation he’s currently seeing, he immediately highlighted labor and employment. He explained:  

Worker classification, overtime rules and documenting required requirements that continue to evolve. And I see a lot of contractors especially get into trouble with these, worker classification and overtime rules in particular, because they’re not up to date on the changes.  

He also mentioned safety compliance and environmental regulations. For safety, he emphasized that the changes happening are more related to enforcement rather than written policy, sharing, “OSHA isn't necessarily rewriting their rule book, but they are increasing enforcement. They're more aggressively paying attention to things like heat illness prevention, fall protection, trenching and documentation.” As for the environment regulation changes, John noted that “things like stormwater management, erosion control, runoff protection and material disposal requirements are becoming more stringent in a lot of areas.”  

And the last thing he touched on was permitting and licensing, which he described as “continuing to become more complex, especially for contractors that work across multiple cities and counties.”  

How do adapt to all of this?  

It can be overwhelming to think about all the areas that John highlighted where regulations and policies are evolving, but he emphasized that there are ways to adapt your operations that will make it easier to keep up with the changes. His main suggestion? Run a tight ship. He explained:  

Today's contractor has to be much more structured than even when we were ten years ago. Take worker classification as an example. I tell people that managing workers today isn't just assigning work. You have to document the training, their performance, safety strategies, incidents, etc. By having that documentation in place, both the employer and employee are protected in the case of disputes or issues. 

This is just one example of how running a tight ship and embracing systems of documentation and record-keeping can help your business navigate evolving regulations. John put it best, “The contractors that embrace systems are finding compliance much easier than those trying to manage everything from memory. And compliance isn’t just about avoiding fines, it’s key to protecting and growing your business.” 

Want to learn more about navigating today’s regulatory environment? Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording!  

OCS Influencer John Kenney says that fatigue affects judgement.

Every summer, contractors remind their crews to drink water, wear sunscreen and take breaks. That's good advice, but after more than four decades in construction, I've learned those reminders alone don't create safer jobsites. 

Heat-related incidents rarely happen because someone didn't know it was hot outside. They happen because production pressure begins to outweigh good decision-making. 

Whether you're building pools, installing hardscapes or creating complete outdoor living environments, summer brings longer days, tighter schedules and customers who want projects finished before family gatherings and vacations. It's easy for crews to push harder, skip breaks and convince themselves they'll "power through" another hour. 

That's when mistakes happen. 

One lesson I've carried throughout my career is this: fatigue affects judgment long before it affects effort. 

A crew member may still be working hard, but dehydration and heat stress can quietly reduce concentration, slow reaction time and increase the likelihood of poor decisions. In construction, small lapses in judgment often become expensive accidents. 

That's why summer safety needs to be viewed as an operational issue, not simply a compliance requirement. 

Good companies don't leave hydration up to chance. They plan for it. 

Water should be readily available throughout the day, not just during lunch. Supervisors should encourage crews to hydrate consistently instead of waiting until they're thirsty. By the time someone feels dehydrated, they're already behind. 

Scheduling also deserves attention. Whenever practical, physically demanding work should be planned during the cooler morning hours, with less strenuous activities scheduled later in the afternoon. That doesn't always happen perfectly, but thinking through the day's workload before the crew leaves the yard often prevents unnecessary exposure during peak heat. 

I've found that the best supervisors pay attention to people, not just production. 

They notice when someone becomes unusually quiet, starts making simple mistakes or begins moving differently than they did earlier in the day. Those changes often appear before obvious signs of heat illness. Experienced leaders understand that checking on a crew member isn't slowing production, it's protecting it. 

Pool construction presents additional challenges because crews are often working around excavation, concrete placement, plumbing installations and electrical systems, sometimes all on the same project. As multiple trades move through the jobsite, maintaining good housekeeping and communication becomes even more important. Materials, tools and equipment should remain organized so workers can move safely through constantly changing work areas. 

Service technicians face different risks. Equipment pads, mechanical rooms and enclosed spaces around pool systems can become extremely hot during the summer months. Rushing through inspections or repairs because "it's only a quick service call" can lead to shortcuts that increase both safety and quality concerns. 

Personal protective equipment also deserves attention during hot weather. I've heard every reason why someone wants to remove gloves, eye protection or other required equipment when temperatures climb. But safety equipment only protects people when it's worn consistently. The solution isn't eliminating PPE, it's selecting equipment designed for comfort while maintaining protection and reinforcing why those standards matter. 

The companies that consistently perform well understand something many contractors overlook. Safety isn't a separate program that gets discussed once a month. It's part of how work is planned every single day. 

When supervisors discuss weather conditions during morning meetings, adjust workloads based on heat, encourage hydration and watch for signs of fatigue, they're doing more than preventing injuries. They're protecting quality, productivity and the well-being of the people who make the business successful. 

I've always believed that the safest crews aren't the ones that work the slowest, they're the ones that work the smartest. 

Summer will always test outdoor contractors. The heat isn't something you can eliminate, but it is something you can manage. 

The companies that treat heat safety as part of operational planning, not just a seasonal reminder, will protect their crews, deliver better projects and build a culture where people know their safety matters every day of the year. 

By John Kenney, Cotney Consulting Group.

Consistent ladder safety protects your people, your productivity and your reputation.

Walk any outdoor jobsite — whether it's a landscaping project, a tile installation, a lighting upgrade, a pool equipment repair or an outdoor living build — and you’ll see the same tool used in all of them: the ladder. It’s one of the simplest pieces of equipment on a job, yet ladder-related injuries are among the most common across every segment of the construction and maintenance industry. 

Ladder accidents don’t happen because workers lack experience. They happen because ladders are familiar. Workers have climbed them throughout their careers and no longer view them as hazards. But a ladder doesn’t care how experienced you are. If it shifts, tips, slides or fails, the fall happens instantly. 

Ladders are a universal hazard 

Every segment in outdoor construction relies on ladders: 

• Tile and hardscape installers use them for exterior walls, elevated patios and overhangs. 
• Outdoor lighting crews climb them constantly for fixtures, wiring and tree-mounted applications. 
• Pool and spa techs use them for pump room access, elevated equipment and overhead reruns. 
• Landscaping teams use ladders for pruning, lighting, signage and seasonal work. 
• Maintenance technicians rely on ladders daily for repairs, adjustments and inspections. 

Yet despite this, most ladder injuries involve basic misuse — using the wrong type of ladder, placing it on unstable ground, overreaching or climbing with tools in hand. When tasks feel repetitive or “quick,” workers get comfortable. That comfort is precisely what leads to injuries. 

Choosing the right ladder is step one 

Not every ladder is the same, and using the wrong type is one of the most common mistakes. 

Key considerations: 

• Height: Workers should never stand on the top rung or top cap. If they need to reach higher, they need a taller ladder. 
• Duty rating: Ladders are rated for weight loads — including tools. Crews often ignore this, especially with heavy gear. 
• Material: For lighting, pool equipment and any electrical hazard, a fiberglass ladder is mandatory. 
• Style: Step ladders must be used fully opened and locked. Extension ladders must be set at a proper angle. 

The right ladder isn’t optional — it’s the foundation of safe climbing. 

Set it up correctly, every time 

A poorly placed ladder is an accident waiting to happen, and outdoor environments make this even more challenging. Grass, gravel, mulch, pavers and soil all shift under weight. 

Workers should: 

• Place ladders on level, stable ground 
• Use boards or stabilizers on soft surfaces 
• Anchor or tie off extension ladders when possible 
• Maintain the 4:1 angle (for every 4 feet up, set the base 1 foot out) 
• Clear the base area of hoses, cords, stones and debris 
• Keep ladders away from doorways, vehicle paths or active work areas 

In outdoor living projects, constant foot traffic and multi-trade overlap increase the chance of a ladder being bumped. The setup must anticipate this. 

Three points of contact — no exceptions 

Every climb — up or down should follow the same rule: two feet, one hand; two hands, one foot. 
This eliminates the single most significant cause of ladder falls: climbing while carrying tools or materials. 

Crews should always use: 

• Tool belts 
• Buckets with rope lifts 
• Ground assistants when needed 

If a worker can’t maintain three points of contact, they are not climbing safely. 

Overreaching is the silent ladder killer 

Most ladder falls don’t come from slips or rung failures — they happen when workers reach too far to one side. 

When a person leans outside the ladder’s rails, they shift the center of gravity. The ladder responds the same way every time: it tips. 

The solution is simple: 

• Climb down and move the ladder. 
• Never lean. 
• Never stretch. 
• Never “just reach a little more.” 

Those extra 10 seconds of repositioning prevent weeks or months of lost time. 

Inspect ladders as often as you use them 

Ladders take abuse on outdoor sites. They get thrown into trucks, set on uneven ground, exposed to moisture, left in heat and overloaded. 

Every ladder should be checked for: 

• Cracked rails 
• Bent rungs 
• Loose spreaders 
• Damaged feet 
• Missing labels 
• Worn non-slip surfaces 

If a ladder is damaged, it should be taken out of service immediately. Don’t tape it. Don’t brace it. Don’t “use it just one more time.” 

Make ladder safety a habit, not a message 

Crews respond to what supervisors enforce. When supervisors model proper ladder use, workers follow. When shortcuts go unaddressed, shortcuts become culture. 

Integrate ladder safety into: 

• Daily huddles 
• Toolbox talks 
• New-hire orientation 
• Job audits and site walks 
• Pre-task planning meetings 

When ladder safety becomes a standard expectation — not a lecture — crews adopt it naturally. 

No outdoor contractor can eliminate ladder use, but every contractor can eliminate ladder complacency. When workers slow down, set up correctly and climb with intention, they reduce the most universal risk across every trade. 

Ladder safety is not complicated — it’s consistent. And that consistency protects your people, your productivity and your reputation.