It’s not a robot arm, but maybe the closest thing to it: Members of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts Local 1 Oregon/Washington/Idaho/Montana at Bratton Masonry are using a device called a MULE (Material Unit Lift Enhancer) to lift heavy concrete blocks into place. That’s a job that would normally require two workers, but they’d need to work right next to each other, and the COVID-19 epidemic makes that unsafe.
Local 1 member Simon Scoles submitted a video featuring the use of the MULE as part of a BAC Local 1 contest to see who could make the best video showing how masonry workers are finding ways to work safely during the pandemic. Scoles took first place and won a $100 Fred Meyer gift card, union T-shirt, and a 48” Crick level.
Second place finisher Scott Fromm of J&S Masonry won a $50 Fred Meyer gift card, T-Shirt and a 24” Crick level. Third place contestant Rick Salchenberg of Davidsons Masonry won BAC hooded sweatshirt and T-shirt.
See the winning video here, or watch all the videos at Facebook.com/bac1or.
