Take the Heat Illness Quiz

It's that time of year when construction management teams need to remind those working in the heat to stay hydrated. The Madison OSHA Office says it is getting calls and emails from employees complaining about the warmer weather.  For the first time, OSHA Madison has developed a Heat Illness Quiz ...
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Apprentice likes the opportunities in his craft

This being "Workforce Week," it's a good time to share with you a feature on a current apprentice, Andy Lensink, with De Troye Electric Service, Inc., Oostburg, and a gold medal winner at the 2017 National Craft Competition. Andy, 33, had a good childhood, raise in the small town of Oostburg. His mom did secretary work and his dad worked at the post office. He liked playing sports and building model cars and then messing around ...
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New Silica Standard and expectations for employers

On September 23, 2017, OSHA’s new Silica standard (1926.1153) goes into effect. For construction companies with a relatively low silica exposure, a largely misguided response has been repeated over and over – “this doesn’t affect me and my company.” In reality, ANY silica exposure must be evaluated ... Read the rest of entry »

Construction job growth led by non-residential sector

National construction employment remained largely unchanged for the second consecutive month, adding 5,000 net new jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis in April, according to analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The nonresidential construction sector added 3,200 net new jobs in April after ... 
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The four financial reasons why contractors need safety

Owning or managing a construction company, chances are you have a lot on your mind, from hiring employees to managing projects to paying bills. One thing that probably isn’t top on your list is ...
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Three common mistakes made selling in construction and what to do about it

As the pace of commercial construction picks up, you may not think there is any need to improve in the area of sales. Perhaps you feel there is no need to work harder. You are already working harder than company leaders in most industries, right? Matt Pletzer of Lift Consulting in Madison, Wisconsin, recommends ... 
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BIM is a virtual cost savings all contractors should experience

When it comes to creating efficiencies in construction, BIM software plays a major role. BIM, or building information modeling, has taken CAD blue prints to a whole new level; a much more efficient level leading to cost savings. BIM is a powerful tool. Like any power tool, the end product is dependent on the user ...
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Construction industry praises president for eliminating paperwork burden rule

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today commended President Trump for signing a resolution into law eliminating the Obama administration’s controversial “Volks rule” (formally known as Clarification of an Employer’s Continuing Obligation to Make and Maintain an Accurate Record of Each Recordable Injury and Illness final rule). Congress passed the resolution through the Congressional Review Act (CRA)...
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Improving economy provides benefits and poses challenges

The latest economic update from ABC National shows construction employment on the rise for the beginning 2017. The data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows a half percent increase in employment growth, or 36,000 net jobs in January 2017, the strongest it has been in 10 months.
“Coming out of the recession, this upswing feels good,” ... Read the rest of entry »

Report shows safety practices make construction companies up to 770% safer

A report by ABC shows how using proactive safety practices to reduce recordable incidents by 87 percent, makes the best-performing companies 770 percent safer than industry average. The report emphasizes the importance of ...
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