CISCA Monday Newsletter
 
Industry News
The CISCA Ceilings Systems Handbook, the authoritative guide to ceiling installation, safety and tools for modern ceiling installation, has been fully updated and revised for 2019. This is an excellent resource for those new to the industry, as well as educators, contractors or anyone needing a detailed overview of proper, safe procedures for installing ceilings. Purchase and download today!
 
A recent AGC survey found that 91% of respondents expect their companies will hire craft workers in the next 12 months either for expansion or replacement. But recent construction spending numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau showed spending in the first seven months of 2019 was 2.1% lower than in January-July 2018 (without adjusting for inflation).
 
Building materials account for half of the solid waste generated worldwide, according to the World Bank. If we stay the course, global waste is projected to increase 70% over the next 30 years, to 3.4 billion tons of waste generated each year. Lately, though, more building materials and construction industry companies are seeking to alter that course once and for all. They have determined that the most direct route to sustained profitably isn’t linear at all - it’s circular - and they are structuring their supply chains and their business operations accordingly. 
 
Slow payments cost the construction industry $64 billion in 2019, according to survey estimates from the Rabbet Partners and Procore 2019 Construction Payments Report. The survey of 184 general and subcontractors across the United States showed slow payments had effects on their work and bottom lines.
 
9Wood
9Wood
Employers need to focus on workers’ mental health, and this is especially true in the construction industry. A 2018 study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that males in the construction and extraction fields accounted for the most suicides of any other profession in both 2012 and 2015.
 
With 17 percent fewer Gen Xers in the labor force, millennials have quickly become the largest working generation, and Gen Z is swiftly joining the pool of eligible workers. The same holds true for the construction industry. While baby boomers and older Gen Xers have started to retire from their long-standing careers, millennials, as well as the first wave of Gen Z, are quickly filling the gaps.
 
Employers need to prepare to either pay newly eligible workers overtime or give them a raise that puts them over the new $35,568 threshold. There's also a chance employers might discover that some employees are incorrectly classified as either exempt or non-exempt in the process.
 
Right on the heels of Workforce Development Month in September is Careers in Construction Month, observed every October. While last month we were focused on developing the current and incoming workforce, Careers in Construction Month provides an opportunity to focus on awareness.
 
Construction remains one of the top five industries driving the world economy. Yet until recently, it’s been lagging behind virtually every other sector in the adoption of technology. In this in-depth interview, Dr. Dan Patterson, Chief Design Officer with InEight, explains why the construction industry is now turning to technology solutions that utilize artificial intelligence (AI) to solve long standing and deep-rooted challenges.
 
Supervisors of frontline workers often have the difficult task of engaging their frontline worker direct reports. While keeping staff engaged and connected sounds like it would be easy in today’s digital era, it’s actually quite difficult, especially when dealing with a distributed or remote workforce. 
 
Acoustic systems that simplify the specification, sourcing, and installation process
Focal Point Lights

Focal Point, one of the newest members of CISCA is an industry leader that designs and manufactures integrated lighting and acoustic systems that simplify the specification, sourcing, and installation process while delivering a unified look with their Acoustic Solutions. Their in-house specialists can help you achieve your desired design.  

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The global hotel construction pipeline, led by the U.S., is at a record high, according to Lodging Econometrics, with 14,051 projects (2.3 million rooms) under construction, getting ready to start construction in the next year or in the early planning stages. This represents 9% more hotel projects and 8% more hotel rooms in the pipeline since the same time last year.
 
The red flag has been used throughout history as a signal that there is a problem or danger - encouraging people to stop and take notice. Hoar Construction uses red flags to help workers on job sites recognize conditions that are more likely to lead to an incident. Through the years, the company has tracked trends on its job sites and distilled that information into five areas, now labeled the five red flags of safety.
 
It is common in construction for a subcontractor or material supplier of any tier to be required to provide a lien waiver when receiving payment. But not all lien waivers are created equal. While at a minimum, a lien waiver, by definition, needs to include a release of liens, it can also include many other terms that can tie up loose ends or resolve potential problems before they begin.
 
Member News
This month's edition features articles on finding the right candidate for the job, competency-based training, avoiding turnover and more. 
 
 

 

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