In the future, employers will need to deal with federal safety law compliance from an entirely new perspective. OSHA has announced that it is moving away from relying on past employer safety data, or lagging indicators, to focus its enforcement efforts on what it defines as leading indicators.

Top performing construction companies, large or small, generally have all of the requirements in place to run at full speed, make the highest margins and stay at the top as a best in class business.

Technology has advanced faster in the last 20 years than at any previous point. New techniques and technologies are emerging that are threatening to turn the construction and contracting industries on their ears. So how can new technologies improve contractor profit margins, and what will it take for companies to adopt these new tools and techniques?

Forty-one states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between October 2018 and October 2019, while construction employment increased in 28 states from September to October, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data released recently. Association officials said that firm’s efforts to increase pay and benefits and do more in-house training appear to be helping them find people to hire despite tight labor conditions.

Used for years by a number of major U.S. manufacturers including Toyota, Boeing and GM, exoskeletons are a type of wearable technology that helps lessen worker strain from repetitive tasks. 

On Nov. 15, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule expanding the universal waste regulations to include aerosol cans and streamlining the management of this waste.  It should help construction firms maintain a lower-tier generator category, because aerosol cans are often the only hazardous waste stream produced on a construction site.  The rule also promotes safe puncturing practices and recycling.

There is an old adage concerning timely action about the uselessness of locking the stable after the horse is gone. It is, unfortunately, the story of many construction companies confronting the issue of cybersecurity. They never considered themselves a target until it was too late.

At a 2016 conference for women in construction, iron worker Bridget Booker stood up and recounted how, as a second-year apprentice, she miscarried after a very heavy day on the job. Booker told the audience she felt she had had no option but to continue to work when she became pregnant. Without work, she would not only have lost her earnings, but also her health insurance.

Now more than ever, workers on jobsites are enjoying greater comfort thanks to technological advances in workwear materials and employers who notice that the best gear for safety is not one-size-fits-all.

Join us in Las Vegas, March 23-26, 2020 for the 2020 CISCA Convention and INTEX. Registration is now open and there is a special CISCA rate for lodging. For additional questions, call CISCA at 630-584-1919 or email cisca@cisca.org.

The CISCA Life Cycle Study is modeled on two different building types (office and retail) in five different markets, reflecting differences in energy costs, construction/installation costs and climate zones.  Markets included Charlotte, Chicago, Oklahoma City, Orlando and Phoenix.

Plan for the long-term success of your employees. We put together the four necessary points you need to focus on when planning and building your plan.

AD’s President of the Industrial & Safety Division–U.S. Marisol Fernandez was honored with the Impact Award at the October 2019 Industrial Supply Association’s Women Industrial Supply Executives or W.I.S.E. Summit. This award honors commitment to advancing the development and influence of women in the industrial channel.