Construction employment increased by 1,000 jobs in November and by 146,000, or 2.0 percent, over the past 12 months, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said recent modest monthly increases in industry employment likely reflect the difficulty contractors are having in finding workers rather than a letup in demand. Officials urged federal officials to pass the JOBS Act and boost funding for career and technical education programs to help ease labor shortages.

The U.S. metros of New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston, Miami, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, San Francisco and Boston, according to Information intelligence firm GlobalData, are among the 50 "construction mega cities" around the world that have more than $30 billion of investment value in their construction project pipelines. 

Many contractors who have been in business for 30 or more years are ready to sell their business and retire. The combination of aging ownership in the construction industry and a lack of skilled personnel to take over has created sales that implicate issues unique to the construction industry so there are pitfalls both sellers and buyers need to avoid.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) fiscal year (FY) 2019 final statistics show a significant increase in the number of inspections and a record amount of compliance assistance to further the mission of ensuring that employers provide workplaces free of hazards.

While Deere has long struggled with economic uncertainties affecting sales of its agricultural equipment, in recent weeks it has indicated a weakening in its construction sector business as well. In a fourth quarter earnings call Nov. 27, Deere CEO John C. May reported that company leaders expect sales of its construction equipment to fall between 10 percent and 15 percent next fiscal year.

Mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs), such as boom and scissor lifts, are powerful, durable and useful machines that help workers perform a wide range of tasks at height. Training operators and other workers on the safe use of these machines—formerly known as aeriel lift platforms—is crucial to decreasing the risk of injuries, property damage and liability on the worksite.

The construction industry is in the midst of a significant technology transformation as contractors adopt the latest cloud technologies to help enhance operations, automate workflows, streamline data into single streams and extend collaboration beyond the walls of the office. 

For the first time in U.S. history, a person is more likely to die from an accidental opioid overdose than from a car crash. What’s more, in 2017, an estimated 70,000 Americans died of a drug overdose, with nearly 70 percent of those deaths involving opioids. While these are startling statistics, the opioid epidemic isn’t just crippling the health and well-being of those who struggle with opioid use disorder and their families—it’s also impacting businesses in every industry, including those in construction.

Construction spending declined 0.8 percent in October from September but topped year-ago levels by 1.1 percent, as decreases in private nonresidential, multifamily and public projects outweighed a recent revival in single-family homebuilding, according to an analysis recently by the Associated General Contractors of America of new federal spending data. Association officials said that the impact of trade conflicts is harming private construction.

Although it’s considered an illicit substance at the federal level, cannabis is legal for recreational and/or medicinal use in 34 states and the District of Columbia. Therefore, as jobs in the legal cannabis industry increase, so does the need for injury prevention training.

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.

This publication has complete information on properties of sound and acoustical materials, terminology and installation, as well as a comprehensive evaluation of acoustical ceiling systems.

Are you still relying on annual reviews to manage Employee Development? Caliper shows you why coaching is the way to go.

Architects and designers looking to incorporate linear lighting into their Armstrong® WoodWorks® ceiling designs now have easy new options. Armstrong Ceiling & Wall Solutions has introduced new lighting connection clips that make integration of lighting simple.