Construction firms are experiencing widespread project deferrals and cancellations, along with disruptions to ongoing work and few new project awards, as the economic damage from the pandemic drags down industry employment in metro areas across the nation, according to a new survey and an analysis of new government data that the Associated General Contractors of America released recently. Association officials urged Congress to pass new coronavirus relief measures to head off further job losses.

The Department of Labor is advising OSHA and other enforcement agencies not to publish press releases – “absent extraordinary circumstances” – about fines and penalties levied against employers for worker safety and health violations “before achieving a successful outcome,” according to a DOL guidance memo obtained by The New York Times.

Construction financial executives are vigilant managers of chaos and risk, but even the most trained and attuned face unexpected challenges that are born from the inherent complexity of their projects and from the clients and markets they serve. Jobsites can be suddenly suspended, short-term setbacks may threaten payrolls and labor shortages lead to compressed schedules—all while executives are frantically trying to understand how cash is moving into and out of the business.

A team of researchers has received grants and support from the National Science Foundation and the Discovery Partners Institute to establish a National Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Construction.

Fax machines, paper records, spreadsheets and landline phones are going the way of the dinosaur in most industries. Yet those and other outdated technologies have kept a stubborn foothold in construction, especially once you step down in size from the top-tier firms. 

Several of the highest-paid jobs in the country that don't require a college degree are related to the construction industry, according to a new report from Advisor Smith. Construction managers earn the second-highest salary on the list of jobs that don't require a degree, which is based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Being a construction business owner today is an extremely difficult responsibility. With changing economic conditions, employment requirements and safety concerns, as well as aggressive competition, a tight labor market and material shortages and delays, it’s tough to make business decisions with certainty.

There are several possibilities when it comes to reconfiguring or adjusting a space to maintain the health and safety of workers, from reorganizing spaces to enable social distancing measures to full teardown and reconstruction of a plant.

We have opened our all-new, redesigned Construction Excellence Awards entry website early this year. Planning to submit for a 2021 award? Get started now and avoid the end-of-year rush. Applications are due January 31, 2021. For complete details on the 2021 Awards, view the awards flyer.

CISCA is the global premier authority for the interior construction, acoustical ceilings and acoustical treatment industry, fostering professional development and exchanges for and between association members and industry professionals. Be sure to visit our website often as new material is posted regularly.

CISCA is the global premier authority for the interior construction, acoustical ceilings and acoustical treatment industry. Market your products/services to the multi-billion dollar interior systems industry today.

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