Members' Edge

AGC Houston

Slack & Co. Contracting, Inc.
TAS Commercial Concrete, LLC
Betco Scaffolds
Events
 
   
In observance of Thanksgiving, the AGC Houston office will close at 3 p.m. on November 26 and reopen December 1 at 8 a.m. We wish you all a safe and happy holiday weekend!

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/hca-nwl/articles/?aid=296914&issueID=40140 to view the full article online.

 
Register today for the 96th Annual AGC Convention on March 18-20, 2015, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. AGC Houston is proud that Chuck Greco, Chairman, Linbeck Group, LLC., will become President of AGC of America. This prestigious honor marks only the second time an AGC Houston Leader has led the organization to such a level since Warren S. Bellows in 1946. At the same time that Chuck will take his new position, Jerry Nevlud, President/CEO of AGC Houston will become Chairman of the Executive Leadership Council with the AGC of America’s organization of CEOs.

Visit http://meetings.agc.org/convention/ to view the full article online.

 
Do you know anyone who could use money for higher education? Hurry and apply today for the Patrick J. Kiley Excellence In Leadership Scholarships. Deadline is January 31, 2015. AGC Houston will award scholarships to deserving students majoring in a construction-related discipline or an employee or dependent of an AGC Houston member firm.

Visit http://agchouston.org/pages/agc_scholarships_675.asp to view the full article online.

 
The Construction Safety and Excellence Awards recognize companies that have developed and implemented excellent safety and loss prevention programs. AGC Houston contractor members that excel at safety performance are encouraged to submit applications. Entry deadline is December 15, 2014. Judges  look for evidence of company management commitment, active employee participation, safety training, worksite hazard identification and control, and safety program innovation.

Visit http://www.agc.org/cs/construction_safety_and_excellence_awards to view the full article online.

 
Education/Training
BIM Process, Adoption, and Integration is a full-day (8-hour) course that provides a foundation for participants to establish and execute the BIM process, facilitate its adoption, and achieve integration on a single project and at a company level to execute multiple BIM projects simultaneously.

Visit http://agchouston.org/calendar.asp?pageid=901&calid=1413 to view the full article online.

 
Learn the difference between leading and managing, and understand the importance of communication in effective leadership. Develop techniques for motivating and negotiating solutions, as well as effectively managing change. Broaden your awareness of ethical standards and professional responsibilities.

Visit http://agchouston.org/calendar.asp?pageid=901&calid=1430 to view the full article online.

 
For AEC professionals, the AGC Certificate in Management Building Information Modeling (CM-BIM) is an assessment-based certificate credential that denotes knowledge and understanding of concepts related to BIM adoption, practice and process transformation outlined in the AGC BIM Education Program.

Visit http://agchouston.org/calendar.asp?pageid=901&calid=1419 to view the full article online.

 
Safety
This trainer course is designed for individuals interested in teaching the OSHA 10- or 30-hour General Industry safety and health Outreach training program to their employees and other interested groups.

Visit http://agchouston.org/calendar.asp?pageid=901&calid=1762 to view the full article online.

 
This course is designed to give environment, safety and health professionals the tools they need to ensure their workplace is in compliance with environmental regulations and reduce environmental risks. The course will cover the basics of environmental regulations and demonstrate how to identify pertinent regulations to your operations.

Visit http://agchouston.org/calendar.asp?pageid=901&calid=1760 to view the full article online.

 
AGC News
Thank you to all those who made their voices heard by voting in the 2014 Midterm Elections on November 4. AGC recently released a video featuring AGC CEO Stephen Sandherr, who recounted the results of the 2014 midterm elections and what the outcome means for the construction industry. He also talks about AGC of America's legislative priorities for the upcoming "Lame-Duck" Congressional session, and for next year's new Congress. You can view the video here.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/hca-nwl/articles/?aid=296925&issueID=40140 to view the full article online.

 

The Construction Safety and Excellence Awards are now open for submissions! These awards recognize companies that have developed and implemented excellent safety and loss prevention programs achieved through management commitment, employee involvement, and program innovation. All AGC Houston contractor members that excel at safety performance are encouraged to submit applications for each division and occupational category.




Entry deadline is December 15, 2014Click here for details.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/hca-nwl/articles/?aid=296926&issueID=40140 to view the full article online.

 
The AGC Alternative, is a private insurance exchange that operates like an online store, making it easy for your employees to shop for health insurance and other benefits on their own or through the help of our dedicated employee hotline. Click here for detailed information and for quotes.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/hca-nwl/articles/?aid=296927&issueID=40140 to view the full article online.

 
AGC of America has submitted an amicus brief with the National Labor Relations Board in a case involving common-situs picketing. The case, IBEW Local 357 (Desert Sun Enterprises), presents an opportunity for the Board to reconsider its long-standing requirement that, when a union notifies a neutral employer of its intent to picket a primary employer (the employer with which it has a direct dispute) at a site where both employers are located, the union must include assurances that it will conduct the picketing in accordance with set standards for lawful picketing. AGC urges the Board to maintain the requirement because it is consistent with the National Labor Relations Act, protects important public policies, and reflects the realities of labor relations on multiemployer worksites.

Visit http://news.agc.org/2014/11/12/agc-tells-nlrb-to-preserve-notice-rule-in-common-situs-picketing-cases/ to view the full article online.

 
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) released its final rule implementing Executive Order 13658 (EO), which establishes a minimum wage of $10.10 per hour for direct federal prime contractors and subcontractors at all tiers. That $10.10 minimum wage must be adjusted annually for inflation. The new minimum wage will take effect on direct federal agency contracts entered into on or after Jan. 1, 2015.

Visit http://news.agc.org/2014/10/06/final-rule-for-federal-contractor-minimum-wage/ to view the full article online.

 
AGC Houston and other AGC Texas chapters have joined forces to help promote careers in the commercial construction industry by launching Texasconstructioncareers.com. More than just a website that allows employers to post jobs and job seekers their resumes, the site offers a plethora of information on craft training and professional education resources and job fairs throughout Texas. Click here for more information.
 
Naylor Association Solutions
Naylor Association Solutions
Proline Supply Company
Member News

Baird’s Houston offices have been recognized as a top employer by the Houston Business Journal, which named Baird the No. 38 small employer in the publication’s 2014 list of the Houston area’s Best Places to Work.




"It was a great feeling to have Baird make the list this year, as we have two branches in Houston," said Patricia Sparks, Office Administrative Manager. "One was just opened last year and has added 24 new employees to the Baird family." The small category consists of companies with 10 to 100 employees. A total of 30 associates work in Baird’s Houston branches. To determine the 2014 list, the Houston Business Journal partnered with Quantum Workplace, an independent human resources consulting company, to conduct a survey of employees in the Houston area measuring unique cultures, amenities, benefits and worker-retention and attraction strategies.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/hca-nwl/articles/?aid=297068&issueID=40140 to view the full article online.

 
Here's Looking At You
 
   
Members of the Leadership AGC Class attended the Third Annual ACE Mentor's "Build It Forward" Event, which took place on Saturday, November 22, on site at Marek Brothers Systems, Inc.



Each Leadership AGC member led a group of ACE Mentor students in building storage benches that were donated to charities throughout Houston and the surrounding areas. The event was a huge success, with more than 20 benches  built and delivered by the team members. Click here to view photos from the event.



Founded in 1994, the ACE name stands for Architecture, Construction and Engineering. The ACE program helps to mentor high school students and inspires them to pursue careers in design and construction. It’s now the construction industry's fastest-growing high school mentoring program, reaching over 8,000 students annually.




Photo: Philip Gallegos, The Brandt Companies, LLC, stands with his team of ACE Mentor Students and their completed storage bench.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/hca-nwl/articles/?aid=297010&issueID=40140 to view the full article online.

 
News You Can Use
Barak Obama's executive order announced Thursday is expected to stay the deportations of about 5 million immigrants and grant them temporary work permits, giving them the same legal protections on wages, health and safety that U.S. workers take for granted.  In Texas, which has the greatest number of people living here illegally after California, an estimated 743,000 immigrants of about 1.5 million could receive permits. They'll qualify either as parents of U.S. citizens or legal residents or through Obama's expansion of the so-called dreamer program for young adults.




"A lot of our workforce doesn't have the proper work papers,"  said AGC Houston President, Jerry Nevlud. "Now they'd be able to stay on payrolls, and companies can invest in training and development. That stability will encourage workers to consider construction as a career, not just a short-term job. The bottom line for the industry is that it's a good thing."

Visit http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/article/Obama-s-immigration-order-will-ripple-across-5912000.php#/1 to view the full article online.

 
Many in the construction industry are finding that drones and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) can play a vital role in their work. Whether they’re used for surveying, to show clients and potential clients an aerial overview of completed projects, to monitor jobsites to ensure safe practices or to inspect bridges and other structures, drones have the potential to become as important a tool to the industry as any piece of yellow iron. The Federal Aviation Agency has said that it plans to allow commercial UAS use once it has drawn up proper regulations for the aircraft. The deadline for those regulations is some time in 2015.

Visit http://www.equipmentworld.com/drones/ to view the full article online.

 


Dodge Data & Analytics released its Construction Outlook report, which shows a five percent increase in construction activity this year and forecasts a nine percent increase next year. The report notes construction financing is becoming easier to obtain and more construction bonds are being passed. Office, institutional, single- and multi-family housing, and public works sectors will see largest gains in spending, according to the report.

Visit http://sourceable.net/us-construction-boom-set-to-roll-on/ to view the full article online.

 
Researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have spent the past five years conducting molecular analyses of the limestone-to-silica ratios of cement to determine the most efficient combination. As the world’s favored construction material and a significant contributor to greenhouse gases—with estimates at about 5-10 percent of industrial emissions—any reduction in pollution that doesn’t compromise final quality is a sure advantage. What the team unearthed is that the standard ratio of calcium to silica is about 1.7, with an acceptable range from 1.2 to 2.2 But their database of various combinations indicates that 1.5 not only reduces CO2 emissions by as much as 60 percent, the concrete is made stronger at that ratio.

Visit http://www.industrytap.com/concrete-evidence-worlds-used-construction-material-can-made-greener/23574 to view the full article online.

 
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration wants to overhaul its approach to reducing workplace exposure to hazardous chemicals—and the agency is asking for your help. For the next six months, OSHA will accept comments on the best ways to protect workers from illnesses caused by exposure to hazardous substances. It’s specifically asking stakeholders, including businesses, for suggestions on how to streamline risk assessment and develop alternatives to updating permissible exposure limits (PELs) for chemicals.

Visit http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/news-wire/2014/10/09/osha-seeks-new-approach-to-hazardous-chemicals.html to view the full article online.

 
AGC Houston | 3825 Dacoma Street, Houston, TX USA, 77092-8707