6 Injured in New York Concrete Formwork Collapse

Just before 11 am on Monday morning, 6/26, firefighters were called to an under-construction residential building in Queens, New York after concrete scaffolding and formwork collapsed during a pour.

According to QNS, workers were on the 8th floor of the soon-to-be 18 story apartment building, when the collapse happened.  6 of the workers were transported to a nearby hospital, but none of the injuries are considered life-threatening.

QNS also reported that, since 2015, 20 complaints have been filed against this project to the New York Department of Business.  Among them were complaints about failing to comply with a stop work order. The FDNY shared a photo taken by drone of this week’s collapse in Queens on Twitter, which you can see at the bottom of this article. It's not yet known what caused the collapse.

Another recent formwork collapse in Oakland, CA made headlines a few weeks ago. Video of the aftermath of that collapse showed several workers dangling from rebar and others stuck in the fresh concrete.

Featured
CAT Releases Newest Ultra-Rigged Smartphone on the Sprint Network

CAT phones has made our headlines in recent years by matching their rugged design with a suite of features that no other phone can match, like the built-in thermal imaging, laser measure, and humidity and VOC sensors that the Cat S61 has.  Those past phones have been unlocked and compatible with certain networks of the user’s choosing, but their latest release is starting out only available on the Sprint Network.
6 Ways to Reduce Construction Employee Turnover for Small Contractors

Over the past few years, it has been abundantly clear that many contractors have their choice of work and not enough resources to handle all of the opportunities.  That abundance commonly leads to the labor field being able to bounce between companies for quick wage increases, leaving company owners and management struggling to keep fully staffed with qualified people.
The Top States to Work in Construction: #19 Louisiana

Louisiana, home of jazz music, gumbo, and next door neighbor to #20 Texas, is the first one on our list to reach the teens in the rankings. America’s most swamp heavy state benefits from a low cost of living, 5.4% below the national average, according to MERIC.
How the Milwaukee Buck’s New Arena Became the “World’s First Bird Friendly Arena”

You may have been sitting in your house or office one day and noticed the distinct sound of a bird hitting the window. It’s pretty common, as it’s estimated that as many as 988 million birds die in the US each year by colliding into glass.  The new arena that will house the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks has incorporated some design elements that will reduce the amount of birds killed by the massive structure, allowing it to be dubbed the “World’s Most Bird Friendly Sports Arena.”

Construction Industry Groups Unite to Reduce Suicide Rate Among Construction Workers

The construction industry ranks first in total suicides and second in suicide rate compared to all other industries in the United States, according to a 2016 study by the Center for Disease Control (CDC).  This sad fact led more than 75 industry groups to form an alliance to combat the epidemic in 2016. Some of the members recently met in in Washington DC to help construction companies to better address mental health issues among their workers.

5 Most Common Causes of Construction Project Delays

Delays on your construction project can cause all kinds of problems for your business and it doesn’t just affect the project that’s been delayed. With limited resources in labor and equipment, a delay on one project can lead to delays on other current or future projects. To help contractors prevent delays, fleet management company Teletrac Navman, has compiled a list of the top 5 reasons for onsite construction delays.

The Top States to Work in Construction: #20 Texas

Texas is the second largest state in the entire country by land area, trailing only Alaska. It’s significant land mass and relatively low population density help the state have a very low cost of living, according to MERIC, at 9.4% below average. That allowed Texas to drop over 12 spots in our ranking.
OSHA Publishes Report on Cause of 3 Tower Crane Collapses During 2017’s Hurricane Irma

Just over a year ago, in September of 2017, Hurricane Irma blew through Miami, Florida, bringing extremely high speed wind with it.  The wind caused 3 cranes to collapse in southern Florida, 2 in downtown Miami and 1 more in Ft. Lauderdale. Interesting video of the dismantling of one of the failed cranes was shared on Youtube.

OSHA is Considering a Change to The Silica Dust Standard

In September of 2017, OSHA’s new standard on exposure to respirable crystalline silica went into effect in the construction industry.  The rule lowered the allowable exposure to the harmful substance to 50 micrograms per cubic meter, a measurement that we’re all familiar with [/sarcasm].  After a full year of enforcement, OSHA is considering making a change to the rule.
[VIDEO] Latest Update on World’s First 3D Steel Bridge

It’s been a long time coming, but the world’s first 3D printed steel bridge has passed all of its required testing and is ready to be installed. But, before it gets to its final home, it will go on a short publicity tour.