St Patrick’s Day was just a few short days ago and, while everyone else was busy wearing green and justifying the massive amounts of alcohol they were consuming, employees of Netherlands based Oasen, a utility company, were busy finding an actual pot of gold.
Read moreAverage Hourly Wage of Welders, By State
Welders are essential on many construction jobs throughout the US, especially in bridge construction and high rise buildings. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) groups Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers into one category, but their jobs essentially boil down to joining and cutting metal.
Read moreThe Latest on the Florida Bridge Collapse
Last Thursday, every construction professional’s worst nightmare happened. Lives were lost, both construction workers and civilians, by way of the catastrophic collapse of FIU’s under construction pedestrian bridge. We shared what we knew as of late Thursday night, but since this is not only a tragedy directly related to construction, but also a huge learning opportunity for the entire industry, I wanted to make sure we continued to follow and update on the story as it develops.
Read moreAt Least 6 Killed After Under Construction Walking Bridge Collapses onto Open Street Below
Terrible tragedy struck Florida International University’s (FIU) campus yesterday when a newly installed pedestrian bridge collapsed onto the road below, killing at least 4 and severely injuring many more.
Read moreHow Will the World’s Tallest Voluntary Demolition in NYC Actually Happen?
A couple weeks ago, JP Morgan Chase announced that they planned to demolish their existing 52-story Manhattan headquarters, which is believed to be the tallest voluntary demolition in history, in order to build a 70 story, 2.5 million square foot building in its place. The move left preservationists upset at the idea of scrapping the nearly 60 year old building and others wondering how exactly they were going to safely demolish a building that tall in such a congested and busy area.
Read moreAverage Hourly Wage of Security and Fire Systems Installers, By State
I had a request to cover fire suppression system installers on our weekly look at hourly wage data, but unfortunately the Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn't specifically break that profession out separately. They do, however, have a category called Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers, which I believe will cover the category.
Read more[GIVEAWAY] Avenger Work Boots!
Avenger Work Boots, by Footwear Specialties International (FSI), was a brand that I was previously unfamiliar with until the company reached out to me to do a review of their product. The Avenger brand is FSI's outdoor construction work boot category, which they say focuses of extreme affordability, high quality, and comfortability. When asked what differentiated the brand from other manufacturers, FSI told me that their boots "come with more features and benefits for the dollar, than any other shoe."
Read moreOSHA Identifies Trenching and Excavation Hazard Reduction as Priority Goal for 2018
Trenches and excavations are dug on the majority of construction projects, mostly for foundations, utilities, among other purposes. When construction workers have to enter those trenches and excavations, there are a variety of hazards that exist, the biggest hazards being cave-ins. A cubic yard of soil can weigh over 2,000 pounds, nearly the weight of the average car, so without proper protections for that worker, he or she can be killed or severely injured.
Read moreHome Depot and Lowe’s Commit Money, Pre-Apprenticeship Programs to Build Construction Workforce
There’s been a largely unfocused effort across the industry to try to bridge the workforce gap, but two retail giants recently announced that they are putting their money where their mouth is and committing their time and money to the effort. Construction jobs are an often overlooked profession that can pay very well without the requirement of getting a college degree.
Read moreAverage Hourly Wage of Elevator Installers, By State
Elevator installers and repairers do exactly that, install and repair elevators. As specific as the job is, it's actually the highest paid construction trade that doesn't require anything more than a high school diploma. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that the job outlook for the profession is expected to increase by 12% through the year 2026, which is higher than average.
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