Google Releases Timelapse Videos of 32 Years of Satellite Images of 193 Major Cities

December 2, 2016 Shane Hedmond

In 1984, Ronald Reagan was president, the Detroit Tigers won the World Series, The Los Angeles Raiders won the Super Bowl, and Beverly Hills Cop was the biggest box office hit. Needless to say, a lot has changed since 1984, especially how many of our cities look. Google has recently released timelapse videos of 193 major cities across the world to show how much they have changed in the past 32 years.

Images From Space Show San Fran Tower Sinking Faster Than Expected

December 1, 2016 Shane Hedmond

Photo: ESA SEOM INSARAP study / PPO.labs / Norut / NGU.  Red dots show areas that are sinking, green indicates no movement.  The Millennium Tower is pictured in the center. — Photo: ESA SEOM INSARAP study / PPO.labs / Norut / NGU. Red dots show areas that are sinking, green indicates no movement. The Millennium Tower is pictured in the center.

San Francisco’s luxury high-rise condo tower has received plenty of bad news recently and the building and its developers are entwined in plenty of lawsuits. Since the Millennium Tower’s grand opening in 2009, the building has sunk around 16 inches and is even tilting several inches to the northwest. This news has residents worried that their home is valueless and has fingers being pointed every which way. Recently released satellite images show that the situation may not be getting better, either.

Japan’s Repaired Sinkhole Causes Road Closure After Sinking Again

November 30, 2016 Shane Hedmond

photo via Takashima Soichiro's Facebook Page

Last week, Japanese construction workers earned plenty of praise after they were able to repair a gigantic 90 foot by 88 foot by 50 foot sinkhole that formed in Fukuoka, Japan in the middle of a 5 lane road in under a week. A timelapse video of the repair can be watched by clicking here. This week, CNN reported that the road had to be closed again after it began to sink again.

[VIDEO] Construction Workers Rescue a Giant Bear Stuck Underground

November 29, 2016 Shane Hedmond

If there’s something strange in your neighborhood, who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters, obviously. But, If there’s a large animal stuck in the ground, who ya gonna call? Construction workers. Earlier this year, construction workers were able to rescue a small deer that had gotten stuck in some pretty deep mud with an excavator, but just recently construction crews were called in to rescue a much more terrifying animal: a gigantic bear.

New Overtime Pay Rule Halted by Courts, Effective Date Delayed

November 28, 2016 Shane Hedmond

It’s been a tumultuous year between several governmental agencies and businesses alike and, because of that, both sides have been repeatedly put into a state of limbo. Three new major rule changes have made headlines, especially in the construction industry, this year, including an injury and illness record keeping and reporting rule, a “blacklisting” rule, and an overtime pay rule.

World’s Tallest Modular Building Opens in New York, But Not Without Challenges

November 23, 2016 Shane Hedmond

The world's tallest modular building, behind the Barclays Center, while under construction.  Photo by mr_t_77, CC BY-SA 2.0 — The world's tallest modular building, behind the Barclays Center, while under construction. Photo by mr_t_77, CC BY-SA 2.0

Modular construction has been heralded by many as the next big thing in building structures quickly and cost effectively. By being able to construct parts of the building in a controlled environment, like a factory, workers can perform more efficiently, comfortably, and safely, ideally translating into shorter schedules and smaller costs. That theory got one of its biggest tests on a new 32-story residential building that recently opened in Brooklyn, NY.

Using Chat Tools To Improve Communication in Construction

November 22, 2016 Shane Hedmond

Photo by Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, CC BY-ND 2.0

[guest post] Joining the tech world from construction was a big change. The transition was made more smooth because I went to work at a company developing technology for construction so there were some other construction vets around me. But still- going from working at a homegrown, mid-sized, family-owned construction company in Utah to a tech startup based out of the heart of the tech scene in NYC was eye opening.

[Timelapse] Watch Japan’s Gigantic Sinkhole Be Repaired in Just Under a Week

November 21, 2016 Shane Hedmond

Last week, there was a giant hole in the middle of a Fukuoka, Japan street, spanning 98 feet long by 88 feet wide by 50 feet deep, due to underground subway work causing a sinkhole. Less than 7 days later, all the utility lines were repaired, the hole was filled, the asphalt laid, and the road is back open. It was a true testament to what a considerable amount of manpower and money can do in a short period of time.

OSHA: Trench Collapse Deaths Have More Than Doubled in 2016

November 18, 2016 Shane Hedmond

Trench collapse deaths are easily preventable. I’ll say it again: trench collapse deaths are easily preventable. So if they’re preventable, how do they continue to happen every year? Ignorance to safety rules, lack of supervision, pressures of time and money, and sometimes, outright laziness are all factors in trench related deaths and injuries. I’ve been on too many jobsites in my relatively young construction career that have extremely poor procedures for working in trenches and I’ve gotten every excuse in the book. The vast majority don’t even understand the basic requirements. At 4 feet deep, you need to provide a means of egress, at 5 feet deep you need proper protective systems, and keep soil and other materials 2 feet away from the edge of the trench. Those are the basics, everyone should know them.

[VIDEO] Watch a Giant Sinkhole Swallow a 5 Lane Road in Japan

November 17, 2016 Shane Hedmond

One of the challenges with construction is determining how your work can and will affect the existing conditions surrounding your job site. That’s why it’s increasingly important to not only perform proper due diligence procedures, but also react to the findings. That, unfortunately, doesn’t always happen and could potentially be what caused a massive sinkhole in Fukuoka, Japan, last week.