Cranes collapse for a variety of different reasons. Some are overloaded, some catch on fire, and others succumb to high wind loads. Regardless of the reason, a falling crane can cause tons of damage and have the potential to kill on-site workers and pedestrians walking near the job site.
A recent crawler crane collapse in Northern Italy could have been much worse as the crane, carrying a large section of viaduct, crashed to the ground.
Read moreOn January 1, 2017, OSHA officially put into effect a revision to workplace injury and illness reporting that requires certain employers to submit recorded information of these instances electronically. Companies were to submit all of this information from the previous year (2016) by July 1, 2017, but now that due date is in jeopardy.
Read moreThere’s no shortage of company’s trying to improve the world’s roadways. Asphalt and concrete each have their own disadvantages, especially when maintenance environmental factors are taken into consideration. Plastic is a major problem for landfills, as well, as it can take an estimated 500 years to fully decompose. One UK company believes they can solve both maintenance and environmental problems through the use of recycled plastic.
Read morePhoto by Eneas DeTroya, CC BY 2.0
According to the US Department of Labor (US DOL), the construction industry has the highest rate of current drug users (15.6%) as compared to any other industry in the United States. As the city of New York grapples with trying to reduce their alarming rate of injuries and fatalities on construction sites, the New York chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) has proposed that lawmakers add mandatory drug and alcohol testing for construction workers to the law books, according to the New York Daily News.
Read moreFeeling the pressure of 9 straight quarters with a decline in total revenue, Caterpillar has acquired the equipment sharing startup, Yard Club, to get help dig themselves out of the dirt. Their most recent quarter was the company’s first positive revenue quarter since November of 2012.
Read moreI’m a firm believer that before robots start taking over construction jobs, we’ll first be working with robotics to make workers more efficient and our job sites more functional. Instead of using 3D printing robots to build an entire project, why not use them first to create intricate details and bring character back to buildings? Instead of pushing human labor out of the way, why not use robotics to enhance the abilities of our workers, to improve their health and productivity? With rise in development commercial exoskeletons, workers will soon be able to harness additional strength by just slipping on a suit.
Read moreTraffic in Atlanta sucks, there’s really no other way to say it. So imagine the tough position commuters and city officials were put in when a bridge of a major highway on the north side of the city caught fire on March 20, 2017 and was damaged beyond repair. 243,000 motorists were forced to find alternate routes to work for the estimated 3 months that it was going to take to rebuild it. Now, imagine how thrilled they were when the highway opened back up one month ahead of schedule.
Read moreLast year, Tesla announced a new disruptive product to the market in the form of solar roof shingles. Unlike traditional solar roof panels, these shingles mimic the look of traditional terra cotta, clay, and slate tiles, creating a more aesthetically pleasing look. This week, the company began taking pre-orders for the roof shingles and also released a cost calculator.
Read moreThe nominations have been received and now it’s time for podcast fans to submit their vote for the Best Construction Podcast of 2017. All 4 of this year’s nominees are worthy contestants and offer uniquely different perspective and great information. To view previous winners, check out our 2015 and 2016 results!
Why do we have such an interest in construction podcasts? Podcasts link people with specific interests. You no longer have to settle for the same news, traffic, and weather segments over and over again. You don’t have to worry about large corporations controlling content behind the scenes. It's all substance and, chances are, you can find a podcast that completely fits your interests. Another great thing about podcasts is that they're on demand, so you can listen when you can and not miss half of a show because you weren't in your car at the right time. Simply download them and listen on your phone or tablet whenever you feel like it.
Check out the 4 finalists below and submit your vote before June 1st at 11:59:59pm PST! As a reminder, a full year ad placement on our website is up for grabs, so your vote can help these podcasts grow their fanbase!
The 2016 Best Construction Podcast contest champion is back for round two. Since the “Trio,” which is comprised of Rob McKinney (@conappguru), James Benham (@JamesMBenham), and Josh Bone (@BIM2theBone), first started their podcast in early 2016, they made an immediate impact on the platform. All 3 hosts are part of the JB Knowledge team, which created products like Smart Bid Net, Smart Compliance, Smart Reality, and Smart Insight.
Each episode features discussion around latest construction and technology news stories, as well as a special guest from around the industry, including many from construction technology companies, like Procore, Autodesk, and PlanGrid.
You can catch new episodes of the ConTechTrio podcast on a weekly basis by visiting their page on Spreaker. Each episode typically runs between 45 minutes to an hour.
The Lien Zone Podcast, hosted by Miami Construction Lawyer Alex Barthet (@thelienzone), is making its second appearance in the contest. Each episode, Barthet gives great legal tips for contractors in order to help them get paid and create better construction documents. Recent topics have included “Does Your Contract Need to Be in Writing to be Enforceable?” and “Claims, Bonds, Insurance – What You Need to Know.” Recent episodes have been around 10 minutes in length, so you can gain some valuable legal insight without making a large commitment. To listen to The Lien Zone podcast and view all the past episodes, click here.
Barthet also runs a great blog on The Lien Zone’s website and has contributed several guest posts on Construction Junkie.
After a hiatus from last year’s contest, Anthony Booths’ The Contracting Coachcast (@anthonybooth) is back in this year’s contest. Now up to a whopping 700+ episodes, this 5 episode per week podcast features a large variety of topics to help contractors’ build their businesses. Recent episodes have covered insurance requirements, safety, communication, and leadership.
Each episode is around 15 minutes and can be found directly on the Contracting Coach’s website.
This year’s newcomer to the contest and our only mini-series is Andrew Weinrich’s Predicting Our Future (@andrewsroadmaps). In this series, Weinrich, a self-described “Serial Entrepreneur,” dives deep into the latest innovations of single and multi-family residential construction. Less of a talk show and more of a scripted and edited feature on each topic, each of the six episodes of Predicting Our Future includes audio clips from industry experts on each topic.
Each episode runs for around 30 minutes and can be found on iTunes and directly on the podcast’s website. Weinrich has also been selected as the keynote speaker for the 2017 Professional Builder’s Housing Giants Conference, which takes place on October 18th and 19th in Paradise Valley, AZ.
The voting booth will be open until 6/1/17 at 11:59:59pm PST, so cast your vote and share with your friends to help your favorite podcast get some great notoriety!
The worst day on the job is when someone on site gets injured. The 2nd through 500th worst days are the legal battle that follows many of those injuries. Nobody expects accidents to happen, but it’s best to be adequately prepared if one does. That not only includes knowing how to react to injuries with a safety plan, but also making sure your company’s documentation is in order in case lawsuits start flying.
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