Ladders are one of the most widely used and necessary pieces of equipment on a construction jobsite. They’re also one of the most misused and abused pieces of equipment on a jobsite. In addition to being one of the most frequently cited OSHA violations each year, it also accounts for too many of the industry’s yearly fatalities and countless injuries.
Read moreHarness Hero is a Free App that Teaches Proper Personal Fall Protection Use
Falls continue to be the number one leading cause of death on construction sites across the country, accounting for around 40% each year. Even if you can convince your construction crew to wear personal fall arrest systems each time they’re required, proper training is required to select the correct type of fall protection and the anchor points, as well as performing proper inspections of the equipment. An app called Harness Hero is trying to help solve the latter problem.
Read more[VIDEOS] Raiders Release In-Depth Video Series of Construction Process of New Las Vegas Stadium
When we think about historic buildings of ancient times that are still standing, we can stand in awe of the level of detail that was incorporated into designs without modern tools and technology. For a few decades, it seemed like we would never see that type of character in buildings again, but sports stadiums are becoming new modern wonders, pushing the limits of not only what’s capable from a construction standpoint, but also the budgets.
Read moreReminder: OSHA 300A Injury and Illness Records Required to be Electronically Submitted by March 2
Even though OSHA recently eliminated the need for employers to electronically submit OSHA Forms 300 and 301, citing privacy concerns, companies are still responsible for submitting OSHA Form 300A – and the deadline is fast approaching.
Read moreHow do you use your construction contract as a means to get that precious data you need?
[guest post] Construction project owners are facing a big problem: paper based progress reports and invoices are making it nearly impossible to quickly find and address errors. The tool kit of the past included a magnifying glass, a pencil (and eraser) and a calculator. Armed with endless human resources, project owners would diligently review paper based documentation for discrepancies. This MO is no longer feasible in the modern construction environment.
Read moreCourt Decision Says that GCs Can Receive OSHA Citations for Subcontractor Violations
Multi-employer worksites are extremely common in the construction industry, but they can still make work extremely complicated. One of those complications results when a subcontractor receives a governmental violation, such as an OSHA violation. As a controlling employer on the site, can a general contractor be held responsible for safety hazards of a subcontractor? One court says yes.
Read moreJBKnowledge Releases 2018 Construction Technology Report | ConTech Junkie
JBKnowledge, a construction technology and consultancy company, has been producing their annual Construction Technology Report since 2012. Now in its 7th year, it is far and away the most comprehensive collection of survey results in the construction technology sector.
Read moreAGC: Almost 80% of Construction Firms Plan to Add Headcount in 2019
The construction industry is still booming in most of the country, which is turning into a double edged sword for many contractors. On one hand, more work equals more money. On the other, more work means the need to find more qualified workers to actually build the projects, which has proven to be a very tough task in recent years. A recent survey highlights the repercussions of that dilemma.
The 2019 Construction Hiring and Business Outlook Report
The Associated General Contractors of America and Sage Construction and Real Estate recently released the results of a survey, titled Contractors Remain Confident About Demand, Worried About Labor Supply: The 2019 Construction Hiring and Business Outlook Report that shows 79% of construction firms plan to add headcount in 2019. That percentage is a slight increase over 2018, in which 75% of respondents said they plan to increase headcount. Almost have of the group that plans to add headcount only plan to increase by 10% or less.
Over 1,300 firms responded to a 20 question survey, covering 49 states and Washington DC. You can find the full survey results here.
Workforce Shortages
On the flip side, 78% reported that they are having a tough time filling both salaried and hourly positions, which was down from 83% in 2018’s results. Not only is the inability to find qualified staff making it difficult to complete more work, 37% of the firms say they are increasing bid costs to compensate for staffing changes.
Pay and Benefits for Employees
Increased labor costs can be good news for the actual workers, though. 59% of firms reported that they gave pay raises, another 29% say they added incentives or bonuses, and another 34% increased benefit packages to help retain and attract employees.
Training and Development
63% of firms plan to invest more into training and development programs for both new and current workers, which is up from 52% last year. That’s great news to hear, because as it becomes more difficult to find qualified workers, firms are increasingly hiring “green” employees with little to no experience. Inexperience on a job site can lead to an increased risk of safety issues without proper training.
Technology
42% of responding companies said that they plan to increase their IT budget in 2019 and 30% of those will use that money towards project and document management software. That makes perfect sense to me, as companies that are serious about using technology to further their business need to pick a centralized platform for sharing and communicating with others.
The survey showed that firms are getting more comfortable with moving their project data to the cloud, with 31% saying they are very comfortable, up from 24% in 2018. Just over a quarter of the respondents say that their biggest technology challenge is finding the time to implement and train employees on the new programs. Overhauling a formerly paper driven system is no doubt a tall task not for the faint of heart.
Full Report: Contractors Remain Confident About Demand, Worried About Labor Supply: The 2019 Construction Hiring and Business Outlook Report | AGC and Sage
Featured
SlatPlanner Digitizes Your Schedule, While Maintaining Hands-On Experience | ConTech Junkie
SlatPlanner display at Procore Groundbreak 2018
As much as we like to push for the digitization of the construction jobsite on Construction Junkie, there’s no doubt that there are many within the construction workforce that are still apprehensive to go fully electronic. There’s something to be said for feeling and manipulating something with your hands, as opposed to pointing and clicking. SlatPlanner is a new way that construction companies can electronically build a project schedule, while maintaining a hands-on approach.
Read moreReport: Construction Worker Deaths Dropped Slightly in 2017
After an uptick in construction industry fatalities in 2016, a recent Bureau of Labor Statistics report shows that both the amount of construction worker deaths and the rate of fatality dropped in 2017.
Read more