[INFOGRAPHIC] 6 Applications for Augmented Reality in Construction

Augmented Reality (AR) is often thought of as an interesting new twist on video games, but, in reality, it has some great potential for solving some common problems in construction.  BigRentz, a construction equipment rental company, recently shared an infographic of 6 applications of AR in construction.

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Nominate Your Favorite Construction Podcast for Best of 2019!

It’s that time again to begin Construction Junkie’s annual search for the best construction podcast!  Now in our 4th year of the competition, it’s very clear that construction podcasts are gaining in popularity.

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PlanGrid Announces PlanGrid BIM, Their First Autodesk Integration After 2018 Acquisition | ConTech Junkie

In November of 2018, Autodesk announced that it had acquired field productivity software, PlanGrid, for $875 Million. It was huge news for an industry that is finally starting to warm up to the use of technology on the jobsite.  This morning, PlanGrid officially released their first integration into the Autodesk platform: PlanGrid BIM.

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May 6 Kicks Off 2019 Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction

via OSHA

via OSHA

Every year since 2012, OSHA, NIOSH, and CPWR have teamed up to lead a National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction.  The campaign helps build awareness through supplying resources, organizing webinars, and other outreach techniques in hopes that it will help save lives in the construction industry.  The 2019 Stand Down has been scheduled for May 6-10.

In preparation for the campaign, the organizations involved have already released plenty of resources to help contractors prepare ahead of time.  The event is, of course, voluntary for all companies to participate in, but OSHA provides several tips for preparing for a successful stand down:

  1. Try to start early

  2. Think about asking your subcontractors, owner, architects, engineers, and others to participate

  3. Consider reviewing your existing fall prevention program

  4. Develop presentations or activities to meet your needs

  5. Decide when to hold the stand-down and how long it will last

  6. Promote the stand-down to your employees or outside the company, if it will be public

  7. Hold your stand-down

  8. Follow up

Free and Public Events

In addition to planning and performing your own stand-down activities and presentations, you can also find free and public events that are scheduled throughout the country through the events page on the National Safety Stand-Down webpage.

Resources

OSHA, NIOSH, and CPWR already have a lot of resources available for download and use on their respective websites. For example:

via NIOSH

via NIOSH

via NIOSH

via NIOSH

Certifications

After the event is over, contractors can visit OSHA’s National Safety Stand-Down page to receive a Certificate of Participation and provide feedback about how their campaign went.  Documenting your training achievements and being recognized is a great way to show that your company is committed to reducing injuries and fatalities on your jobsites.

More Information: National Safety Stand-Down To Prevent Falls in Construction | OSHA

Rash of Trench Collapse Deaths Highlight the Continual Need for Training

All trench collapse deaths are preventable.  As soon as everyone on a job site starts believing that we might actually make some progress.  In just the past 10 days, there have been 4 trench collapse deaths across 3 separate incidents, further highlighting how far we still need to go.

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[VIDEO] Construction Worker Survives Being Impaled by Rebar THROUGH HIS HEAD

Falls on the jobsite is the leading cause of injuries and fatalities in construction.  Keeping up with housekeeping on your site is a great way to reduce risks of falls, but other protections, like rebar caps should be installed when rebar is exposed.  A young construction worker recently found out the hard way what happens when rebar is left exposed.

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Should Subcontractors Use Their Own Project Management Software?

As smartphones and tablets are slowly becoming one of the most prominent and powerful tools on construction site, construction technology companies are still largely focusing on construction management firms and general contractors.  What’s lost on many is the fact that there are dozens of subcontractors on every jobsite that also need to manage their projects.

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[VIDEO] Renovating the Top of Canada’s Tallest Structure

Completed in 1976, the CN Tower in Toronto, Canada held the record for the tallest freestanding structure in the world from 1975-2007, until it was supplanted by Dubai’s Burj Khalifa. At its highest point, the CN Tower, which is mainly used as a communications and observation tower, reaches 1,815.4 feet (533.33m). Last year, the tower underwent a $16 million renovation and Priestly Demolition shared a fascinating, in-depth video for how they took care of the demolition of the interior space and walls.

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Secretary of Labor Expects OSHA Inspections to Increase, Here’s Why

On April 3, a congressional appropriations hearing was held to discuss the U.S. Department of Labor’s Federal funding for fiscal year 2020.  During the hearing, the secretary of Labor, R. Alexander Acosta, told the committee how OSHA plans to spend their budget and how the agency fared in the previous year.

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