WASHINGTON, June 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Associated Builders and Contractors today released its 2024 Workforce Development Survey, which found its member contractors invested $1.6 billion to provide craft, leadership and health and safety education to more than 1.3 million course attendees nationwide in 2023, up from $1.5 billion in 2022 and on track with $1.6 billion in 2021.

Other key findings include:

• Safety education accounts for the greatest share of total workforce investment at 59%, which has remained stable since 2022.
• ABC contractors invested an average of 7.5% of payroll on workforce development in 2023, slightly down from 8% in 2022.
• Trade and specialty contractors continued to increase their share of the total workforce development investment, which grew to 50% in 2023 from 42% in 2022.
• 58% of respondents reported a labor shortage that is severe or very severe, citing an exodus of baby boomers as the top contributor.
• 81% of respondents who utilize virtual or augmented reality used it for safety education.

The White House is rolling out a federal definition of zero-emissions buildings for the first time, outlining a new guide for top-tier building energy performance in the US that sets what it hopes will become an industry baseline.

While the guidance lacks any legal weight, the administration hopes this new yardstick will send a strong market signal about the future of sustainable building and energy performance nationwide.

In the construction industry, safety lapses can have dire consequences. A recent incident on a multistory construction site underscores the critical need for rigorous safety protocols. An employee slipped and nearly fell from the top level during a routine task of disposing refuse into a trash chute. Fortunately, thanks to the company's recently enhanced fall-protection program, the worker's safety equipment prevented what could have been a fatal accident.

This incident is a stark reminder of the ongoing risks of falls in construction. Despite continuous efforts to improve safety, falls remain a leading cause of injury and death on jobsites, second only to vehicle accidents. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that more than 400 fall-related deaths occur annually, a distressing statistic that has remained consistent over the past decade.

Reprinted courtesy of Mark McGhiey, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved.

New York City will take control of 120 acres of Brooklyn’s coastline, intending to develop a rugged patch of land into housing, retail, green space, and a modern, environmentally friendly port.

The no-cash deal, which will be announced Tuesday, represents the city government’s biggest real estate transaction in terms of physical size in at least two decades. The redevelopment zone stretches more than a mile, from the southern edge of Brooklyn Bridge Park down to the Red Hook neighborhood, and in some places a block inland. Most of that land is currently controlled by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Two crews working in Detroit and Windsor, Ont., Canada, will meet in the middle of the Gordie Howe Bridge by the end of June, according to the joint-venture contractor, Bridging North America, managing both sides of the project.

Bel Air, Maryland, May 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tar Heel Construction Group, LLC announced today that it has been recognized as a 2023 two-star President's Club Awards winner. Each year, GAF, a Standard Industries company and North America's largest roofing and waterproofing manufacturer, selects the most elite roofing contractors certified by GAF to receive its prestigious GAF Master Elite® President's Club Award. This annual recognition celebrates contractors that showcase exemplary efforts in high-quality service and leadership in the roofing industry across the country.

GAF Master Elite® President's Club Award winners are selected from an elite group of roofing contractors that must first demonstrate proper licensing (in states that require it), maintain insurance, a proven reputation, and a commitment to ongoing professional training. In addition, qualifying contractors must also have met the criteria to earn the designation of a GAF Master Elite® residential contractor.

About Tar Heel Construction Group, LLC:
Tar Heel Construction Group, LLC, based in Bel Air, Maryland, has been serving Harford County, Maryland and the Greater Baltimore area for over 20 years. Our mission is to deliver top-notch roofing solutions while prioritizing customer satisfaction and community engagement. As a GAF Master Elite® residential contractor, we uphold the highest standards of craftsmanship and professionalism in every project we undertake.

About GAF:
GAF, a Standard Industries company, is the leading roofing and waterproofing manufacturer in North America. For more than 135 years, GAF has been trusted to protect what matters most for families, communities, and business owners with its innovative solutions and focus on customer service. GAF's leadership extends to its commitment to making a positive impact on its communities, industry, and planet. Learn more at www.GAF.com.

As the construction sector embarks on another fiscal year, prioritizing health and safety is increasingly imperative. New industry-specific safety research and technology aims to help directors effectively optimize their financial resources and more precisely understand the economic impacts of safety strategies.

SHIFTING THE PARADIGM
The construction industry across America is evolving quickly—especially when it comes to cutting-edge technological solutions in software and hardware, aimed at reinforcing safety protocols and yielding both operational and economic advantages. However, implementing these advancements often hinges on showing a tangible economic benefit, an issue that an innovative new initiative seeks to tackle by merging insights from academia and industry professionals.

Reprinted courtesy of James Alexander, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved.

Despite contractors’ opposition, the U.S. Dept. of Labor published a final rule in the Federal Register April 1 concerning nonemployee representatives during workplace safety inspections. The rule, effective May 31, allows employees to select a third party to represent them during Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspections.

Continuing the rollout of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds, the U.S. Dept. of Transportation has awarded $829.6 million to 80 road, bridge, transit and other projects to improve their ability to withstand floods, rising seas and other harmful effects of climate change. The winning projects are located in 37 states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are roughly 150,000 injuries each year on construction sites. Many of these injuries can be avoided through more effective planning, communication and training.

Struck-by incidents account for nearly 20% of all construction fatalities. These incidents include workers being backed over or run over by equipment or vehicles, pinned between equipment or other objects, struck by swinging equipment parts or falling loads, and crushed beneath overturned equipment and vehicles. Yet, the measures taken most often by contractors to protect workers from these struck-by hazards are personal protective equipment, back-up alarms and use of spotters. These are passive measures and by themselves are not do not entirely eliminate incidents on their own—contractors must implement more proactive controls to complement these existing measures and prevent injuries and fatalities.

Reprinted courtesy of Rob Dahl, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved.

Mr. Dahl may be contacted at rdahl@holmesmurphy.com

The U.S. federal contracts and grants space has historically been one of the largest, most predictable global marketplaces. The U.S. government spends a staggering amount of money on the procurement of goods and services. The government is also an extremely reliable payer and can quickly become one of the organization’s most consistent customers. Plus, federal awards tend to have longer periods of performance, adding predictability to business planning through consistent revenue projections driven by a steady pipeline of recurring and potential new work.

For both companies and longtime contractors that have hesitated to enter the U.S. federal market, new opportunities and advantages may be present through current infrastructure spending.

Reprinted courtesy of Rich Meene, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved.