Turner began upgrades and renovations to Chicago’s Everett McKinley Dirksen Courthouse — also known as the Dirksen Federal Building — in September, 2009, with a scheduled completion date of September, 2012. The 1.3 million-square-foot, 30-story courthouse, designed in the early 1960s by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, has remained open and operational throughout three years of round-the-clock renovations and upgrades. The project team implemented Lean Construction practices midway through the project, in the spring of 2011, establishing a culture of experimentation, and continuous improvement. Continuous improvement is an important element of Lean culture. And understanding that a project team can … Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. — OSHA has issued two new educational resources to help protect workers from mercury exposure while cleaning up broken fluorescent bulbs or while crushing and recycling them.   Compact fluorescent bulbs are more efficient than incandescent bulbs, but the shift to energy-saving fluorescents, which contain mercury, calls for more attention to workers who handle, dispose of, and recycle used fluorescent bulbs. The OSHA fact sheet explains how workers may be exposed, what kinds of engineering controls and personal protective equipment they need, and how to use these controls and equipment properly.   In addition, a new OSHA Quick … Read more

TEMPE, Ariz. — Turner Construction Company, Arizona recently announced that it has completed construction on the new Colonel Smith Middle School on Fort Huachuca, Ariz. The public, replacement school was built on the Army’s leading intelligence training facility. The new Colonel Smith Middle School is the first Net Zero Energy school in Arizona and the 12th Net Zero Energy building in the nation. Generating more energy that it consumes on an annual basis, the school is pioneering sustainable design and a unique approach to learning that engages students in real-world problem-solving and experimentation in a collaborative environment. “This school incorporates … Read more