Cal/OSHA Takes a Proactive, Comprehensive Approach to Protecting Workers From Heat Illness

OAKLAND, Calif. — Cal/OSHA is reminding all employers to protect their outdoor workers from the risk of heat illness. Cal/OSHA has maintained a constant presence to ensure that employers protect their outdoor workers from the risk of heat illness.   While these ongoing efforts have saved lives due to greater compliance by employers, constant vigilance is particularly necessary during periods of high heat. “Cal/OSHA’s enforcement of the nation’s first and most comprehensive heat illness prevention regulation has saved many lives since its adoption, as is evident by the reductions in fatalities and serious illnesses since 2005,” said Christine Baker, Director … Read more

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Turner Improves Efficiency with Switch to Lean Construction Methods on Courthouse Project

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

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OSHA Issues Two Educational Resources on Protecting Workers from Mercury Exposure in Fluorescent Bulbs

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

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AGC Releases Latest Construction Employment Numbers

Unemployment Declines as Nearly 700,000 Former Construction Workers Have Left the Industry Since 2009, Which Will Make it Difficult for Firms to Find Workers When the Economy Expands Again Construction employment declined by 1,000 in July even though the industry's unemployment rate fell to the lowest level since 2008, according to an analysis of new federal data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. The sector's unemployment rate has steadily declined since 2009 as hundreds of thousands of out-of-work construction workers have left the industry seeking other opportunities, the association's economist cautioned. “Employment levels in the construction industry … Read more

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Arizona’s First Net Zero School Celebrates Grand Opening

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

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