NIBS Consultative Council Issues Moving Forward Report on Healthy Buildings

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The National Institute of Building Sciences Consultative Council has issued its 2020 Moving Forward Report, looking closely at the importance of healthy buildings. The report examines how buildings can protect and promote public health, providing recommendations for President Biden and policymakers on three components of healthy buildings: indoor environmental quality, the importance of design in promoting health and promoting knowledge transfer between building owners and public health officials. “Ensuring that the spaces where we live and work are healthy and safe for continued occupancy is critical to overcoming the pandemic,” said Lakisha A. Woods, CAE, president and CEO of NIBS. … Read more

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CPWR Offers Resources for Improving Safety this Summer, Beyond

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The start of the summer and the move back toward pre-pandemic life is a great time to recommit to improving safety on the jobsite. The following CPWR resources can help keep workers safe on the job. COVID-19: While there has been progress in keeping workers safe from the coronavirus, it remains a life-threatening hazard. The latest additions to CPWR’s COVID-19 Resources are fact sheets and infographics on vaccines and ventilation, including information targeted to small contractors. These materials join the COVID-19 Clearinghouse, the COVID-19 Exposure Control Planning Tool, the COVID-19 Toolbox Talk, the COVID-19 webinar series and more. Hazard-specific resources: CPWR … Read more

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How Superintendents Can Support Mental Health on the Jobsite

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By Sean Clements In June 2020, roughly 40% of American adults reported struggling with mental health – including 11% who seriously considered suicide. But in the construction industry, the statistics rank even higher, with 49 out of 100,000 men in construction dying of suicide, nearly twice the rate of men in other industries. These figures don’t lie, but it is certainly a challenge to address them adequately. In an industry where sensitive issues like mental health and stress are simply swept under the rug, struggling workers feel helpless and hopeless – or just completely invisible. The stigma associated with admitting … Read more

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What Keeps You up at Night? Making Workplace Safety Top Priority

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By Deb Hilmerson We can build elaborate multi-million-dollar buildings but we can’t stop seriously injuring and killing people on construction sites. The million-dollar question is why? Not long ago, I read an article listing the top five things that keep most CEOs awake at night. Worker safety wasn’t even considered. I can pretty much guarantee it’s on your mind now. And if you’ve ever had an on-the-job fatality, it’s not something you’ll ever want to experience again. We are getting better but we are not improving fast enough. Ask yourself the hard questions: Do you do safety because the law … Read more

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Partnership of Safety, HR + Operations Focuses on Helping People by Removing Mental Health Stigma

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McCarthy Holdings, Inc. has announced a new integrated approach to breaking the stigma surrounding mental health to better meet the needs of employees, the craft workforce and their families. Designed to create more discussion around mental health awareness, acceptance and treatment options, the initiative establishes collaborative strategies and practices across McCarthy’s safety, human resources and operations teams — all under the umbrella of the firm’s Build for Life health and wellness program. As part of the expanded outreach, McCarthy’s integrated team developed new and updated materials, resources and tools to emphasize and support mental health awareness on jobsites and in … Read more

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