Secretary of Labor Renews Charter of Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez recently renewed the charter of the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health. The Federal Advisory Committee Act requires that all advisory committees renew their charters every two years. The renewed ACCSH charter, expiring Nov. 17, 2018, includes minor updates to better describe the management of the committee’s records. ACCSH, established under the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, advises the secretary of labor and assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health on construction standards and policy matters. ACCSH … Read more

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Study Gives Insight Into Most Stolen, Recovered Construction Equipment

CANTON, Mass., and IRVINE, Calif. – LoJack’s “2015 Construction Equipment Theft Recovery Report” and infographic highlights the ongoing problem of thieves targeting construction businesses for their high value equipment. The report identifies equipment categories and classes, manufacturers and geographies where theft is most likely to occur. Heavy equipment is the most vital asset of construction businesses. Contractors and rental fleet owners not only lose valuable assets, but also lose efficiency and miss schedule deadlines when equipment is stolen. The cost of equipment theft can be devastating to the national economy generally, as well as to the profitability of small and … Read more

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Report Reveals Construction Worker Perceptions of Worker Safety

Much information about workplace safety and health comes from reports filed by employers. In 2015, the annual National Health Interview Survey included an Occupational Health Supplement – giving workers an opportunity to speak up about safety and health in their workplace. The CPWR Data Center recently analyzed the responses. Among the standout findings: More than 60 percent of American workers consider their workplace “very safe” – but fewer than half of construction workers think so. That’s the lowest number for any U.S. industry except agriculture. Construction workers were far less likely to enjoy workplace access to health promotion programs, such … Read more

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Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention Garners Growing Industry Support

PRINCETON, N.J. – In the wake of a recent Centers for Disease Control report that showed construction is one of the most at-risk industries for suicide, the Construction Financial Management Association established the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention, with the goal of providing and disseminating information and resources for suicide prevention and mental health promotion in construction. As the movement to build a zero-suicide industry grows, key industry organizations have pledged their support through joining the Alliance. The first organization to join, the National Association of Surety Bond Producers, immediately recognized the importance of this initiative. The newest Alliance … Read more

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Common Ground Alliance’s 2015 DIRT Report Estimates 9% Drop in Damages to Buried Utilities

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Common Ground Alliance, the stakeholder-run organization dedicated to protecting underground utility lines and the people who dig near them, shared findings from its comprehensive 2015 Damage Information Reporting Tool report. The report, which is the sum of all 2015 data submitted anonymously and voluntarily by facility operators, utility locating companies, one call centers, contractors and regulators, estimates that the total number of underground excavation damages in the U.S. last year dropped by 9 percent from the year prior, to approximately 317,000 damages. The 2015 damage ratio, which measures damages per 1,000 one-call transmissions, decreased by nearly 4 … Read more

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