U.S. Department of Labor Initiatives Promote ‘Safety’ of Industry Workers’ Wages, Employer Compliance

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With many projects supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law gaining speed across the nation as temperatures rise and the ground softens, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division is showing its commitment to ensuring the safety of workers’ wages during the annual celebration of National Construction Safety Week, May 2-6. The organization announced new compliance assistance materials, including a toolkit in both English and Spanish languages, specifically to help construction workers understand their rights and inform employers about their legal obligations. In addition, the division has launched a webpage to help construction employees and employers understand Davis-Bacon Act … Read more

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Nonresidential and Multifamily Construction Spending Slump in March

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Spending on most categories of nonresidential and multifamily construction declined from February to March as contractors struggled to find enough workers and get timely deliveries of materials, according to an analysis the Associated General Contractors of America released regarding federal spending data. Association leaders urged Washington officials to end tariffs on construction materials and widen the opportunities for gaining the skills for rewarding careers in construction. Construction spending in March totaled $1.73 trillion at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, 0.1% above the upwardly revised February rate and 11.7% higher than in March 2021. Private residential construction spending accounted for all … Read more

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Boldt Launches Program to Focus on Mental Health

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Suicide is the leading cause of construction fatalities and suicide rates in the construction industry are four times the national average. According to studies by the Centers for Disease Control, suicide rates in the U.S. working population increased 34% from 2000-16 and is the leading cause of violent death for men in the construction industry. In response to these alarming statistics, The Boldt company implemented a suicide awareness and prevention program in 2021 using peer-to-peer “gatekeepers” to provide help and referrals for co-workers. Today, 88 trained gatekeepers are at jobsites and offices nationwide. They are clearly identified by purple stickers … Read more

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Nonresidential Construction Spending Down 1% in March

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National nonresidential construction spending was down 0.8% in March, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors’ analysis of data published by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $839.2 billion for the month. Spending was down on a monthly basis in 11 of 16 nonresidential subcategories. Private nonresidential spending was down 1.2%, while public nonresidential construction spending was down 0.3% in March. On a year-over-year basis, nonresidential construction spending is up 5.6%, led by 31.9% growth in construction related to manufacturing. “March’s construction spending numbers aren’t adjusted for inflation and are actually worse than … Read more

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April Consigli Market Update

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Consigli Construction has released its latest market update. The hopeful trend toward price stabilization and supply chain improvements in early 2022 is now complicated by new challenges. The war in Ukraine has reduced the supply of raw materials, port congestion from China to Los Angeles continues to delay shipments on all goods, while new COVID-19 variants have continued, leading to a forecasted overall escalation of 7-9%. The market report highlighted the following trends: ► Product Availability – Overall demand for materials will remain high with supply moderately low. A recent COVID-19 outbreak in China is slowing chip manufacturing due to … Read more

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