SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Balfour Beatty Construction has earned LEED Gold certification for its southwest division office location in San Diego, Calif. The firm occupies the third floor of the Cush Plaza Office Building located in Scripps Ranch. Construction of the 22,100-square-foot space required full system design and implementation, as the existing structure consisted of the core only. Features of the office retrofit include conference rooms with advanced audio-visual technology, training rooms with retractable screens, a bistro-like kitchen/lunch room, support spaces, and offices to accommodate more than 70 people. Balfour Beatty Construction worked with design partners IR2 to design and … Read more

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health announces the availability of a new Ladder Safety smart phone application. This new app uses visual and audio signals to make it easier for workers using extension ladders to check the angle the ladder is positioned at, as well as access useful tips for using extension ladders safely. The app is available for free download for both iPhone and Android devices. Falls from ladders are a common source of preventable construction injuries. Misjudging the ladder angle is a significant risk factor for a fall. If the ladder is set too steep it … Read more

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA — Miron Construction Co., Inc. was recently awarded the Art Building Replacement Facility project, with a contract valued at approximately $51 million, for the University of Iowa, in Iowa City, Iowa.The new five-story, approximately 128,000-square-foot structure, will be concrete frame construction supported on drilled pier foundations. The building envelope will be clad with zinc and stainless steel plate panels, channel glass wall systems, operable windows and a green roof. The interior will boast a wide range of finishes including, but not limited to: exposed Class “A” concrete walls and ceilings, polished concrete, tile, cork, carpet, various acoustical … Read more

CHICAGO, Ill. — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is partnering with the Builders Association, Construction Safety Council, the Chicago Area Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust, construction contractors and other safety and health organizations to sponsor a 30-minute safety stand down June 12 at construction sites throughout the Chicago area. The focus of the stand down is to raise awareness among employers and workers about the hazards of falls in construction, which are the leading cause of jobsite deaths in the construction industry. Construction sites will stand down by voluntarily ceasing work for approximately 30 minutes … Read more