The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected AGC of America to advise a panel of government officials on how to minimize the small business impact of imminent federal rules covering Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (LRRP) work in public and commercial buildings. Over the last several months, AGC has worked with a coalition of more than a dozen construction and real estate development groups to submit multiple letters to EPA raising concerns about economic, technical and other legal impediments that could result from an expanded federal LRRP program.   In broader outreach, AGC and coalition partners recently wrote to … Read more

MUSKEGON, Mich. —Reid Supply Company, one of the country’s leading suppliers of industrial products, will be exhibiting at ConExpo beginning March 22nd through March 26th in Las Vegas. Reid Supply will be showcasing their most popular safety and industrial products geared toward the Manufacturing and Transportation Construction industries. “We are very excited to be a part of this huge event,” says Greg Palmer, Director of Marketing for Reid Supply. ”We think that ConExpo is a great opportunity to exhibit the wide selection of safety and industrial products that Reid Supply offers.” ConExpo-Con/Agg is an international conference for the construction industries. … Read more

Strong Market Competition, Flat Labor Costs Reduce Overall Increase in Construction Costs NEW YORK — Turner Construction Company announced that the First Quarter 2011 Turner Building Cost Index has slightly increased over the Fourth Quarter of 2010. The Turner Building Cost Index measures costs in the nonresidential building construction market in the United States. The Turner Building Cost Index of 806 reflects a 0.62 percent increase from the Fourth Quarter 2010 and 0.88 percent increase from the First Quarter 2010. Karl F. Almstead, the Turner vice president responsible for the Turner Building Cost Index said, “The First Quarter forecast reflects … Read more

MOUNT VERNON, Iowa — The Tilt-Up Concrete Association— a nonprofit international organization that serves to expand and improve the use of Tilt-Up as the preferred construction method — has announced the call for entries for the 21st installment of the Tilt-Up Achievement Awards Competition. The TCA Awards Program recognizes outstanding site cast tilt-up structures and advances in technology, products and methods used in the tilt-up industry. Submitters must be a member of the TCA and are required to submit a one-page abstract of the project that includes the best photo as well as the top three reasons why the project … Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. —Through OSHA and the Scaffold Industry Association Alliance, SIA has developed a series of Mast Climbing Work Platform safety documents: “Fundamentals of Safe Use,” “Ground Conditions and MCWP” and “Fundamentals of Safe Use, Tying to the Structure.” This series of tools are designed to assist in the daily inspections on mast-climbing equipment. “The publication of these Fundamentals of Safe Use is a significant step forward in the industry’s goal of getting crucial safety information into the hands of the person who requires it most, the worker,” said Kevin O"Shea, SIA Mast Climbing Council Chair. “The OSHA Alliance … Read more