Goal is to enhance safety and health during URI College of Pharmacy construction projectKINGSTON, R.I. – The Providence Area Office of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration today signed a site safety and health partnership with Suffolk Construction Co. Inc. and the Rhode Island Building and Construction Trades Council to enhance worker safety and health during the construction of the University of Rhode Island’s College of Pharmacy in Kingston. “This partnership reflects our mutual recognition of the importance of worker safety and health and our cooperative goal to reduce construction safety and health hazards during this … Read more

NEW YORK — The growth of the green building market will drive adoption of Building Information Modeling (BIM) software, according to a new SmartMarket Report, Green BIM: How Building Information Modeling is Contributing to Green Design and Construction, released today by McGraw-Hill Construction, part of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP). Produced in collaboration with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA), Autodesk, and 13 other prominent industry organizations, the report provides new insights on the convergence of two important construction industry trends: green building and BIM, known simply as “Green BIM.” “Green building is … Read more

The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Aug. 19 reported that construction fatalities in 2009 fell 16 percent to 816, making it the lowest fatality rate in 18 years, according to preliminary numbers.   The final report will be released in April 2011.   “The BLS census of fatal occupational injuries once again reinforces how the construction industry continues to build upon and refine site safety practices to prevent injuries to our greatest assets — our employees,” said Chris Williams, Associated Builder and Contractor’s director of safety. “The continued, long-term reduction in construction industry fatalities is proof … Read more

Construction Costs Appear to be Stabilizing Following Decline Over the Past Six Quarters NEW YORK — Turner Construction Company announced that the Third Quarter 2010 Turner Building Cost Index remains unchanged from the second quarter of 2010. The Turner Building Cost Index measures costs in the non-residential building construction market in the United States.   The Turner Building Cost Index value is 798 for the Third Quarter of 2010. This reflects a 2.68% decrease from the Third Quarter 2009 and an overall decline of 13.16% over the past two years. Karl F. Almstead, the Turner vice president responsible for the … Read more