W.S. Bellows Construction Corp. of Houston, Texas was named the nation’s safest construction company in 2016 by the Associated General Contractors of America. The association, which oversees the Willis Towers Watson Construction Safety Excellence Awards, an annual ranking of construction safety programs, noted that 51 other companies were selected as winners for the quality of their safety programs. “Workplace safety is essential to the success of any construction project and should not be taken for granted,” said Mark Knight, the association’s past president and president of Knight Construction Services LLC in Aberdeen, South Dakot. “Firms like this prioritize and excel … Read more
Construction Employment Shows Mixed Geographic Pattern, Reports AGC
Construction employment showed a mixed pattern geographically in the latest 12 months, increasing in 219 out of 358 metro areas between January 2016 and January 2017, declining in 104 and stagnating in 35, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that firms in many parts of the country are either benefitting from growing demand for construction or having a hard time finding enough qualified workers to keep up with demand, while firms in other parts suffer from declining demand “While construction employment is growing at a healthy … Read more
A Chat with Michael Peck, Operations Manager & Superintendent at IWR North America
Focusing on priorities, an attitude of gratitude are key By Chris Maday Schmidt With almost four decades under his tool belt at IWR North America, Michael Peck’s background includes field experience from journeyman to operations manager – building enclosures & superintendent. Today he is in charge of day-to-day operations with a focus on quality control, labor management, material and equipment procurement and safety, and is responsible for 93 field employees. Join Construction Superintendent as Peck shares project challenges, time-management tricks and tips for the budding superintendent. (Q) What types of communications tools do you use most often when supervising your … Read more
National Honor Recognizes Company’s Charitable Contributions, Volunteerism
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Balfour Beatty U.S. has been honored with the “AGC in the Community” special recognition award by the Associated General Contractors of America and its charitable arm during the organization’s annual convention. The AGC in the Community award was created to showcase the community service projects of AGC of America’s chapters and members, and to recognize projects that epitomize the essence of charitable giving through hands-on service and donations to charitable organizations. The award was presented to Balfour Beatty for efforts connected to the 2016 Sharefest Community Development’s Annual Workday – an event that mobilizes thousands of … Read more
Construction Employment Jumps in February
Construction employment increased by 58,000 jobs in February to the highest level since November 2008 with gains in both residential and nonresidential segments, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. The association urged public officials to strengthen training and education programs to help students and current workers better prepare for careers in the high-paying construction field. “These numbers match what many contractors have been telling the association—that demand remains strong for a variety of construction projects and that firms are still hiring, when they can find qualified workers,” said Ken Simonson, the … Read more