ConstructConnect Blog

“To bid, or not to bid, that is the question.” It ain’t exactly Shakespeare, but the decision to bid on a project shouldn’t be taken lightly. You invest a great deal of time and resources into putting together a bid, so it’s important to make sure you are carefully identifying the right projects to go after. One way to do this is by conducting a thorough bid/no-bid analysis that meets your company’s goals and is in line with your long-term strategy.

Construction is one of the most dangerous industries to work in which is why programs and initiatives like Construction Safety Week (May 3 - 7, 2021) are so important to raising awareness about the importance of construction safety. Of the 5,333 worker deaths in 2019, 1,061 were in construction. That means out of every five worker deaths in 2019 was in construction, a percentage that has remained fairly constant over the last several years.

Are you doing everything you can to minimize your workers’ exposure to heat-related illnesses? Does your company have a heat illness prevention program in place? We’ve got you covered with these tips and guidelines for keeping your workers safe and productive during these hot summer days.

The commercial construction industry relies on a number of mutually beneficial relationships. This is most evident is the relationship between general contractors and trade contractors. General contractors typically subcontract out work to a variety of subcontractors in order to successfully complete construction projects. In turn, trade contractors rely on general contractors to provide them with work on projects they have been awarded.

Last week we took a look at the deadliest jobs in construction. One of the stats we discussed was the fact that about 34% of all construction worker deaths are caused by falls. What might surprise you is the fact that falls from ladders account for about 28% of those deaths. The construction standard for ladders (1926.1053) is consistently the third most cited OSHA violation every year for the industry, just behind duty to have fall protection and general requirements for scaffolds.

Change orders are an inevitable part of working in the construction industry. You’ve probably had to deal with them at some point on a project and will continue to have to deal with them on future projects.

Last week, President Biden unveiled the American Jobs Plan, an ambitious $2 trillion infrastructure plan. In addition to investing in rebuilding the nation’s crumbling roads and bridges, there would be strong focus on resiliency and sustainability. The plan would also focus on improving drinking water infrastructure, energy infrastructure, and high-speed broadband infrastructure.

Ask any construction business owner, regardless of the size of their firm, what their top priority is and we’re guessing you’ll get the same response every time: worker safety. The real question owners should constantly be asking themselves is whether or not their safety program is robust enough to meet their commitment to protecting their workers.

In construction, the successful completion of a job is accomplished through effective project management. Delivering a quality project to your client on time and within budget, while also turning a profit for you and your subcontractors is no easy feat. It requires careful planning, detailed monitoring of the progress, and communication and collaboration among all the major stakeholders and team members.

Effective risk management is key to every successful construction project. It can be the difference between making a nice profit and breaking even or worse, suffering a loss. So when should you begin your risk assessment? Are you doing it during contract negotiations or are you waiting until after you’ve received a notice to proceed? The truth is, risk management should begin during the bid preparation.