ConstructConnect Blog

Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s top news and happenings in the construction industry. Each week, we’ll take a look at some of the interesting local, regional, and national stories about construction to keep you better informed of the goings-on in the industry.

It’s Day 17 of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and things have gone from really bad to really, really, terribly, horribly worse. Since the World Health Organization (WHO) proclaimed the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, the total number of cases worldwide has skyrocketed from 126,214 (4,628 deaths) to 530,000+ (24,000+ deaths). In the U.S., that number of cases since March 11 has jumped from 1,301 cases (38 deaths) to over 85,000 reported cases and more than 1,300 dead.

It’s that time of year again. As 2019 comes to a close and we get set to welcome in a new decade with 2020, it’s time to take a look at ConstructConnect’s list of “Top 5 Coolest Buildings of 2019.”

This article was originally published on December 5, 2018. Last updated: April 16, 2020. What do a pickup truck, a nail gun, a portable circular saw, a cement mixer truck, and a modern hydraulic excavator all have in common? The obvious answer is that they are all tools and equipment commonly found on construction sites today. Another correct answer would be that they are all pieces of construction technology that didn’t exist 100 years ago.

While the construction industry has weathered the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic better than others like retail and hospitality, it hasn’t been all kittens and rainbows either. From February through April, the construction industry lost over a million jobs. To put that in perspective, during the Great Recession the industry lost about 2.3 million jobs. Through June, the industry has managed to gain back over 600,000 jobs.

Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s top news and happenings in the construction industry. Each week, we’ll take a look at some of the interesting local, regional, and national stories about construction to keep you better informed of the goings-on in the industry.

Money talks. Cash is king. Bill early and often, and collect all billings. For most business owners, these are more than simple catch phrases. They are the rules of business that spell the difference between success and failure. And perhaps nowhere is that truer than in the construction industry.

This article was originally published on August 10, 2016. Last updated on May 22, 2020. We all know that fall hazards are the leading cause of construction worker deaths, accounting for about 33.5% of all fatalities in construction each year. Of the 338 construction worker fatalities attributed to falls in 2018, close to 15% were from scaffolds. OSHA estimates that about 65% of all construction workers perform some work on scaffolds every year. That’s a lot of folks working on scaffolds potentially being exposed to a number of hazards such as falls, electrocutions, and falling objects.

Rework

The construction industry is rapidly changing. There’s an increasing focus on sustainability, resiliency, and energy efficiency. Clients are expecting higher quality projects while also wanting shorter construction timelines on tighter budgets. Technological advancements are reshaping the way we design and construct the built environment. All of these are leading to increasingly more complex construction projects.