ConstructConnect Blog

Construction is a risky business. Each construction project is unique and comes with its own set of challenges and opportunities. Identifying and managing construction project risks can be tricky, but not impossible with careful planning and execution. When a risk turns into reality it can disrupt and derail a project which is why construction risk management is so important. In order to avoid disaster, you need to be able to properly assess, control, and monitor risks once they’ve been identified.

Worker safety should always be the number one priority of every construction company. Safety meetings and toolbox talks should be conducted on a regular basis to educate workers on safe work practices and stay compliant with regulations regarding safety and training.

It’s no secret that construction is dangerous work. That’s way safety should always be the top priority on every jobsite. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Data and the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, workers in the construction industry suffered nearly 200,000 nonfatal injuries and over 1,000 fatal injuries in 2018.

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.

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.