ConstructConnect Blog

Putting together a winning bid proposal is a lot more complicated than putting some numbers together and hoping for the best. Good bid preparation requires a lot of time and effort that involves everything from reading and fully understanding the plans and specifications to accurately estimating costs for labor, materials, and equipment. Making even the smallest mistake can mean the difference between having a winning bid proposal and missing out on a coveted project.

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.

This week’s World of Concrete in Las Vegas is the first major trade show in the United States since the COVID pandemic changed the face of the convention and meeting business. For many, this is yet another sign of life slowly returning to normal for the construction industry.

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.

OSHA, as associated with the safety and health of the employees, introduced National Emphasis Program (NEP) considering the effect of COVID-19. Since the spread of pandemics has shown some significant downtime for the construction industry like other businesses, the NEP program is likely to have some impact on the construction process.

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.

More and more builders are starting to think beyond traditional construction methods as we reimagine how projects are conceptualized, designed, and executed. You only need to skim the headlines to discover scientists researching how cigarette butts can conduct energy in bricks and pavement and paint developers rethinking chemicals and colors for more energy-efficient homes.

On a typical Earth Day, the construction industry is usually called out equally for its role as both a sustainability leader and as a leading offender when it comes to the size of its carbon footprint.