Tag Archive for Breaking News

26 Jan 2015
General Construction • Oil and Natural Gas

How Will Lower Oil Prices Affect the Construction Industry?

Gas Station Fill 300x168 How Will Lower Oil Prices Affect the Construction Industry?With the cost of oil hovering around $50 a barrel, economists are projecting both positive and negative effects on a national and global scale. But how will lower oil prices affect construction, an industry that’s looking for a big year, and heavily reliant on fuel for transportation, heavy equipment and more?

ENR.com attempted to answer this question in the recent article, Contractors Get Reprieve at the Pump.

While responses are mixed, we thought you’d find the perspectives interesting as you look forward to the building season. What do you think? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

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18 Dec 2014
General Construction

2014 Construction Industry Roundup and 2015 Forecast

improve 300x153 2014 Construction Industry Roundup and 2015 ForecastWhile architects, engineers and construction pros close the books on 2014, industry experts have already crunched mountains of data and released their predictions regarding where the construction industry is headed in 2015. Here are some highlights from industry analysts.

The Associated General Contractors of America @AGCofA

AGC of America Economist Ken Simonson took a look back at 2014. In a recent release, Simonson cited a report from the Department of Labor which confirmed 37 states and the District of Columbia added jobs between October 2013 and October 2014. The association’s chief economist noted, “These year-over-year and one-month changes show that construction is doing well in most of the country. Yet, the list of states that have added construction jobs varies from month to month, showing that the industry’s recovery remains vulnerable to worker shortages and unfavorable governmental actions.”

Forbes @Forbes

Houston was the fastest growing U.S. city in 2014, according to Forbes Staff Writer Erin Carlyle. The oil industry metropolis was the site of $25.1 billion in new construction in Read more

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28 Oct 2014
Industry Insights • Safety Performance

Important OSHA Injury Reporting Changes for 2015

Construction Safety 2 300x225 Important OSHA Injury Reporting Changes for 2015Effective January 1, 2015, OSHA has revamped its requirements for reporting specific injuries and hospitalizations. In addition to notifying the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of all work-related fatalities within 8 hours, employers under federal OSHA will be required to notify the administration within 24 hours when an employee suffers a work-related hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye. This new rule resembles the CAL/OSHA rule already in place.

Current regulations require an employer to report only work-related fatalities and in-patient hospitalizations of 3 or more employees. Reporting single hospitalizations, amputations, or loss of an eye is not required.

Learn more about the new notification requirements now at OHSA.com.

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08 Sep 2014
General Construction

How to Prevent Construction Site Theft

copper cable thumbnail1 150x150 How to Prevent Construction Site TheftConstruction site theft is on the rise, and expensive delays and replacement costs are the fallout. Copper wiring, generators, and heavy equipment are some of the items at risk.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates as much as $1 billion in metals and equipment is stolen from construction sites each year. And a 2009-2011 report by the NICB revealed that metal theft claims jumped 81 percent over numbers from 2006-2008, an increase driven by the economic downturn and the rising price of base metals.

Thieves are looking for more than metals. Equipment theft is also a significant threat to contractors and subs. According to the NCIB, in 2010 there were 13,374 reports of heavy equipment theft, valued at around $400 million, of which only 19 percent was recovered. This year, 43 percent of thefts were reported in just five states, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

Read more

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16 Jul 2014
Disaster Recovery

Relief to Recovery: 3 Ways Modular Buildings Help Communities Post-disaster

FEMA Mobile Hospital Photo BillKoplitz FEMA 300x200 Relief to Recovery: 3 Ways Modular Buildings Help Communities Post disaster

Staffers ready FEMA’s mobile hospital in Louisville, MS. Photo: Mike Koplitz/FEMA

When natural disasters strike, rapid response is vital to bringing aid into an affected community. Ongoing support is also needed to get the community back on its feet. Whether it’s organizing and distributing relief supplies, providing temporary housing for displaced residents, offering transitional offices to get employees back to work, or the rebuilding of businesses and homes, many organizations must quickly come together for effective relief and recovery.

Residents of Louisville, Mississippi came together after a tornado destroyed their local hospital in April. For the first time, the Federal Emergency Management Agency Read more

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20 Jun 2014
Temporary Solutions

That’s One Cool… Mobile Office?

You never know where ModSpace will be next. Already this year our mobile offices and storage containers have been seen at the Super Bowl, the Final Four, several PGA tournaments and countless concerts.

Last week, recipients of the Star-Telegram in the Dallas-Fort Worth area awoke to find this sharp looking trailer on the front-page behind a South Korea-owned F-16 at Alliance Airport. Clearly our office trailer stole the show.

Star Telegram F 16 That’s One Cool… Mobile Office?

Photo: KHAMPHA BOUAPHANH, STAR-TELEGRAM

Where have you seen a ModSpace lately? Send your photo to more.info@modspace.com. You might just see it in an upcoming blog.

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21 May 2014
General Construction

Excellence in Construction: The 2014 Global Best Projects Awarded

¬ Sam Burrell Halley VI winter view 300x194 Excellence in Construction: The 2014 Global Best Projects AwardedWhat does it take to be considered the Global Best Project of the year? According to a panel of expert judges from across the industry, the best construction projects are leaders in innovation, safety performance, global teamwork, quality and success in overcoming challenges.

The 2014 Global Best Projects Awards were recently announced at the ENR+Dodge 2014 Global Construction Summit in New York City. The winners represent the best of what modern architecture, engineering and construction can do to make our world a better place for everyone. Here are a few of the winners that caught our attention: Read more

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17 Apr 2014
Temporary Solutions

Mobile Offices Help Organizers at the 2014 Boston Marathon

We’re honored to be a part of the 2014 Boston Marathon this Monday, April 21st. Our mobile offices are already in place as command posts and crew offices at the start line in the Hopkinton Common and the finish line in Copley Square.

Congratulations to all of the participants, event organizers and the City of Boston on the 118th running of this great race. You truly are Boston strong.

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06 Mar 2014
General Construction

How Will the Polar Vortex Affect Construction Through 2014?

polar vortex11 300x225 How Will the Polar Vortex Affect Construction Through 2014?Something’s wrong when a term like “polar vortex” is trending on Twitter. Since early December bone-chilling cold and record snow have gripped the much of the nation. For the construction industry, now is the time of year when construction is heating up. But with many states still packed in snow, meeting existing deadlines and starting new construction is a monumental challenge.

It’s not for lack of effort. Hard-as-nails construction crews forge on through bitter cold, driving projects closer to completion. Despite their fortitude, countless construction sites have been shut down for the safety of workers. They’re all to be commended for their dedication.

Can Construction Rebound?

The situation gives way to several possible scenarios, all of which raise the question as Read more

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14 Jan 2014
Healthcare

The Affordable Care Act’s Impact on Construction

Healthcare Reform The Affordable Care Act’s Impact on ConstructionIn a recent interview, MedBuild Director of Business Development Brian Albers shared some insights on the future of healthcare construction. In it, Albers noted that an aging population, the Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. Obamacare), and the economy are the three largest factors in determining the future of healthcare construction.

There’s no question that an aging population will require increased healthcare services in the near future, creating further demand for related medical facilities. The economy continues to show improvement. The wild card in the equation remains the Affordable Read more

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