The Cal/OSHA Standards Board has relented to threats from Federal OSHA and voted to align its residential construction and roofing fall-protection trigger with its federal counterpart at 6 feet. California has been the only state that runs its own OSHA and not comply with the federal mandate that requires laborers working at heights of more […]
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has issued new guidance for preventing harassment on construction industry worksites. The guidance, while not binding, can be used as a template for construction firms to implement anti-harassment policies. According to the EEOC, the industry has an especially high incidence of harassment complaints, and “some of the most egregious incidents […]
Advancements are making construction workplaces safer thanks to innovative new designs that learn from the past and the weaknesses of equipment that has been used in construction for decades. Construction firms that don’t keep up with the latest in safety devices are missing an opportunity to save lives, reduce workplace injuries and avoid costly workers’ […]
Fed-OSHA has proposed new regulations that would require personal protective equipment for construction workers to be properly fitting. OSHA’s main concern is that the current standard PPE doesn’t clearly state that the equipment must fit each construction worker properly, which the general industry and maritime standards already require. The lack of access to properly fitting […]
Material handling accidents account for thousands of injuries and a number of deaths each year on construction sites. They are one of the top injuries in the construction trade and can result in serious injuries and death depending on the material, the weight of the load, and the distance it falls. These injuries lead to […]
As inflation drives up salaries in all sectors, the workers’ compensation wage thresholds for construction dual class codes in California have increased as of Sept. 1, 2022. State Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara in July approved the recommendation by the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau to increase the wage thresholds for high-wage workers. The new rates […]
When you’re in the construction industry you already have lots to worry about: Keeping your workers safe in one of the most dangerous industries, uninsured or underinsured subcontractors, and finding experienced employees from a shrinking pool of talent. Not only that, but lawsuits lurk in any project, exposing you to serious losses that can threaten […]
Construction firms are reeling from snowballing costs of building materials due to spiking demand and supply chain snarls that are resulting in massive budget cost overruns. This is especially affecting construction businesses that are managing apartment or commercial projects. These cost overruns are imperiling profits — and risking red ink — on the projects after […]
Increasing construction project delays are combining with a hardening market for builder’s risk and liability insurance to create headaches for project owners and contractors. If your project suffers from delays, you may find it difficult or costly to extend the length of your insurance coverage as insurers have tightened their underwriting policies and some have […]
There could be significant changes coming for a number of construction dual-classification codes that could see the threshold for the higher-wage workers jump by as much as $5 per hour. Currently, 16 of the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau’s construction and erection class codes are divided into two separate classifications based on the hourly wage […]