 |
||||||||||
| Archive | Subscribe | Print Friendly | Send to a Friend | www.agchouston.org | ||||||||||
Education/Training
Know someone pursuing a degree in a construction-related field? Deadline to apply is Jan. 31. Qualifications Include:
Click here for full details.  Have you developed an innovative means to collect, monitor and interpret data? Share your expertise, implementation successes and practical tips with your industry peers.
AGC Houston is now accepting submissions for presentations for our 2019 quarterly Jobsite
Innovation Forums. Deadline for consideration: Feb. 28. March 21 — Data Collection June 13 — Data Monitoring Sept. 26 — Data Interpretation Dec. 12 — Interactive Workshop on Data Uses in Construction Safety
Open To All Interested AGC Houston Members! Breakfast sponsored by Enrique Garza of Compliance Safety Consulting. Special vendor table-top demonstrations and give-aways! On The Agenda:
Friday, Jan. 25 — AGC Houston Safety Committee Meeting: 7:15 - 9:00 a.m. Contact Kim Mason for details.
AGC Members receive a 10 percent discount on all UTA OSHA-taught classes. Call (866) 906-9190 and provide the member code (AGCHOU).
View the full list of OSHA courses here.
Jan. 28-31: OSHA 501: Trainer Course in OSHA Standards for Gen. Industry Jan. 28-31: OSHA 511: Occupational Safety/Health, General Industry Feb. 4-6: OSHA 502: Update for Construction Industry Outreach Trainers Feb. 4-7: OSHA 510: Occup Safety & Health Standards for Construction Feb. 6-8: OSHA 503: Update for General Industry Outreach Trainers Feb. 11-14: ATP 191: Safety and Health Authorized Trainer Feb. 12-14: OHSA 3115: Fall Protection Feb. 18-21: OSHA 500: Trainer Course in OSHA Standards for Construction Feb. 18-28: OSHA 510: Occupational Safety & Health for Construction AGC News
After a year marked by numerous price spikes, construction costs declined in December but remained elevated compared to year-earlier prices, while prices of new buildings also moved higher, according to an analysis by AGC of America. The cost of many construction projects is increasing as firms cope with labor shortages and increased costs for many of the materials they need for projects.
"The price index for new building construction outpaced the input cost index at the end of the year, but many contractors were probably caught by unexpected cost increases in 2018," stated AGC of America Chief Economist, Ken Simonson.
Construction employment increased by 38,000 jobs in December and by 280,000 jobs, or 4.0 percent, over the past year, while the industry’s average pay accelerated and unemployment decreased to a historic low, according to an analysis of new government data by AGC Od America.
A new measure announced today by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers will provide the kind of clarity needed to ensure that the waters of the U.S. continue to become even cleaner. The newly proposed clean water rule outlines clear and specific guidelines as to which sites require a federal water permit in addition to state and local water permits, and what needs to be done to protect federally permitted waters.
For more than 100 years, the AGC Annual Convention has been the event successful contractors around the country count on for practical knowledge and industry-leading information to guide business decisions, improve operations and shape the industry. Registration details here. 
Events
All construction industry employees are eligible, including employees of general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, service companies, architects and engineers. Contact Charlene Anthony for more information or click here.
Member News
AGC Houston was pleased to host the Society for Marketing and Professional Services – Houston Chapter’s annual economic outlook luncheon featuring Patrick J. Kiley, Kiley Literary Legacies, LLC, on January 23, 2019. Kiley delivered some good news regarding the national, state and local picture but warned that a tight labor pool coupled with two massive construction projects in Channelview and Baytown will take 10 percent of the labor force. For the first time in three years, the office market is reflecting a positive absorption and Houston is poised to absorb 71,000 new jobs this year.
A school bond backlog and expected growth of 100,000 new residents in Houston make for a positive picture. As energy continues to grow so does the expansion of the Texas Medical Center (a new 30-acre research center campus) and bio technology labs, along with Johnson and Johnson’s move here, more jobs (nearly 30,000) and associated construction projects are expected to apply pressure on the workforce.
News you can Use
Employers are reminded of their obligation to post a copy of OSHA's Form 300A, which summarizes job-related injuries and illnesses logged during 2018. Each year, from Feb. 1 to April 30, the summary must be displayed in a common area where notices to employees are usually posted. Businesses with 10 or fewer employees and those in certain low-hazard industries are exempt from OSHA recordkeeping and posting requirements. Visit OSHA's Recordkeeping Rule webpage for more information.
OSHA's civil penalties amounts for violations of workplace safety and health standards will increase in 2019 to adjust for inflation. The adjusted maximum penalty amounts will take effect upon publication in the Federal Register. New penalties for willful and repeat violations will be $132,598 per violation; serious, other-than-serious, and posting requirements are $13,260 per violation; and failure to abate violations are $13,260 per day beyond the abatement date.
AGC and Sage Release New Construction Hiring & Business Forecast
Seventy-nine percent of construction firms plan to expand their payrolls in 2019 but an-almost-equal percentage are worried about their ability to locate and hire qualified workers, according to survey results released by the AGC of America and Sage Construction and Real Estate. The findings are detailed in Contractors Remain Confident About Demand, Worried About Labor Supply: The 2019 Construction Hiring and Business Outlook Report.
Despite dropping 4.3 points, the American Institute of Architects' Architecture Billings Index stayed positive for the 15th month in a row in December. "Given the concerns over the ongoing tariff situation, it is not surprising to see a bit of a slowdown in progress on current projects," AIA chief economist Kermit Baker says.
Membership Benefits
Whether you recently joined AGC Houston, are a seasoned member or are a new employee interested in learning more about what AGC offers, sign up today for the Membership Orientation!
Feb. 21, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Lunch Provided
New Members
|
||||||||||
|
.jpg)
