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In this issue...
The Next Phase Stay Healthy. Stay Safe. A Message from Jerry Nevlud. APEX Award Entries Now Open! Gala to Honor John Kirksey AGC Houston COVID-19 Recommended Practices for Construction Jobsites Coronavirus May Cause Delays, Risks, Additional Costs (Includes link to state-by-state breakdowns of construction closures) Coronavirus (COVID019):AGC of America Provides Resources for Employees We Need Your Data: AGC of America Coronavirus Survey AGC of America Hosts 8-Part Webinar Series on Business Continuity for Construction Companies How Employers Can Incorporate Steps to Prepare For Corona Virus Risk at Work
April 6: Champions Golf Tournament POSTPONED
May 29: APEX Entries Due
Sept. 19: APEX Gala - Save the Date!
 The Chapter remains committed to you through this unprecedented situation. As we adjust to working in a more virtual world, we remain connected with our members by creating, sharing and publishing updates about the pandemic related to its effect on the construction industry.
Keep checking our website for a continuously updated list of resources and materials.
Education/Training
April 9: Stormwater Education Program POSTPONED
April 14-June 16: Construction Supervision Fundamentals
May 6: Contract Law
May 20: First Aid/CPR/AED Training
May 29: CM-BIM Credentialing Exam
May 29: CM-Lean Credentialing Exam
June 5: Texas Lien Laws
June 5: Advanced Texas Lien Laws
Begins April 14! Details here. Led by seasoned commercial construction industry professionals! Zeke Smith, Satterfield and Pontikes Construction, Inc. This 25-hour instructor led course consists of nine highly-interactive classroom sessions that focus on the knowledge and skills every supervisor needs to be an efficient manager of people, time, equipment and materials. This course includes case studies, group activities, and provides jobsite exercises for skill development. AGC of America Launched and eight-part COVID-19 WebEd Series (FREE for Members) Beginning Monday, March 23, regarding the “Factors that Construction Companies Need to Consider, as They Strive for Business Continuity”.
Recordings will be made available to all registrants for each part of the series. In the event you miss a program or registered in the middle, you will get access to the full series recordings.
Registration details here.
Safety
Fisher Phillips has assembled a cross-disciplinary taskforce of attorneys across the country to address the many employment-related issues facing employers in the wake of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
To view the plan, click here.
AGC Houston has been updating a COVID-19 Recommended Practices for Construction Jobsites document for jobsites since we first published it las week on our website - in both English and Spanish. We will continue to monitor the situation, and will update it as needed.
Among the topics addressed: Can employers take temperatures of employees on jobsites?
Visit the AGC Houston COVID-19 Resources page.
View the full list of OSHA courses here. March 30-April 2: OSHA 500 Trainer Course in OSHA Standards for Construction CANCELLED April 6-9: OSHA 501: Trainer Course OSHA Standards for General Industry April 7-9: OSHA 2264: Permit Required Confined Space Entry April 7-9: OSHA 3115: Fall Protection April 13-23: OSHA 3095: Electrical Standards April 14-17: OSHA 510: Standards for Construction April 14-17: OSHA 521: OSHA Guide To Industrial Hygiene April 16-May 7: OSHA 30-Hour Construction Safety April 20-23: OSHA 511: OSHA Electrical Standards April 27-30: OSHA 500: Trainer Course In OSHA Standards For Construction April 28–30, 2020: SH 900:Leading Measures For Improving Safety Performance - NEW!
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has published “Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19” to help companies respond in the event of coronavirus in the workplace. The guidance was developed in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS).
In addition to the guidance, OSHA recently launched a COVID-19 webpage that provides infection prevention information specifically for workers and employers, and is actively reviewing and responding to any complaints regarding workplace protection from novel coronavirus, as well as conducting outreach activities.
For further information about Coronavirus, please visit the HHS’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
AGC News
Take Action!
In an effort to provide the AGC membership with something close to real-time information on the impact that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is having on the construction industry, AGC of America is asking you to participate in this brief weekly survey.
28% of respondents to an AGC survey said they have halted or delayed project work due to the coronavirus pandemic, citing supply interruptions and labor shortages. "Providing additional tax credits and loans will help, but contractors also need the certainty that comes with infrastructure funding and improvements to the new paid and family leave measures," said Ken Simonson, chief economist at AGC.
The online survey, conducted between March 17 and 19, reveals that 28% of the 909 respondents said they have had an owner, government agency or official tell them to halt or delay work on active projects or on jobs expected to start within a month. In addition, 22% of respondents said a supplier had notified them that deliveries would be late or cancelled.
“The coronavirus pandemic has the potential to undermine what had been a very robust construction market, threatening the livelihood of countless workers and the viability of many firms,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, in a statement.
Associated General Contractors of America announced that 21 construction firms will be awarded grants to provide more than 300 fall protection safety harnesses designed for women. The grants are designed to address one of the most significant safety hazards for construction craft professionals and recruit more women into high-paying construction careers.
“We recognize the need for more women to join the construction industry to help fill the labor gap, and keeping them as safe as possible must be top priority,” said Allison Scott, director at Autodesk Construction Solutions. “For three hundred women in construction, AGC and Autodesk are highlighting this need, and this is a first step in drawing attention to the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other customized equipment for women.”
AGC TBB's convention will be taking place June 15 through June 17, 2020, at the Beauport Hotel in Gloucester, MA. Click here for more details. Conference registration ends May 29, 2020.The last day to book hotel rooms is May 10, 2020.
Registration includes a Monday evening reception, Tuesday and Wednesday sessions and luncheons, and Wednesday night dinner. Optional events include a 9-hole shoot-out golf tournament, Taste of Gloucester Foodie Tour, and a whale-watching sailing trip.
A huge win for our industry! Commercial Construction is listed as an essential business under "Infrastructure, Development, Operation and Construction" of the Harris County "Stay Home, Work Safe" order. Construction in Houston will remain open for business, however it is important to continue following COVID-19 safety protocols at all times.
Other counties in our area who have followed suit: Galveston County, Fort Bend County, and Liberty County. 
Events
April 6: Champions Golf Tournament POSTPONED
Enter Your Construction Projects For The 2020 APEX Awards Easy Online Submittal Process. All submittals will be submitted electronically. Click here to view submission and judging criteria. AGC Houston Members can submit any project(s) completed between April 1, 2018 and March 31, 2020 and located in the Chapter territory.
Message from the President/CEO
Let me begin by thanking those who sent in the supportive and positive responses regarding AGC Houston’s efforts with local officials to keep jobsites open and employees working.
In turn, I want to thank each contractor who provided us with their thoughts and ideas for our “recommended practices” document and to our affiliate members who advised and counseled staff on which ideas were viable and those that were not. And thank you to the AGC staff for putting it all together.
With the tag of “essential” and moving forward to the next phase, I would suggest that now is the time to ensure that the recommended practices developed to address the coronavirus are in place and enforced in a very mindful manner!
Lest we forget, prior to COVID-19, the industry focus was on creating and maintaining a sustainable workforce. This current re-focus is a great opportunity to develop even better “best practices” in health and safety on our jobsite.
News you can Use
Many construction materials are sourced from abroad, including countries hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, supply chains for those materials are being disrupted, and shipments are slowing sharply.
The IRS has established a special section focused on steps to help taxpayers, businesses and others affected by the coronavirus. . Information related to tax relief and filing deadlines are postponed for most returns. Visit: https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus
ARC is currently offering special discounts on a variety of Health & Wellness posters. Please click here for details.
AGC Houston Is Proud to Support the 2020 Census to Ensure that People in the Houston Community Are Accurately Counted and Represented. For the first time, in 2020 the U.S. Census Bureau will accept responses online. The process will be quick and secure. You can respond to the census in less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee. You’ll still be able to respond by mail. To learn more about what to expect, visit 2020census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau hiring thousands of people to fill temporary positions. Click here for details. Texas topped the US last year with more than $54 billion in property activity, according to a report from NAIOP. Nationally, investment in and development of buildings such as office and industrial facilities provided 9.2 million jobs and added $1.14 trillion to the economy.
Membership Benefits
Through your AGC Shipping Program you can receive competitive discounts on qualifying LTL (less-than-truckload) shipments greater than 150 lbs.
Free to enroll in the program.
No minimum shipping requirements to take advantage of your member discounts.
Call 1-800-MEMBERS (1.800.636.2377, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. EST, M-F) or visit www.1800members.com/agc. Resources
Harris County now has multiple COVID-19 cases from individuals who have not travelled outside of the county. Officials do not know the source of the virus' transmission. Public health officials urge residents to strictly follow the guidance provided March 24, 2020 by Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner until April 3, 2020.
Concerned citizens can turn to Harris County’s new online tool that helps streamline diagnostic questions, provides new testing sites, and includes other important information at ReadyHarris.org.
AGC Houston recently compiled a recommended practices document for jobsites in English and in Spanish. As we continue to monitor the situation, it will update it as needed. Be sure to check the AGC Houston COVID-19 Resources page frequently.
What best practices are working for you? Let us know! Please send your comments to catherine.b@agchouston.org.
Controlling written agreements will determine which party is responsible for the risk and additional costs of construction delays resulting from the current coronavirus outbreak. "The force majeure clause must be examined to determine if the virus outbreak constitutes an excusable delay extending the completion date and excusing the contractor from liability for any applicable liquidated or actual damages," an attorney writes.
For state-by-state breakdowns of construction closures, click here
As the coronavirus spreads around the world, its impact on many businesses and industries, including the construction industry, is increasing.
The construction industry in the United States relies heavily on foreign suppliers and manufacturers of goods for construction materials. Who bears the risk and the loss for resulting construction delays or increased construction costs due to the coronavirus?
The COVID-19 virus (the “coronavirus”) is now making an impact closer to home, so many businesses are reviewing their contracts to determine if force majeure declarations provide relief for delayed or interrupted projects and operations. Because force majeure clauses are often tailored to a specific project or supply agreement, the language can vary significantly. As a result, the availability of force majeure relief depends on the terms of the contract, the applicable law, and the circumstances to which they are applied.
Champe Fitzhugh of Andrews Myers, PC explains how to navigate contracts with the Force Majeure clause. New Members
Please consider doing business with these new AGC Houston member companies!
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