Thousands of commercial construction workers are taking part in jobsite safety demonstrations across Houston and the state during the national Safety Stand-Down demonstrations May 5-15.  AGC Houston is aligning its Safety Stand-Down campaign schedule with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to allow more  members to participate in demonstrations this year. In addition, AGC safety consultants are offering their services for free to demonstrate fall protection on jobsites across the city.

Each year, AGC Houston recognizes companies that have participated in the Safety Stand-Down. Mark your calendars now for Wednesday, July 15, 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m at the Junior League of Houston. Speaker details and more information coming soon.

ATTENTION! The First Aid/CPR/AED class has been rescheduled to Wednesday, May 27. Participants who complete this course will meet the requirements of OSHA Paragraph 1926.50 and receive an American Heart Association Heartsaver First Aid and CPR/AED wallet card .

Participants will learn notice deadlines and requirements for filing lien and bond claims; How to obtain forms to use for claims; How to obtain project information; How to avoid project information; How to avoid common problems with lien and bond claims; How to document a claim and what is is not covered by a lien or bond claim.

This session will build on the Liens and Bonds speech with an advanced discussion of liens and how they are enforced. The session will also cover a variety of payment topics such as spotting important issues in joint check agreements, the new law related to releases and the construction trust fund act.

Thanks to AGC Houston members for participating in the 12th annual Safety Stand-Down. We are receiving many photos from safety stand-downs on construction jobsites across the Houston area. This year, all of our safety consultants have offered their services for free to companies needing safety demonstrations.

This course covers the OSHA Fall Protection Standards for construction and general industry and current fall protection methods.

This course will provide an overview of the risk management and insurance profession from the health and safety program perspective. Topics include recognition, avoidance, abatement and prevention of safety and health hazards found in the workplace.

This course covers OSHA General Industry Standards and other consensus and proprietary standards that relate to the use of hazardous materials.

This course will provide an overview of risk management from the safety, health, and environmental program perspective.

Please consider the following company for your business needs:

Benefit from financial strength and a superior loss-control program. It is managed by a board composed of CompGroup AGC members—general contractors and subcontractors from all parts of Texas are represented. Learn more about membership benefits from the CompGroup AGC, Inc. today or click here for more information! Contact your insurance agent or call Program Administrator Roberts & Crow at 800-406-9614—ask for Julie Schatz.

AGC is pleased to announce the release of its newest marketing piece—a video highlighting the value of some of the discount programs available to AGC members.

The AGC Alternative is a private insurance exchange that operates like an online store, making it easy for your employees to shop for health insurance and other benefits on their own or through the help of our dedicated employee hotline.

Through Reliant Energy's agreement with the Texas Building Branch AGC, association members receive the following benefits:

• One-stop-shop service to install temporary meters
• No hassle temporary services enrollment
• Discounted prices
• Incentives for referring future tenants, friends and family

For more information on how Reliant can help your business, contact Reliant Energy or call 1-855-350-8656.

Did you know one of the many benefits of being an AGC Member is access to our résumé service? As a service to our members, we compile résumés of job-seeking professionals in the construction industry. To access this service, simply log in to the Members' Only section at agchouston.org to view the most current list.

The Hyatt Regency Hotel Houston Galleria, a 325-room hotel on the corner of Sage and West Alabama roads, has topped out! The Hyatt Regency features 20 suites,15,000 square feet of meeting space and a fitness center that overlooks the pool.

Contact Catherine Bezman or Jaclyn Lee with your information and photos.

With the help of AGC members from across the state calling legislators last week, a key piece of stalled legislation has been scheduled for a vote on the House floor. 

As the last day of session nears, all eyes are on bills being reported from committees and scheduled for votes on the floor, and the House appears to be moving much more aggressively. The number of bills reported from committee in the original chamber is up 15 percent in the House and down 28 percent in the Senate.

The $10 million renovation of Francis Hall at Texas A&M University puts the school in a one-of-a-kind position among institutions of higher education in the state. It is the only building anywhere in Texas dedicated solely to the education of construction sciences, according to Joe Horlen, who heads up the Department of Construction Science in College Station.

Houston City Council Member Dwight E. Boykins  has initiated the "Workforce, Job Training, 2nd Chance Initiative" to assist the city's workforce shortage and to empower Houstonians by improving their quality of life and financial stability. To this end, a job fair will be held May 21 on the campus of Texas Southern University. Interested employers can register for the event through May 14.

Even as construction firms added jobs in 41 states between March 2014 and March 2015, construction employment declined in 29 states and the District of Columbia between February and March, according to an analysis today of Labor Department data by the Associated General Contractors of America.