Members' Edge - November 15, 2018

Safety

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/hca-nwl/articles/index-v2.asp?aid=531349&issueID=63816 to view the full article online.

Check Out These Upcoming Safety Classes

Visit http://oshacon.org/ to view the full article online.

Apply For The 2019 AGC Willis Towers Watson Construction Safety Awards

The AGC-Willis Towers Watson Construction Safety Excellence Awards (CSEA) is the industry’s elite safety excellence awards program for contractors of all types and sizes. CSEA recognizes companies that have developed and implemented premier safety and risk control programs and that have achieved continuous improvement and maintenance of their safety and health management system.

Deadline for submitting applications is Friday, December 14, 2018. Check out the details

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/hca-nwl/articles/index-v2.asp?aid=531050&issueID=63816 to view the full article online.

AGC News

AGC Of America 100th Annual Convention Scheduled In Denver April 1-4, 2019

Visit https://convention.agc.org/ to view the full article online.

Construction Bid Prices Accelerate In October But Contractors' Costs Rise Faster

Tariffs and Tight Labor Market May Push Future Bid Prices Higher; AGC Of America Officials Call for End to Costly Tariffs, Resolution of Trade Disputes and More Funding for Career and Technical Education

The price of new nonresidential buildings accelerated in October as contractors attempted to recoup fast-rising costs for materials and labor, according to an analysis by AGC of America regarding new Labor Department data. Association officials said that trade tensions and labor shortages are contributing to higher construction prices, making it harder for public officials to improve aging and over-burdened infrastructure.

Metals and petroleum-based products registered the largest increases among construction inputs, according to Chief Economist Ken Simonson.

Visit https://www.agc.org/news/2018/11/09/construction-bid-prices-accelerate-october-contractors%E2%80%99-costs-rise-faster-higher to view the full article online.

AGC Releases Paper On The Business Case For Diversity & Inclusion In The Construction Industry

As the population of the U.S. becomes more diverse, construction companies will need to reflect the changing demographics in order to find workers and remain competitive. The arguments for a company including diversity and inclusion as a key business strategy go beyond the moral imperative of "doing the right thing" and focus on the measurable financial results that can be achieved.

AGC's report, The Business Case for Diversity & Inclusion in the Construction Industry, outlines six reasons why diversity and inclusion are strategically valuable in generating corporate/industry innovation, increasing profitability, and ensuring a positive and sustaining legacy of progress for your firm.

Visit https://www.agc.org/sites/default/files/Files/Advocacy/AGC Report on Biz Case for D%26I FINAL OCT 2018_Small.pdf to view the full article online.

Member News

Marek Brothers Systems, Inc.'s Mike Holland To Take Part in Covenant House "Executive Sleep Out"

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/hca-nwl/articles/index-v2.asp?aid=531321&issueID=63816 to view the full article online.

Gilbane Building Co. Celebrates Grand Opening Of The Menil Drawing Institute

Gilbane Building Company recently joined museum leadership, civic officials, cultural leaders, community representatives, artists and supporters for the ribbon-cutting and grand opening of the newly completed Menil Drawing Institute. The 30,000-square-foot $40 million building will serve as the first free-standing facility in the United States devoted to the acquisition, study, exhibition, conservation, and storage of artworks on paper, housing more than 2,500 works by notable 20th century artists.

Designed by Johnston Marklee, the building’s design shields sensitive works on paper from natural light, while at the same time filling the common space with carefully modulated sunlight.

An important element of the project is the innovative energy house, a separate facility located to the west of the Menil Drawing Institute building. The new energy house provides a central source of heating and cooling for the entire campus. The Gilbane team was heavily involved in the planning, coordination, and commissioning of the building as well as strategizing ways in which to bring the existing art building’s MEP systems online to the new energy house.

Visit https://www.menil.org/drawing-institute to view the full article online.

Vaughn Construction Tops Out Texas A&M Student Services Building

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/hca-nwl/articles/index-v2.asp?aid=531061&issueID=63816 to view the full article online.

News you can Use

Free Seminar On New Payroll Audit Independent Determination Program

This new program expedites resolution of inadvertent minimum wage and overtime violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act, and provides a framework for employers to proactively resolve those violations without litigation.

Register today - all employers welcome

December 6, 2018 10:00 a.m. - noon at Houston Community College, West Loop

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/hca-nwl/pdf/PAID_Event_-_Houston.pdf to view the full article online.

DOL Announces New Compliance Assistance Tools To Assist New and Small Business

The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced the launch of the New and Small Business Assistance(link is external) and the Compliance Assistance Toolkits (link is external) webpages. These new online tools are intended to assist American small businesses and workers with simple, straightforward resources that provide critical Wage and Hour Division information, as well as links to other resources.

Visit https://www.agc.org/news/2018/11/08/dol-announces-new-compliance-assistance-tools-assist-new-and-small-business to view the full article online.

11th Circuit Deals Blow To OSHA's Inspection Authority

Last week the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed a lower court’s order quashing an administrative warrant for the inspection of a poultry processing plant. USA v. Mar-Jac Poultry, Inc., No. 16-17745 (11th Cir. 2018). The Court concluded that the mere recording of work-related injuries or illnesses does not mean that they were the result of a violation of an OSHA standard, rule or regulation. As such, recorded injuries or illnesses don’t "justify the issuance of an administrative warrant for evidence of OSHA violations."

Visit https://www.natlawreview.com/article/11th-circuit-deals-blow-to-osha-s-inspection-authority to view the full article online.

OSHA's Top Fines Since May Include Silica, Trench Violations

OSHA's proposed $304,130 fine against Lanford Bros. in Marion, Va., for silica dust exposure violations is the largest OSHA fine since May, underscoring the importance of compliance with the new silica dust exposure standard. OSHA also has proposed $202,201 in fines for JK Excavation & Utilities for citations after a trench collapse that killed an employee.

Visit https://www.constructiondive.com/news/top-6-osha-fines-levied-since-may/540203/ to view the full article online.

OSHA Publishes New Silica Frequently Asked Questions For Construction

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/hca-nwl/articles/index-v2.asp?aid=531068&issueID=63816 to view the full article online.

Here's Looking at You

Tellepsen's Greg Lynch Leads Project Management Development Class

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/hca-nwl/articles/index-v2.asp?aid=531058&issueID=63816 to view the full article online.

Distinguished Speaker Series Features Leo Linbeck, III

It was a full house on November 13 as AGC Houston members heard Leo Linbeck, III, speak about the Fannin Innovation Studio. Linbeck is the Chairman and Founder of the firm, which provides capital and management for developing bioscience technologies and supporting life sciences startups. Fannin Innovation is a for-profit, early-stage, life sciences development group that bridges the gap between academic research and commercialization.

Visit http://fannininnovation.com/ to view the full article online.