Whoever said that life, death and taxes are the three things in life that are certain forgot to include weather as the fourth. Just ask anyone in the construction industry, and they’ll tell you that Mother Nature has her own ideas. This is why disaster preparedness is more vital than ever especially if you live and work in an area prone to hurricanes, floods and flash floods.

 

The construction industry is raising awareness and encouraging open discussion about mental health and substance abuse to reduce suicide in the workforce. The COVID-19 pandemic has added stress, anxiety, and fear to contractors’ already high risk of suicide. We can all agree this is a scary subject and we need to address the public health crisis in our country. But how do we heal our workforce? Please use the following resources to help you spot warning signs, start the conversation, and provide support to those who need it – which can save lives. It takes construction professionals at all levels working together and with their risk partners to build a culture of caring and prevention. Click HERE for further information and to watch a session on this topic recorded as part of AGC’s 2021 Construction Risk Management Conference.

On April 28, the Department of Transportation (DOT) published a request for comment on proposing to issue a transitional waiver to comply with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s new Buy America requirements. Here’s what to know.

Prices of materials and services used in new nonresidential construction leaped nearly 21 percent in April from year-ago levels, according to an analysis by AGC of America of government data released recently. The association urged the Biden administration to provide relief to hard-hit employers by ending tariffs on key construction materials and reconsidering its recently proposed Buy America regulations that will make it harder for firms to find and pay for key construction materials. “Nonresidential contractors have endured twelve months of 20-percent increases in the cost of items they need to build projects,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “While they have been able to pass some of those increased costs on to clients, most of those increases have come out of their own bottom line.”

 

The AGC Education and Research Foundation offers undergraduate and graduate level scholarships to students enrolled in ABET or ACCE-accredited construction management or construction related engineering programs. Over $10 million in scholarships have been awarded to more than 4,000 students attending colleges and universities across the country. Congratulations to the 2022 AGC Education and Research Foundation Undergraduate and Graduate Scholarship recipients! The 2023 Undergraduate/Graduate application opens July 1, 2022.

Applications for the 2021 Outstanding Student Chapter Contest have been accepted and AGC of America received applications from exceptional Student Chapters across the country! This year, our Outstanding Student Chapter Awards were broken up into three categories for student chapters to be awarded for exemplary demonstration of the AGC of America tenants of Skill, Responsibility & Integrity.

 

Three applications in particular stood out from the others and AGC of America is happy to announce the winners:

 

1. Resilient/Emerging Student Chapter Award: AGC Student Chapter at University of Massachusetts Amherst.

2. Community Service Award: AGC Student Chapter at Kansas State University

3. Construction Management Skills Award: Boise State University AGC Student Chapter

 

Contractors that have struggled over the past two years due to the pandemic shutdowns and project delays because of supply chain shortages can seek relief with the federal Employee Retention Credit. This and other federal and state tax incentives can help contractors substantially, experts say.

Suicide is the leading cause of construction fatalities and suicide rates in the construction industry are four times the national average. According to studies by the Centers for Disease Control, suicide rates in the U.S. working population increased 34% from 2000-2016 and is the leading cause of violent death for men in the construction industry.

 

TDIndustries, a member of multiple AGC chapters, is embracing innovative and modern head protection by providing safety helmets to the workforce. During Construction Safety Week, TD educated workers on head protection safety innovation and how upgrading from hard hats to safety helmets can reduce traumatic brain injury risks.

 

Faith Technologies Incorporated (FTI), a member of multiple AGC chapters, has been awarded the 2022 Platinum Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health by Mental Health America (MHA). The Bell Seal is a first-of-its-kind workplace mental health certification that recognizes employers who strive to create mentally healthy workplaces for their employees.

Hiring Our Heroes (HOH) connects the military community — service members, military spouses, and veterans — with American businesses to create economic opportunity and a strong and diversified workforce. For details on any event, please visit the Hiring Our Heroes Calendar.