AGC Constructor

National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) is an annual spring campaign held at the start of construction season encouraging safe driving through highway work zones. The key message is for drivers to use extra caution in work zones. NWZAW will be held April 26-30 this year and be hosted by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). Learn all about this year's events and what the theme "Drive Safe. Work Safe. Save Lives." means.

On this episode, President and CEO at Gilbane Building Company Mike McKelvy covers everything you need to know about Construction Safety Week 2021 – happening May 3rd through May 7th. Mike shares his excitement to be the chairman of this year’s event and his passion behind the “Holistic Safety” theme; walks through the wealth of planning resources and communication tools that firms can use to participate; and talks about lessons learned, future goals, and how he keeps him team engaged in safety initiatives. Also hear from some Construction Safety Week partners who are offering free training and resources. Kevin Cannon, head of AGC’s safety and health services, ties it all together with what you need to know about OSHA’s National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction, which is happening the same week.

The eighth annual National Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction is scheduled for May 3-7, 2021. OSHA encourages construction employers and other stakeholders to join the event to promote awareness and training to address one of the industry’s most serious dangers. OSHA’s Fall Prevention Stand-Down webpage offers a wide range of compliance resources in many languages, including Spanish, Polish, Russian and Portuguese. OSHA encourages everyone to use #StandDown4Safety to promote the event on social media, and to share feedback after their events and obtain a personalized certificate of participation.

On April 5, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki stated that the administration is planning to propose that money from its infrastructure package be paid out through a "competitive bidding process," and that states and other entities would "have to apply for funding for rebuilding the infrastructure in their states or local communities.

An unprecedented leap in the price of goods used in construction and supply-chain disruptions are wreaking hardships on contractors and slowing projects, according to an analysis by AGC of America of government data released recently. The association posted a Construction Inflation Alert  to update contractors and their clients about the latest developments. Association officials urged the Biden administration to end a variety of tariffs and quotas on imported construction inputs and to help ease domestic supply-chain problems.

We are proud to report that we have had a strong year in 2020 as the contents of our Annual Report - The Power of Engagement - make clear. In our catalogue of some of the association’s most significant accomplishments, you will see how we work to support the entire construction industry as The Construction Association. As you will see, we continued to successfully advocate on behalf of the industry and keep construction essential; provide high-quality virtual programs and connect members with the officials and resources they need to be successful. As important, our two philanthropic organizations continue to make significant investments in the future of our industry and improving local communities, thanks to generous contributions from our members.

Every week brings new reports of materials costs hitting record highs, while lead times lengthen or become ever more uncertain. AGC of America recently released a Construction Inflation Alert. This document is intended to help chapters and members explain to owners, government officials, and others, what is happening and what all parties can do to minimize the damage.

Among the countless things COVID-19 is forcing people to rethink is how to best use existing buildings once they have outlived their original purpose.
BY MICHAEL GIUSTI

Enrique Esplain enjoys a challenge. He is a project manager for Sundt Construction, one of the largest contractors in the Southwestern United States. Sundt, a member of multiple AGC chapters, builds everything from commercial and industrial buildings to large-scale transportation infrastructure and renewable energy solutions everywhere from Dallas to San Diego. As the primary point of contact on the jobsite, Esplain manages a project’s overall performance with respect to scheduling and financial control in conjunction with a superintendent who leads field execution.
BY SEAN O’KEEFE

How 1,000 pounds of spinning metal changed the Missouri ditch liner industry
Near the Kansas City International Airport lies a well-traveled stretch of road that connects NE Cookingham Drive to I-435. A 20-mile jaunt separates the airport from downtown Kansas City, and while some drivers might make their way via the direct I-29 route, others choose the I-435 route that might take a little longer but sees less traffic.

The ability to establish and then nurture connections is a valuable skill that makes for a happy and well-rounded life — and a happy and secure company! And all the market research in the world – while quite valuable — can’t match the power of genuine human chemistry. As a managing director of business development at Columbia, I focus every day on our relationships with prospective and existing clients. But helping to identify and develop new ones and strengthening those that already exist isn’t something a successful business development manager does alone: in fact, business development and retainment is much more successful when your entire team is empowered to contribute.

Now that the country is on course to see all adult Americans eligible for COVID-19 vaccination in a matter of days, and an increasing number of employees are returning to the workplace, vaccination status is likely to be an increasingly common topic over the coming weeks and months.