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Have you ever been to an industry trade show? I usually attend several each year; the INTEX Expo, World of Concrete, and this year I had the opportunity to attend the Remodeling Show sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders at the Convention Center in Baltimore. You can always tell when a trade show is in town. Local restaurants and hotels are filled with small groups wearing matching shirts.

Plastering being one of the oldest of occupations, or as I am fond of calling it, the second “oldest profession” is represented in the United States and Canada by the Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ International Association, which was chartered in 1864 and is the oldest of all the active building trades unions in North America.

“Some men must follow, and some command, though all are made of clay” ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I stood along the rail of an upper tier at the Nashville Convention Center, home of the 2009 AWCI Convention and Intex Expo trade show. I watched two middle-aged men approaching each other on opposing escalators, one going up, the other going down.

I know that it has been a while since I was a small remodeling contractor, but has the state of the art really fallen this far?

When I first began to learn how to plaster, if someone would have told me then that it would one day become necessary for me to learn to speak Italian, I would have chuckled and turned away.

As the director of a national training program for plasterers, I help develop and implement training criteria and curriculum materials for young people just entering the trade. So, nothing gives me greater pleasure than to witness young men and women, who’ve got a few years under their belt, excelling at the craft-especially in a down economy! 

Are contractors who pay their employees cash or who misclassify their workers as “subcontractors” for the purpose of avoiding taxes, worker compensation insurance cutting into your business?

Dimitris Spiliadis’ great-grandfather once owned a hotel in Constantinople, which was lost when the Turks invaded the magnificent and historic city (now known as Istanbul).

We’ve all watched and enjoyed the Discovery Channel television show “How It’s Made” and maybe even had a passing thought about how great it would be to have such a program showcase and explain to the general public what it is we do.

The plastering trade has, for thousands of years, passed down the knowledge and skill of the trade from one generation to the next. Except for the inclusion of modern machinery, the way and manner plaster is applied to a wall really hasn’t changed much since before the time of Christ.

Back in the 1980s, the term “Trickle Down Economics” was coined to describe a theory that if we gave incentives to business owners, they will in turn invest and expand their operations, thereby creating new jobs and greater opportunity for all. Economists and politicians are still debating if the policies of the ’80s helped or hurt the country.

He was born in a dusty little town in nowhere New Mexico, coming of age during the height of the Great Depression.

Lucinda and Emily are joined by the outgoing chief of the RSPCA

Lucinda and Emily are joined by the outgoing chief of the RSPCA

The “U.S. Ceilings Market 2024-2033” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offerings.

The defunct charity's former digital director wants to set up its digital volunteer recruitment network as a social enterprise

Following the 2023 debut of its “City of Yes” strategy to permit more housing faster in New York City, Mayor Eric Adams’ administration unveiled a raft of zoning changes last winter intended to make the proposed growth carbon-neutral, according to Adam Friedberg, a Buro Happold expert behind similar initiatives in the region and worldwide.

Washington — A new poster and fact sheet from NIOSH are designed to help educate firefighters about the unique nature of row house fires and how to stay safe when fighting these blazes.

Washington — A new video is intended to help firefighters stay safe when responding to fire incidents at row houses.

Washington — OSHA has announced the winners of its national competition challenging stakeholders to submit the best tools and resources on the dangers of heat exposure – indoors and outdoors – at work.

Addressing emerging requirements in the commercial security market, DAQ Electronics, Piscataway, N.J., released EntroWatch, a PoE/PoE+ native BACnet® access control system that enables integration with security and building management.

Boston – Shift workers have a high risk for crashes due to drowsy driving after working a night shift, according to a study from Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

The investment, together with AMP’s renewed senior debt facility, provides AMP with a growth capital structure in excess of $60 million.

A court affirmed an insurer’s decision to deny a fire damage claim due to the absence of an automatic extinguishing system.

Industry veteran Joe Mac McConnell will spearhead growth and innovation for Nice’s 2GIG brand and security solutions portfolio.

Looking to boost your career in the security industry, make connections and have fun at ISC West? Join the Security Industry Association (SIA) and ISC West at the Career Zone on the ISC West show floor! This offering, presented by SIA and ISC with support from the Foundation for Advancing Security Talent (FAST), SIA’s Human Resources Working Group, the SIA RISE community for young security professionals and the SIA Women in Security Forum, was created to help you grow your skills and get expert insights to propel your career. 

The fire and life safety industry is heating up with increasing opportunities for fire alarm contractors to advance into new territory.

The Electronic Security Association (ESA) presented a virtual town hall recently during which Michael Barnes presented an alarm industry update that, for the most part, signaled a rising tide, post pandemic.

Studies from the Washington-based National Sleep Foundation indicate that about one-quarter of shiftworkers have had a traffic accident or close call in the past year.

Leading security dealers and integrators explain the essential strategies and insights that drive success in the realm of recurring monthly revenue.

The latest survey was conducted before the Federal Reserve announced that it would reduce interest rates by a half-point.

Steady and rapid growth in the dealer program market, like the kind Security Networks, SDM’s 2012 Dealer of the Year Honoree, has had in recent years requires more than a good marketing program or exciting services. Security Networks, West Palm Beach, Fla., prides itself on an average of 40 percent growth year-over-year for the past eight years, its president, Richard Perry, tells SDM.

Washington — Although alcohol is a factor in nearly 1 out of 3 traffic deaths, federal and state agencies need to also address driver impairment from cannabis and prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

In her new leadership role, Brown will work to ensure the TMA Five Diamond designation remains current and reflective of excellence in security monitoring.

The joint effort provides Heathrow with a unified view across large-scale airport operations to secure people and assets.

With around 14,000 trains operating on 65,000 miles of track, Indian Railways carries as estimated 9.5 million passengers daily, and is modernizing its systems as it looks to handle up 40 percent of global rail activity by 2050.

About 9 p.m. on the day of the incident, a 45-year-old police officer on patrol drove into floodwater that had overtaken the road.

Washington — The Chemical Safety Board reached a milestone of 1,000 safety recommendations and distanced itself from a long-standing investigative backlog, among other accomplishments, in fiscal year 2024.

Washington — NIOSH has announced winners of the third and final phase of its Respirator Fit Evaluation Challenge.

Muncie, IN — More than 1 out of 3 U.S. working adults aren’t getting enough sleep, and the prevalence of sleep deprivation has increased significantly since 2010, according to researchers from Ball State University.

Washington — The National Sleep Foundation is stressing the importance of being alert and well-rested behind the wheel, as road safety advocates prepare to recognize Drowsy Driving Prevention Week Nov. 3-10.

Based in Flemington, N.J., SDG provides businesses 24/7 surveillance of safety, burglary and fire threats to help aid emergency response, limit property damage and protect lives.

Advanced Signal Corp. has moved to a newly renovated facility in Weymouth, improving its operational efficiency and service capabilities.

Orlando, FL — HeroWear and its exoskeleton suit were voted the winner of the National Safety Council’s third annual Safety Innovation Challenge.

Arlington, VA — The International Safety Equipment Association has launched an initiative highlighting the importance of preventing hearing loss in the workplace – where, according to NIOSH, 22 million people are exposed to hazardous noise each year.

Flooding can happen anywhere in the country, and it’s a year-round hazard that happens in all 50 states. As little as 6 inches of floodwater can cause vehicles to lose control and stall, the National Weather Service warns.

Drowsy drivers were involved in 18% of all fatal crashes over a recent five-year period, leading to nearly 30,000 deaths, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimates.

Which workers are more at risk of drowsy driving? According to the National Sleep Foundation, it’s shift workers, people who work long hours, long-haul truck drivers, and business workers who spend many hours on the road each day or might be jet-lagged.