The ACI Foundation’s Concrete Innovation Council gathered in Santa Fe, New Mexico, to discuss technology and innovation at the 2024 Technology Forum. The event took place May 14-16 at the Hilton Santa Fe Historic Plaza.

Without question, the building and construction industry has been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. Approximately 1.1 million construction jobs were eliminated in the first two months of the pandemic prior to the industry’s designation as “essential.” While the industry has recouped nearly 80 percent of its workforce since then, companies will need to hire another 1 million workers over the next two years to meet the country’s insatiable demand for new home construction and improvement.

Ideal for EIFS and direct-applied, 2209MESH Corner Bead combines Plastic Components’ reliable PVC corner bead with fire- and alkaline-resistant, 4.5-ounce fiberglass mesh for a time-saving alternative to wrapping corners by hand with multiple pieces of mesh.

The Michel Bakhoum International Collaboration Award, founded in 2024, honors the memory of Prof. Michel Bakhoum, an ACI member and internationally known structural engineer, researcher and educator.

With the construction industry undergoing major changes, it might be time to start hiring some tech-savvy individuals.

This project only took five months from design to completion.

Washington — OSHA is accepting nominations for a vacancy on its Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health.

Washington – Nearly 30 percent of employers that rank among the top violators of federal wage and safety laws receive federal contracts, according to a report issued Dec. 11 by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee after a yearlong investigation.

Sacramento, CA — Legislation signed into law by California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Sept. 5 authorizes the creation of a council charged with establishing minimum standards on working conditions, hours and wages for fast-food workers statewide.

Triangle, VA — United Mine Workers of America President Cecil E. Roberts recently called proposed legislation that would reduce the scope of mine safety inspections in West Virginia and amend the state’s underground ventilation laws “one of the most outrageous attempts to slash critical protections for miners’ safety and health on the job that I have ever seen.”

Washington — The United Mine Workers of America and the United Steelworkers are suing the Department of Labor and the Mine Safety and Health Administration in an effort to compel MSHA to issue an emergency temporary standard on infectious diseases amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Bardavon Health Innovations recently has expanded into injury prevention to protect workers from musculoskeletal disorders in addition to helping with recovery. In this endeavor, they have acquired the leading workplace injury prevention company, Preventure.

Tampa, FL — COVID-19 mortality rates among adults with lower levels of education who worked in the labor, service and retail industries were nearly five times higher than other groups in 2020, results of a new study by the University of South Florida show.

Rave Collaborate addresses needs unmet by traditional incident management solutions with an intuitive tool to coordinate preparedness and response for both planned activities and unplanned emergencies. 

Industry insiders convened at ISC West to discuss AVS-01, a new ANSI-accredited standard aimed at improving alarm validation and enhancing communication between the security sector and public safety agencies.

Milestone Systems held press meetings during the opening day of ISC West, April 10, for timely discussions on balancing technology innovation and responsibility.

The Maine Department of Labor is offering free GHS training materials.

St. Paul, MN — Nicole Blissenbach is the new permanent commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, Gov. Tim Walz (D) and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan recently announced.

Washington — Labor Secretary Marty Walsh is expected to leave the Biden administration to become executive director of the National Hockey League Players’ Association, according to multiple reports.

Washington — President Joe Biden has announced his intent to nominate Julie Su for labor secretary.

Washington — Julie Su emphasized her commitment to “finding and expanding the vast areas of common ground between employers and employees” during her April 20 confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Washington — President Joe Biden has renominated Julie Su for labor secretary, but Su’s path to confirmation remains murky.

The National Safety Council names ATS the recipient of the 2023 Robert W. Campbell Award.

Washington — The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee approved Julie Su’s nomination for labor secretary for a second time, with an 11-10 party-line vote on Feb. 27.

Washington — Oregon OSHA is one step closer to having full oversight over temporary labor camps, after federal OSHA published a proposed final approval in the March 13 Federal Register.

Washington — Oregon OSHA now has full oversight of temporary labor camps in the state, after receiving federal OSHA’s final approval.

The SEF-1801 Eyesaver is an eyewash station that combines a fully functional laboratory faucet with an independently operated eyewash.

Washington — Iowa’s revised child labor law doesn’t meet federal requirements, U.S. Department of Labor officials contend.

Minneapolis — A coalition consisting of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, three local affiliate unions and watchdog group Public Citizen is suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture over a controversial final rule that removes maximum line speeds in pork-processing plants and transfers certain inspection responsibilities to plant workers.

Washington – OSHA and the Federal Communications Commission have published a best practices guide intended to reduce injuries among communication tower workers.

Developed to help small-to-medium sized businesses (SMBs) and content creators manage data from edge to cloud, the portfolio delivers a range of enterprise-scale solutions.

This collaboration provides a seamlessly integrated solution that stands uniquely poised to tackle intricate security challenges faced by critical infrastructure environments, including utilities, data centers and airports.

Collaborative intelligence facilitates the sharing of ALPR data between partnered organizations such as local police departments, private businesses, and community groups.

A 44-year-old demolition worker was removing roofing components from a former auto dealership. He had worked for his employer for five days. The worker was on the building’s roof when he stepped backward and onto a skylight, which broke under his weight.

The process of digging the trench, which was not shored, exposed a 3-inch water line that was about 3 feet below grade and ran the length of the trench. No attempt was made to shut off the water line before work began or after it was uncovered.

A 49-year-old construction laborer was working as an independent contractor for a residential remodeling company.

A 62-year-old man was employed by a company that specializes in the manufacture of additives to enhance the performance and durability of concrete. On the day of the incident, the laborer was tasked with the production of a viscosity modifier additive.

Geneva — Occupational safety and health programs should identify and assess the on-the-job risks to eye health, the International Labor Organization says.

Everon has been honored with the 2024 HIRE Vets Medallion Award for its exceptional efforts in recruiting, hiring, and retaining military veterans.

Washington – The Senate confirmed Thomas Perez on July 18 as secretary of labor with a 54-46 vote.

Washington — Reps. Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Alma Adams (D-NC) are asking Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, to convene a hearing on child labor violations.

Washington — Reps. Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Alma Adams (D-NC) are again asking Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), chair of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, to convene a hearing on child labor violations.

Washington — A pair of House Democrats are requesting a Department of Labor investigation into potential risks of child labor and occupational safety and health violations in youth workforce programs.

Itasca, IL — The vast majority of the organizations that took the National Safety Council’s MSD Pledge receive regular feedback from frontline workers about reducing work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

Lansing, MI — A bill recently introduced in Michigan would increase fines for child labor law violations by as much as 10 times.

Tallahassee, FL — Recently introduced legislation in Florida would lift restrictions on the number of hours 16- and 17-year-olds can work, and when.

Washington — Legislation recently introduced in the House would equip OSHA and the Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division with “the resources needed to tackle federal labor law violations.”

Tallahassee, FL — A bill that would roll back restrictions on the number of hours 16- and 17-year-olds can work, and when, is advancing in the Florida Legislature.

Frankfort, KY — A bill that would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to work longer and later hours, among other child labor law rollbacks, is advancing in the Kentucky Legislature.

A quick look at state-level efforts to amend laws that mandate where, when and how long teens can work.