Tag: Construction workers: Page 14

Business

Burning buildings, collapsing freeways: Is our lousy education system to blame for the recent uptick in construction accidents?

Lately there’s been a rash of fires, collapses and accidents at projects “under construction,” all over the country. Here are just three of the more spectacular examples. March, Boston:. A 33-story apartment building under construction pancakes in Boston when a load up top causes the support under it to buckle. April, Des Moines, Iowa: A three […]

May 9, 2014

Business

Colorado contractors say “huge shortage of tradesmen” is severely impacting business

Contractors in Colorado say that while there is plenty of work to go around, they are falling behind on jobs they have while unable to take on new jobs due to a serious shortage of skilled workers in the state. Doug Dohn of Dohn Construction in Fort Collins told the Coloradoan that none of his current […]

May 7, 2014

Business

Mike Rowe opens up about opera, skilled trades and Dirty Jobs (EXCLUSIVE)

All of the new machines are obviously the star of a show like ConExpo. But one of the highlights for the Equipment World team last week at the show was getting to sit down with TV host and newly-minted author Mike Rowe for a conversation on the importance of skilled trades and vocational education. Just […]

March 11, 2014

Construction Equipment

New Jersey construction worker falls from bridge, lands on his feet without even breaking a bone

A fall is the most deadly accident that can happen to a construction worker. And one that takes place from a bridge 25 feet in the air should be no exception. But in the case of Thiago Santos, it was. Santos, a 29-year-old construction worker from Newark, New Jersey, fell 25 feet from the Pulaski Skyway […]

February 26, 2014

Business

Six-week Massachusetts construction crash course prepares low income, minority workers for the industry

As the U.S. construction industry continues to explore ways to battle the current skilled worker shortage, a training program in Massachusetts is introducing the industry to many folks who had never previously considered it. According to the Daily Hampshire Gazette, the city of Holyoke is seeing an influx of construction projects as of late including a […]

February 24, 2014

Business

The Newbie’s Guide to Succeeding in Construction: 7 rules for your first week

Our industry needs young men. Young men need jobs. You would think these problems would solve each other, but there’s a disconnect. You could blame society, schools, Obama, the Bilderburger Group. Good luck getting any of them to return your phone calls. My solution is much simpler. If you know a young man who didn’t […]

February 12, 2014

Success Stories

How a loyalty to your employees can result in big growth for your construction business

“I’ve stayed with Larman Construction so long because of this guy right here,” said Fred Barhydt, pointing a finger at company owner Vernnen Larman. Barhydt, a Larman employee for 30 years, was just one of the employees I met expressing this sentiment during my visit to the Garland, Texas-based Equipment World Contractor of the Year […]

February 12, 2014

Workforce

Construction worker the only profession to increase rate of home ownership following the recession

Despite likely being the hardest hit profession by the one-two punch of the bursting housing bubble and the ensuing recession, construction workers and home builders were the only group to increase their rate of home ownership in the last few years. According to a recent analysis of U.S. Census data by real-estate website Trulia, the […]

January 29, 2014

Business

Burglars pose as construction workers to steal safe from California home

Police in a city near San Francisco are on the hunt for a group of men they say posed as construction workers in order to burglarize a home. Around 11:15 a.m. Monday, one of the suspects knocked on the door of an apartment building in Burlingame and told the resident that he needed to come […]

January 9, 2014

Business

Construction of Mormon temple in Philadelphia bans workers from smoking, having caffeine and swearing

Smoking and swearing are two things commonly restricted from most workplaces, though most have areas for employees to have a smoke break and swearing almost assuredly happens anywhere at any time despite being against the rules. But caffeine? The coffee pot and soda machine are workplace institutions no matter where you might work. What employer […]

December 4, 2013

Business

Survey says more than half of construction companies affected by skilled worker shortage, details how they’re coping

At this point, it would be quicker to list the number of cities that haven’t reported construction projects being impacted by the skilled worker shortage than the ones that have. In the past year alone we’ve reports from Houston, Minnesota, Louisiana, Phoenix, Wisconsin, Michigan and California, just to name, well, several. It’s everywhere. Back in […]

November 20, 2013

Business

Construction industry adds 11k jobs in October, though unemployment rate ticks back up

Despite several predictions that the government shutdown would lead to job decreases, the construction industry and U.S. economy as a whole had a positive month of job growth in October. The construction industry added 11,000 jobs during October. October’s gains marked the fifth consecutive month of job growth. The October gains were a bit more […]

November 8, 2013