March, 2015

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Locally Sourced

Viewpoint Construction Technology

'There are many reasons to take pride in being part of the construction industry. Ours is an industry that builds wealth and a better standard of living by actually creating something, not just through creative finance. We build and service tangible, practical, and necessary structures and infrastructure. A contractor and everyone working with them on a project can point to that project after completion and say “We did that.

Finance 151
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Voice-to-Text Mobile Reporting

Construction Business Owner

'More companies are beginning to realize the benefits that voice-to-text mobile device applications can have on the jobsite. The technology is helpful for a wide range of activities, including the necessary reporting duties that managers must perform on a. daily basis.

Mobility 156
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Industry report: OSHA way off on cost of silica standard

FDR Safety

'A new construction industry report raises significant questions about the economic impact of OSHA’s proposed silica standard for construction, saying it will cost the industry about 10 times what the agency estimated. The proposed rule would greatly reduce the permissible exposure limit for silica in construction with the goal of reducing the risk to workers of silicosis, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and kidney disease.

OSHA 120
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All Solar Panels are Pervious in Maryland

Green Building Law Update

'Forget what you know about earth sciences and think law. By statute all solar panels are pervious in Maryland. Of course that doesn’t mean that rain actually passes through the solar panels or that in Maryland the panels are constructed to be any more permeable than elsewhere. Maryland is not trying to alter the laws of science, but rather seeking through public policy to prioritize environmental stewardship.

Maryland 120
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Optimize Operational Processes With an Industry-Specific ERP

As the use of Enterprise Resource Planning systems in the construction industry is critical to optimizing operations, it's critical that decision makers conduct a thorough software evaluation to find the one that best aligns to their needs.

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What’s up with the internet this week?

Cassell Construction Estimating

'Moz Top 10. What’s up with the Internet this week? From the looming death of Internet Explorer to the Yoast security scare and now Google might be launching a new penalty ? We have what you need to break through the noise and do the marketing that matters. How Much Traffic Will You Lose from the Upcoming Mobile SEO-Pocalypse? Bryson Meunier answers the question we’ve all been asking as Google’s April 21 deadline looms… 10 SEO Myths that Friggin’ Tick Me Off.

Mobility 109

More Trending

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An “Accidental” Technology Epiphany

Viewpoint Construction Technology

'Sometimes, even a bad situation can cast a positive light on just how far technology has helped us simplify our daily lives. Technology gets a bad reputation at times with the constant connection to the Internet with smart phones, tablets and other devices. Some argue that technology has taken away the “personal touch” of communication. Since I am in the technology industry, I feel that I have to defend all these new technologies in the face of older, sometimes more trusted methods of communica

US 151
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Put the Right Players in the Right Positions

Construction Business Owner

'To win more games than their opponents, NFL football coaches must have specifically defined positions and hire the most talented players available for each position. If players don’t perform well or follow the plays, coaches have no choice but to replace them with better players. The same is true in the construction business. As head coach, the owner has to strive to fill each position with the best players available who have the required experience, talent, attitude and ability to win.

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OSHA proposes $337,000 in penalties in recordkeeping case

FDR Safety

'As is well known, OSHA recently launched enhanced recordkeeping requirements, and if there is any doubt that the agency is serious about enforcement one need only look at violations just announced against an oil and gas services company. OSHA issued 32 willful violations and 6 other-than-serious violations against Superior Energy Services, SESI LLC, and five subsidiary companies in connection with allegations that employee’s work-related injuries and illnesses were not recorded in the company’s

OSHA 150
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Bluebeam Tip: Adding a Responsibility Column with a Choice to your Worklist

Carol Hagen

'The Punch and Back Check, Design and Constructability Reviews and Estimating Take-off are all top construction workflow that Bluebeam Revu improves for the general contractor and specialty trade alike. Realizing that once you create your own punch symbols (or import those that Bluebeam has available on their website), you”ll want to assign who is responsible for each punch item.

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The Ultimate Procurement Software Buyer’s Guide

Choosing the right procurement software is a crucial step in ensuring third-party risk management, process governance, and bidding efficiency. With so many procurement solutions to choose from, it can be overwhelming without a frame of reference and a solid starting point. This free buyer’s guide will cover: Benefits of Procurement Software –– Why do you need it?

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The Best Way to Motivate Employees

Cassell Construction Estimating

'I have spent 30 years studying management techniques in a variety of industries from dude ranching to factory work to elementary education to software development to the fitness industry. Most of the time I was the employee being managed, sometimes I was the manager. When I was hired to be the bookkeeper at Cassell Consulting last July, I didn’t bring a lot of construction industry experience to the position, but I did bring expertise in employee management.

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Pier Concerned

Mr Ethics

Dear Mr. Ethics, We just inspected a pier that has been converted into a nightclub. The owner noticed sagging in the western most corner of the night club that extends about 80 feet in the water. Our investigation revealed severe undermining of that section of the pier due to the complete rotting of 4 pilings that are supposed to support that area of the pier.

Contract 100
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BASIC METHODS FOR NDT OF CONCRETE STRUCTURES

The Constructor

'It becomes sometimes necessary to examine the hardened concrete structure for their suitability for its intended use. But the examination of such.

Concrete 181
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Smart Equipment Acquisition

Construction Business Owner

'Online marketplaces are an increasingly popular ?method for smarter equipment acquisition. However, contractors must think before they click and pay close attention when entering the online equipment marketplace. Vendors continue to innovate in the areas of technology, delivery/pickup and data accessibility that can give you the edge you need to turnaround the condition of your fleet.

Equipment 192
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Stop Making These Mistakes and Start Scaling Your Specialty Contractor Business

Anything that is built on a poor foundation will soon crumble from the ground up. This is literally the case in the construction stage of projects and it applies just the same during the pre-construction stage. This free eBook is your ultimate guide to scaling your business with customizable software as early as during the bidding stage.

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AGC Names W.B. Moore Nation's Safest Construction Company

Construction Equipment

' . W.B. Moore of Charlotte, N.C., was named the nation’s safest construction company in 2014 by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). The association, which oversees the Willis Construction Safety Excellence Awards, an annual ranking of construction safety programs, noted that 36 other companies were selected as winners for the quality of their safety programs.

AGC 71
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Final day of voting: Best Construction Blog competition

Construction Marketing Ideas

'Today (March 31, 2015) is the final day of voting in the 2015 Best Construction Blog competition. Barring a last minute surprise, Tocci Building Companies will win the popular vote. We’ll have to wait until the end of April for the judge’s decision. The judging process certainly gives weight to the popular vote, but reviews other aspects including the finalist blogs’ design and content quality.

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How To Get Good Design For Cheap

Help Everybody Everyday

'It simply blew my mind. I had no idea what she was doing until that moment. It was a balloon. And it was the most amazing balloon I, to this day, I have ever seen. This was my first job out of college. A temp agency had placed me at the headquarters of a large chain of craft stores. My job was to systematically put together weekly ads for newspapers around the country.

Design 61
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Pier Concerned

Mr Ethics

'Dear Mr. Ethics, We just inspected a pier that has been converted into a nightclub. The owner noticed sagging in the western most corner of the night club that extends about 80 feet in the water. Our investigation revealed severe undermining of that section of the pier due to the complete rotting of 4 pilings that are supposed to support that area of the pier.

Contract 100
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The Specialty Contractor's Guide to Job Cost Accounting

Supply chain challenges and rising material costs are forcing specialty contractors to pay more for what they need to complete each job. Following a simple set of principles, this easy-to-follow guide can help you manage job costs, ease the pains of accounting, and run a more profitable businesses. If you are a Specialty Contractor or Self-performing GC, you do not want to miss out on this essential guide!

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Downloading From The Bank Is Easy And Bad For Contractors

Contractor Bookkeeping

'Downloading from the bank is easy and saves time; however, it does not allocate the transactions for accurate Job Costing Reports. The two main reasons highly profitable construction contractors use Job Costing Reports : It is the foundation of your construction company unique "Job Costing Library". This helps you estimate new projects using historical data.

Banking 59
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Insurance Market Update

Construction Business Owner

'With the start of a new year, the construction insurance market is showing signs of ambivalence from most insurers. Insurance underwriters will likely focus on keeping existing clients happy (through pricing flexibility, broad coverages and service commitments), while simultaneously trying to grow business. With the overall construction industry showing signs of optimism, there are growth opportunities for insurers—payrolls are increasing and larger projects are finding financing.

Insurance 147
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Share of Unauthorized Workers in Construction Industry Falls Since 2007

Construction Equipment

'The amount of unauthorized workers with construction or production jobs fell from 34 percent in 2007 to 29 percent in 2012. The share of all unauthorized workers with management and professional jobs grew from 10 percent to 13 percent, respectively. . The unauthorized immigrant share of the workforce varies by state. States with a higher population of unauthorized workers tend to have higher shares of unauthorized immigrants in the work force.

Nevada 70
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Dreams, goals, transitions: How can we get to the future?

Construction Marketing Ideas

'There’s joy in achieving goals — and then we set out for the next major adventure. Business and life transitions can occur abruptly, such as when a major client bails or there is an unexpected illness or death of an important family member. They can be orderly with a set deadline (marriage after engagement or planned retirement), or – most intriguingly to me, they can be predicted with some reliability but without absolute certainty.

Travel 60
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Report: Optimism for Construction Growth in the Next Year Remains High

Research reveals 96% of respondents are very or fairly optimistic about their organization’s growth prospects for the next year. The InEight Global Capital Projects Outlook also finds over half see digital technology as the greatest growth opportunity. But these are only some of the findings. Don't be kept in the dark when it comes to the future. Read the report today!

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Software Advice Surveys

Construction Dive

'Software Advice, an online service intended to help match prospective buyers to software companies, has conducted its own surveys over the past few years. In 2013, it reported that 49% of its survey participants used spreadsheets, supporting ConstructionPro Network’s findings (17% of respondents still prepare an estimate manually, with 46% using a spreadsheet and 31% using an estimating program).

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SLIPS, TRIPS, AND FALLS

Safety Services Company

'The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that there were over 200,000 cases involving falls, slips, trips in 2012, and that’s not counting the ones that went unreported. Many safety professional believe that these accidents are among the most under reported incidents. If you add in the slip or trip injuries that are reported incorrectly because they resulted in strains and sprains or are “bodily reaction” (a slip/trip/balance issue that didn’t result in impact)?

Injury 48
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Hard graft at Comrie colliery

Digger Blog

'Hyundai machines have clock up 40,000 hours at a Scottish colliery and are still going strong. Land Engineering Services (LES), based in West Yorkshire, is a mining, earthmoving and remediation company that operates throughout the UK. The company won the tender in 2012 to ‘clear’ a contaminated colliery in Scotland. LES invested in five Hyundai machines purchased from Derbyshire based Hyundai dealer, EP Industries, to help complete the task.

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7 Reasons to Switch to the Cloud

Construction Business Owner

'Many industries have been hesitant to adopt software-as-a-service (SaaS) enterprise solutions, and the construction vertical is no exception. The construction software marketplace is chronically underserved and the benefits of cloud-based platforms underleveraged.

Software 163
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Discover 7 Ways to Cut Construction Inefficiencies

Construction sites are often just-barely-controlled chaos. Without clear coordination, you risk everything from clashes to delays, cancellations, and missed deadlines. Get the free eBook & learn how to solve the biggest challenges in construction!

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Can Cat Operate at Half Its Size? One Wall Street Analyst Says Yes.

Construction Equipment

'Wall Street analyst Andy Kaplowitz of Barclays Capital thinks Caterpillar isn’t doing enough to compensate for diving sales, based on his analysis that the heavy-equipment manufacturer has twice as much capacity as it needs.

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Technology, entrepreneurship and marketing: How should you handle the disruptive forces?

Construction Marketing Ideas

'Augmented Reality (AR) can be a powerful designing tool — and important construction marketing resource. You can read the stories every week: Retailers closing stores, formerly high-flying businesses crashing to redundancy, success turning to defeat as the once leading-edge business becomes a has-been; and not because the failed business has been mismanaged, lacked talent, or potential.

Retail 60
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January 2015 Estimating Survey – Estimating Best Practices

Construction Dive

'Last month in ConstructionPro Week, we presented an overview of the results of our January 2015 Estimating Survey, including methods used to perform take-offs, sources of cost/pricing data, use of technology and overall satisfaction ratings. The survey also asked readers to share three best practices for developing a solid estimate. Here’s what we learned: Read more.