Construction Insider is a weekly roundup of the latest news and insights in construction.
Construction employment soars in 42 states
The number of construction job opportunities increased in 42 states between July 2018 and July 2019, according to the Associated General Contractors of America (ACG). AGC
- California (40,300 jobs), Texas (39,500 jobs), and Florida (25,800 jobs) topped the list of states that added the most number of jobs in the past 12 months.
- Thirty states also added new construction jobs from May to July 2019, per AGC’s analysis of the Labor Department’s data.
- Construction employment remained the same in the last month for four states: Alaska, Washington DC, New York, and Rhode Island.
June construction boosts by 9%
Construction starts in June increased by 9% from last month, totaling up to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $832.7 billion. Builder
- The 9% increase followed a 10% jump that was recorded in May, continuing an upward trend from the poor construction figures logged in April.
- The non-residential sector leads the improved June performance as it soared by 16%, boosted by the $1.1 billion expansion of the Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
- Non-building construction and multifamily housing also improved in June, while single-family residential construction slipped by 3%.
New bill to mandate a federal heat standard
A recently-introduced bill in Congress would require OSHA to pass a federal heat stress standard if passed into law. EHS
- The bill seeks to require OSHA to come up with a proposed heat standard in two years and a final code in 42 months.
- The proposed heat standard aims to standardize heat exposure requirements in indoor and outdoor work environments, including setting requirements that would protect employees from heat-related illness.
- The bill was proposed by Rep. Judy Chu and 27 cosponsors, in honor of a worker who died from heatstroke after working for 10 hours straight in 105’ Fahrenheit temperature.