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If construction noise is such a serious risk, why aren’t construction workers protecting their ears? There are many factors that could explain this, including not having awareness of how loud construction work really is, lack of safety training, and having a weak safety culture in their organization. Here are some ways construction workers can protect their hearing and construction managers can promote better safety on the job site. Invest in quieter or noise cancelling equipment Employ sound barriers and enclosures Have on-site safety overnight Wear hearing protection devices Schedule regular hearing tests for workers Click here to read more:

Construction risks often evolve with variables ranging from job site location to level of training temporary workers receive. Every project has its own set of hazards, states Big Rentz. To effectively manage risk, high-impact, high-probability risks should be handled first, while low-impact, low-probability risks should be addressed last. In order to create an effective risk management plan, the company mentions five sources of risks that should be considered: Safety Risk: Any construction site risks or hazards that can lead to worker accidents. Financial Risk: Factors that impact your financial flow, including lack of sales, problems with the economy, unexpected cost increases, and competition with other firms. Legal Risk: Potential disputes in the fulfillment of contracts with clients. Project Risk: Project hazards such as poor management of resources, miscalculation of time, lack of proper policies, or misunderstanding of project deliverables. Environmental Risk: Floods, earthquakes, and other natural phenomena that damage construction sites and make work inaccessible. Big Rentz infographic provides a blueprint for managing construction risk. Click to read more:

It's no secret that those working on construction sites face certain risks that would not pertain to 9-5 office jobs. In fact, year after year, construction has consistently ranked as the industry with the most workplace associated fatalities in the United States - not exactly the type of list anyone wants to top. Heavy machinery, complex tools, and dangerous heights are just a few hazards that construction workers have to deal with on a day-to-day basis, and it's up to project authorities to make sure that the jobsite is as safe as possible. The good news is that recent innovations in tools and gear have helped make construction sites much safer, and there are far fewer workplace fatalities than ever before. This is also due in part to significant increases in safety regulations, and the creation of new roles that focus entirely on workplace safety. Although there is still a long way to go before reaching the goal of zero jobsite deaths per year, there is certainly a driving force to make construction a safer industry. Click here to read more.

Lee County's growing construction activity may be good for builders and remodelers but for 14 unlicensed contractors from Lee and Collier counties it was a bad time to place an ad for work. The Lee County Sheriff's Office Economic Crimes Unit conducted a three-day sting targeting unlicensed contractors. It began that Tuesday at a home in San Carlos Park. Click here to read more:

The U.S. Department of Labor has issued a blog post with new guidance on classifying workers as employees or independent contractors under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA), an issue that has attracted renewed attention in the on-demand economy. Click here to read more:

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office conducted a sting operation this week that resulted in the arrest of 11 unlicensed contractors on felony and misdemeanor charges. On Nov. 18th and 19th, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division, along with other agencies, conducted an operation focusing on identifying unlicensed contractors who advertise and perform general construction, plumbing and electrical work, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office press release. Read more here:

An unlicensed contractor from Fort Myers, Fla., has been arrested after he was found to be conducting subpar roof repairs and operating without insurance in the wake of Hurricane Irma. Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis said Oscar M. Palma was arrested this month by the Department of Financial Services’ Disaster Fraud Action Strike Team. Palma was reported to authorities after allegedly making subpar roof repairs to an area apartment complex following Hurricane Irma. A statement from DFS said an investigation was then launched where fraud detectives found Palma was advertising himself as a licensed and insured contractor, but held no workers’ compensation coverage and was not licensed as a contractor. Click here to read more:

A Pinellas County couple is suing a contractor and homeowner, alleging their negligence led to loss of consortium and injuries. David Lugo Sanchez and Patricia Velasquez-Lugo filed a complaint Oct. 23 in Pinellas Circuit Court against Antonio Lopez and Nancy Dougher, alleging they failed to follow applicable safety guidelines and regulations. According to the complaint, on Aug. 29, 2014, Sanchez was working as a helper for Lopez, an unlicensed contractor, when he was injured when the refrigerator/freezer on Dougher's property fell over and landed on the plaintiff's foot. The suit says this caused a serious injury that required surgery for Sanchez. He was further damaged, the lawsuit states, by the lack of Lopez's valid workers compensation policy, while his wife suffered the loss of her husband's services, consortium and the care and comfort of his society. Click here to read more:

Pinellas deputies began pounding on doors at 5 a.m. Tuesday, part of a widespread roundup of contractors accused of working without licences and workers compensation. The arrests of roofers, painters and others in the construction trades came two months after Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri started a pilot program –– the Construction Licensing Investigative Unit –– to help the floundering Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board crack down on unlicensed violators. He called it troubling and disturbing that the violators are collecting thousands of dollars from residents. "They're thieves. They're scammers," Gualtieri said of the 20 suspects. "They're ripping people off." Click here to read more:

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Jax Utilities Management Inc., a Jacksonville utilities contractor, for exposing employees to trenching hazards. The company faces proposed penalties of $271,606. OSHA initiated its investigation after an employee was injured and hospitalized when an unprotected trench collapsed. Willful citations were issued for exposing employees to struck-by and caught-in hazards, and allowing employees to work without cave-in protection. The company was also issued a serious citation for allowing water to accumulate in the trench, which contributed to the collapse. The investigation was part of OSHA’s National Emphasis Program on Trenching and Excavation. Jax Utilities Management Inc. has been placed in OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program. Click to read more:

You need a team you can depend on to get the job done safely, on time, within budget, and without mistakes. Companies with teams that work smoothly together are successful and earn good industry reputations. So how do you get this kind of crew? Of course it’s important that your workers can handle all the technical and physical tasks of the job – and know how to do the job safely, but if you want to create a professional, efficient team, your employees need more than just technical know-how. Traits your workers should have are: Good Communication Skills God communication traits are the key to teamwork. It’s critical that your entire company, from supervisors down to the new person, are able to clearly share information and get their point across respectfully. Everyone needs to be able to talk to and share information with each other to prevent oversights that result in mistakes, serious damages or injury. They need to have the ability to ask questions if they aren’t sure, for help or training when they need it, or to show another worker a better or safer way of doing a task. Plus, your crew represents your company while they’re on the job. They need to be able to clearly give updates to property owners, other teams or management on the site if you or your supervisors aren’t at the site. Communication skills lead to the other necessary traits of a close-knit crew. Trust Good communication skills lead to trust. If your crew doesn’t trust each other or their supervisors, they cannot work as a team. Crew members don’t have to like each other, but they have to trust that the other person “has my back” in work and safety issues. Workers who can cooperate and are on the same page, and feel “we’re all in this together” will feel the bond of a team and they are more productive. When one worker disagrees with another, they are more likely to listen to and respect the opposing viewpoint, whether they agree or not, instead of personally attacking the other person. Once a decision is made, team members work together towards common goals. Workers who trust are comfortable sharing suggestions and concerns. They’re more likely to: · Actively participate in safety training site inspections and hazard identifications. · Ask questions, request training or guidance when they aren’t sure how to do a job safely. · If they see a hazard, they correct it if it safe to do so, or bring it to the attention of their supervisor. · Set aside their individual egos, jealousy and agendas so they don’t look like the “difficult weak link” or “odd one out.” Direction Good communication skills help give direction, which is the purpose for teamwork. When everyone is aware of the bigger picture , and focused on meeting the same goals, they reach out to each other on how to make the goal a success. Providing clear and complete direction for your team gives positive motivation, helps your workers fully understand goals and expectations, and gives them the information needed to make good work decisions. Crews with poor or little direction are left to guess at what needs to be done. They may miss tasks, and end up with the job not done correctly, or not to specifications. A lot of time is wasted while they figure out what to do, so productivity – and profit – decline. Leadership Once your crew are communicating, trust each other and have direction and common goals, it can lead to confidence and leadership. Leadership confidence within the team helps every team member, so no matter their position or title, everyone can lead in a given situation. It is healthy respect among the crew to give way to the member with the greater knowledge, experience, or commitment to various tasks. Crews with leadership skills: · Offer suggestions to make a job easier or safer. · Take time to show or teach co-workers how to do certain tasks or show the correct way if they see unsafe behaviors. · Maintain good housekeeping on the construction site, even if it isn’t their mess. · They aren’t afraid to call for a stop work, if it is necessary. Work to make these traits part of your company. Good teams are built with valuable communication skills, by sharing information, and building trust. When individual workers make the commitment to each other to be a team, injuries are reduced, and productivity and quality are improved. Construction teamwork builds safety into every job to achieve successful projects.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Kasper Roofing & Construction Inc. for exposing employees to fall and other hazards after an employee suffered fatal injuries at a Maitland, Florida, worksite. The Orlando, Florida-based roofing contractor faces $134,510 in penalties, the maximum allowed by law. OSHA inspectors determined that the employee was performing residential roofing activities without fall protection when he fell. OSHA also cited the company for failing to provide fall protection training to employees and conduct frequent inspections to ensure employees were utilizing fall protection. Click here to read more: