Susan Young, Author at Alliance Staffing and Recruitment

Construction of First Offshore Wind Farm Is Underway

Susan Young — Wed, 06 May 2015 14:41:26 +0000

Rhode Island is the backdrop of the nation’s first wind farm. The project—developed by Deepwater Wind—will consist of a five-turbine, 30-megawatt wind farm that will produce enough energy to power all homes and businesses on Block Island. Previously, Block Island has relied on diesel generators, according to the Sierra Club. Bruce Nilles of the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign, says the construction is a “landmark moment” for the U.S. wind industry.

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/04/28/3651715/deepwater-wind-project-construction-starts/

The post Construction of First Offshore Wind Farm Is Underway appeared on Alliance Staffing and Recruitment - .

Pennsylvania Troopers Embed with Road Construction Crews to Stop Speeders

Susan Young — Tue, 05 May 2015 17:39:37 +0000

This summer, ‘Operation Orange Squeeze’ gets underway in the Keystone State. State troopers will be positioned in construction vehicles inside highway work zones with radar equipment. “They’ll relay speeders to other troopers waiting outside the work zones who will then pull over and issue tickets,” according to a post on EquuipmentWorld.com. The post says that since 2012, two Pennsylvania Turnpike employees have been killed after being struck by vehicles entering work zones. In addition, there were 150 crashes in work zones last year.

Troopers go undercover from construction vehicles in speeding crackdown on Pennsylvania work zones

The post Pennsylvania Troopers Embed with Road Construction Crews to Stop Speeders appeared on Alliance Staffing and Recruitment - .

Construction PMs Using Drones

Susan Young — Mon, 04 May 2015 15:38:08 +0000

It’s a sophisticated toy. That’s how one project manager describes the ease of use associated with drones his company has been using on construction projects in Seattle and several other areas. “We’re saving the owner money because we’re not spending money each month to have a plane fly over, plus we can use it for much more information gathering,” says Kevin Butts. He’s the senior project manager for a housing development expansion, and is employed by The Weitz Co. of Des Moines, Iowa. “Frankly, in the construction industry, we’re just at the tip of the iceberg of what we can use this tool for,” says Butts.

http://www.seattletimes.com/business/drones-check-on-issaquah-project/

The post Construction PMs Using Drones appeared on Alliance Staffing and Recruitment - .

OSHA’s ‘Safety Stand-Down’ Campaign Launches May 4

Susan Young — Fri, 01 May 2015 12:36:35 +0000

Some 3 million workers are expected to participate in the second annual “Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction” initiative. The outreach campaign organized by OSHA is set for May 4-15. Fatalities caused by falls are the leading cause of death of construction workers, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The voluntary education program is designed for organizations to talk directly to workers about safety. Anyone wanting to prevent falls in the workplace can benefit, says a post on MutualIndustries.com. This includes commercial and independent contractors, highway construction, military and other government participants and employers trade associations. The post offers eight tips for construction employers that want to participate.

http://www.mutualindustries.com/blog/oshas-national-safety-stand-down-may-4-15-2015-are-you-ready

The post OSHA’s ‘Safety Stand-Down’ Campaign Launches May 4 appeared on Alliance Staffing and Recruitment - .

Architecture Billings on the Rise; Indicate Construction Growth

Susan Young — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 12:45:49 +0000

The Architecture Billings Index, or ABI, is a leading economic indicator of construction activity. The March ABI brings good news for construction jobs, as the score reflects healthy growth. “The ABI reflects the approximate nine-to-twelve month lead time between architecture billings and construction spending,” says a post on BDCNetwork.com. There were some decreases, including in the Northeast, where severe weather hampered billings and work.

http://www.bdcnetwork.com/architecture-billings-index-accelerates-march

The post Architecture Billings on the Rise; Indicate Construction Growth appeared on Alliance Staffing and Recruitment - .

New Rules on Mobile Cranes Aim to Curb Overloading and Accidents

Susan Young — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 16:18:14 +0000

A new crane standard no longer allows users to exceed the rated capacity, even for load tests, reports Engineering News Record. “The American national standard for mobile cranes, ASME B30.5-2014, brings major changes to the rules governing how crane users are to work within a lifting machine’s capacity range, or load chart, and offers new guidance for inspection, maintenance and testing procedures,” according to the ENR post. More cranes today are rented than owned, says ENR, and extra precautions must be taken to keep them in a safe state as they exchange hands.

http://enr.construction.com/products/equipment/2015/0420-mobile-crane-standard-addresses-overloads.asp

The post New Rules on Mobile Cranes Aim to Curb Overloading and Accidents appeared on Alliance Staffing and Recruitment - .

Modular Construction Growing in Multifamily Housing

Susan Young — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 18:12:39 +0000

The multifamily housing market is poised for strong growth this year, and modular construction has an important role in the boom. Tom Hardiman, executive director of the Modular Building Institute (MBI) says the approach is ideal because it shortens the overall construction schedule allowing for earlier occupancy and quicker return on investment. Modular construction can also reduce the high cost of labor, according to a post on NREIonline.com.

http://m.nreionline.com/multifamily/multifamily-embraces-modular-construction

The post Modular Construction Growing in Multifamily Housing appeared on Alliance Staffing and Recruitment - .

Project Managers Tour Bloated VA Hospital Construction Jobsite

Susan Young — Fri, 24 Apr 2015 15:10:23 +0000

In Aurora, Colorado, construction professionals joined news reporters for an inside peek at a Veteran’s Administration hospital that’s being built. The $1.73 billion project is mired in controversy. It’s well over budget and delayed, as contractors point fingers at VA officials, and vice versa. To try and sort out the mess, the project is now operating under a provisional contract managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Meanwhile, contractor Kiewit-Turner is keeping some 650 construction workers on site on an interim contract, reports The Denver Post. That’s barely half the number employed at the site before the shutdown.

http://www.9news.com/story/news/local/2015/04/18/behind-the-scenes-at-vas-173b-colo-hospital-project/26000535/

The post Project Managers Tour Bloated VA Hospital Construction Jobsite appeared on Alliance Staffing and Recruitment - .

Data Visualization Transforming Construction Jobs

Susan Young — Thu, 23 Apr 2015 11:06:21 +0000

The graphics and images may be one dimensional, but the data can be a deal breaker. Construction companies are using data visualization tools to improve business processes, writes Paul Tibbert on ConstructionGlobal.com. “These tools help inject enhanced quality, accuracy, accountability, efficiency, efficacy, predictability, profitability, cost and safety into the business,” says Tibbert. His post profiles a Detroit company and how it is benefits from moving into this new, simplified age of information.

http://www.constructionglobal.com/majorprojects/441/How-data-visualization-is-transforming-the-construction-industry-in-2015

The post Data Visualization Transforming Construction Jobs appeared on Alliance Staffing and Recruitment - .

How to Build an ‘Agrihood’

Susan Young — Thu, 23 Apr 2015 00:20:49 +0000

If it comes to pass, a blend of farmland, gardens and homes near the University of Central Florida could be intriguing for construction workers. Developers of the proposed $1 billion multiuse area in Orange County say the “agrihood” would include a nine-acre revenue-generating farm, with community gardens, parks and a manmade lake. It would be surrounded with shops and restaurants, according to MyNews13.com. The proposal could also have some 3,000 homes and apartments. Is this concept the future of construction?

http://www.mynews13.com/content/news/cfnews13/news/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/2015/4/17/_agrihood_in_the_wor.html

The post How to Build an ‘Agrihood’ appeared on Alliance Staffing and Recruitment - .