National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) is upon us. This year’s theme is Work Zone Safety: Everybody’s Responsibility. With warmer weather comes roadwork season. As we hit the road, it is important we are aware and alert while driving in work zones. This protects workers and ourselves.

Group captives continue to be a viable alternative to traditional casualty insurance programs for construction firms across the country. Once reserved for firms with annual revenues more than $100 million, captives are now available to firms with annual revenues of $25 million – and in some circumstances less.

For the near term, today’s construction landscape appears to be stable. However, with the recession still in our rear-view mirror, a relatively slow recovery underway, an aging workforce, limited numbers of younger folks joining the trades, and many construction company owners nearing retirement age - the smell of transition is in the air.

March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month. Work-related eye injuries are common and preventable.

According to OSHA and Prevent Blindness:

• Over 2,000 people injure their eyes at work each day.
• 1 in 10 of these injuries require one or more missed workdays.
• 10-20% of work-related eye injuries will cause temporary or permanent vision loss.
• Eye injuries cost over $300 million per year in lost production time, medical expenses, and workers’ compensation.

Each year OSHA releases the 10 most frequently cited standards. Many of the same standards have found themselves on this list in recent years. Fall Protection - General Requirements (Standard 1926.501) remains on top by a wide margin. The only new addition to this year's list is Fall Protection - Training Requirements (Standard 1926.503) at #9.

Are you taking proper precautions to avoid these hazards in your facility and promote workplace safety?

A cheap red gas can you purchased at a convenience store can be useful on the jobsite when you need a little bit of gas to finish out your project, but does it meet OSHA’s safety requirements?

Probably not.

Risk exists in every line of work. Whether you’re a banker or a construction worker, there are inherent risks you must identify and manage. In construction, risk management is extremely vital as it is about keeping people safe. It’s not inconceivable that someone could die on the job. It is, therefore, important you develop a comprehensive and effective risk management strategy.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger GenieBelt, the creator of a construction software and mobile app. GenieBelt’s blog and infographic address an important construction risk management concern – corruption. Unfortunately corruption is all too prevalent in the construction industry, as you’ll see from their data. In order to manage this risk, we need to first understand where it stems from. We hope you enjoy GenieBelt’s insight on this important construction risk management topic.

The construction market is huge – so huge that it is estimated to be worth more than $3.2 trillion per year and make up for 2-3% of developing countries’ GDP and 5-7% of developed countries’ GDP. 

The amount of losses through corruption range between 10 and 30%, which together with mismanagement and inefficiency makes up for close to $6 trillion losses. These numbers highlight the size of the problem and why eradicating corruption would make a big difference for the industry and for the overall economy.

Your website and internet presence is a reflection of who you are and what you do. And it needs to be accurate. Be it potential clients, underwriters, or prospective employees – what they find on your website and the internet shapes how they view your company.

Does your risk management strategy take into consideration your online presence?

Each year OSHA releases the 10 most frequently cited standards. Many of the same standards have found themselves on this list in recent years. For the sixth year in a row, Fall Protection (Standard 1926.501) tops the lists. And the only change from 2015 to 2016 is the Machine Guarding and Electrical Wiring swapped spots. 

Are you taking proper precautions to avoid these hazards in your facility and promote workplace safety?