The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a new fact sheet on Workplace Mental Health, which is now available in English and Spanish. The fact sheet provides workplaces with vital information and resources to address mental health concerns effectively and will be incorporated into the Introduction to OSHA module of the OSHA 10- and 30-Hour Outreach Training courses.

AGC of America is now accepting session proposals for AGC’s 2024 Construction Safety, Health & Environmental Conference (July 16-18, 2024, in St. Louis, MO). This notice is a call for presentations for a limited number of speaking opportunities.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has scheduled a meeting for the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST. The Advisory Committee was established by the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act, also known as the Construction Safety Act, to advise on CSA-related policy matters and construction standards.

The 2024 Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting’s plenary session featured a fireside chat on the importance of mental wellness in the construction industry. The discussions between Travis McCarthy at Sundt Construction, Peter Tateishi at AGC of California, and Sharareh (Sherri) Kermanshachi at Penn State Harrisburg highlighted the efforts that the construction industry has been undertaking at a contractor, research, and industry level to promote healthy mental well-being in the industry’s workforce.

The AGC Education and Research Foundation is committed to the growth, development, and encouragement of field research initiatives to enhance the education of construction management students. In support of this vision, the AGC Foundation commissions case studies that will provide today's construction management students the tools to build the industry's future. Cases written by faculty-contractor teams are based on actual experience and provide students with the opportunity to work through issues in a classroom setting.

The AGC Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Forum meets virtually on a quarterly basis to gather/share information, resources, and best practices among stakeholders in the construction industry. The next forum is scheduled for January 24, 2pm – 3pm, Eastern Time. If you would like to participate in the forum, please sign up here. You are encouraged to browse the website created to house important and lifesaving tools related to mental health and suicide prevention.

On January 11, the Department of Labor announced changes to the OSHA civil penalty amounts based on cost-of-living adjustments for 2024. In 2015, Congress passed legislation to increase civil monetary penalties as a deterrent to violating the agency’s safety and health standards and/or regulations. Under the legislation, agencies are required to publish “catch-up” rules that adjust the level of civil monetary penalties and make subsequent annual adjustments for inflation no later than January 15 of each year.

For over five decades, Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) has been at the forefront of promoting excellence in safety practices. Through rigorous certification processes, the organization has ensured that safety practitioners meet and maintain high standards in their technical competency. The impact of BCSP-certified professionals can be witnessed in the improved safety practices across various sectors, highlighting the organization's commitment to creating a safer work environment.
Construction Firms Have Mixed Outlook For 2024 As Expectations For Demand Remain Mostly Positive, But Less Upbeat Than Last Year Amid New Challenges

On December 19, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its annual report on occupational injuries for 2022. The report reveals 1,069 construction fatalities occurred in 2022, a 7.7% increase from 986 construction fatalities in 2021. The leading causes of construction industry fatalities remains what OSHA considers to be the “construction focus four hazards” which are falls (38%), struck by object or equipment (8%), electrocutions (6%), struck, caught, or crushed in collapsing structure, equipment, or material (5%).