Sources: Littler Mendelson P.C., San Francisco; Associated Builders & Contractors, Washington, D.C.; CP staff
The Department of Labor has submitted to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a proposed rule supporting President Obama’s July 2014 Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order (E.O.), provisions in which can bar participation in federal projects if contractors or their subcontractors have violated labor laws in the past three years.
Read MoreSources: American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), Washington, D.C.; CP staff
As members and their customers approach the current federal surface transportation program’s May 31 sunset, ARTBA has outlined a plan it believes could end the political impasse over how to fund Washington, D.C.’s share of state highway, bridge and transit capital projects, while seeding a $401 billion, six-year highway and mass transit capital investment program.
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Sources: Oklahoma State University, Stillwater; CP staff
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ new standard, “Characterization of the Air-Void System of Freshly Mixed Concrete by the Sequential Pressure Method,” validates a device measuring void spacing and air content in about 10 minutes. The Super Air Meter (SAM) is a modified version of the vessel used in ASTM C231, Standard Test Method for Air Content of Freshly Mixed Concrete by the Pressure Method, and was developed at Oklahoma State University.
Read MoreSource: National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Silver Spring, Md.
NRMCA is accepting 2015 Fleet Benchmarking Survey and Safety Contest & Benchmarking Survey responses through April 1 and April 15, respectively.
Read MoreSource: Essroc Cement Corp., Nazareth, Pa.
As a leader in technical service, Essroc has developed a free app to provide a resource for engineers, architects, producers, and contractors to identify and improve basic defects. i.check is a user-friendly mobile app providing photos of common issues in concrete and masonry applications. Each photo is complemented with a definition, listing of potential causes, and detailed corrective actions to alleviate the problem.
Read MoreSources: CP staff; Summit Materials LLC, Denver; Renaissance Capital LLC, Greenwich, Conn.
Trading of the newest major operator with U.S. concrete, cement and aggregate production, Summit Materials, has commenced on the New York Stock Exchange, as CEO Tom Hill rang the March 12 Opening Bell. After a requisite quiet period since a mid-December Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Summit Materials sponsors offered 22.2 million shares at $18/share.
Sources: CP staff; Environmental Protection Agency
Twenty-seven portland cement mills and grinding operations are among 70 manufacturing sites to achieve EPA Energy Star certification for superior performance last year. Through energy management and efficiency initiatives, agency officials note, the entire group reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 8 million metric tons and cut power expenditures $725 million.
Source: American Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills, Mich.; CP staff
A coalition of industry institutes and associations representing individuals and companies that design, fabricate, construct, or maintain concrete structures, the Concrete Joint Sustainability Initiative (CJSI) has appointed Lafarge Construction Specialist Julie Buffenbarger as chair, plus Portland Cement Association CEO James Toscas and ACI Director of Sustainability and Marketing Kevin Mlutkowski as vice chairs, focusing on advocacy and operations, respectively.
Sources: Occupational Safety and Health Administration; Jackson Lewis P.C., Reston, Va.; CP staff
The Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH) will meet March 31-April 1 at the Department of Labor’s Washington, D.C., headquarters to weigh in on a proposed revision of operator qualification requirements in the OSHA Cranes and Derricks in Construction Standard.
Read MoreSources: World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Geneva; CP staff
An external audit of the multinational producers behind the WBCSD Cement Sustainability Initiative finds high scores in two of seven key CSI Charter areas: 1) Carbon Dioxide and Energy Management and 2) Fuels and Materials Use. Emissions reduction and resource optimization have netted economic savings, improved waste recovery, and nurtured innovation.
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