The construction industry's jobsite injury rate dipped in 2008, its fifth-consecutive annual decline, the Labor Dept.'s Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported. Construction's rate of nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses decreased last year to 4.7 cases per 100 full-time workers, from 5.4 in 2007. Related Links: BLS Press Release BLS's latest annual workplace injuries and illnesses report, released Oct. 29, also shows that the overall rate for U.S. private industry fell in 2008, to 3.9 cases per 100 workers, compared with a 4.2 rate the year before. Construction Industry Nonfatal Injury/Illness Rate(cases per 100 full-time workers) 2008 4.7 2007 5.4
As House Democrats mull legislative options to try to turn around the unemployment rate, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) doesn’t intend to produce a big, new stimulus measure. Instead, she is taking a multiple-bill approach. Additional appropriations are among the possibilities, but whether infrastructure spending will be in the mix still is not clear. Officials in the construction industry, whose unemployment rate is much worse than the overall national figure, are hoping for action soon. Photo: AP/Wideworld Searching Pelosi convened four-hour meeting on job-creating ideas, with economists such as Sinai, center, and Boushey, right. Pelosi convened a nearly four-hour meeting on
The Dept. of Energy has awarded $3.4 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grants to modernize the electric power grid and boost its efficiency and reliability. Related Links: Grant Awards by Category (141 KB) Smart Grid Grant Locations (568 KB) The federal money will be supplemented by more than $4.7 billion in private-sector matching funds, DOE said. President Obama, announcing the 100 "smart grid investment grants" on Oct. 27 at a Florida Power & Light Co. solar energy facility in Arcadia, Fla., called the spending "the largest-ever investment in a smarter, stronger and more secure electric grid."
The U.S. Army is making changes at top levels of the Corps of Engineers, announcing on Oct. 16 that Maj. Gen. Merdith W.B. “Bo” Temple will become deputy chief of engineers, the Corps’ No. 2 position. Temple has been the Corps’ deputy commanding general for civil and emergency operations since 2008. Related Links: Army Names Temple, Dorko to Senior Corps Posts Effective in January 2010, Temple will succeed Maj. Gen. Don T. Riley, who will be retiring, says a Corps spokesman. Riley has been the deputy chief of the Corps since April 2008. Before becoming head of Corps civil works
The Army is making changes in the top ranks of the Corps of Engineers. Maj. Gen. Merdith W.B. (Bo) Temple will become deputy chief of engineers, the Corps' number-two position, the Army announced on Oct. 16. Temple has been the Corps' Deputy commanding general for civil and emergency operations since 2008. Temple will succeed Maj. Gen. Don T. Riley, who will be retiring effective in January 2010, a Corps spokesman says. Riley has been the deputy chief of the Corps since April 2008. Taking Temple's place is Maj. Gen. William T. Grisoli, who has been in the office of the
With unemployment stubbornly high, interest seems to be building in Congress for measures aimed at producing more jobs. Proposals in the mix may include extending American Recovery and Reinvestment Act tax and benefit provisions that are to expire soon. There also is a rumor that additional highway spending is under consideration. Photo: AP/Wideworld Reid and Pelosi met with Obama to discuss ways to create more jobs in the economy. Worries about the nation’s jobless rate are driving the discussion, observers agree. The national unemployment rate edged up in September to 9.8%, from 9.7% in August. Construction’s rate remained much worse,
As the American Recovery and Rein-vestment Act reaches the eight-month mark, the construction industry is seeing a decidedly mixed picture. The $787-billion stimulus package’s estimated $130 billion of construction money is flowing out through many federal and nonfederal agency channels, but those agencies are moving their ARRA money out at varying rates on diverse projects across the U.S. Some are shown on the following pages. Related Links: Stimulus: Complete Listing of Top Shovel-, Wrench- and Pencil-Ready Projects: Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Oct. 1 that the Federal Highway Administration had obligated 72% of
Competition for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act high-speed-rail funding has grown even more intense. The Federal Railroad Administration reported on Oct. 6 it had received 45 applications from 24 states, seeking a total of about $50 billion for ARRA high-speed-rail corridor grants. Applications for the corridor funds closed Oct. 2 and represent the second ARRA high-speed-rail grant round. Round one, for individual, ready-to-go projects, drew 214 applications totaling $7 billion from 34 states. The combined $57 billion in requests far exceeds the $8 billion ARRA provided for high-speed rail. FRA “will be announcing all awards this winter,” says Administrator Joseph
Despite an increasing number of federal stimulus projects under way, construction’s unemployment rate rose in September as the industry lost 64,000 more jobs. Industry officials say the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has been a help but has not halted construction’s continued huge layoffs. Note: Rates Are Not Seasonally Adjusted Source: U.S. Dept. Of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics The industry’s September jobless rate climbed to 17.1%, from 16.5% in August, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Oct. 2. Construction’s rate remains the highest among industries. The 17.1% mark also was well above the industry’s September 2008 level of
President Obama signed a bill on Oct. 1 providing a one-month extension for the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: a Legacy for Users and one month’s appropriations for nearly all federal agencies. In a blow to state transportation agencies, the Senate failed to pass a three-month SAFETEA-LU extension, thus triggering an $8.7-billion rescission of highway contract authority. Under the continuing resolution (CR) that Obama signed, agencies have funding to carry through Oct. 31, generally at 2009 levels. SAFETEA-LU was extended through that date, too. The measure was needed because Congress had not approved any of the 12 appropriations
