Latest Construction Headlines
All the headlines from our Construction Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Strong M7.2 Earthquake Shakes Acapulco, Mexico City: AIR Analysis
Apr 21 2014 // According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, on the morning of April 18, 2014, a M7.2 earthquake struck southwestern Mexico, 37 km [23 miles] north of the municipality of Tecpán de Galeana (approximate population...
Gas Tax Causes $500M Shortfall in Oregon Transportation Funding
Apr 15 2014 // People are driving less, and their vehicles have become more fuel efficient. While those might be considered positive trends, a potential decline in gas-tax revenue is one reason the Oregon Department of Transportation...
London’s Office Boom Revives Talk of Building Tallest Skyscraper
Apr 9 2014 // A plan to build a skyscraper near Liverpool Street railway station, slated to be the tallest in the City of London, may be revived this year as rising occupancy rates in the financial district draws investors, according to...
Owners of Leaky Iowa Apartments Win Suit Against Insurer
Apr 7 2014 // An insurance company has been told to pay $12.4 million to the owners of a West Des Moines, Iowa, apartment complex that was plagued with water leaks and mold. Construction of the Westlake apartments began in 2002....
Penn. High Court Reaffirms Statutory Employer Defense
Mar 31 2014 // Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court on March 26 reaffirmed statutory employer defense in a general contractor liability case, in which a subcontractor was injured during construction work. The high court’s decision...
Owners of Leaky Iowa Apartments Win Suit Against Insurer
Mar 28 2014 // An insurance company has been told to pay $12.4 million to the owners of a West Des Moines, Iowa, apartment complex that was plagued with water leaks and mold. Construction of the Westlake apartments began in 2002....
N.Y. Scaffold Law Mischaracterized in New Study
Mar 24 2014 // New York’s construction contractors and insurance associations have been aggressive in their criticism of the state’s Labor Law 240, popularly known as the “Scaffold Law,” and have been lobbying...
Top 10 HOT Markets to Watch
Mar 24 2014 // Insurance Journal examined industries experiencing changes and expansions in the past year. Here are the top 10 market sectors that just might deliver hot opportunities for agents and brokers in the property/casualty...
ACE, ESIS Launch Programs for Construction Industry Addressing OSHA
Mar 21 2014 // ACE has launched specialized servicing capabilities designed for the construction industry through ESIS, Inc., a risk management services company owned by ACE Group. These services are available for general contractors,...
Opinion: Study Suggesting N.Y. Scaffold Law Causes Injuries Misuses Statistical Techniques
Mar 15 2014 // [Editor’s Note: The following is a commentary on a recent study from the New York Civil Justice Institute. The study argues that the New York’s “Scaffold Law” diverts millions of dollars to legal...
Wage, Workers’ Comp Issues Halt Construction of UConn Athletic Facility
Feb 28 2014 // Two companies were ordered to stop work on the University of Connecticut’s new basketball training facility after a surprise inspection found workers were being paid in cash, allegedly to avoid paying taxes and...
Study Says N.Y. ‘Scaffold Law’ Drives Up Construction Costs, Causes Injuries
Feb 27 2014 // A new study published this month challenges the claim that New York’s Labor Law 240, also known as the “Scaffold Law,” improves workplace safety. The study, titled “The Costs of Labor Law...
Southern California’s Construction Sector Continues to Heat
Feb 24 2014 // Southern California’s construction sector continues to gain momentum, making good on positive outlooks issued late last year, and agents and brokers who deal in this segment can’t be any happier – especially...
California Bill Would Prevent Construction On Faults
Feb 21 2014 // A California Legislator on Friday introduced a bill that would prevent construction on seismic fissures. Senate Bill 1155 would mandate that developers and city officials treat an unzoned earthquake fault line just like a...
$74k Fine For Oregon Company’s Lack Of Fall Protection
Feb 13 2014 // An Oregon construction company has been fined nearly $73,000 for repeatedly not protecting its employees from falls. The fine comes after the state’s Occupational Safety and Health Division cited Woodburn-based...
Southern California’s Construction Sector Continues to Heat
Feb 12 2014 // Southern California’s construction sector continues to gain momentum, making good on positive outlooks issued late last year, and agents and brokers who deal in this segment can’t be any happier – especially...
Deconstructing Texas Insurance Law: Ewing Confirms Court’s Shift
Feb 3 2014 // On Jan. 17, 2014, the Texas Supreme Court in Ewing Construction Company v. Amerisure Insurance Co. issued another surprising and controversial decision in a construction defect coverage case. For many years the Texas...
ACE Expands Accelerator Portal to Construction Industry
Feb 3 2014 // The ACE Group has expanded its ACE Accelerator portal to allow access to construction industry clients. More specifically, the portal will now be made available to risk managers who support specialty and large general...
Wisconsin Bill Would Ban Cellphones in Construction Zones
Jan 29 2014 // A bill that would prohibit drivers from talking on their cellphones while in a construction zone is moving forward in the Wisconsin state Legislature. The Republican-sponsored measure cleared a Senate committee earlier...
Deconstructing Texas Insurance Law: Ewing Confirms Court’s Shift
Jan 27 2014 // On Jan. 17, 2014, the Texas Supreme Court in Ewing Construction Company v. Amerisure Insurance Co. issued another surprising and controversial decision in a construction defect coverage case. For many years the Texas...
