A structural field survey report, conducted in 2018, sheds light on the likely condition of the building at the time of the collapse. ENR article: Engineers Try to Fathom Factors Leading to Deadly Champlain Towers Collapse.

A 2018 engineering report warned of “major structural damage” at the Champlain Towers South condo that suffered a partial collapse last week, according to documents released by the town of Surfside, Florida. ConstructionDive article: Engineer’s Report Warned of Structural Damage Prior to Collapse.

Masonry construction can continue during hot weather with the proper adjustments to procedures and materials used. According to TEK 03-01C, All Weather Concrete Masonry Construction, "High temperatures, solar radiation, and ambient relative humidity influence the absorption characteristics of the masonry units and the setting time and drying rate for mortar". Read TEK 03-01C for more information on hot weather requirements.

"Construction workers, who often work outdoors in direct sunlight or in hot, enclosed spaces, are often at risk for heat-related illnesses and, in severe cases, death. However, these illnesses and deaths are preventable." states CPWR. Access their resources and solutions, as well as links to OSHA and NIOSH resources here. CPWR continued to maintain a collection of free toolbox talks with new topics added regularly.

REMINDER: TODAY, Tuesday, June 29, 2021 @ 2:00pm

Register for the CPWR "Heat-related Illness & Death in Construction" Webinar

As summer advances in the Northern Hemisphere, a US company has launched wearable skin sensors that track workers’ heat susceptibility and sweat rate, sending alerts by phone to the worker and to a dashboard for site management. 

“This new feature tells managers which workers to monitor closely on hot days, and when and how to alter an individual’s schedule or workload,” said Nicole Moyen, Kenzen’s Vice President of Research and Development, in a press release.  Read the Global Construction Review article here.

Attention CMU Producers....Let's put block back on top..... Only you can Register and Vote YES! The CMU Checkoff is here to bring the industry together and show the benefits of concrete block. Masonry Contractors of New Jersey, along with the Int'l Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, ICE and IMI, continues to support the CMU Checkoff and encourages CMU producers to do the same. Hear from some of those producers who are already supporting the CMU Checkoff and why:

For more from CMU producers supporting the CMU Checkoff, and more information about how it will benefit the industry, visit Concrete Masonry Checkoff.

New data from the federal government shows that material prices for construction continue to skyrocket. Based on information released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, concrete products have seen a 12-month increase of only 3.1%, while other inputs such as softwood lumber increased 154.3%. Construction input prices jump 24%: Construction Dive 

Highlights of every year’s events are the four competitions that make up Masonry Madness Day. On Wednesday, June 9, 2021, the masonry industry’s toughest competitors went head-to-head in four competitions. Check out the winners: Masonry Madness 2021 Is A Wrap!

Regionally, May's starts rose in the Midwest, South Atlantic and West regions but fell in the Northeast and  South  Central regions.   For  the  full breakdown: Total Construction Falls in May as Housing Stumbles

The rising trend in planning activity is a good sign that the economic recovery is starting to spread into the construction sector. However, these projects are unlikely to have an impact on construction starts this year. Rising material prices and a continued shortage of skilled labor have led to project delays. On the upside, construction  starts are shaping up for a healthy increase in 2022. Full story: Dodge Momentum Index Jumps in May

Preliminary estimates by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that total nonfarm wage and salary employment in New Jersey increased in May by 13,600 jobs to reach a seasonally adjusted level of 3,915,400. May marks the fifth consecutive month of job growth in the Garden State. The unemployment rate fell by 0.3 percentage point to 7.2 %.

Business conditions remained robust at architecture firms in May, as the ABI score climbed even higher. The score of 58.5 for the month (any score over 50 indicates billings growth) is one of the highest ever reported in the index's 25-year history and indicates that even more firms reported an increase in their billings in May. The new design contracts score reached its second consecutive record high with a score of 63.2 while new project inquiries also recorded a near-record  high  score at 69.2.  Business Conditions Strengthen Further at Architecture Firms     

Be sure to check out the IMI website for upcoming Contractor and AIA Accredited Programs.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." ~ Declaration of Independence

CONTRACTORS!

Independence Day will be observed on Monday, July 5, 2021.

Per the Collective Bargaining Agreements Independence Day is a HOLIDAY for Bricklayers and Laborers in New Jersey! Holidays falling on a Sunday shall be observed the following Monday.

Thomas Edison held 49 unique concrete related patents, and in 1899 founded the Edison Portland Cement Company in New Village, NJ, the company that provided the concrete for the building of Yankee Stadium. In 1917 he patented the idea for building homes out of cast-in-place concrete with the introduction, "The object of my invention is to construct a cement mixture by a single molding operation, all its parts, including the sides, roofs, partitions, bath tubs, floors, etc., being formed of an integral mass of a cement mixture". Although the concrete home idea did not go over as Edison had hoped, a few of these homes still stand in NJ, including a restored home in Montclair. Original home pictured below left.