City of Albuquerque Proposed Ordinance

for Required Apprentice Labor

The City of Albuquerque has a proposed an Ordinance that would mandate 15% of labor hours on projects at or above $1 million must be performed by registered apprentices. The proposed ordinance has passed through a committee but has not yet been scheduled before the City Council.

NMUCA is OPPOSED to the proposal and will be communicating our objections to the Albuquerque City Councilors. 

Here are the concerning elements:  (see link below for full proposed Ordinance)

• 15% of labor must be registered apprentices (Page 1 Line 20) 
• Required when "a single project construction cost is estimated to cost $1,000,000 or more" (Page 2 Line 24)
• Work cannot be divided between contractors/subs. Each contractor/sub shall comply with the apprenticeship requirement. (Page 3 Line 5)
• Submission of payroll reports (Page 3 Line 10) 
• Vague exemptions (Page 3 Line 15)
• 10% bidding preference for contractors with 25% of apprentice performed labor on the job (Page 3 Line 21)
• Penalties for non-compliance included a one year suspension from future projects (Page 4 Line 21)
• Only apprenticeship programs registered through the state are considered "official apprenticeship" programs. In-house programs are not accepted (Page 2 Line 20) 

NMUCA is opposed because:

• Creates Market restrictions 
• In house apprenticeship programs are not considered 
• Preference bidding will afford advantages to specific industry markets, and, in turn, results in disadvantages for contractors and subs. 
• Payroll/labor submission may lead to public scrutiny
• A low threshold practically ensures that every project funded by the city would be subject to the ordinance
• NMUCA does not have need or access to various apprenticeship programs
• Concerns over the availably of apprentices to comply  

When the ordinance is scheduled to be heard, I'll send out an alert. In the meantime, please feel free to contact your councilor and let them know how you feel about the ordinance and how it will affect your company. 

Contact Your City Councilor (Albuquerque)

Click Here to Read the Proposed Ordinance

October is National Protect Your Hearing Month 

In the U.S., hearing loss is the third most common chronic physical condition after high blood pressure and arthritis. In the workplace, employees are exposed to occupational noise hazards every day, which makes sense that hearing loss is among the most common work-related complications. 

A worker's hearing may deteriorate over time if exposed to excessively loud noise. Many workers across every industry and sector face the danger of developing work-related hearing loss. 

Loud noises can permanently impair your hearing, and most people aren't aware of the damage until it's too late. Once someone loses their hearing, they will not be able to recover it.

How is the ear damaged by noise?

When sounds are too loud and prolonged, tiny bundles of hair-like structures on top of hair cells in the inner ear are harmed, causing damage to your hearing. The average person’s inner ear contains about 16,000 hair cells at birth. Your brain detects sounds because of these cells. When hair cells are damaged, they cannot respond to sound, resulting in noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Human hair cells don’t grow back and cannot be recovered or replaced, making hearing loss permanent. You might not recognize the early warning signs of hearing loss because NIHL can develop gradually over time. When you notice hearing loss, many hair cells have already been permanently damaged or destroyed.

NIHL can develop at any age. Approximately 40 million adults in the U.S. may develop hearing loss in one or both ears because of noise exposure — sudden or prolonged. Other studies suggest that 13% to 18% of U.S. teens show signs of possible hearing loss from loud noise.

Sound can cause damage if:

• You have to shout to be heard
• You have decreased or “muffled” hearing for various hours after exposure
• The noise makes your ears ring
• The noise is painful to your ears 

Sound intensity is measured in decibels (dB); the higher the decibel, the more damage it can inflict. To put it into perspective, normal conversations are 60dB, while gunshots and fireworks are 140dB. The louder the sound, the faster it can damage your hearing. For example, everyday noises such as emergency sirens range from 110dB to 129 dB, and just two minutes of 110 dB can damage your hearing. The good news is that NIHL can be avoided. READ MORE

Did You Know?

OSHA's construction infrastructure webpage provides resource for employers, workers and others involved in the job of improving and building our nation’s infrastructure. It includes information about common construction hazards and how to better identify and control them using safety and health programs.

¿Sabías?

La página web de OSHA sobre la construcción de infraestructuras proporciona recursos para empleadores, trabajadores y otras personas implicadas en el trabajo de mejora y construcción de las infraestructuras de nuestra nación. Incluye información sobre peligros habituales en la construcción y sobre cómo identificarlos y controlarlos mejor mediante programas de seguridad y salud.