Our industry's infrastructure issues continue to require Congress's attention, and we need your federal lawmakers to understand the issues your projects are facing this year. Supply chain challenges, employee labor shortages, and regulatory delays continue to this day. Congress must be part of the solution, but they need to understand what we’re facing in the trenches every day. They also need to know this industry opposes bad legislation like the PRO Act which will also hinder project progress, or the new WOTUS rule changes. Your chapter will be scheduling your lawmaker meetings, so we need every dedicated NUCA member to be on Capitol Hill this May 17. Register today for Summit and book your hotel room at www.WeDigAmerica.org.

 

 Celebration of Construction, D.C.

NUCA also will be participating at the Celebration of Construction event being held on the historic National Mall in Washington, D.C. NUCA members and staff will be on hand promoting America's underground utility construction industry and our workforce's contributions to our communities. Over 16,000 people from government agencies, Congress, and the public are expected to attend during this three-day event, sponsored by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). Several NUCA National Partners are involved in the 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily event, which will showcase their equipment to our nation's lawmakers. The event is free and open to the public. More here.

The NUCA-supported "Lower Energy Costs Act" (H.R. 1) is expected to be voted on by the U.S. House this Thursday, March 30. The bill, co-sponsored by House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO), seeks to restore American energy independence by increasing domestic energy production and reversing several Biden Administration policies, including permit restrictions. "The crucial permitting reforms that H.R. 1 proposes will accelerate construction of vital utility infrastructure, and the lower fuel prices these reforms will help bring about will and help our members rebuild America at a price that’s right for the taxpayer and the economy,” said NUCA chief executive officer Doug Carlson. Use our Muster system to easily send a pre-written letter to your House lawmaker to support this important legislation.

NUCA is proud to announce that Byrd Underground, LLC completed the NUCA STAR safety program. The company is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, and achieved the STAR Program’s Gold Level status. The company is both a NUCA National and a NUCA of Las Vegas member. NUCA STAR (Safety, Training, Awareness and Recognition) Program provides a venue for every company in the utility construction industry to measure the effectiveness of their safety programs and recognize how these important company programs can be improved. The goal of NUCA STAR is to help industry members master one of the most essential functions of a successful company--safety--and to help ensure industry employees stay healthy and safe. Find out more about NUCA STAR here.

During NUCA's Annual meeting in Las Vegas, attended by 155 association members, Clearly Construction nabbed top honors in the 2022 Excellence in Underground (formerly Top Jobs) project awards. While all the entries were examples of exemplary execution in their respective categories, Cleary Construction edged out the competition. Find out more about this project and the other EIC category winners in the following months via the pages of Utility Contractor Magazine and our own Business Journal. We're looking forward to seeing you again at our Fall Convention & Exhibit in beautiful Naples, Florida, October 25-28. Stay tuned for more info soon!

Project managers are a vital part of any job, and superintendents and other company leaders can discover new methods of management from their phased work processes. NUCA's Advanced Crew Leader Training Course is designed to give your existing leadership and employees a comprehensive introduction into project management. Attendees will understand the several phases of construction project management. Safety, interpersonal skills, construction planning, estimating and cost control, scheduling, and quality control are part of the course's topics. This four-day in-person course requires travel to Colorado. To find out more, contact NUCA's Mike Flowers at mike@nuca.com or 703-358-9300. 

 

NUCA Advantage offers free educational seminars for you and your employees. The April 12, 1:00pmET webinar will discuss the basic knowledge to determine the right financial course forward. This session will help you understand basic investing strategies, consider various investment options, and recognize inherent risks and benefits. Presented by NUCA Advantage's retirement expert Chris Price. Register here.

NUCA’s new NUCA Assurance benefit is rapidly finding friends in our association, and it’s easy to see why. Join like-minded NUCA contractors who have taken control of their claims, managed their risk, and secured better, more focused insurance services. NUCA Assurance is a construction-focused group captive owned by NUCA members and designed by insurance experts to deliver the claims control and risk-management support smart construction business owners need. This association benefit helps your company purchase workers' compensation, general liability, and auto liability insurance. Find out how to get more control over your utility construction company's insurance needs by starting at NUCAAssurance.com.

We hope NUCA members are taking advantage of another fine membership benefit appearing in your e-mail inbox every Tuesday and Thursday. NUCA SmartBrief digs through the news and compiles it into quick-read articles delivered right to you. You'll find NUCA SmartBrief's curated articles focused on overall construction industry and business news, including top utility construction stories, emerging trends, business insights, infrastructure, advocacy, supplier news, and news about NUCA members. Executives can rely upon NUCA SmartBrief to deliver them the latest information, and because you're a NUCA member, this benefit is provided to you at no additional cost. Advertising opportunities are also available. To find out more about this new benefit, go here.

Toolbox Talks: Portable

We all know portable ladders are ever present on almost any jobsite. But are your people aware that different types of ladders have different uses and different working loads? This important information can protect your people from the improper use of portable ladders and prevent injury or death! This week's TBT: Portable Ladders – Types and Working Loads.