The industry's Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) passed the House last week on a 350-88 vote, as part of a larger must-pass defense bill, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) financing the Dept. of Defense. The NUCA-supported WRDA contains authorizations for 94 new feasibility studies by the Army Corps of Engineers, and the construction of 25 water infrastructure projects around the country. NUCA strongly supported WRDA throughout the legislative process, which lasted into Congress' hectic lame-duck session. WRDA (as an NDAA amendment) now heads to the Senate, where the bill is expected to pass before Christmas, and then be sent to President Biden for his signature. Read more here.

Get up to speed for your CONEXPO-CON/AGG business meeting by first attending NUCA's one-day Annual Meeting. We're holding it a day before the start of CONEXPO to give NUCA members the chance to get up to speed on current industry news from Dr. Anirban Basu. You'll also be able to participate in great networking with our National Partners and attend our committee meetings discussing the latest industry topics. NUCA members also get 20% off their CONEXPO registration when using code “PARTNER20”, too! Our lively Annual Meeting promo video is out, and our Annual Meeting website (nucadigs.com) has all you need for registration, hotels, and the latest schedule. We'll see you in Vegas in March!

It is with regrets and sorrow that we note former NUCA President Jeffrey Weitzel passed away on Dec. 10. He served as NUCA's president in 2001-02 and was involved in our association for many years. He was the former owner of Weitzel Construction in Indianapolis, Indiana. In an April 2001 Utility Contractor magazine story about his election, he said, "I have never wanted to do anything else. When you get the smell of dirt and diesel in your blood, it is hard to get rid of it." His father was one of the founders of NUCA of Indiana in the early 1970s. President Weitzel's family has NUCA's sincere condolences and our thanks for his dedication to our organization and the industry. His obituary can be found here.

In 2023, NUCA's Legal Committee will hold a construction laws webinar every other month to discuss with NUCA members current legal topics affecting the utility construction industry and our member's business operations. These discussions are a very popular part of every NUCA convention, so we are opening these up to the entire membership. The first webinar on January 17th, 2:00pm, will discuss utility identification and relocation issues in our industry. To find out more and to register, go here.

Each year we come together to recognize our organization's best and brightest. Don't miss your chance to earn the recognition of your peers for the great work you've done this year. NUCA's Excellence in Underground (Top Jobs), Safety Awards, Chapter Merit, and Member Awards of Excellence are all now open and waiting for your submissions. Just head over to nuca.com/awards to submit your nominations. Please note: The deadline for all submissions is December 31, 2022!

NUCA is introducing the all-new “NUCA Lounge” at The Utility Expo, Sept. 26-28, 2023, in Louisville, Kentucky. The "NUCA Lounge" will be a place for NUCA members to connect with each other and for Chapters to meet while attending this incredible utility construction industry trade show. It will be open during trade show hours in K Lot for our members and their guests to use for their convenience and hospitality needs. "Everyone needs a welcoming place at a trade show to take a break, meet with colleagues and new contacts, and a place where they can catch up on trade show and industry news,” exclaimed Doug Carlson, NUCA’s Chief Executive Officer. “The NUCA Lounge will be the home-away-from-home for our industry’s many show attendees." Read more here.

NUCA's Essential Skills for Crew Leaders Training is a two-day, intensive course that trains your employees to be effective leaders and communicators so they can provide clear direction to your crew, and plan and schedule the crew’s work to maximize safety, production, and profit. With all the necessary hiring coming up, now is a great time to prepare for a safe 2023 by ensuring your veteran employees are ready to run your new crews. Learn more here, take a look at the course outline here, or contact Mike Flowers for more information..

You can count on NUCA to provide benefits that help you build your business and protect it from risk. The NUCA-WINS app is an affordable, easy-to-use smartphone and tablet app for managing all damage, injury and safety incidents while protecting you from unwarranted utility hit claims (such as bad locates). Once you use NUCA WINS, you'll wonder how you managed your jobsites without it. There's no better time to subscribe to NUCA-WINS than right now. It's available with an additional 10% off the already low NUCA-member-only subscription rates. No credit card is needed - start by visiting www.NUCAWINS.com and request access today.

How many NUCA members are looking to upgrade their office computers--or buy a new laptop for your family? Take advantage of your NUCA membership to save via our partnership with Lenovo. This holiday season, Lenovo has deals on their best-selling PCs, tablets, laptops, phones, and electronics. NUCA members also receive price-matching guarantees for the best deal on their tech, flexible financing, and even expedited delivery if you join their MyLenovo Rewards program. Shop now via this NUCA member link (www.lenovo.com/us/en/lsp), and if you need assistance with your purchases, Lenovo's special assistance phone number is 1-800-426-7235.

NUCA's headquarters staff sincerely wishes each member and National Partner, their employees, and all of your families a very Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays, and a very Happy New Year in 2023! We are deeply thankful for your annual involvement and investment in your industry's premiere national trade association and advocacy organization, and your local Chapters. The National Offices will be closed December 26 and January 2 in observation of the holidays. NUCA@Work will next be published January 4, 2023. Safety first in all of what we do!

As the year comes to a close, a checkup is the most important tool for uncovering cost savings in your company's employee retirement plan. Because you're a NUCA member, you can now discover whether your existing 401k program still works for your benefits package. And a checkup can reveal when it's time to explore a change to a more cost-effective option. If you want to learn more about the NUCA Advantage 401k option today and how easy it is for your company to implement, contact NUCA Advantage program director Christopher Price at 954-625-1531. NUCA Advantage is online 24/7, too.

Often overlooked, but incredibly important - now is a great time to revisit PPE Hand Protection / General Hazards: English