Newsline

Nonresidential Construction Down in March; Private Sector Falters, Public Sector Unchanged

Nonresidential construction spending declined 0.3 percent in March, according to an ABC analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. Nonresidential spending, which totaled $740.9 billion on a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis, has expanded 2.5 percent on a year-over-year basis. February’s spending estimate was revised roughly $10 billion higher, from $732.8 billion to $742.8 billion, rendering the March decline less meaningful. READ MORE

March Construction Unemployment Rates Down Year-over-year in 37 States

The March 2018 not seasonally adjusted national construction unemployment rate was down 1 percent from March 2017, and estimated construction unemployment rates also fell in 37 states on a year-over-year basis, according to an analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released by ABC. The national unemployment rate was 7.4 percent, the lowest national March rate on record. READ MORE

Fixed Investment Retains Momentum in First Quarter of 2018

The U.S. economy expanded at an annualized rate of 2.3 percent during the first quarter of 2018, while fixed investment increased at an annualized rate of 4.6 percent, according to an ABC analysis of advanced estimate released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. READ MORE

Update: OSHA Clarifies Electronic Reporting Requirements

On April 30, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced that it made an error regarding implementation of the 2016 Electronic Injury Reporting and Anti-Retaliation final rule and determined all affected employers are required to submit injury and illness data in the Injury Tracking Application online portal, even if the employer is covered by a State Plan that has not completed adoption of their own state rule.  READ MORE

ABC Celebrates Safety Week 2018

ABC will be celebrating Construction Safety Week 2018, May 7-11, with an awareness campaign highlighting member achievements in safety performance and ABC’s commitment to achieving zero-incident jobsites. Visit constructionsafetyweek.com for advice on engaging your team with an event guide, toolbox talks, messages to share and more ideas to promote safety as an industry priority.   READ MORE