Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) announced the winners of the National Craft Championships, the 2016 National Safety Awards, the National Diversity Excellence Awards and the Excellence in Construction® Awards during its annual conference Workforce Week ’17 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Workforce Week is ABC's annual celebration of the best in merit shop construction, recognizing the contributions of members, chapters and craft professionals to the construction industry and their dedication to excellence.

The 2016 National Safety Award Pinnacle, Excellence and Merit Winners are:

ABC member M&D Mechanical Contractors, Inc. of Decatur, Ala. placed themselves in an elite group of small businesses by earning a prestigious Safety & Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) certification from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The SHARP program recognizes small businesses that serve as a model for worksite safety and health and have used OSHA's On-site Consultation Program services and operate an exemplary injury and illness prevention program. 

New study reveals essential intelligence on the risks faced by building owners, general contractors and trade contractors and the benefits achieved from specific risk evaluation and mitigation practices. A key determination of this study is that collaboration between building owners, general contractors and subcontractors can aid in keeping construction project costs under control, result in a timely delivery and enhance the safety environment.

ABC Empire State Chapter held a rally with a diverse crowd of hundreds of open-shop craft workers to voice opposition to mandated apprenticeship on private construction jobsites. “ABC’s number-one priority is the safety and wellbeing of the talented men and women who work for our member companies,” said Brian Sampson, president of the ABC Empire State Chapter.

ABC is reminding its contractor member firms that their 2016 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Form 300A work-related injury and illness log summaries must be posted in a visible spot on all construction sites Feb. 1 through April 30.

On Dec. 19, 2016, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a final rule entitled, “clarification of employer’s continuing obligation to make and maintain an accurate record of each recordable injury and illness.” The final rule goes into effect Jan. 18, 2017.

On Nov. 18, 2016, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued the Walking-Working Surfaces and Personal Protective Equipment (Fall Protection Systems) final rule. This is an update for general industry and does not change the construction standard. This update could impact maintenance activities being completed on a facility. OSHA indicated that under the final rule they have worked to align the general industry standard with the construction standard. 

On Dec. 1, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a document entitled recommended practices for safety and health programs in construction.  This document is meant to help small and medium contractors who may not have safety and health specialists on staff to create proactive programs to keep their workplace safe. The recommendations do not change any existing obligations from OSHA standards or create new legal obligations, rather is meant only as advisory. 

WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 21– Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today released its annual update to “Building America: The Merit Shop Scorecard,” which reviews and grades state-specific policies and information significant to the success of the commercial and industrial construction industry. The scorecard highlights states that have created a free enterprise-based environment where merit shop contractors are well positioned to succeed and calls attention to states where strategic improvements need to b