Open enrollment for the Health Insurance Marketplace (or Exchanges) under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) began on Oct. 1. ABC’s Insurance Trust advises that it may be prudent for ABC members to hold off on taking any action.

ABC and the Construction Industry Safety Coalition sent letters Sept. 27 to Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA David Michaels requesting a 90-day extension for submitting written comments related to OSHA’s proposed crystalline silica rulemaking, whichdrastically lowers the existing permissible exposure limit for respirable silica in the construction industry. 

Representatives from Nova Group, Inc. and Cajun Industries, LLC will share best practices about how they continuously meet owner/user quality standards on highly regulated and controlled jobsites during the session, “Delivering Quality in a Challenging Environment,” at the Industrial Users Summit, Oct. 22-23, in San Antonio. This is just one of several panels highlighting the work of ABC members in safety, quality and workforce development.  

ABC will be hosting a two-day STEP Plus Safety Excellence Academy Nov. 6-7 at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas to coincide with the ABC Institute for Leadership and Professional Development. 

Register an entry now for the ABC Excellence in Construction (EIC) Awards for a chance to win more work by showcasing an innovative, high-quality, best-in-class project. The EIC awards competition recognizes projects that are the best from merit shop contractors; winners get industry-wide recognition and an advantage over competitors.

ABC’s Industrial Users Summit, Oct. 22-23 in San Antonio, Texas will feature expert speakers who will provide discussions, best practices, and presentations on topics including quality, safety and workforce development.

The Coalition for Fair Effective Tax Rates and the Reforming America’s Taxes Equitably (RATE) Coalition held a joint press conferenceSept. 19 to support the passing of comprehensive tax reform that would lower both individual and corporate rates and eliminate distorting tax preferences. 

ABC Sept. 19 sharply criticized pending regulatory proposals from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in response to a hearing held by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions. The hearing, titled, “The Future of Union Organizing,” and ABC’s letter highlighted the Obama administration’s efforts to eliminate employer involvement in the union representation process.

National Safety Excellence Award (NSEA) applications are due Oct. 25 and can be downloaded on ABC’s website. All 2013 Safety Training Evaluation Process (STEP) Diamond and Platinum recipients are eligible to apply; there is no fee to participate. New for 2013, STEP Gold recipients may also apply for the NSEA by submitting the NSEA Gold application and $450 application fee. ABC members who do not have STEP status can learn more about STEP on ABC’s website. 

ABC Pelican Chapter President Alvin Bargas discussed the importance of career and technical education (CTE) programs to the construction industry in testimony Sept. 20 during a congressional subcommittee hearing.