Engineers at Tufts University in Boston, MA are using wireless sensors and flying robots that could eventually be utilized by authorities to monitor the condition of bridges in real time. That’s according to Jean-Pierre Joosting’s article in Electronics-eetimes.com. He says that with rising maintenance and inspection costs, automated preventative technology…(Read More)
There’s an increasing demand for engineering talent in the oil and gas industries. During the past four years, the growing competition for engineers is attributed to “more drilling, and the greater use of technology to produce oil and gas.” A look at the past three months is impressive as well, reports WantedAnalytics.com. “When…(Read More)
Don’t be in a hurry to battle construction-related disagreements in court. Adjusting your mindset to consider an amicable resolution is an important aspect of how you’ll handle your dispute. It’s easier and less expensive to work things out with a mediator rather than attorneys and a judge. The pre-filing mandatory…(Read More)
Cabinet officials met recently in Washington, DC to encourage creativity that will increase private investment in highways, bridges, and other infrastructure. U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew led the brainstorming summit, and shared details on public-private-partnership projects that are getting underway in Florida and Pennsylvania. Lew says the…(Read More)
A monumental win that will bring 22,000 jobs and pump $100 billion into Nevada’s economy over the next 20 years. At a press conference on Thursday, Gov. Brian Sandoval and Tesla Motors’ CEO Elon Musk announced that Nevada will be home to Tesla’s massive $5 billion lithium gigabattery plant. MSN.com reports…(Read More)
Road work—especially on highways—is an ongoing problem for firefighters and many other emergency responders. Are construction companies aware of how traffic, detours, and broken up road surfaces challenge emergency crews in life and death situations? This story from Fort Worth, TX offers insights from the other side. http://www.betterroads.com/highway…(Read More)
I have a Facebook contact who frequently bashes her employer on her posts. Does her employer have to take that or can they take employment action? Social media has been around long enough now that there is a decent amount of legal precedent. But as you might expect, the answer is, it depends. If the…(Read More)
Recent graduates entering the workforce have been barraged by media reports about high unemployment and low wages, but there’s good news for the Class of 2014. Overall, average starting salaries were $48,707, up 7.5 percent from the 2013 class, according to The Wall Street Journal. “Engineers topped the earnings list with average…(Read More)
Noting more than 4,400 on-the-job worker fatalities in 2013, leaders at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration have announced a new rule aimed at improving employee safety. Effective January 1, 2015, employers under OSHA’s jurisdiction will have to notify the agency of work-related fatalities within eight hours, and work-related…(Read More)
Construction companies continue the struggle to fully staff projects. The skilled labor shortage is giving workers the edge in busy markets such as Houston, but quieter areas are also short-staffed. How bad is it? Camden Property Trust, a Houston-based apartment developer has recently started putting guards on job sites to keep its workers…(Read More)
