Construction industry participants face exposure to risks arising from the professional services that are required to design and construct a particular project. Professional liability insurance is a common tool used by contractors and designers to transfer risks from errors and omissions in the provision of professional services to third party insurers in exchange for payment of the policy premium. For design professionals these policies provide coverage for losses arising out of errors and omissions in professional design services such as those that result in the development of plans and specifications, as well as those arising from defective contract administration and consulting. Contractors purchase these policies to provide coverage largely to cover exposures from defective construction management.

Indemnification is a concept whereby one party contractually agrees or is otherwise legally obligated to bear the financial risks of another party. These parties are respectively known as the indemnitor and indemnitee. The construction industry relies on indemnification clauses to manage and transfer risk. Consider some of the common indemnification provisions that may be encountered in construction contracts.

Each year, National Work Zone Awareness Week brings attention to these safety, mobility, and constructability issues. As a driver, you must use extra caution in work zones to keep yourself and others safe. 

Protecting your employees against falls is one of the most important things you can do to ensure their safety. Year after year falls from elevation are the leading cause of death in construction, with fall protection continually being ranked first on the list of OSHA’s most frequently cited violations. You can help put a stop to these accidents by educating your employees on fall hazards and proper safety measures - not only during the National Safety Stand-Down, but throughout the entire year.

National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) is upon us. This year’s theme is Work Zone Safety: Everybody’s Responsibility. With warmer weather comes roadwork season. As we hit the road, it is important we are aware and alert while driving in work zones. This protects workers and ourselves.

Group captives continue to be a viable alternative to traditional casualty insurance programs for construction firms across the country. Once reserved for firms with annual revenues more than $100 million, captives are now available to firms with annual revenues of $25 million – and in some circumstances less.

For the near term, today’s construction landscape appears to be stable. However, with the recession still in our rear-view mirror, a relatively slow recovery underway, an aging workforce, limited numbers of younger folks joining the trades, and many construction company owners nearing retirement age - the smell of transition is in the air.

March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month. Work-related eye injuries are common and preventable.

According to OSHA and Prevent Blindness:

• Over 2,000 people injure their eyes at work each day.
• 1 in 10 of these injuries require one or more missed workdays.
• 10-20% of work-related eye injuries will cause temporary or permanent vision loss.
• Eye injuries cost over $300 million per year in lost production time, medical expenses, and workers’ compensation.

Each year OSHA releases the 10 most frequently cited standards. Many of the same standards have found themselves on this list in recent years. Fall Protection - General Requirements (Standard 1926.501) remains on top by a wide margin. The only new addition to this year's list is Fall Protection - Training Requirements (Standard 1926.503) at #9.

Are you taking proper precautions to avoid these hazards in your facility and promote workplace safety?

A cheap red gas can you purchased at a convenience store can be useful on the jobsite when you need a little bit of gas to finish out your project, but does it meet OSHA’s safety requirements?

Probably not.