Construction Safety Week took place last week with many construction companies and projects taking time to remind themselves that everyone should leave the job site each day exactly like when they arrived.
I talk about this each year because I think it is easy for architects and engineers to let their guard down since they aren't doing physical labor. Please take a moment to remind yourself that construction sites, no matter how small, are dangerous. Also, make sure to reinforce safety with your junior co-workers. I have seen far too many excited co-ops walk around a job site without paying attention to what is going on around them.
I'm a big believer that everyone who visits job sites in a construction administration role should have OSHA 10-hour training. The course teaches you what the major risks are on a construction site. It is inexpensive and will help keep your staff safe. Construction companies can provide local contacts for classes, and you may even be able to latch onto their internal training to save some money.
Be safe.
-michael
Single-Stair Egress for Housing
There is a push to allow for single-stair egress multifamily buildings in the Unites States. The title of this article caught my attention and then I was even more intrigued when I read that the FDNY and Seattle Fire Department are OK with single stairs for buildings up to six stories tall (within the reach of a fire ladder) if they have a sprinkler system.
Exit Strategy: The Case for Single-Stair Egress
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Drawing
Life of an Architect is at it again with an episode entitled, "Drawing Stuff." This is worth a click if only for Bob's great drawings. But the entire podcast is an enjoyable listen as they delve into all things drawing and drawings.
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Women in Architecture School
This is an interesting article about what it means to be a woman in architecture school in 2024. I started school in 1997 and our class had more women than men (by one) - if I recall correctly, we were the first class that had more women than men. It is enlightening to see how things have developed (or not) since then.
On the construction side, the last two jobs I have worked on have had women in prominent leadership roles for the client and architect. For people of my generation and younger, this will be the norm.
Notes on Progress: Sixteen Women Discuss What It Means To Be Female in Architecture School
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AN looks at a year of Labor news
May 1st is International Worker's Day. The Architect's Newspaper looks back at the last year of labor news in our industry. They revisit the unionization efforts at architecture firms, as well as other labor issues in the construction industry.
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Augmented Reality in Construction
This seems to be a bit of a paid promotion for a specific piece of software, but it is still an interesting listen for how AR can help construction. I think we've been talking this way for a long time, but I continue to hope that things shift as younger building managers and technicians move up the ranks.
