Another year is almost in the books — and what an interesting year it was. There was a lot to talk about across our favorite construction topics this year, like technology, safety, crazy videos, and tools. I’ve got a few more 2019 recap articles comping up, so you can make sure you didn’t miss anything important, but I wan ted to start with the articles that our readers found most interesting in the past year.
Below are your 10 favorite articles from the year:
1. The 10 Highest Paid Construction Jobs That Only Require High School Diploma
Being a construction worker is truly satisfying, because at the end of the project you have a tangible product you can admire for all your hard work. You get up early, you work long hours in less than ideal conditions, and you sweat a lot. But, even though many find it satisfying, the main reason we work is for money.
In a world where college degrees are pushed onto most everyone at a young age, construction is still a fantastic option for those who choose not to go to college.
Click here to see the full list of highest paying jobs…
2. The 6 Highlights From Milwaukee Tool’s 2019 New Product Symposium
Each year, Milwaukee Tool hosts an event for dozens of media partners across the globe and I was once again lucky enough to attend this year. The 2019 New Product Symposium featured hundreds of new Milwaukee products, including carpentry, plumbing, mechanic, and layout tools, in addition to more tool storage solutions and PPE.
Click here to find out more about all of the releases Milwaukee announced at the event…
3. [VIDEO] Amazing Footage On Top of a Tower Crane Building Europe’s Tallest Building
The Lakhta Tower, which stands in St. Petersburg, Russia, reaches 1,516 feet in the air at its highest point. The LEED Platinum building began construction in 2012 and has since been completed this year. Once it officially opened, it surpassed Russia’s Federation Tower (1,226 feet) as Europe’s new tallest building.
Click here to see the video atop the Lakhta Tower…
4. [VIDEO] Crane Catches Fire, Collapses on Georgia Construction Site
Crane collapses are always pretty intense, but they don’t always provide as much warning as the one that was caught on video this April in Georgia. This particular crawler crane caught on fire, which caused a couple small explosions, before ultimately collapsing. The good news is that all of that warning allowed the people on-site to get a safe distance away and no one was injured.
5. 2018 Trench Collapse Death Leads to Manslaughter Charge for Colorado Contractor
A 2018 trench collapse in Colorado lead to the death of a construction worker named Rosario “Chayo” Martinez-Lopez. Earlier this year, his employer faced manslaughter charges for his death.
Click here to read the full story…
6. Milwaukee Tool Announces MX Fuel, a New Battery Platform for Light Equipment
As mentioned above, MIlwaukee Tool hosts an annual event for media and this year’s event had a MAJOR announcement in the form of a new line of battery-powered light equipment. The new MX Fuel line features a 14” cut-off saw, a breaker hammer, a handheld core drill, a power supply, a tower light with 27,000 lumens of light output, and a sewer drum machine with stair climb assisting treads.
Click here for more details about Milwaukee’s MX Fuel Lineup…
7. Can You Wear Your Hard Hat Backwards, According to OSHA?
Wearing a hard hat with the brim facing backwards is a popular choice for many, but tehre’s a lot of confusion surrounding whether or not doing so is permitted by OSHA regulations. The answer: sometimes.
Click here for the full answer…
8. Rash of Trench Collapse Deaths Highlight the Continual Need for Training
All trench collapse deaths are preventable. As soon as everyone on a job site starts believing that we might actually make some progress. In a 10 days span this spring, there were 4 trench collapse deaths across 3 separate incidents, further highlighting how far we still need to go.
Click here for more details about the incidents…
9. World’s Largest Crane Set to Begin Work on its First Project
The SGC-250 stands an astonishing 820 feet at its tallest point, has a maximum lift capacity of 5500 US tons and a swing radius of over 900 feet. The behemoth will be a key component in the construction of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in South West England.
Click here to see the video of the crane in action…
10. A Complete Guide to Milwaukee Tool’s M18 Battery Lineup
Milwaukee Tool has a lot of different options for batteries, so I decided that it might be helpful to explain the pros and cons of each type of battery available on their M18 platform.
Shane is the creator of Construction Junkie and an active construction project manager. In his career, he has managed interior remodel projects, site development, construction safety, governmental project compliance, and facility maintenance. He has a strong passion for construction technology and safety, as well as sharing the knowledge or insights he has gained throughout his career.