For the past year, Construction Junkie has been analyzing hourly wage data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to determine the Top States to Work in Construction. Now that all 50 states have been ranked, this post will serve as the complete recap for all states in the countdown.
Read moreThe Top States to Work in Construction: #1 Illinois
After 50 weeks of the Top States to Work in Construction countdown, Illinois has been crowned our champion. Illinois didn’t just win, either, they actually demolished the competition. All construction professions combined for the state averaged $33.39 after adjusting for cost of living, which even topped #2 Missouri’s total average hourly rate by $4.42.
Read moreHow the ACE Mentor Program is Getting High Schoolers Interested in the Construction Industry
Everyone in the construction has heard over and over again how young people just aren’t interested in joining the construction industry. What you don’t hear a lot about are the groups and organizations who are actively working to change that. The ACE Mentor Program is one of those organizations making a positive impact for the next generation.
Read moreContractor Behind Miami Bridge Collapse Has Filed for Bankruptcy
The biggest story in the construction industry last year was a shocking pedestrian bridge collapse that killed 6 and injured many others on FIU’s campus in Miami, Florida. Since the collapse, there have been many civil lawsuits filed, a closed OSHA investigation, and an ongoing NTSB investigative report. The General Contractor on that project, Munilla Construction Management (MCM), has recently filed for bankruptcy protection, according to the Miami Herald.
Read moreThe Top States to Work in Construction: #2 Missouri
It’s hard to believe we’re almost at the end of our nearly year long journey counting down the top states to work in construction. In the runner up position we have Missouri, yet another from the Midwest in the top 10, is a relatively large state, both in population and size, with a lower than average population density. That could be a contributing factor to its low cost of living, at 10.1% below the national average, according to MERIC.
Read moreMarch is Ladder Safety Month, Here Are Some Great Resources to Get You Started
Ladders are one of the most widely used and necessary pieces of equipment on a construction jobsite. They’re also one of the most misused and abused pieces of equipment on a jobsite. In addition to being one of the most frequently cited OSHA violations each year, it also accounts for too many of the industry’s yearly fatalities and countless injuries.
Read moreThe Top States to Work in Construction: #3 Minnesota
Minnesota is about as average as you can get in terms of cost of living, according to MERIC, as they’re only 0.2% lower than the national average, making them the closest to the center in the country. That also means that they barely benefited from our cost of living adjustment, but the fact that they’re ranked 3rd says a lot about their un-adjusted wages.
Read moreReminder: OSHA 300A Injury and Illness Records Required to be Electronically Submitted by March 2
Even though OSHA recently eliminated the need for employers to electronically submit OSHA Forms 300 and 301, citing privacy concerns, companies are still responsible for submitting OSHA Form 300A – and the deadline is fast approaching.
Read moreThe Top States to Work in Construction: #4 Washington
We interrupt this utter domination by Midwest states in our top 10 list with a West Coast state: Washington. This is the only non-Midwest state that has landed in the top 10 so far and, spoiler alert, it’s the only one you’re going to see.
Read moreFirst Approval Granted for Possible Tallest Mass Timber Building in North America
A new 21-story apartment building proposed for Milwaukee, Wisconsin as received unanimous approval from the City Plan Commission. If built, the new tower could possibly be North America’s tallest mass timber building.
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