Monthly Archives: July 2012

OSHA Issues Hazard Alert on Hydraulic Fracturing

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in OSHA Safety Issues on Jul 23, 2012.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, in conjunction with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, has issued a hazard alert in order to encourage employers to protect workers from excessive silica exposure during hydraulic fracturing activities. The warning follows the completion of a joint study by OSHA and NIOSH on exposure to high levels of silica.

Trying To Negotiate A Non-Negotiable RFP in Pennsylvania – A Cautionary Tale

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Sandy Feltes on Jul 18, 2012.

Contractors may want to think twice before attempting to negotiate the terms of a Request for Proposal. You may face the risk of having your bid rejected in Pennsylvania.

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Delays in LEED 2012

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Construction Industry News on Jul 16, 2012.

The U.S. Green Building Council has elected to delay implementation of its LEED 2012 rating system due to the high volume of comments it received to the proposed new standards. Both the name and the date to vote on the proposed changes have been changed. The new standards will now be called LEED v4 and it will be voted on in 2013.

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Construction Employment Rate Remains Stagnant

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Construction Industry News on Jul 12, 2012.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has released its unemployment numbers for June. While the overall picture remains uninspiring, there was a slight bump in construction employment. This increase was driven mostly by an increase in hiring for specialty contractors in the multi-family residential sector.

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Pennsylvania House Passes Legislation Targeting Illegal Immigrants In Construction Industry

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Uncategorized on Jul 9, 2012.

This being an election year, immigration policy is being debated again in national politics. It is an especially hot topic given the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on Arizona’s immigration law and President Obama’s announcement that he will no longer prosecute illegal immigrants in certain demographics. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has now become part of the debate.

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UPDATE: Congress Passes Extension of Federal Surface Transportation Bill

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Pending Legislation on Jul 5, 2012.

On Friday, June 29, both the House and Senate approved legislation that included an extension of the federal surface transportation reauthorization bill. The legislation provides for an estimated $105 billion in federal funding for highway, transit, safety, and related transportation programs through the end of September 2014.

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Research Facility Construction Showing Signs of Life – Maybe, Maybe Not

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Current Events in Construction on Jul 2, 2012.

Some new numbers compiled by Battelle and R&D Magazine suggest that construction spending is on the rise in the research sector of the economy. It seems lab owners in all disciplines are interested in building new facilities or renovating existing ones in order to keep up with ever changing technological advances and to meet certain “green” goals or safety concerns.

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