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News (4110)


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Workers Rescued from India Tunnel Collapse

On Tuesday (Nov. 28), rescue teams reportedly freed the 41 workers trapped in the Chardham tunnel in Uttarakhand, India, after 17 days of digging through the collapsed structure.


Risk Model Offers Flood Damage Forecasting

A Johns Hopkins University expert has reportedly developed a new natural disaster risk modeling method to more accurately estimate damage expected from riverbank flooding.


FHWA Plans to Track GHG Emissions

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration recently announced that it has issued a finalized performance measure to track greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) related t...


Detroit Bridge Owner Requests HAZMAT Transport

Detroit International Bridge Company, owner of the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit, has reportedly asked state transportation regulators to allow for the transport of paint and other potentiall...


Toxic Chemical Exposure Rule Updates Proposed

On Monday (Nov. 20), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a proposal to strengthen rules that protect people from exposure to two toxic chemicals.


Antimicrobial Coating Test Launched into Space

Global aerospace company Boeing recently launched a project to the International Space Station to test the effectiveness and durability of an antimicrobial coating in space.


Tunnel Collapse Rescue Team Changes Efforts

Rescue teams are reportedly looking at alternative methods for rescuing workers currently trapped in the Chardham tunnel in Uttarakhand, India, after concerns of more debris falling from the...


Harbor Bridge Completion Planned for 2025

The Texas Department of Transportation recently announced that work on the Harbor Bridge in Corpus Christi, Texas, will move forward with a completion date set for 2025, after design flaws a...


EPA Fines Home Renovators in Several States

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that five home renovation companies are paying penalties to resolve alleged lead-based paint violations.


Louisville Receives Asphalt Initiative Grant

Philanthropic organization Bloomberg Philanthropies has reportedly granted $25,000 to the Louisville Metro Government to paint artwork on curb bump outs and extensions, in addition to a mura...


NY Lead Paint Landlord Sentenced to Probation

A Buffalo, New York, landlord who has pled guilty on charges regarding lead paint has avoided jail time after a sentencing hearing at the beginning of the week.


CA Interstate Under Repair After Fire

On Tuesday (Nov. 14), California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that a portion of Interstate 10 in Los Angeles is being repaired after it was damaged in what is thought to be an act of arso...


EPA Proposes Safer Choice Standard Update

Earlier this week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published proposed updates to the Safer Choice Standard, which identifies the requirements that products and ingredients must meet...


Waterjet Deconstructs Retired Ship Hulls

German-based ship recycling company Leviathan is reportedly utilizing a large robotic arm, armed with a waterjet powerful enough to slice through steel, to chop up the hulls of large ships t...


Rescue Workers Digging Through Tunnel Collapse

On Sunday, a rescue team began to dig through parts of a collapsed road tunnel in an effort to save 40 workers who had been trapped by a landslide at a construction project site in northern ...


OR Bridge Repaired Early, Under Budget

The Oregon Department of Transportation recently announced that a multiple-year-long project to repair and coat an iconic bridge on the Oregon coast has been completed early and under budget...


NY Lead Paint Landlord Pleading Case in Court

A Buffalo, New York, landlord who has pled guilty on charges regarding lead paint was expected to plead his case at his sentencing hearing yesterday (Nov. 13), including a request to hear fr...


Biden Admin Releases $2B for Clean Construction

The U.S. General Services Administration recently unveiled $2 billion for more than 150 construction projects that use “low-embodied carbon” construction materials.


BCF ‘Cautiously Optimistic’ of Chemical Regulations

The British Coatings Federation has expressed “cautious optimism” about a newly published policy direction from the United Kingdom’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs regard...


Lasers Used to Remove Bridge Residue

Cleaning company Adapt Laser recently completed a pilot project testing portable lasers to clean rust and lead-paint from a bridge in Southington, Connecticut, in an attempt to save time and...


JPCL Releases Latest Issue Highlights

The latest issue of the Journal of Protective Coatings & Linings is available in print and online at paintsquare.com. This issue contains feature articles on avoiding hazards while wo...


Groups Sue to Block Final Davis-Bacon Act Rule

On Tuesday (Nov. 7), two construction associations filed a lawsuit in federal court to block the Biden Administration’s new regulations under the Davis-Bacon Act.


MI Town Upset Over Curved Road Lines

Residents in Hartford, Michigan, are reportedly upset with the results of a recent road lining effort, which left one of the town’s roads with curved lane markers.


TX Chemical Plant Fire Prompts Shelter-in-Place

An explosion at a Shepherd, Texas, chemical plant earlier this week resulted in one injury and a shelter-in-place order for several hours as a large plume of black smoke could be seen for mi...


Back Wages Recovered for 49 WA Painters

A recent investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division reportedly found that a Washington State painting company failed to pay employees’ overtime rates.


New Paint Could Prevent Spread of Bushfires

A new fire-retardant paint has reportedly become the first to pass the Bushfire Attack Level 40 standard testing, which assesses the bushfire resistance of buildings and construction materia...


Court Ends Flint Water Scandal Prosecution

The Michigan Attorney General's Office stated at the end of last month that the prosecution of former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and other officials involved in the Flint water scandal ha...


Maui Commercial Property Cleanup Begins

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency started work to remove hazardous materials in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, on commercial properties.


ME Companies Settle EPA Lead Paint Fines

At the end of last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reached a settlement with two Maine-based companies that had reportedly violated lead-based paint disclosure requirements.


EPA Presents 2023 Green Chemistry Challenge Awards

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently revealed the winners of the 2023 Green Chemistry Challenge Awards for new and innovative green chemistry technologies.


EPA Proposes Trichloroethylene Ban

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced a proposal to ban all uses of trichloroethylene (TCE) to protect against serious health risks for workers.


Metal Coatings Company Fined for Violations

On Friday, the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks announced that it is fining a metal coating and plating company for violations regarding the province’s Environmental P...


Microalgae Transformed into Bioactive Coatings

Researchers from Flinders University have reportedly transformed a blue-green microalgae into ultrathin bioactive coatings using plasma jet technology.


OSHA Announces Maritime Safety Meeting

The Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has announced that it is holding a meeting of the Maritime Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (MACOS...


New USGBC HQ Earns Triple Platinum Status

On Wednesday (Oct. 25), the U.S. Green Building Council announced that its recently completed headquarters building in Washington, D.C., has been awarded a prestigious triple Platinum certif...


Team Aims to Cut Concrete Carbon Emissions

A team of researchers at Arizona State University, with support from the National Science Foundation, is reportedly pursuing ways to lower carbon dioxide emissions involved in the cement and...


Study Asks UK for Infrastructure Investments

A study from the National Infrastructure Commission in the United Kingdom has reportedly determined that the country is in need of more funding to renew public transport, home heating, water...


Suit Filed for Qatar World Cup Labor Exploits

More than three dozen construction workers have reportedly sued a United States construction firm over allegations of inhumane conditions and violating human trafficking laws during the cons...


Group Demands UK Reduce PFAS in Water

The Royal Society of Chemistry is reportedly asking the U.K. government to reassess current drinking water standards as it aims reduce the levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in Br...


NY Housing Authorities Issued Lead Paint Citation

A recent federal audit of the two New York housing authorities has allegedly found that tenants were not notified about lead paint hazards in their apartments.


Researchers Testing New Coatings Sensors

A team of researchers at the University of British Columbia Okanagan are reportedly developing sensors to monitor and help prevent damage to coatings on planes, bridges, pipelines, turbines ...


Shipowner Partners with TX Robotics Company

Ship ownership and management company Lomar has announced a collaboration with Texas robotics company Alicia Bots Inc. to install its robotic autonomous hull-cleaning technology on 15 of its...


Firm Cited for Fatal NYC Trench Collapse

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has reportedly cited a Bronx, New York, firm in the deaths of two employees after a trench collapse at the John F. Kennedy International Air...


Biden Admin Allocates Bridge Program Grants

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration announced that it will be funding efforts across the country to rebuild roads and bridges and impro...


German Institute Developing PFAS-Free Coating

Scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM have reportedly designed a coatings technology that could replace per- and polyfluorinated c...


Construction Begins for NJ Wind Farm

Danish energy developer Ørsted has announced that onshore construction for New Jersey’s first offshore wind farm has recently begun, as workers install copper and aluminum cables for the far...


Army Corps Opening Dam Safety Loan Program

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently launched a new $7.5 billion credit assistance program for dam safety projects.


MVP Reaches Agreement with US Regulator

The U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has announced that it has reached a consent agreement with Equitrans Midstream of the Mountain Valley Pipeline for inspections...


ME Latex Paint Spill Under Investigation

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection recently announced that approximately 1,000 gallons of white latex paint spilled onto the floor of the GAC Chemical Corporation building, pro...


Professor Gets Funding for Corrosion Research

A researcher at Marquette University in Milwaukee is reportedly set to receive almost $740,000 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation for method on protecting critical...


MassDOT Plans Bridge Replacement Process

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has released a Request for Proposals to obtain a transportation planning and engineering consultant team for the replacement of the Tobin Bridg...


MO Contractor Charged for Workplace Fatality

As a result of a worker fatality in 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor has announced that the construction contractor responsible will now enter into a deferred prosecution agreement.


FHWA Announces Bridge Funding Applications

On Friday (Sept. 29), the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration announced the opening of applications for almost $10 billion in funding for the Competitive Bridg...


CA University Mural Using ‘Smog-Eating’ Paint

Today (Oct. 3), a local artist and community at the University of California, Riverside, will come together to create a 40-foot mural using “smog-eating” paint.


LA Works to Stop Saltwater Wedge

Residents in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, are expecting construction to begin this week on a system of drinking water pipelines intended to help mitigate a pressing saltwater intrusion issue...


EPA Finalizes PFAS Data Reporting Rule

At the end of last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule that is anticipated to create the largest-ever data set of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in the Unit...


Green Seal Prohibits PFAS in Paint, Coatings

Last week, global nonprofit organization Green Seal announced its plans to exclude “forever chemicals” from any of its certified paints and coatings, as well as various other materials.


NETL Introduces New Pipeline Corrosion Sensors

The National Energy Technology Laboratory has announced a new development in advanced sensors for the detection and prediction of corrosion in natural gas pipelines.


Grant Program Focuses on Clean Construction

A new program from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will provide grants to support efforts in reporting and reducing climate pollution linked to the manufacturing of construction mat...


White House Warns of Shutdown Impacts

White House officials and industry association leaders are reportedly warning the country that U.S. infrastructure projects will be held up if the government is not funded by Sunday, Oct. 1.


Dog Gets Job at Bridge Construction Site

As construction on the Gordie Howe International Bridge continues, workers are looking for all the help they can get, which is why a dog has been brought on for an important role.


OSHA Targeting Stone Worker Silica Exposure

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has launched a new initiative to protect workers from silica exposure in the stone fabrication and installation i...


FRA Awards Largest Ever Rail Safety Grants

The Federal Railroad Administration announced on Monday (Sept. 25) that it has invested over $1.4 billion from President Joe Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law into 70 rail improvement pr...


Bangladesh Assesses Infrastructure Coatings Usage

Bangladesh’s government infrastructure megaprojects have reportedly contributed “significantly” to a recent surge in paint demand in the country, emphasizing the importance of paint producti...


NY Adopting First Clean Concrete Mandate

Last week, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced new regulations that will establish emission limits on concrete used in state-funded public building and transportation projects.


San Diego Begins Pure Water Project

The City of San Diego has reportedly entered phase one of construction in its Pure Water Project, reportedly meant to supply around half of the area’s drinking water by the end of 2025.


Guardian Opens Houston Distribution Center

Independent fall protection and prevention company Guardian recently expanded to Houston with a new 71,000-square-foot distribution facility.


FAA Disapproves Aircraft Part Makers’ Adhesives

On Sept. 13, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a “rare” unapproved parts notice, regarding aircraft adhesive products distributed from a California coatings company.


OSHA Awards Safety Training, Education Grants

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced earlier this week that it has awarded almost $12.7 million to 100 non-profit organizations for health a...


PHMSA Investing $15M for Pipeline Safety

On Tuesday (Sept. 19), the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration announced the award of $14.8 million in grants to fund projects that imp...


MassDOT Begins Bridge Lead Mitigation Efforts

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has reportedly begun mitigation efforts for toxic lead paint chips that have been falling from the Tobin Bridge in Boston.


Study Analyzes Dangers of Painted Bike Lanes

A new analysis from researchers at Emory University in Atlanta found that painted bike lanes demonstrated "estimated harmful effects,” meaning drivers may be crashing into riders more than t...


Plant Wastes Converted into Antimicrobial Agents

A recent study has investigated how a natural polymer that is an element of plant cell walls could be used to make new antimicrobial treatments or coatings.


Study Looks at Atomic Microscopy for Roads

An associate professor at Kansas State University is reportedly working with the Kansas Department of Transportation to propose the application of atomic force microscopy to state roads in a...


FL Heat Protection Ordinance Moves Forward

Last week, the Miami-Dade County Health Committee in Florida passed a heat standard for outdoor workers, moving the bill one step forward to potentially becoming law.


Updates Proposed for Gas Pipeline Regulations

At the end of last month, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration proposed a new rulemaking to strengthen safety requirements for millions of miles of gas distribution pip...


MO Roofing Contractor Fined for Worker Death

A U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation reportedly found that a Missouri roofing and coatings contractor offered employees the option to use ...


Study Looks at Tires for Building Construction

A team from Idaho State University has recently tested how recycled tires used as columns could reinforce buildings, protecting them from natural disasters.


Researchers Seek to Advance Stormwater Infrastructure

A team of researchers is reportedly working to advance efforts to enhance infrastructure information-sharing by building an inventory of stormwater control measures (SCMs) currently operatin...


Coalition Writes Against Air Quality Regulations

A coalition of industry groups have reportedly written a letter asking President Joe Biden’s administration to rescind its recent proposal to tighten air-quality standards, stating that it c...


Update Provides New Surfside Collapse Insight

The National Institute of Standards and Technology recently shared new details of the investigation into the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside, Florida.


White Paint Spill Covers Montreal Highway

Earlier this week, a truck reportedly spilled paint across a highway in Montreal, Canada, staining the road white and prompting a hours-long cleanup.


US Nuclear Infrastructure Over Budget, Delayed

According to the United States Government Accountability Office, as of March 2023, major projects anticipated to improve aging nuclear infrastructure that pose safety and operation risks are...


Researchers Explore Coatings Gas Detection Tech

A University of Pittsburgh research team, based at the National Energy Technology Laboratory, recently established how the use of plasmonic nanomaterials and polymer composite coatings could...


Report Details NY Rail Bridge Safety Concerns

The mayor of Binghamton, New York, recently released a city-funded report on the condition of railroad bridges, finding that a majority of the structures were in poor to severe condition.


IA Ranks High on Deficient Bridges List

A report from the American Road and Transportation Builders Association found that Iowa is the number one state in the country for the number of structurally deficient bridges, many of those...


Second Largest Civil Lead Rule Penalty Issued

The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, alongside the Environmental Protection Agency, recently filed a civil lawsuit against a general contractor for violations of...


Silicon-Based Coating Slows Spread of Fire

A team of researchers from North Carolina State University recently found an application for a silene material that can be applied to surfaces like wood, creating a barrier between combustib...


TX Judge Bars Construction Ordinance Ban

At the end of last month, a Texas judge ruled that a state bill that would do away with water break mandates and mandatory paid sick leave for construction workers was unconstitutional.


EPA Releases Water Contamination Data

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced that it is releasing the first set of data collected under the fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5).


Study: Segregation Contributes to Lead Risks

A recently published study has concluded that young black children living in racially segregated U.S. neighborhoods face a heightened risk of potentially brain-damaging lead exposure.


MVP-Owned Natural Gas Leak Causes Concern

A recent leak at a Pennsylvania natural gas storage facility, operated by the same company leading construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, was reportedly caused by corrosion of a well ...


DOL Proposes Overtime Protection Rule

Last Wednesday (Aug. 30), the U.S. Department of Labor announced a notice of proposed rulemaking that would restore and extend overtime protections to 3.6 million salaried workers.


Public Notified of VA Paint Spill

On Saturday (Sept. 2), the Alexandria Fire Department in Virginia issued a public warning about a paint spill that had contaminated waterways near Monticello Park off of Old Dominion Bouleva...


Coating Spray Technique Offers Medical Possibilities

Scientists from Rutgers University have reportedly devised a method for creating coatings of biologically active materials using the industrial spray-coating process electrospray deposition.


EPA Amends Waters of the US Definition

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of the Army have recently announced a final rule amending the 2023 definition of “waters of the United States” to conform wit...


DOL Awards $1.3 Million for Gender Equity

The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced the award of a $1.3 million grant to accelerate gender equality and inclusion in the infrastructure workforce.


Buttigieg Discusses Bridge Repair Efforts

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg recently stated in an interview with Scripps News that a massive backlog of broken bridges may mean that aging structures in need of repairs won’...


EPA Begins Maui Cleanup as Searches Continue

On Tuesday (Aug. 29), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began work to remove and dispose of hazardous materials from properties affected by the wildfires in Lahaina, Hawaii.


DOE Issues Annual Wind Power Reports

The U.S. Department of Energy has released three annual reports, reporting that wind power continues to be one of the fastest growing and lowest cost sources of electricity in America.


ON Coatings Supervisor Fined After Fatality

The Ontario Court of Justice has reportedly convicted a former coatings contractor supervisor after a worker died in 2020 when the relining of a water chamber led to an explosion.


'Smart Concrete' Tech Used on US Highways

A professor at Purdue University has reportedly invented concrete sensors that are now being used in interstate reconstruction projects across the U.S. in an attempt to prevent premature con...


DOL Suing IL Roofing Contractor for Penalties

The U.S. Department of Labor recently filed a suit in federal court to force an Illinois roofing contractor to pay penalties for repeatedly exposing employees to falls from elevations.


Lampshade Coating Acts as Indoor Air Purifier

New catalyst-coated lampshades have reportedly been designed to transform indoor air pollutants, such as volatile organic compounds, into harmless composites.


Bridge Collapses in India During Construction

On Wednesday (Aug. 23), a railway bridge being built in the town of Sairang in the northeastern state of Mizoram, India, collapsed, killing at least 26 workers and injuring two.


DOT Providing Maui Emergency Relief Funds

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recently announced $3 million in funding through quick release Emergency Relief funds for Lahaina, Hawaii, in re...


OSHA Upholds 2018 NY Trench Collapse Citations

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced it would be upholding citations against a former New York contractor after a fatal ...


Residents Call for NY Subway Lead Testing

A New York councilwoman, state senator and residents are calling for lab testing on lead paint chips that have been falling off the elevated subway station at Brighton Beach Avenue in Brookl...


Coatings Company Offering CA Hurricane Support

Paint and coatings manufacturer and retailer Tucson Rubberized Coatings recently announced that it is providing material discounts and shipping to assist communities in California following ...


EPA Issues Next PFAS Chemical Test Order

Last Tuesday (Aug. 15), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued its third Toxic Substances Control Act test order, requiring testing on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances under the ...


NETL Develops Cold-Spray Coating

Researchers from the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) have developed a new self-healing cold spray coating for internal pipeline corrosion protection.


ARTBA Releases Bridge Inventory Analysis

The American Road and Transportation Builders Association has announced that, according to a recent analysis, over 222,000 bridges in the United States are in need of major repair work or ne...


Investigation Identifies Bridges in Poor Condition

A recent investigation from Scripps News using newly released federal data reportedly shows the unexpected difficulties in repairing bridges in the nation that are corroded, cracked and at a...


Researchers Develop Sustainable PFAS Removal

A team of polymer chemists from Saarland University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have reportedly collaborated to develop a sustainable method for removing per- and poly...


OSHA Issues Citations to Norfolk Southern

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced earlier this month that it has issued railway Norfolk Southern citations for violations during clean-up...


CA Division Recovers $229K of Stolen Paint

At the end of last month, the California Highway Patrol reportedly recovered almost $230,000 worth of stolen Sherwin-Williams paint.


PA House Explosion Kills 5, Investigation Ongoing

On Saturday (Aug. 12), an explosion in Plum, Pennsylvania, leveled three homes and damaged dozens of others, leaving five dead and several injured.


Researchers Develop Carbon Capture Membranes

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have reportedly begun to devise new ways of capturing carbon dioxide emissions with the use of membrane-based carbon capture devices.


Water Warning Issued for Sherwin TX Plant Fire

The City of Garland, Texas, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced that some foam retardant has entered sewers and surrounding creeks following a fire at a Sherwin-W...


Injuries Prompt Paint Removal at EU Water Park

According to reports, a fresh coat of paint has been stripped off of a water park floor in Malta, Europe, after a reported increase of children getting injured.


CA Governor Signs Order for Levee Repairs

The Office of California Governor Gavin Newsom recently announced that the governor has signed an executive order on levee repairs and debris removal to prepare for the upcoming wet season.


DOL Announces Final Davis-Bacon Act Rule

Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Labor issued the final rule to update regulations that implement the Davis-Bacon Act and Davis-Bacon and Related Acts to provide greater clarity and...


Flint Marks Lead Standard Compliance Milestone

On Tuesday (Aug. 8), the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy announced that the City of Flint has met requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act for seven years stra...


NOAA Launches Air Quality Research Campaign

Scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and 21 universities from three countries are reportedly working together t...


Fire, Explosions Engulf Sherwin TX Paint Plant

Early Monday morning, a fire reportedly broke out at a Sherwin-Williams paint and manufacturing plant in Garland, Texas, injuring one factory worker.


U-M Receives Nuclear Reactor Corrosion Funding

The U.S. Department of Energy has reportedly awarded $7.5 million to engineering researchers at the University of Michigan for research into how reactors can withstand the effects of radiati...


MVP Construction Resumes After Delays

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court reportedly began paving the way for construction to resume on the Mountain Valley Pipeline, granting a request to lift lower court orders that had recently ...


IL Paint Recycling Program Signed into Law

The governor of Illinois signed a new law on Friday (July 28) that will establish a program to dispose of household paint.


Lead Violations Corrected in 5K NY Apartments

At the beginning of the month, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced that hundreds of lead paint violations in more than 5,000 apartments, among other concerns, have been successfully enf...


EPA Publishes Revised 1,4-Dioxane Determination

At the end of last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a revised risk determination for 1,4-dioxane through the Toxic Substances Control Act, evaluating it as a whole ch...


EPA Announces Lead Reduction Funding

Last week, officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a $58 million grant program to protect children from lead in drinking water at schools and childcare facilities a...


Work Begins on NY Water Tower

Work on a 55-year-old water tower in Riverhead, New York, is reportedly underway as crews begin to rehabilitate the structure.


Crane Catches Fire, Collapses at NYC Site

Last Wednesday (July 26), a 45-story crane collapsed at a luxury high-rise after a fire broke out in the cab, raining debris onto Manhattan and injuring 12 people.


Report: NYCHA Contests Lead Paint Violations

A recent investigation by CBS New York has found the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) was found to have contested more lead paint violations from the city’s health department than all...


Cities Painting Streets to Cool Down

As this summer’s heat affects wide swaths of the country, cities like Phoenix and Los Angeles have continued their efforts to coat their roads with a reflective grey paint to fight the inten...


OSHA Issues Heat Hazard Alert

On Thursday (July 27), the U.S. Department of Labor announced that its Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued a heat hazard alert, in an effort to remind employers of their...


VA Pipeline Explodes Along Interstate

On Tuesday (July 25) a gas pipeline along Interstate 81 in rural western Virginia exploded, leading to precautionary road closures as officials investigated the cause of the explosion.


DOL Proposes New Construction PPE Standard

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to clarify the personal protective equipment standard for the construction industry.


Autonomous ‘Hullbot’ Can Remove Fouling

A Sydney, Australia-based startup has reportedly developed an autonomous underwater robot that can inspect and clean biofouling on ship hull surfaces.


Contract Awarded for WA Bridge Rehab

The Washington State Department of Transportation has awarded a contract in the amount of $20,650,402 for painting and repairs to three existing bridge structures along State Route 529 over ...


IMO Adopts Revised Emissions Strategy

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) recently announced that Member States at the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 80) meeting have adopted a new strategy on reducing g...


Business Study Ranks States’ Infrastructure

CNBC has recently released their annual study scores for America’s Top States for Business, evaluating state infrastructure based on ten categories of competitiveness and ranking the best an...


Court Urged to Reverse Sherwin Lead Ruling

According to reports, insurers for The Sherwin-Williams Company have urged the Ohio Supreme Court to reverse a lower court ruling that dictated carriers owe coverage for a $305 million lead ...


Pittsburgh Unveils Infrastructure Group Noms

According to reports, Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey has nominated 12 individuals to fill seats on a committee created to identify city infrastructure projects that need immediate repairs.


Automaker Responds to Paint Odor Violations

Global automaker Stellantis has reportedly installed new technology meant to remove paint odors from the outside air after the company received several air quality violations for the odors c...


Carbon Tetrachloride Exposure Rule Proposed

Earlier this week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a proposal to protect workers from exposure to carbon tetrachloride.


DOL Expands Injury, Illness Data Requirements

Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a final rule to require certain employers in designated high-hazard industries to electronically submit injury and illness informati...


First Dam Removed at Klamath River

The removal of the first of four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River, along the Oregon-California border, has reportedly been completed.


139B Gallons of White Paint Could Help Climate

According to a professor at the University of California, Davis, if the world’s whitest paint covered 1 to 2% of the Earth’s surface, global temperatures would stop rising due to the amount ...


EPA, HUD Seeking Lead Paint Workshop Presenters

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development are looking for presenters for a virtual public workshop to receive input on the detection, ...


EPA Proposes Improving Lead Paint Standards

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced a proposal to strengthen requirements for the removal of lead-based paint hazards to protect against childhood lead exposure.


MVP Construction Ordered to Stop Again

On Monday (July 10), the 4th U.S. Circuit Court ordered construction to halt again on the Mountain Valley Pipeline in the Jefferson National Forest in Virginia, as it reviews recent challeng...


EPA Issues GHG Reporting Rule Proposal

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced that they have issued a proposal meant to amend the reporting requirements for petroleum and natural gas systems under the agency’...


Cracking OH Bridge Scheduled for Repairs

Officials in Summit County, Ohio, have recently approved a construction contract for the rehabilitation of the South Main Street Bridge in Akron after cracks in the span of the bridge were f...


EPA Unveils Framework for New PFAS Uses

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently released a framework for addressing new and new uses of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to ensure that they do not harm human he...


Mountain Valley Pipeline Approved for Completion

The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has reportedly approved completion plans for the Mountain Valley Pipeline, which will move methane gas from Wetzel County, West Virginia,...


Study Finds PFAS in Almost Half of US Tap Water

On Wednesday (July 5), the U.S. Geological Survey reported that at least 45% of the nation’s tap water is estimated to have one of more types of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PF...


NJ Institute Testing Seismic Building Materials

A team from the New Jersey Institute of Technology is assessing the seismic response of high-performance fiber-reinforced cementitious composites (HPFRCCs) to potentially better protect buil...


EPA Finalizes Asbestos Exposure Reporting Rule

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a final rule to require comprehensive reporting on all six fiber types of asbestos under the Toxic Substances Control Act.


EPA Fines MS Renovators for Lead Violations

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently issued penalties to nine home renovation companies in Springfield, Missouri, over alleged Toxic Substances Control Act violations.


MassDOT Gives Update on Chipping Lead Paint

On Wednesday (June 28), the Massachusetts Department of Transportation held a public meeting to hear residents’ concerns and give updates about the next steps being taken after lead paint ch...


EPA Requires Reporting for Nine Additional PFAS

Last Thursday (June 22), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule to update the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) chemical list to identify nine additional per- and polyfluo...


New Product Announcement: Paint Sanitizing Agent

Worldwide producer of antimicrobial hygiene function and material protection for textiles and polymers Sanitized recently launched a new triple-action product for sanitation and in-can prese...


Bridge Collapses, Train Derails in MT

On Saturday (June 24), a bridge that crosses the Yellowstone River collapsed as a train carrying potentially hazardous materials passed over it, causing several cars filled with hot asphalt ...


Leaning Millennium Tower Fixes Complete

Last week, the homeowners' association for San Francisco’s Millennium Tower announced that a $100 million project to fix the building’s leaning issues has been “substantially complete.”


3M Reaches $10.3B PFAS Settlement

Global manufacturer of industrial products and household items 3M (St. Paul, Minnesota) recently announced that it will be paying up to $10.3 billion over the next 13 years to fund public wa...


OSHA Seeking Worker Heat Standard Input

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is urging small business owners and local government representatives to discuss the potential impacts of a workpl...


Giant Paint-Eating Snails Spotted in FL County

According to reports, parts of Broward County, Florida, were placed under quarantine this month after a snail that can harm building exteriors, including plaster, stucco and paint, was spott...


Collapsed Section of I-95 to Reopen in PA

On Tuesday (June 20), Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced that a portion of Interstate 95 that collapsed earlier this month in Philadelphia will officially reopen this weekend after...


TN Announces W/WW Infrastructure Grants

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation recently announced 131 new grants, part of which will reportedly go towards drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure....


CA Reflective Coating Project Gives Update

The first phase of an initiative to mitigate urban heat in Los Angeles using solar reflective coatings, including application on over 700,000 square feet of asphalt roads and public areas, h...


Supreme Court Sides with Cement Company

Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with cement mixing company, Glacier Northwest, over claims of destruction of property from union workers on strike.


EPA Settles CA Contractor Lead Paint Violations

Earlier this month, the U.S Environmental Protection Agency announced it had reached a settlement with a California renovation services company over violations of the Toxic Substances Contro...


Surfside Pool Deck Potentially Led to Collapse

Investigators recently provided an update on the Surfside, Florida, tower collapse, indicating that the swimming pool deck had failed to comply with building codes and led to severe strength...


NTSB: Corrosion Played Role in FL Plane Crash

A recent report from the National Transportation Safety Board has revealed signs of corrosion and tension overload in the plane involved in a crash near Palm Beach, Florida, that killed two ...


DOL Extends Independent Contractor Rulemaking

According to recent court documents, a proposed rulemaking from the U.S. Department of Labor regarding classification of an independent contractor may be finalized in October.


EPA Removes Order to Fix Water System

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reportedly released Benton Harbor, Michigan, from an order issued in November 2021 to fix problems with its drinking water safety procedures.


Owner Pleads Guilty to IA Collapse Infraction

The owner of an apartment building in Davenport, Iowa, has reportedly pleaded guilty to a civil infraction after the building collapsed at the end of last month, killing three residents.


Truck Crash Causes PA Highway Collapse

On Sunday (June 11), a tanker truck carrying 8,500 gallons of gasoline took an off-ramp and crashed into a wall and caught fire, causing damage to a portion of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia....


Researchers Develop New Concrete for Clean Air

The Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology’s Green Construction by Photocatalyst Research Group has reportedly developed a photocatalytic concrete that can remove fine ...


FRA Issues First-Ever Rail Crossing Grants

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration has reportedly awarded more than $570 million in Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program funding to 32 states.


MD Residents Sue Over Lead Paint Chips

Property owners in Woodberry, Baltimore, have filed a class-action lawsuit against local television stations after lead paint chips began to fall from one of their broadcast towers.


Researchers Identify Moisture Absorbing Hydrogel

Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology recently identified a hydrogel material that could potentially be used for passive cooling and water harvesting in warmer climates.


AI Identifies Concrete Surface Pattern Cracking

A team of researchers at Drexel University and the State University of New York are examining how artificial intelligence, alongside mathematical methods, can determine how damaged a concret...


OSHA Cites IL Roofing Contractor for Fall Hazards

Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration reported it has found that an Illinois contractor has continued to expose roofing workers to fall haza...


EPA Proposes Ban on PCE Consumer Use

Earlier this week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a proposed risk management ban on most uses for perchloroethylene (PCE).


Chemical Companies Paying $1B PFAS Settlement

Chemical solutions company Chemours, alongside manufacturer DuPont de Nemours and agricultural chemical company Corteva, Inc., recently reached an agreement to resolve all per- and polyfluor...


Collapse-Resistant Building Standard Released

The American Society of Civil Engineers recently released the first national building standard of its kind, providing guidance to mitigate disproportionate collapses in buildings.


Surfside Collapse Investigation Enters New Phase

At the end of last month, the National Institute of Standards and Technology reported that it had finished moving evidence from the Champlain Towers South building collapse into a second war...


NY Carousel Reopens After Lead Paint Remediation

An antique carousel in Greenport, New York, recently reopened after testing revealed that the attraction contained lead paint, possibly from its original coating work a century ago.


Refinery Sues EPA Over Permit Requirement

The owner of an oil refinery in the U.S. Virgin Islands is going up against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in court requiring the reapplication for pollution emissions permits.


Biden Admin Invests in Brownfields Cleanup

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced funding to expedite the assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites in the country.


CA Passes New Rule to Ban Chrome-6

Last week, California air regulators voted to ban the use of hexavalent chromium in a variety of applications due to its high toxicity.


OSHA Cites OH Resin Manufacturer Again

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced that it has found that resin manufacturing company Sumitomo Bakelite North American...


Proposed NY Law Covers Lead Exposure Damages

Last month, New York State Assembly lawmakers advanced legislation that would reportedly bar the exclusion of coverage for losses or damages by the exposure to lead paint from liability cove...


Supreme Court Rules Against WOTUS Authority

Last week, the Supreme Court ruled to limit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to regulate water pollution into wetlands areas that qualify as “waters of the United States”...


West African Dish Inspires New Corrosion Study

A study examining the presence of metals in fufu, a common meal


New Technique Could Preserve Historic Buildings

Researchers from the University of Sheffield have reportedly developed a new method to assess the safety of stone and brick constructions, which could help preserve historic stone buildings ...


EPA Releases Annual Air Trends Report

On Tuesday (May 23), the Environmental Protection Agency released its annual interactive report, revealing decreases in air pollution and other long-term trends.


OSHA Announces $12M in Safety Training Grants

The U.S. Department of Labor recently unveiled the availability of more than $12.7 million in funding to support training initiatives designed to promote workplace health and safety.


Researchers Test for Hull Coating Replacement

A recent study has reportedly tested a silicone-based


EPA Issues AK Company Lead Paint Penalty

Earlier this month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency penalized an Anchorage, Alaska-based renovation company for violating the Lead Renovation


NTSB Requests Weathering Steel Bridge Action

On Thursday, the National Transportation Safety Board announced new recommended actions for bridge maintenance, following the ongoing investigation


‘Invisible’ Cellulose Coating Protects Against Bacteria

A new thin film made of cellulose fiber that is “invisible to the naked eye” has been developed to mitigate the transfer of pathogens on high-traffic objects.


EPA Proposes TSCA Regulation Amendments

Last week, the U.S Environmental Protection Agency released proposed amendments to the review of new chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act.


DOE Unveils Carbon Infrastructure Funding

The U.S. Department of Energy has announced $251 million in funding for 12 projects to expand carbon dioxide transportation and storage infrastructure


MS Dam Failure Deemed ‘Not Imminent’

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District has reportedly declared that the failure or breach at Arkabutla Dam in Mississippi is not imminent.


Study: Lead Rule Generates $9B in Health Benefits

A new study from researchers at Harvard T.H. School of


NYC Expanding Construction Fraud Task Force

Earlier this month, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office announced a major expansion of the state’s Construction Fraud Task Force to identify, investigate and prosecute corruption and fr...


PHMSA Issues MS Carbon Pipeline Failure Penalty

In what is being called the second largest civil penalty issued in the agency’s history, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration entered into a consent order last month ov...


New Sponge Removes Lead from Water

Engineers at Northwestern University have reportedly developed a sponge with the ability to remove metals such as lead from water.


EPA Proposes Power Plant Pollution Standards

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed a list of new standards for coal and natural gas-fired plants to address carbon pollution.


UK Researchers Develop New Antimicrobial Coating

The University of Nottingham recently created a new antimicrobial coating material using a common disinfectant and antiseptic.


Drones, AI Data Could Aid Disaster Recovery

Research from the University of South Wales is utilizing artificial intelligence and drones to enhance structural health monitoring, with the hopes to help areas impacted by natural disaster...


USACE Activates MS Dam Emergency Repairs

On Tuesday (May 9), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District’s Emergency Operations Center identified a potential breach at the Arkabutla Dam on the Coldwater River in Mississippi...


EPA Planning Port Infrastructure Programs

Earlier this month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced plans to invest $4 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act to port infrastructure and air pollution reduction programs...


Seismic Testing Underway for TallWood Project

The Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) TallWood project recently announced that testing is underway, with its first table training exercises showing successful resul...


DOT Introduces Pipeline Leak Protection Proposal

Last week, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration proposed a new rule to improve the detection and repair of leaks from gas pipelines.


NY Plans for New Construction Fossil Fuel Ban

Starting in 2026, the state of New York reportedly plans to require a ban on fossil fuel equipment in the construction of new buildings.


Coating, Corrosion Led to AZ Pipeline Explosion

According to an investigation report from the National Transportation Safety Board, a fatal natural gas pipeline explosion in Arizona from 2021 resulted from tented tape wrap, leading to str...


Brooklyn Residents Rally for Lead Paint Action

According to reports, lead paint chips falling off of elevated subway tracks in Brooklyn, New York, have tested “substantially above” federal legal concentration limits.


Tesoro Refinery Violates 2016 EPA Court Order

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, alongside the U.S. Department of Justice, announced that Tesoro Refining and Marketing Company will pay a $27.5 million penalty for violating a 2016...


OSHA Begins Workplace Fall Prevention Program

At the beginning of the week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced that it has begun a National Emphasis Program to prevent falls in the construction industry.


‘PFAS Annihilator’ Deployed to Treatment Facility

In its first full-scale, commercial deployment, the PFAS Annihilator is set to remove and destroy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in landfill leachate at a wastewater treatment facility ...


New Product Announcement: Concrete Expansion Anchor

Global height safety specialist Guardian recently introduced a new concrete substrate anchor for temporary applications or work requiring quick relocation during progress.


$6.5B Water Infrastructure Funding Released

Last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $6.5 billion for drinking water infrastructure upgrades through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF).


CTDOT Evaluating Bridges Using AI Research

The Connecticut Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration recently awarded a research grant to a University of Hartford professor to evaluate and predict infrastruc...


Paint Factory Explosion Air Study Approved

The Columbus City Council recently approved a contract to collect and analyze air quality data in a neighborhood near the Yenkin-Majestic Paints plant, following a fatal explosion in 2021.


Scientists Develop Site Safety Monitoring System

Researchers from the University of Houston have reportedly created a new site monitoring system to keep construction workers safe at job sites.


EPA Names 2023 Top Energy-Saving Cities

On Wednesday (April 26), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced its annual “Top Cities” list to spotlight cities with the greatest number of ENERGY STAR certified commercial and ...


Officials Investigating Harbor Bridge Crane Fire

A crane being used for work on the new Harbor Bridge in Texas reportedly caught fire last weekend, injuring two people at a nearby baseball game.


Timber Building Seismic Testing to Set Record

A full-scale, ten-story mass timber building project will investigate the resilience of these types of structures through a series of earthquake simulation testing this spring.


Orion Installs Cogeneration Tech at LA Plant

Global specialty chemicals company Orion Engineered Carbons recently announced that it has installed renewable energy technology at its Ivanhoe, Louisiana, plant.


EPA Reaches Air Toxics Settlement with Evonik

Earlier this week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a settlement with specialty chemicals company Evonik regarding alleged violations at a facility in Reserve, St. John the...


Sensor Changes Color When Bridge Cracks Form

An Iowa State University researcher has recently created a multifunctional stretchable strain sensor that changes colors when covering a crack in a steel component.


DOL, OSHA Marks 2023 Workers Memorial Day

Later this week, the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Mine Safety and Health Administration plan to honor workers whose jobs claimed their live...


EPA Proposes Methylene Chloride Use Ban

Earlier this week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed a ban on most uses of methylene chloride under the Toxic Substances Control Act.


Report: $157B Needed for US Dam Repairs

According to a recent report from the Association of State Dam Safety Officials, the estimated cost to rehabilitate the United States' non-federal dams is $157.5 billion.


NYC Parking Garage Collapses, Kills Worker

On Tuesday (April 18), a four-story parking garage collapsed in the lower Manhattan Financial District, killing one employee and injuring five others.


‘Exploded’ Paint Chips Plague ME Bridge

According to reports, the Maine Department of Transportation is examining the Westport Island-Wiscasset Bridge after a “catastrophic failure” of the paint on the bridge earlier this year.


New Water Treatment Removes PFAS ‘for Good’

Engineers at the University of British Columbia have reportedly developed a new water treatment method that removes per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from drinking water safely.


PHMSA Unveils $196M for Gas Pipeline Projects

Earlier this month, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration announced $196 million in funding from a new grant program to ...


Citations Vacated Over Fatal Painter Accident

The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission recently vacated a citation and fines against a California contractor over the 2020 death of a painter at a casino project.


NYC Construction Injuries, Fatalities Increased

The New York City Department of Buildings recently released its annual New York City Construction Safety Report, providing an analysis of building construction safety trends in 2022.


Biden Vetoes WOTUS Rule Overturn Attempt

Last week, President Joe Biden vetoed a congressional resolution that targeted blocking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s updated “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule.


UK AkzoNobel Firm Fined for Worker Accident

A Birmingham, United Kingdom-based facility of AkzoNobel Packaging Coatings Limited has been fined for “unsafe custom and practice on site” after a worker was crushed by a forklift truck.


IL Initiative Would Create Paint Recycling Program

A new bill sponsored by Illinois State Senator Linda Holmes would establish a program to safely dispose of household paint in the state.


Report: 2022 Global Methane Emissions Rose

A recent report from the International Energy Agency found that the global energy sector produced nearly 135 million tons of methane emissions in 2022, an increase from the year prior.


Court Orders CA Oil, Gas Company to Pay $65M

Last month, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California found gross negligence in a civil suit against oil and gas production company HVI Cat Canyon Inc., formerly known a...


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EPA Unveils $775M for Clean Water Infrastructure

At the end of last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced over $775 million from the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act to upgrade essential wastewater and stormwater sy...


AI Aids in Building Hurricane Resistance Research

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology have reportedly created a new method of digitally simulating hurricanes with the potential to develop improved guidelines fo...


OSHA Publishes 2022 Injury, Illness Data

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has published its 2022 injury and illness data as part of its electronic recordkeeping requirements.


Paint Spill Suspected in Sidney Estuary

A creek and estuary in Sidney, British Columbia, has reportedly turned “milky white” after a suspected paint spill nearby.


UTA Evaluating Cured-in-Place Pipe Method

A University of Texas at Arlington researcher recently received a $300,000 grant to evaluate a trenchless process for renewing sanitary sewer pipes in Soapstone Valley Park in Washington, D....


ME Files Lawsuits Against PFAS Manufacturers

Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey announced earlier this week that two lawsuits have been filed against manufacturers DuPont and 3M, alleging that they have promoted per- and polyfluoroakyl ...


NY Landlord Sued for Lead Paint Hazards

Earlier this week, New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit against a Buffalo landlord for “repeated and flagrant” violations of lead safety laws at dozens of properties.


EPA Proposes Water Quality Report Upgrades

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would strengthen annual drinking water quality reports with important public health information.


PHMSA Issues Proposed Safety Rulemakings

At the beginning of the month, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to adopt miscellan...


Judge Approves $600M Flint Water Settlement

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced last week that a judge has granted final approval in a $600 million settlement regarding the water crisis in Flint, Michigan.


Work Begins for New Orleans Pump Repairs

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has reportedly begun repair work on pumping stations in New Orleans after discovering corrosion on the systems earlier this year.


Injunction Filed Against Elastomer Manufacturer

On Monday (March 20), the U.S. Department of Justice filed a motion for preliminary injunction requiring LaPlace, Louisiana-based Denka Performance Elastomer, LLC to significantly reduce chl...


Harbor Bridge Design Solution Work Continues

Officials from the Texas Department of Transportation recently provided an update on the new Harbor Bridge project, noting that four of the five design concerns have been resolved.


University, Nippon Discover Zeolite Anti-Viral Activity

A research group from the University of Tokyo and Nippon Paint Holdings Co., Ltd., has reportedly found that proton-form zeolites have an excellent inactivation effect against influenza and ...


Coating Manufacturing Emissions Rule Published

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently published the final rule amendments to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for coating manufacturing facilities.


EPA Proposes First PFAS Drinking Water Standard

The Biden-Harris Administration recently announced a proposal for the first-ever national drinking water standard for six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).


Army Corps Inspecting Corroded LA Flood Pumps

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has reportedly discovered severe corrosion to a pump in the New Orleans flood protection system, just months away from hurricane season.


FRA, NTSB Launch Norfolk Safety Investigation

The Federal Railroad Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board announced plans last week to conduct investigations into the safety practices of Norfolk Southern Railway fol...


Largest US Building Earthquake Testing Underway

The University of Buffalo is reportedly preparing for what is being called the largest-ever United States earthquake test of a brick and mortar building, with hopes of making structures more...


Prep Begins for Klamath River Dam Removal

According to reports, construction preparation to remove the Klamath River dams is anticipated to begin later this month, with all four dams scheduled to be removed before the end of 2024.


OSHA Fines FL Roofing Contractor

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced last week that a worksite inspection found that a Florida roofing contractor misclassified worker wages...


EPA Challenges TX Case Against WOTUS Rule

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently filed a response to a Texas lawsuit, saying that the state has no standing to sue against the agency’s updated “waters of the United States”...


EPA Stresses Water System Security Improvement

At the beginning of the month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a memorandum emphasizing the need for states to assess potential cybersecurity risks at drinking water system...


Second Norfolk Southern Train Derails in OH

Just a month after the derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, a second Norfolk Southern train derailed Saturday (March 4) evening near Springfield, Ohio.


Report: Power Plant Emissions Lowered in 2022

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently released its annual data on power plant emissions, reportedly reflecting a long-standing trend of decreasing annual emissions due to changes...


NY Construction Firm Settles Lead Paint Lawsuit

At the end of last month, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that the United States has entered into consent decrees setting a civil lawsuit against a New York construction company for...


Report: Lead Paint Peeling Off CT Bridges

The Connecticut Department of Transportation believes extreme temperature swings have caused a “sudden, unexpected” release of lead-based paint chips on bridges across the state.


Evacuated SC Tower Reopened to Tenants

More than four months after evacuating due to structural concerns, residents are now able to return to their condos at Renaissance Tower in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.


EPA Orders OH Train Derailment Cleanup Action

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered Norfolk Southern to conduct all actions in the environmental cleanup phase associated with the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment.


COVID-Killing Nanocoating Receives Patent

A team of researchers from the University of Central Florida has been awarded a patent for their nanomaterial-based disinfectant that can kill viruses, including COVID-19.


Settlement Reached Over Lead Rule Violations

The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced a settlement with a Chicago-based company and its contractors regarding alleged violations of t...


Paint Prevents Scorpions from Entering Homes

A paint developed by two Arizona dads recently secured a deal on the television series Shark Tank, with hopes to keep crawling critters like scorpions out of houses.


EPA Updates Wood Product Emission Standards

Earlier this month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it was finalizing updates to its Formaldehyde Emission Standards for Composite Wood Products under the Toxic Subst...


New Product Announcement: Fire Protection Coating

Earlier this month, global coatings company PPG launched its new epoxy intumescent fire protection coating for architectural steel.


JPCL February Issue Now Online

The February issue of the Journal of Protective Coatings & Linings is now live on paintsquare.com and shipping to print subscribers. This issue contains feature articles on epoxy pass...


France Appealing Titanium Dioxide Annulment

Last week, it was announced that France is appealing the annulment by the European Court of Justice regarding the classification of titanium dioxide.


Metal Industrial Plant Explosion Kills 1, Injures 13

An explosion at a manufacturing plant near Bedford, Ohio, Monday afternoon has resulted in the death of one worker and injured at least 13 others.


EU Proposing New Chemical Exposure Limits

Earlier this month, the European Commission released two proposed directives to improve the protection of workers from health risks linked to exposure to lead and diisocyanates.


EPA Approves Refinery Chemical Removal Plan

Earlier this month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it has conditionally approved plans to safely remove dangerous chemicals from a refinery on St. Croix in the U.S. ...


Antibacterial Coating Research Awarded Funding

A project to develop sustainable antimicrobial surface coatings from advanced nanoparticles and naturally derived materials conducted by the University of Birmingham has recently been awarde...


Owner Ordered to Change Business Paint Color

The Scottish Government has upheld its ruling in an appeal filed by a business owner in Edinburgh regarding the paint color scheme of the building.


Biden Address Highlights Buy America Standard

Last week, President Joe Biden detailed the new Buy America requirements during his State of the Union address, including several new covered materials.


EPA Settles Clean Air Act Case in MO

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced that it reached a settlement with polyurethane manufacturer Foam Supplies Inc. regarding alleged violations of the federal Clean A...


Researchers Create Self-Cleaning, Magnetic Paint

A student from Gdansk University of Technology in Poland recently developed a new hybrid paint that is not only magnetic, but can reportedly fight bacteria, remove stains and clean the air o...


WI Water Treatment Plant Reaches Completion

After two and half years of construction, a new water treatment facility has opened in the City of Wausau, Wisconsin, making water for residents free of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (...


Qatar, Airbus Settle Paint Defect Legal Case

Preventing a lengthy, $2 billion trial later this year, Qatar Airways and Airbus have recently settled a dispute over peeling paint and other concerns on A350 jets.


EPA Proposes Several Changes to NECIs

In January, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it was seeking public comment on a new proposal that addresses environmental justice, climate change and PFAS contaminatio...


OH Train Derailment Chemical Release Successful

The derailment of a train carrying hazardous materials in East Palestine, Ohio, prompted evacuations as authorities worked to prevent an explosion in the tankers.


ME Painting Company Fined Over Lead Violations

Last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it had reached a settlement with CertaPro Painters (Westbrook, Maine) for alleged violations of the Lead Renovation, Repai...


New Product Announcement: Safety Anchors

Global height safety specialist Guardian recently introduced three new anchors to its lineup, designed to reduce complexity and enhance ease of use.


6 Tons of Paint Spilled on Australian Highway

At the end of last month, a delivery truck lost control and rolled over onto its side in Australia, spilling six tons of paint onto the highway.


Control Tech Reduces Orion TX Plant Emissions

Global specialty chemicals company Orion Engineered Carbons recently announced that it is using new control technology at its Borger, Texas, plant to reduce air emissions by 90%.


Painter is Singapore's First 2023 Workplace Death

In early January, a painter coating the exterior facade at the Waterfront Isle condominium in Singapore fell four stories from one of the structure’s concrete ledges to his death.


International Paint Fined for Chemical Release

Last month, the United Kingdom Environment Agency announced that International Paint, owned by global coatings company AkzoNobel, was found guilty on two charges relating to the discharge of...


Magnet Technique Removes PFAS from Water

Researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia have reportedly developed a new method to clean per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from contaminated water.


CA Proposes Banning Hexavalent Chromium

According to reports, a new proposal from the California Air Resources Board would ban the use of hexavalent chromium in decorative plating by 2027 and in industrial durability materials, su...


White House Unveils New Lead Removal Initiatives

Last week, the Biden-Harris Administration announced new actions and progress to deliver clean drinking water, replace lead pipes and remediate lead paint based on the Lead Pipe and Paint Ac...


EPA Releases Wastewater Regulation, Study Plans

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced its latest plan to lay out how it will work to protect the nation’s waterways to develop technology-based pollution limits and stu...


OSHA Cites Contractors After Platform Collapse

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently cited two contractors following a partial building collapse in Boston last year that led to a worker los...


Study: Steel Corrosion Causes Environmental Issues

A recent study from The Ohio State University is reportedly the first to quantify the environmental impact associated with steel corrosion.


EPA Seeks Input on Inflation, Emissions Programs

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it would accept public input on developing new programs focused on lowering carbon and other greenhouse gases in constructi...


Coalition Files Lawsuit to Block WOTUS Rule

Several groups recently joined together to file a legal complaint against the latest “waters of the United States” rule, claiming that rather than providing clarity to the definition, the ru...


Study: Hygienic Coatings Prevent Bacteria Spread

In a recent press release, coatings manufacturer Teknos shared results from its participation in an independent study to investigate the antimicrobial efficacy and safety of silver-treated l...


Civil Penalty Amounts Adjusted, Increased

Last week, adjustments made by the U.S. Department of Labor to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s civil penalty amounts went into effect.


Report Highlights MT Infrastructure Upgrade Need

A recent report from national transportation research nonprofit TRIP showed that, despite state and federal funding increases, Montana’s transportation system is still in need of road and br...


COVID-19 Top Cause of 2020 Worker Deaths

According to an analysis of data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 claimed more construction worker lives in 2020 than any other cause of death.


EPA Adds 9 Chemicals, Removes 1 PFAS on SCIL

Late last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention announced in an emailed press release that the Safer Chemical Ingredients List w...


3M Planning PFAS Manufacturing Exit

Global manufacturing giant 3M recently announced plans to exit per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance manufacturing.


UK University Patents New Corrosion Sensor

Researchers at Bournemouth University have reportedly developed and patented a new corrosion sensor to improve the safety and reliability of large structures.


EPA Defaults Renovators for Paint Violations

In a news release issued on Jan. 10, an official from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that two home renovation companies would be required to pay civil penalties for viola...


US Releases Transportation Decarbonization Plan

The Biden-Harris Administration recently released the first-ever U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization, with strategies to cut all greenhouse emissions from the transpor...


Egypt Apartment Collapse Kills At Least 6

Rescue crews are continuing to sift through the debris after the collapse of a five-story apartment building in Qulta, a neighborhood of the city of Assiut, Egypt—some 250 miles south of the...


EPA Proposing Stronger Air Quality Standards

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a proposal to strengthen key national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for fine particles, or soot, to protect communities ...


OSHA Issues Injury, Illness Reporting Reminder

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued its annual reminder to specific employers to submit the required injury and illness data for 2022 by M...


Temporary Hangars Installed for IN Bridge Corrosion

The Indiana Department of Transportation is reportedly installing several supplemental bridge hangers on a bridge located over State Road 46 after corrosion was found during recent inspectio...


Scientists Develop New Nickel Alloy Coating Method

The Government of India’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) announced earlier this week that researchers have developed a new technique to deposit nickel alloy coatings on high-perf...


Product Emissions Considered in Singapore

The Singapore Government is considering issuing limits on formaldehyde emissions in building products and household furnishings. Formaldehyde is commonly found in adhesives, composite wood a...


New Models Estimate Bridge Steel Rebar Corrosion

Researchers recently examined bridges in Minnesota as part of a project to develop guidance and methods to estimate rebar reinforcement section loss for bridge maintenance.


Fatal Scaffolding Collapse Investigations Continue

Authorities are continuing to investigate a deadly scaffolding failure at a residential high-rise project on a construction site in Charlotte, North Carolina.


Elastomer Manufacturer Enters EPA Agreement

At the end of December, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it had entered a consent agreement with LaPlace, Louisiana-based Denka Performance Elastomer, LLC for failing ...


Drones Inspect Wind Turbine Concrete Towers

Technical service provider TÜV Nord recently announced that it is using drone support for an end-of-warranty inspection for a European wind turbine manufacturer.


$125K Grant Awarded for Material Testing Research

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently awarded a $125,000 grant for the development of a standardized method to characterize the release of nanoparticle-based coatings from v...


Judge Rules Qatar, Airbus Trial Will Be Split

A United Kingdom High Court Judge recently ordered for the $2 billion Qatar Airways and Airbus trial scheduled for June to be split into two parts.


New Fern Hollow Bridge Opens in Pittsburgh

Yesterday (Dec. 22), officials opened the new Fern Hollow Bridge, after the construction of the replacement structure was completed less than a year after the original bridge’s collapse in J...


Engineering Firm Settles Flint Water Case

Lockwood, Andrews & Newman, one of the two engineering firms accused of negligence in the Flint, Michigan, water crisis, recently agreed to an undisclosed settlement, following a mistrial in...


Details Released After Singapore Painter Death

Last week, a Singapore coroner shared that no evidence of foul play had been discovered regarding the death of a self-employed construction painter who fell from a second-story ledge back in...


EPA Finds PCE Poses Unreasonable Risks

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced in a press release last week that it has finalized a revision to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) risk determination for perchloroet...


Weiler Abrasives Expands Safety Program

Abrasive products and brushes manufacturer Weiler Abrasives (Cresco, Pennsylvania) has recently expanded its SPOT Safety Training Program.


Company Offers Sustainable Laser Cleaning Alternative

With sustainability and safety becoming major talking points in the abrasive blasting industry, laser technology from companies such as laser equipment manufacturer Laser Photonics Corporati...


Investigation Underway for Shipyard Fatality

According to reports, the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration is investigating the death of a worker who fell while working on a drydocked ship in Superior, Wisconsin, earlier...


KS Keystone Pipeline Ruptures, Spills Bitumen

A segment of the Keystone Pipeline operated by TC Energy ruptured last week, spilling approximately 14,000 barrels of tar sands oil in what has been called the largest onshore crude pipeline...


OSHA Releases Top Violations for FY 2022

In an e-newsletter, the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently revealed its annual top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety standards for fiscal ye...


AR Contractor Fined for Confined Space Deaths

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined a Texarkana, Arkansas, construction contracting company for two employee deaths in July...


Study: Eco-friendly Antifouling Paint Most Effective

According to a recent report, researchers have found that environmentally friendly alternatives to copper-based antifouling paint were best at keeping fouling at bay on ships and vessels.


‘Overload’ Caused Norway Timber Bridge Collapse

A preliminary report recently released by the Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority found that “significant overload” caused the main span of a laminated timber bridge in Tretten, Norway,...


Study: Green Roofs Low in NYC

In a recent study, the Nature Conservancy, The New School, Columbia University and the Wildlife Conservation Society looked at the number of green roofs within New York City.


Sludge Waste Could Self-Heal Sewer Pipe Concrete

Described as a “world-first,” a project from the University of South Australia will look at using water treatment sludge to prevent sewer pipes from cracking in the form of self-healing conc...


Up to 500 Deaths Result from World Cup

In a recent interview with British journalist Piers Morgan, a top Qatari official involved in the country’s World Cup organization shared that “between 400 and 500” workers died as the resul...


EPA Orders St. Croix Refinery Chemical Removal

After an inspection identified several safety concerns, including pipe corrosion, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency entered a legal agreement with Port Hamilton Refining and Transport...


Members Sought for DOL Construction, Health

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently announced that it is accepting nominations for membership on the Advisory Committee on Construction Safe...


FHWA Expands Transportation Innovation Program

At the beginning of the month, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration announced the latest round of transportation innovations through its Every Day Counts Pr...


‘Cool Pavement’ Coating Peels Off in AZ Rain

A pavement coating applied to a Phoenix neighborhood with the hopes of lowering temperatures recently peeled and flaked off roadways during a rain event over the weekend.


NJ to Establish New Building Standards

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has recently announced plans to issue new environmental permitting rules regarding flood-control efforts.


EPA Approves Denver Lead Pipe Removal Plan

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently approved a nearly $700 million plan to remove all lead water pipes in Denver based on the results of a successful pilot program.


Floor Coating Applied to Meat Processing Facility

Food and beverage industry flooring specialists Allied Finishes recently completed a floor coating project for a chicken meat processing facility.


EU Annuls Titanium Dioxide Classification

Late last month, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) issued a press release announcing the annulment of the Commission Delegated Regulation of 2019 concerning the harmonized cl...


$10M Provided for NJ Flood Resilience Projects

Last week, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced it has obligated $10 million for flood resilience projects in New Jersey to communities impacted by Hurricane Ida.


Construction Practices Blamed in Grenfell Case

Members of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry have recently ended phase two of its public investigation, finding that “incompetence and poor practices” within the construction industry, among others...


EPA Publishes New Chemical Notices, Risks

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it improved public access to certain reports submitted by chemical companies in its web application for public access to no...


CISA Updates Infrastructure Resilience Framework

Last week, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency released an updated Infrastructure Resilience Planning Framework to help better protect critical infrastructure.


CMHA Offers Residents New Career Path

The Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA), alongside global coatings manufacturer The Sherwin-Williams Company, is taking the community by storm with brushes, rollers and buckets ...


Concrete Water Tanks Built to Withstand Earthquakes

A utility company in Eugene, Oregon, is currently constructing two of six new water tanks to improve resiliency against earthquakes.


EMSL Performs EPA Antimicrobial Coating Tests

Recently, an unnamed manufacturer turned to EMSL Analytical Inc. to determine if its antimicrobial coating has activity over an extended period.


Klamath Dam Demolition Procures Final Approval

Last week, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission gave its final approval to remove four dams on the Klamath River in California and Oregon, allowing what will be the largest dam removal p...


Artemis I Features Collection of Coatings Tech

Last week, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s historic uncrewed test flight Artemis 1 lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.


Sansin Coating Passes ASTM Standards

In a recent press release, global leader in environmentally friendly, high-performance wood protection Sansin Corporation (Strathroy, Ontario, Canada) announced that its FireStop97 flame spr...


New Product Announcement: Antibacterial Tech

Established in the antimicrobial, odor control, sanitization and disinfection markets, and part of Barr Brands International, Microban International has recently announced the development of...


WJA Launching New Pressure Washing Code

The Water Jetting Association recently announced it is planning to release a new code of practice for pressure washing to keep operators safe during use.


Buy America Material Requirement Takes Effect

While the Buy America requirements for construction materials took effect last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation has also proposed two new partial waivers for certain projects.


Property Firm Penalized for Lead Paint

In the latest slew of penalizations by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for lead-based paint violations, a property management and development firm in Waterbury, Connecticut, was rec...


MI Lead Pipe Replacement Nearing Completion

This month, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that the accelerated campaign to replace aging lead water service lines in the City of Benton Harbor is nearing completion, almost fi...


Smartphones Could Help Evaluate Bridge Conditions

A study conducted by a team involving researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has suggested that mobile phones could potentially collect useful integrity data while crossi...


Report: Construction Death Rate Stagnant

Despite efforts made by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration to better protect the construction industry’s workforce, recent reports have indicated th...


TX Bridge Work Resumes, Completion Delayed

After suspending work earlier this year due to design concerns, work has partially resumed on the construction of the Harbor Bridge in Corpus Christi, Texas.


NE University Wins Bridge Monitoring Challenge

Last month, a team of researchers from the University of Nebraska won the NATO Innovation Challenge for its work using sensors to monitor the health of rural bridges.


EPA Seeks Input on Inflation Reduction Act

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it would be seeking public input on a subset of new and existing programs funded by President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Ac...


MN Bridge Collapse Steel Installed at University

Last month, pieces of steel from the Interstate 35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis were taken out of storage and placed in what will be the University of St. Thomas’ new engineering building...


EPA Issues Drinking Water Contaminant List

Earlier this week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published its Final Fifth Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List, including an expansion of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances...


OH Startup Sealing Air Ducts, Building Envelopes

To help mitigate wasted energy in residential properties, a Dayton, Ohio-based startup has recently made its systems available across the United States and in 29 countries.


Deadline Extended for 2022 Prestige Awards

The deadline for submitting nominations for this year’s Journal of Protective Coatings and Linings Prestige Awards has been extended to Nov. 30.


Renovators, Contractors Fined for Paint Violations

As a result of being found in violation of lead-based paint safety regulations, 22 residential home renovators and contractors from Idaho and Washington recently settled with the U.S. Enviro...


Antimicrobial Paint Used in Case Study

In an emailed press release, global coatings manufacturer PPG recently shared that its antimicrobial paint containing Corning Guardiant technology was used to protect the largest school syst...


NY Landlord Arraigned for Lead Violations

The Erie County District Attorney’s Office recently announced the arraignment of Carrie A. Preischel of Boston, New York, for exposing a tenant to unsafe levels of lead paint.


Bridge Collapses in India, Death Toll Rising

A century-old pedestrian bridge collapsed in India on Sunday, sending hundreds of people into the water below as the search continues for survivors.


EPA Awards $1M for Wastewater Research

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently awarded a $1 million research grant to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to improve wastewater monitoring for the spread of infect...


New Safety Law Impacting FL Condo Owners

Since the signing of Senate Bill 4-D by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, condominium owners and associations are sharing concerns over the likelihood of meeting the new regulation requirements...


EPA Reducing Lead Exposure with RRP Rule

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is working to reduce childhood lead exposure through improved compliance with the lead-based paint Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule.


Enbridge Fined $11M for Line 3 Pipeline

Minnesota state agencies, in partnership with Fond du Lac Band, recently announced enforcement penalties resulting in $11 million against Enbridge Energy’s Line 3 pipeline construction proje...


Lawsuit Filed After Mandated SC Tower Evacuation

Just weeks after the evacuation of the Renaissance Tower in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, residents of the structure have filed a lawsuit against the building’s management team, including th...


DOL Proposes Worker Classification Rule

On Oct. 13, the U.S. Department of Labor published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on classifying employees and independent contractors.


Bacteria-Killing Material Developed for Surfaces

Researchers from the University of British Columbia have recently developed a copper-coated technology capable of killing bacteria.


2019 Refinery Explosion Final Report Issued

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board released its final report earlier this month for the 2019 Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refinery explosion in Philadelphia.


EPA Announces Lead Exposure Initiative

Earlier this month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the official launch of a nationwide training and outreach initiative focused on reducing childhood lead exposure.


OSHA Issues Metal Coatings Company Citations

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited a metal coatings company for 21 violations at its New Jersey manufacturing site.


Federal Court Upends $6M Lead Case

In a recent ruling, the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has decided to clear The Sherwin-Williams Company from a case where, in 2019, a jury awarded $6 million to three men whose brain dam...


Company Fined $1.6M for Pipeline Violations

National Grid, a multinational electricity and gas utility company, has recently been fined $1.6 million by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities’ Pipeline Safety Division related...


OH Contractor Develops Workforce Initiative

After successfully launching the Urban Workforce Development Initiative (UWDI) in Cincinnati, contractor Messer is now planning to use the program to add more jobs in the construction indust...


Researchers Awarded Patent for Metal Coating

A research team from Eastern Michigan University was recently awarded a U.S. patent for their invention of Organic-Inorganic Hybrid (OIH) coating methods to potentially replace hazardous hea...


University Develops Seismic Building System

Engineers from the University of Canterbury (Christchurch, New Zealand) recently launched a new building system designed to better protect houses in the event of an earthquake.


MI Proposes VOC Rule Amendments

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy issued a proposed rule package at the end of September regarding volatile organic compound emissions.


Chicago Passes Decarbonization Bill

Late last month, Chicago City Council voted to pass Mayor Lori Lightfoot's 2022 Chicago Energy Transformation Code, making the city one of the first major U.S. cities and the first city in I...


FL Solar Community Weathers Hurricane Ian

A 100% solar-powered community north of Fort Myers, Florida, reportedly retained power and faced minimal damage when Category 4 Hurricane Ian made landfall in the state at the end of last mo...


Scotland Inspecting Sewers with Drone, Laser Tech

Utility company Scottish Water is adopting the use of “state-of-the-art” drones and lasers to improve Scotland’s sewers and reduce its carbon emissions.


OSHA Awards Over $11.7M in Safety Grants

Recently, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced the award of more than $11.7 million in grants to educate workers and employers on workplace ...


Construction Tech Report Highlights Innovations

Late last month, the Associated Builders and Contractors released its second annual construction technology report, highlighting case studies on specific technologies and innovative practice...


New Product Announcement: High Solids Epoxy Lining

Sherwin-Williams Protective and Marine has recently announced the launch of its new NSF/ANSI/CAN 600-compliant high solids epoxy lining for potable water assets.


EPA Finalizes NJ Superfund Site Cleanup Plan

At the end of last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized an amendment to its original cleanup plan for the Cosden Chemical Coatings Corporation Superfund site in Beverly,...


Labor Unions Protest Coating Contractor

Despite recently reaching a settlement with the U.S. Department of Labor for misclassifying skilled laborers and denying overtime wages, several unions and community organizations are contin...


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Australian Bridge Repairs Near Completion

Officials in Port Macquarie-Hastings, Australia, have announced that work on the Rawdon Island Bridge has reached its final stages, after underwater inspections found damaged piles last year...


Arkema Joins Circular Plastic Recycling Project

Specialty chemicals company Arkema announced last week that it will be joining a consortium of Spanish companies to enhance the recyclability of post-consumer plastics and tires to reuse for...


DOL Expands Enforcement Program Criteria

The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced that it was expanding the criteria for placement in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Severe Violator Enforcement Program (S...


OH Panel Asked to Review Lead Coverage

Following the reverse and remand of an Ohio Supreme Court decision on Sept. 7, the Eighth Appellate District in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, has been asked by a group of insurers to reconsider its...


Robotic System Remotely Inspects Offshore Structures

A cleaning and inspection tool development led by Australian energy company Woodside reportedly offers safe and cost-effective remote inspection of equipment on offshore platforms.


PA County Approves Sustainability Department

During a recent Allegheny County Council meeting, members unanimously approved the creation of a Department of Sustainability. According to the approved ordinance, the new department will of...


AU Company Testing ‘Glow-in-the-Dark’ Road Lines

Australian company Tarmac Linemarking completed a trial run of its photoluminescent line markings earlier this year, with the “glow-in-the-dark” highway lines recently going viral online.


EPA, RI Company Reach Lead Settlement

Earlier this summer, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it had reached a settlement with a corporation out of Rhode Island for alleged violations of the Lead Renovation,...


Chemicals Combust at TN AkzoNobel Warehouse

On Friday (Sept. 16), the Nashville Fire Department responded to a report of chemical combustion at an AkzoNobel powder coatings manufacturing site.


RadTech Test Method Approved by EPA

At the beginning of the month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced its approved use of ASTM D-7767-11—Standard Test Method to Measure Volatiles from radiation curable acrylate...


China High-Rise Engulfed in Flames

The outer wall of a skyscraper owned by state-owned telecommunications company China Telecom was destroyed by a fire last Friday (Sept. 16).


University Engineer Develops Bio-Bricks

A civil engineering student from the University of Waterloo has recently developed carbon-neutral masonry units with bacteria.


Changes Proposed to Chemical Risk Program

After review, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently proposed amendments to its Risk Management Program (RMP) regulations.


NTSB Releases KY Pipeline Rupture Report

Earlier this week, the National Transportation Safety Board announced that a manufacturing defect and ineffective cathodic protection led to the 2019 natural gas pipeline explosion in Danvil...


Experts Concerned by MVP Coating Integrity

With pipes intended for the long-delayed Mountain Valley Pipeline stored above ground for years, concerns have been raised by residents and experts regarding the coatings, corrosion and the ...


DOL Awards $1.9M for Workplace Safety

On Thursday (Sept. 8), the U.S. Department of Labor announced the award of $1.9 million in grants to 14 nonprofits to fund workplace safety and health training programs to help workers and e...


Harbor Bridge Contractor Submits Design Fix

Weeks after being issued a notice of default by the Texas Department of Transportation, the contractor working on the Harbor Bridge in Corpus Christi, Texas, has outlined potential solutions...


EPA Finds PV29 Poses Unreasonable Risks

On Tuesday (Sept. 6), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it had finalized a revision to the risk determination for C.I. Pigment Violet 29 (PV29).


Chicago Lead Painted Viaducts Water Blasted

Viaducts along Central Park in Chicago have reportedly been water blasted by city crews just months after reports of testing found that the paint contains lead levels hundreds of times highe...


OH Court Issues Order for $101M Lead Case

On Thursday, the Eighth Appellate District in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, found that a previous order requiring The Sherwin-Williams Company to pay $101 million into a lead paint abatement fund a...


Highlights from Latest Issue of JPCL

The August issue of the Journal of Protective Coatings & Linings is available in print and online at paintsquare.com. This issue contains feature articles on lining systems for biofue...


DOL Launches 'Weekend Work' Inspections

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has recently launched a new initiative to conduct safety investigations on weekends in select counties in Colorad...


MS City Launches Lead Paint Safety Initiative

The City of Hattiesburg in Mississippi has recently introduced a new program for lead-based paint hazard inspection and assessment safety training, as well as lead abatement.


ND Engineers Survey Climate-Resilient Homes

A team of civil and environmental engineers from the University of Notre Dame (ND) is working to make homes more resilient to climate change and worsening natural disasters.


FERC Recommends Removing Klamath River Dam

At the end of last month, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission released its final environmental impact statement regarding the Klamath River Renewal Project.


San Francisco DBI Approves Tower Fix

Months after the San Francisco Planning Department approved a reduced scope for the stabilization of the Millennium Tower, the city’s Department of Building Inspection has formally signed of...


Mountain Valley Pipeline Deadline Extended

In a unanimous decision, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recently approved a new deadline for the Mountain Valley Pipeline to be completed more than four years after construction wa...


Inflation Reduction Act Addresses Equity Need

The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act includes $3 billion in grants to support equity, safety and affordable transportation access to rework roads and infrastructure.


NTU Coating Protects Wood from Burning

Scientists from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have recently invented a clear fireproof coating designed to protect wood surfaces and materials.


Timber Bridges Closed in Norway After Collapse

Last week, a Norwegian laminated timber bridge built to last a century collapsed into the river below just 10 years after it was completed.


DOL Announces Wage Compliance Seminars

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division recently announced that it will be providing online compliance seminars for contracting agencies, contractors, unions, workers and other...


Los Angeles Project Deploying Cool Coating Tech

A cool coating initiative in a Los Angeles community recently reached a project milestone, with the completion of 1 million square feet of roads and other pavement painted with the solar-ref...


TX High-Rise Evacuated Over Structural Concerns

Residents living in The Royalton at River Oaks Houston were recently evacuated from the luxury high-rise after a water main line ruptured, causing concrete on the first floor to buckle.


TxDOT Cites Safety Concerns for Harbor Bridge

The Texas Department of Transportation recently announced it was working with the developer of the new Harbor Bridge to address design safety concerns after suspending the project last month...


Paint Failure Further Delays WI Treatment Plant

After facing delays due to a lack of materials and coatings, the completion of a new drinking water treatment plant in Wausau, Wisconsin, has been pushed back again after facing a coating fa...


NY Seeks $5M in Lead Paint Case

In what is reported to be the largest amount ever sought from a landlord in a lead paint violation case in Western New York, the Attorney General’s Office recently requested over $5 million ...


New Drone Infrastructure Inspection Bill Introduced

Earlier this month, several U.S. Senators introduced companion legislation to the bipartisan Drone Infrastructure Inspection Act that was passed by the House Transportation and Infrastructur...


Lead Abatement Scholarships Offered in MI

To support lead-based paint removal in the City of Benton Harbor and across the state, last week the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced that it was providing ...


Mistrial Declared for Flint Water Crisis Case

Last week, a judge declared a mistrial after a jury couldn’t reach a verdict as to whether two engineering firms should be held responsible for lead contamination in the water in Flint, Mich...


Harris Announces $1B for Disaster Spending

At the beginning of the month, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris announced more than $1 billion in federal spending for disasters to be made available through a series of grants.


MA Governor Signs $11.4B Infrastructure Bill

Last week, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed an almost $11.4 billion bill to approve bond authorizations for infrastructure projects in the state.


$264K Recovered for Painters, Drywall Workers

The U.S. Department of Labor reported last week that a Louisiana-based contractor had misclassified 306 painters and drywall workers as independent contractors, resulting in denied overtime ...


Guardian Unveils 360-Degree Height Safety Website

Independent fall protection and prevention company Guardian recently introduced a comprehensive height safety resource.


PHMSA Issues Final Gas Pipeline Safety Rule

Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration announced a final rule to strengthen the safety and environmental protection of more...


EPA Updates NJ Superfund Site Cleanup Plan

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently proposed an update to its original cleanup plan for the Cosden Chemical Coatings Corporation Superfund site in Beverly, New Jersey.


WW Plant Likely Cause of Paint Discoloration

Residents from several neighborhoods surrounding the Bromley Wastewater Treatment Plant in New Zealand recently reported discoloration on their homes and properties.


New Product Announcement: Epoxy Lining

At the beginning of the month, protective coatings manufacturer Tnemec Company Inc. announced the release of its new phenalkamine epoxy lining.


Cars Damaged by IN-KY Bridge Dripping Paint

According to reports, several vehicles were splattered by paint dripping from the top of the Sherman Minton Bridge, due to a paint system failure.


DOL Recovers Wages for 135 Workers

Over a span of several days, the U.S. Department of Labor reported that it recovered wages for 135 workers across three different cases spanning the country.


FHWA Unveils $7.3B PROTECT Formula Program

At the end of last month, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration announced a first-of-its-kind infrastructure program to help states prepare for and respond t...


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Work Ongoing for Pittsburgh Bridge Replacement

Last week, two of the first beams for the Fern Hollow Bridge replacement project were delivered in Pittsburgh, with hopes that the project will be completed by the end of the year.


TX Introduces Construction Injury Prevention Act

To help address heat-related illness and death among construction workers, Texas Representative Sylvia Garcia recently filed the Construction Injury Prevention Act.


Canada Publishes New VOC Agenda

Last month, the Canadian government published a renewed version of its Federal Agenda regarding volatile organic compound controls on industry products, signaling the country’s intent to tak...


Reno Project Launched at MS Federal Courthouse

Earlier this month, crews began renovations at the Thomas G. Abernethy Federal Building in Aberdeen, Mississippi.


DOL, AGC Renew Industry Partnership

To reduce the dangers faced by construction workers, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Missouri’s Associated General Contractors recently renew...


Crop Spraying Drone Used to Paint Roof

A farmer from Norfolk, England, recently used a crop spraying drone to whitewash the glass roofs of greenhouses, paving the way for a potentially safer method of paint application.


‘Strain Paint’ Can Detect Damage in Structures

Researchers from Rice University recently announced that their strain-sensing smart skin system, capable of monitoring and detecting damage in large structures, is moving towards the impleme...


PA Invests $269M in Water Infrastructure Projects

Last week, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced the investment of $269 million for 11 drinking water, wastewater, stormwater and non-point source projects through the Pennsylvania Infras...


DC to Ban Gas in Most New Buildings

The Council of the District of Columbia joined several other major cities in the nation through the unanimous passing of two new pieces of legislation requiring that all new buildings and su...


Researchers Develop COVID Shield Coating

A team of Australian researchers has recently developed a sprayable coating capable of preventing the surface spread of infection from bacteria and viruses, including COVID-19.


EPA Adds 5 PFAS to Toxic Release Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule to update the Toxics Release Inventory chemical list last week, identifying five additional per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances s...


TxDOT Suspends Work on Harbor Bridge Span

The Texas Department of Transportation recently halted construction on the new Harbor Bridge span in Corpus Christi, Texas, due to safety concerns.


Pittsburgh Approves Contract to Assess Bridges

On Tuesday (July 19), the Pittsburgh City Council unanimously approved a $1.5 million, two-year contract to inspect and evaluate all 150 city-owned bridges.


Paint Issues Cause IA Pool to Close

Last week, the Splash Landing Family Aquatic Center in Bettendorf, Iowa, announced that it would no longer be open to the public for the remainder of the season.


Coatings, Materials Delay WI Treatment Plant

The completion of a new drinking water treatment plant in Wausau, Wisconsin, has recently been delayed due to a lack of materials and coatings.


NY Landlord Pays for Lead Paint Hazards

New York Attorney General Letitia James recently announced an agreement involving a Syracuse, New York-based landlord and their company for failing to protect children from lead paint hazard...


EPA Releases Draft Revision for TCE

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently released a draft revision regarding the unreasonable risk determination for trichloroethylene pursuant to the Toxic Substances Control Act s...


Trial Begins 4 Years After Genoa Bridge Collapse

The trial for 59 people accused of manslaughter and other charges in the 2018 collapse of Italy’s Genoa Morandi Bridge began last week before adjourning for the summer.


Construction Safety Bill Progresses in NY

New York state legislature recently passed a new construction bill that seeks to heavily increase fines for criminal charges associated with jobsite deaths.


Fire Injures 2 at Allnex Manufacturing Plant

On Sunday (July 10), a fire broke out at an allnex manufacturing facility in East St. Louis, Illinois, injuring two employees.


Anti-Viral Coating Developed by University Researchers

A team of researchers made up of Kuman University’s chemistry department faculty and others from the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management, Gwalior (...


Los Angeles Applies New Cool Pavement Coating

Last week, street crews and city officials applied the first-ever cool pavement coating in Los Angeles as part of a $1 million project to combat heat and address heat related illness and dea...


Leaked Report: Eiffel Tower Plagued by Rust

In a leaked confidential report, it’s been suggested that Paris’ Eiffel Tower is in poor condition given the amount of rust plaguing the structure.


EPA Finalizes Scope for Asbestos Risks

At the end of June, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released the final scope document for the Toxic Substances Control Act Risk Evaluation for Asbestos Part 2: Supplemental Evaluati...


New Product Announcement: Hydrocarbon PFP Coating

Global coatings company Hempel recently announced the launch of its first product for the hydrocarbon passive fire protection segment.


Mosquito-Repellent Coating Combats Disease

Decorative paints company Coral, an AkzoNobel-owned brand, has recently developed a mosquito-repellent coating to fight against dengue fever in Brazil.


Supreme Court Limits EPA Emissions Authority

On Thursday (June 30), the Supreme Court ruled that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency does not have the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.


WA Taking 'No Action' for PCBs in Paint

The Washington State Department of Ecology recently published its final report to the state legislature for regulatory determinations under the Safer Products for Washington Program, conclud...


Giant Floating Restaurant 'Capsizes' in China Sea

Recently, a historic three-story floating restaurant in Hong Kong reportedly sank into the South China Sea after meeting “adverse conditions” while it was being towed to an undisclosed locat...


New Product Announcement: Fire-Resistant Underlayment

Global manufacturer of roofing and waterproofing systems Polyglass USA, Inc., recently announced the release of an advanced dual-purpose fire-resistant and self-adhered waterproofing underla...


DOL to Revise Lead Exposure Standards

On Tuesday (June 28), the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to revise its standards for occupational...


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PG&E Fined $1.27M for Corrosion Remediation

The California Public Utilities Commission recently issued a citation against Pacific Gas and Electric Company for failing to correct problems with systems used to prevent corrosion in natur...


Flint Seeking Water Infrastructure Loan

The City of Flint in Michigan is planning to request nearly $12 million for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to complete the next round of upgrades on its water supply infrastructure.


Qatar, Airbus in Talks to Resolve Paint Dispute

According to recent reports, Airbus is engaged in talks with Qatar Airways to resolve a dispute of paint degradation, just days after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency defended its s...


Report Tests Seismic Performance of Materials

The United States Resiliency Council (USRC) recently prepared a report evaluating the comparative seismic performance of four commonly used construction types in typical multifamily developm...


Lead Paint Flakes Found in MD Neighborhoods

Last week, residents in Woodberry, Maryland, voiced concerns after finding red paint flakes that seemed to have come from work being performed on the nearby television tower which gives the ...


OR Adopting Concrete Environmental Standards

Earlier this month, the City of Portland, Oregon, announced the approval of recommendations to add Concrete Embodied Carbon Threshold requirements for city construction projects.


White House Scraps Air Force One Paint Plan

A White House administration official told reporters that a proposed paint job for Air Force One from former President Donald Trump has been nixed after a new study showed it could drive up ...


EPA Declares $6.5B in Water Infrastructure Funds

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $6.5 billion in funding available for the agency’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act program and the State Infrast...


HUD Announces $520M for Lead Paint Protections

On Friday (June 17), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia L. Fudge announced that the Department had made $520 million in funding available to better prote...


Street Collapses Near Gordie Howe Bridge

Earlier this month, a section of a street in Detroit near the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge collapsed while crews were conducting piling in the area as part of the bri...


Revisions Proposed for Millennium Tower Fix

A reduced scope for the stabilization of the Millennium Tower in San Francisco was recently approved by the project’s engineering review team on behalf of the city’s Department of Building I...


Paint Issue Could Cost IA Pool Summer Revenue

The Splash Landing Family Aquatic Center in Bettendorf, Iowa, is reportedly operating under a limited capacity because of chalking paint in its swimming pool.


NIST Surfside Collapse Investigation Continues

Since the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology launched an investigation into last year’s partial collapse of the 40-year-old Champlain Towers South i...


Air Force One Paint Plan Could Overheat Plane

A proposed paint job for Air Force One from former President Donald Trump could contribute to excessive temperatures on the plane, leading to other issues, the Air Force says.


LA Appoints First Chief Heat Officer

Just days after Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to create a chief heat officer position, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that Marta Segura, Director of the Office of Climate Emergen...


Students Develop 'Glow-in-the-Dark' Concrete

The American University in Cairo recently announced that four students have developed self-luminous concrete, aiming to light up roadways and pavement without using traditional energy source...


EPA Issues First PFAS Test Order

On Monday (June 6), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued its first Toxic Substances Control Act test order under the National Testing Strategy for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substan...


CA Bill Sets New Heat Protections for Workers

New legislation that could set new heat protections for employees working in “ultrahigh” heat and wildfire smoke outdoors is making its way to the California Senate for consideration.


Biden, FEMA Push for Stronger Building Codes

In a series of press releases issued at the beginning of the month, officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Biden-Harris Administration announced a national initiative to ...


Mural Artist Rescued from FL Water Tower

Last week, first responders in Dunedin, Florida, rescued a mural artist from the water tower he was working on after the motor on his lift equipment failed.


EPA Proposes Asbestos Reporting Rule

In May, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a proposed rule to require more comprehensive reporting on asbestos as the Agency continues to protect the public from exposure.


ESA Testing Antimicrobial Coating on ISS

The European Space Agency recently announced that it is studying materials for self-cleaning antimicrobial coatings to protect both astronauts and materials on the International Space Statio...


Utilizing Laser Ablation for Nuclear Surface Prep

While there are many methods of surface preparation, high power laser ablation systems have proven to be effective at nuclear sites for industrial contamination.


Report: Collapsed PA Bridge ‘Severely' Decayed

According to reports, a newly released inspection document revealed that the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh had “major decay” prior to its collapse in January, including exposed rebar, cor...


EPA Awards Over $250M in Brownfields Grants

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the award of $254.5 million in Brownfields Grants to 265 communities, including four grants totaling $1.6 million across Puerto ...


JPCL May Issue is Now Online

The May issue of the Journal of Protective Coatings & Linings is available in print and online at paintsquare.com. This issue contains feature articles on the new NSF water tank linin...


Scientists Create Coating for Mercury Sorption

Scientists from Flinders University in Australia recently modelled a polysulfide coating made from waste products that has shown to absorb mercury and other metal contaminants in water.


ABC Speaks Out Against Davis-Bacon Act

In wake of a new report issued by the Beacon Hill Institute, the Associated Builders and Contractors are again speaking out against the U.S. Department of Labor’s Davis-Bacon and Related Act...


PPG Facilities Awarded for Sustainability

Global coatings manufacturer PPG announced in a press release last week that five of its facilities had been recognized by the Ohio Chemistry Technology Council for programs that are advanci...


Cleveland Expands Exterior Paint Program

Last week, members of the Cleveland City Council approved legislation authorizing an expanded exterior paint program for eligible homeowners.


City Unable to Auction Off Queen Mary Lifeboats

While the City of Long Beach, California, originally planned to auction off the 20 lifeboats from the RMS Queen Mary, lead paint and a lack of bids is leading to the disposal of the boats.


Army Corps Awards $3M Concrete Research Grant

The University of Arkansas announced earlier this month that it has been awarded a $3 million research grant from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to investigate solutions to military infras...


University Develops Antibacterial Coating

Researchers from the University of British Columbia and the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute have recently developed a nontoxic silver-based coating for medical implants that resi...


Nearly $1B Settlement Reached for Surfside

In a recent hearing before Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Michael Hanzman, attorney Harley S. Tropin announced a $997 million settlement involving the class-action lawsuit brought by the fam...


ICC, BTF Announce New Collaboration

The International Code Council and the Building Talent Foundation (BTF) recently announced a new collaboration to support and strengthen the residential construction and building safety work...


New Initiative Aims to Combat Biofouling

Environmental NGO Bellona Foundation, in partnership with marine and protective coatings company Jotun, has recently launched a new initiative to define and implement a new ISO standard for ...


Corrosion Under Coating Shuts Down OH Bridge

A bridge in Brooklyn, Ohio, was shut down earlier this week when inspectors found corrosion under the beams coated with fire protection.


Investigation, Replacement Ongoing for PA Bridge

Earlier this month, the National Transportation Safety Board released an update on its investigation into the collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh, as the first concrete pours fo...


$101M Lead Settlement Gets Conflicting Ruling

Just weeks after a New York ruling, the California First Division Court of Appeal ruled on April 19 that Lloyd’s of London and other carriers that insured W.P. Fuller & Co. would not be liab...


PPG Fined Over Product Requirement Violations

The California Air Resources Board announced last week that it had reached a settlement with global coatings manufacturer PPG Industries, Inc. for selling products that violate the state’s a...


Design Revealed for New FIU Pedestrian Bridge

At the beginning of the month, the Florida Department of Transportation unveiled new design plans for the Florida International University pedestrian bridge, more than four years after the i...


1,000 Gallons of Paint Spilled in OH

Late last month, several agencies in Austintown, Ohio, worked to clean up nearly 1,000 gallons of spilled paint on a section of North Meridian Road.


IA Bridges Reopen After Contractor Error

Earlier this week, Des Moines, Iowa, officials announced that they would be reopening two bridges after they were shut down last month due to a contractor error, which resulted in the accide...


China Building Collapses Killing At Least 2

Crews are continuing to sift through debris after the collapse of a commercial building in Changsha, the capital of central China’s Hunan Province, just south of Beijing.


EPA Issues Water Infrastructure Funding Memo

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently issued a memorandum for $43 billion in water infrastructure through the bipartisan infrastructure law to deliver clean water and replace lea...


Battelle Showcases Pilot to Destroy PFAS

Independent nonprofit organization Battelle Memorial Institute, which focuses on advancing sciences and technology, recently launched a weeklong pilot demonstration for its total solution fo...


IL Water Supplier Project Nears Completion

A critical infrastructure project in the Village of Homewood, Illinois, which involved water line installation to transition water suppliers for the area, is reportedly nearing completion.


WA Adopts All-Electric Heating Mandate

Late last month, the Washington State Building Code Council approved a new commercial energy code in a vote of 11-3, mandating that newly constructed buildings be outfitted with all-electric...


ASCC Publishes Two New Safety Bulletins

Late last month, the Safety and Risk Management Council (SRMC) of the American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC) published two new Safety Bulletins: Emergency Rescue Baskets and ...


Highlights from the Current Issue of JPCL

The April issue of the Journal of Protective Coatings & Linings is available in print and online at paintsquare.com. This issue contains feature articles on using plural-component spr...


DOL, OSHA Pay Tribute on Workers Memorial Day

Last Thursday (April 28), the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration commemorated Workers Memorial Day to honor workers who have lost their lives on the job...


Researchers Create Pollutant-Absorbing Sponge

A research team from Northwestern University recently announced that they have developed a sponge capable of cleaning up oil, microplastics and phosphate from polluted waterways.


Study: Painting Asphalt Art Makes Roads Safer

According to a recent study conducted by Bloomberg Philanthropies, city streets are reportedly safer for pedestrians when the asphalt roadways are painted with art, reducing the rate of car ...


Klamath Dam Removal Project Gets DOI Approval

According to recent reports, the U.S. Interior Department and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission have given their support for the removal of four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath Rive...


Paint Spills Across the US Damage Several Properties

In the latest incident in what seems to be a slew of paint spills across the Unites States, a truck owned by home improvement retail company Lowe’s accidentally dropped a container of white ...


University Develops Paint to Fight Infections

Russian researchers from Tomsk State University have recently developed a new paint designed to neutralize common pathogens and reduce nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infections.


Structural Issues Outlined in Warehouse Report

According to a report by engineer Dan Bruno, “significant structural issues” may have contributed to last year’s Amazon warehouse collapse in Edwardsville, Illinois.


DOE Issues RFI for Building Code Funding

Last week, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Office issued a request for information to gather responses from the public that will inform the program development and exec...


FERC Approves Mountain Valley Pipeline Changes

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recently issued an order approving changes proposed for the Mountain Valley Pipeline Project, including how the pipeline will cross 183 waterbodies a...


DOL Announces Program for Heat Hazards

On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced the launch of a National Emphasis Program to protect millions of workers from heat illness ...


NYC Safety Report Shows Decrease in Incidents

For the third year in a row, the New York City Department of Buildings reported that its building construction-related incidents have declined, even as construction activity has rebounded fr...


EPA Proposes to Ban Ongoing Uses of Asbestos

On Tuesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a proposed rule to prohibit ongoing uses of the only known form of asbestos currently imported into the United States.


Addiction Recovery Promoted in PA Paint Program

Residential and commercial painting service Pennsylvania Painting Masters has recently been reported on its ongoing efforts to help individuals suffering from drug and alcohol addiction.


Qatar Claims Airbus Paint Defects Risk Fuel Tanks

As the court hearing between Qatar Airways and Airbus over A350 paint defects approaches, the airline now claims that the “defective” design of the aircraft poses a potential risk of the fue...


Insurers Liable for Over $100M Lead Settlement

At the end of March, the First Judicial Department of the New York Appellate Division ruled that Lloyd’s of London and other insurers were liable to pay over $100 million into a California a...


FL Judge OKs $83M Surfside Property Settlement

Last week, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Michael Hanzman ruled that people who owned units at the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida, that collapsed in June 2021, would divide $83 millio...


OSHA Proposes Workplace Injury, Illness Rule

Just weeks after the 2021 injury and illness reports by specific employers were due, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration published a new proposed rul...


Petronas Partners to Commercialize Pipeline Tech

Malaysian oil and gas company Petroliam Nasional Berhad has recently partnered with two different entities with the same goal: commercializing new pipeline technology.


FERC Rolls Back Updated Policies for Review

Last month, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission put two updated policies on hold for natural gas project certifications for review after criticism from pipeline companies, natural gas u...


165,000 Gallons of Oil Leaked from IL Pipeline

A broken pipeline in Edwardsville, Illinois, has leaked an estimated 165,000 gallons of crude oil in March, with some oil flowing into a nearby creek.


ASCE Releases Post-Earthquake Fire Framework

The American Society of Civil Engineers has recently released a new evaluation framework regarding earthquake damage and potential fire ignitions.


PA Proposing PFAS Drinking Water Regulations

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection recently proposed a new regulation to set maximum containment levels in drinking water for two forms of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl subs...


OECD Report Probes PFAS in Coatings

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) recently released a report on the commercial availability and current uses of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances found in va...


WorldGBC Launches Post-Disaster Toolkit

The World Green Building Council has recently announced the launch of its Sustainable Reconstruction & Recovery Framework, which will serve communities as a “post-disaster toolkit” when buil...


Team Presents Eco-Friendly, Fire-Retardant Coating

This week, a team of researchers presented a new type of coating that could limit the flammability of wood used in construction at the spring meeting of the American Chemical Society.


US Launches Clean Air in Buildings Challenge

In following the release of the Biden-Harris Administration’s National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan, last week the Administration announced the launch of a new program to improve indoor air qu...


FL Lawmakers Fail to Pass Condo Safety Bills

Despite increased discussions and negotiations between Florida government officials since the collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, the Senate and House of Representatives have...


CA Reservoir Project Pursuing $2.2B Loan

Earlier this month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency invited the Sites Reservoir project in Maxwell, California, to apply for a $2.2 billion loan through the Water Infrastructure Fin...


Rulemaking Proposed for Davis-Bacon Act

For the first time in 40 years, the U.S. Department of Labor is proposing a rulemaking for the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts to better reflect the needs of today’s construction industry and p...


Cleveland Landlords Pushed to be Lead Safe

While several years have passed since Cleveland City Council passed a law mandating the obtainment of lead-safe certificates for rental properties, landlords and property owners now only hav...


EPA Issues Civil Penalty for Antimicrobial Coating

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that a settlement had been reached with Allied BioScience, Inc. over alleged violations of federal pesticide regulations with th...


Sherwin, DuPont Share Win in Paint Suits

Wisconsin U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman released an order at the beginning of the month announcing that claims associated with several different suits regarding lead paint exposure would ...


Korean Researchers Develop Antibacterial Additive

A team of researchers from the Department of Nano-Bio Convergence of the Korea Institute of Materials Science recently reported that they’ve developed a material that provides antibacterial ...


Investigation Probes into Minneapolis Condo Cracks

For several weeks, investigations led by Socotec Engineering Inc. have been taking place at the Cedar Isles Condominiums in south Minneapolis over cracks in the hallways and common areas bet...


EPA to Oversee Paint Cleanup at Superfund

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced late last month that it had reached an agreement with Honeywell International, Inc. and the City of South Bend to oversee the cleanup of po...


PA Bridge Replacement Plans, Design Announced

On Tuesday (March 8), the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced design and construction plans to replace the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh after it collapsed in January.


OSHA Announces $3.2M in Harwood Safety Grants

On Friday (March 4), the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced the availability of more than $3.2 million in funds to train and educate workers a...


Historic Mill Building Restored with Sponge Media

Global manufacturer of dry, low dust, recyclable abrasive blasting media and related equipment, Sponge-Jet (Newington, New Hampshire) was recently reported to have played a role in remediati...


EPA Effort Announced for Chemical Reviews

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recently announced a new research program under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) with the goal of modernizing the process and bringing inn...


China Revokes Imported Coatings Requirements

At the beginning of the month, the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China issued an order abolishing the “Measures for the Supervision and Administration of the ...


Paint Accounts for Majority of Ocean Microplastics

A new study published by the Swiss-based Environmental Action has found that paint accounts for 58% of microplastics in the world’s oceans and waterways.


Repairs Begin on ‘Serious’ Pittsburgh Bridge

The City of Pittsburgh recently closed the Centre Avenue Bridge, which is rated in “serious” condition, to complete minor repairs.


Dozens of Claims Filed After IL Paint Spill

Since a semi-tractor tanker spilled part of its paint load leaving a Valspar paint manufacturing plant in Kankakee, Illinois, last month, nearly three dozen claims have been filed.


Coatings Giants Battle Over Patent in Court

Attorneys informed a jury on Tuesday (March 1), that a 29-year-old patent will be the key in determining whether global coatings manufacturers PPG Industries or The Sherwin-Williams Company ...


Two Firms Agree to Surfside Settlement

Months after the collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida, Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Michael Hanzman recently announced plans to review tentative settlements agreed u...


Largest Dam Removal Project to Begin in 2023

According to reports, the largest dam removal in United States history is scheduled to begin in spring 2023, including the removal of four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River in Californ...


Rebuilding in CO Stalled by Green Codes

After the Marshall Fire destroyed more than 500 homes in Louisville, Colorado, homeowners looking to rebuild are now facing expensive obstacles in trying to meet aggressive new green buildin...


UK Proposes Revisions to Building Safety Bill

The Secretary of State for Leveling Up, Housing and Communities and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations in the United Kingdom recently proposed amendments to the country’s Building Safe...


IL Paint Spill Causes Road Closure

Upon leaving a Valspar paint manufacturing plant in Kankakee, Illinois, a semi-tractor tanker was reported to have spilled part of its paint load earlier this month, resulting in the closure...


EPA Asked to Reconsider Pigment Risk

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recently been requested to reconsider its final risk evaluation regarding C.I. Pigment Violet 29 (PV29).


Committee to Discuss Concrete Prep Standard

Next month, the Association for Materials Protection and Performance standards committee for surface preparation will meet to discuss SSPC-SP 13/NACE No. 6, “Surface Preparation of Concrete....


Congress Urged to Release Infrastructure Funds

Several organizations have recently urged President Joe Biden and Congress to release federal funding, including appropriations from the bipartisan infrastructure law, in order to prevent pr...


OSHA Releases Marine Coatings Hazards Guide

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently released a new fact sheet regarding the hazards related to the use of preservative coatings in hot work ...


IL Lawmakers Look at Warehouse Standards

In the weeks following the tornado that killed six people at an Amazon facility in Edwardsville, Illinois, state lawmakers have announced that they will be considering statewide standards fo...


Roof Materials Believed to Fuel Fire in OK

Last week, an unfinished apartment complex valued at more than $65 million in Oklahoma City was destroyed after its roof caught fire.


New Chrome Provides Safe Coating Alternative

With a goal of replacing harmful hexavalent chrome coatings, Trion Coatings LLC (South Bend, Indiana) has developed a new safe and environmentally friendly chrome coating.


Jarsh Safety Unveils World's First AC Helmet

Late last year, Telangana, India-based technology and safety start-up Jarsh Safety introduced what is being dubbed the world’s first AC safety helmet.


Court Dismisses Denver Contractors' Vaccine Lawsuit

At the beginning of the month, U.S. District Court Judge Christine M. Arguello ruled to dismiss claims in a lawsuit filed by several contractor groups over the city of Denver’s COVID-19 vacc...


PA Bridge Collapse Preliminary Report Released

Earlier this week, the National Transportation Safety Board released its preliminary investigation findings for the collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh.


FL Bill Calls for Mandatory Structural Inspections

Just as Hurricane Andrew in 1992 pushed Florida legislators to address dated building codes and inspection regulations, last year’s collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside has shed li...


Kenzen Climate Tech Receives Award

At the beginning of the month, manufacturer of smart personal protective equipment, Kenzen, was awarded the Best New Mobile App Award for its mobile application, designed to alert workers wh...


Texas Power Grid Weathers Winter Freeze

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas reported that it did not need to cut power to any part of the state during the 48-hour freeze last week, after weatherizing the power grid in respon...


Contractor Facing Incarceration Over Violations

After failing to pay the United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration more than $2 million in fines, a Florida-based roofing contractor is now facing pot...


Bangladesh Factory Collapse Trial Resumes

After more than five years of being halted while several defendants attempted to have their charges vacated, recent reports have indicated that the murder trial over the Bangladesh factory c...


Recognizing Health Effects of Lead Paint

While the use of lead-based paints was banned over 40 years ago, the remnants of lead paint continue to be a major environmental and public health problem.


EPA Seeking Input on PFAS Reports, Records

On Wednesday (Feb. 2), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it was inviting small businesses, governments and not-for-profit organizations to participate as Small Entity R...


GA Park Designed to Prevent Flooding

A park in Vine City, Georgia, was designed to hold 10 million gallons of stormwater to alleviate flooding in the area while maintaining a community space.


Over $2B Funding Allotted for Disaster Recovery

Late last month, the Department of Housing and Urban Development issued the Allocations for Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery and Implementation of the CDBG-DR Consolidated...


NTSB Launches Investigation into PA Bridge

The National Transportation Safety Board announced Saturday (Jan. 29) that it has launched an investigation into the collapse of a bridge in Pittsburgh. The NTSB is planning to look at the f...


US Plastics Pact Releases Materials Report

Last week, the U.S. Plastics Pact released its Problematic and Unnecessary Materials Report, identifying 11 plastic packaging items that are “not currently reusable, recyclable, or compostab...


Bridge Collapses in Pittsburgh, Injures 10

Early Friday morning (Jan. 28), a bridge in Pittsburgh collapsed, injuring 10 people just hours before President Joe Biden was scheduled to visit the city to discuss infrastructure.


EPA Announces $688M in WIFIA Loan Awards

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced three Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loans totaling $688 million to help advance water infrastructure projects.


US to Strengthen Building Performance Standards

During the U.S. Conference of Mayors annual winter meeting last week, President Joe Biden announced that his Administration would be launching a Building Performance Standards Coalition dedi...


EPA Affirms Lead Paint Enforcement Plans

On Friday (Jan. 21), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced plans to proceed with the withdrawal of previously published answers to two Frequently Asked Questions concerning prop...


Researchers Develop Lava-Like Fire Retardant Coating

A reportedly non-toxic, fire extinguishing coating has recently been developed by researchers from the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba, Australia.


$1M Grant Awarded for Road-Painting Robot

A robotic pavement-marking system developed in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, has been awarded nearly $1 million from the National Science Foundation to advance ongoing research.


OSHA Issues Injury, Illness Reporting Reminder

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued its annual reminder to specific employers to submit the required injury and illness date for 2021 by M...


NLRB Reviewing Independent Contractor Standard

At the end of December, the National Labor Relations Board issued a notice in The Atlanta Opera, Inc. 371 NLRB No. 45 (2021) inviting parties and amici to submit briefs addressing whe...


University Studies Copper Coatings Effect on COVID-19

Researchers from the University of Waterloo have recently discovered that by applying a thin-film coating of copper or copper compounds on surfaces, SARS-CoV-2—the virus that causes COVID-19...


Renovation Firms Sued Over Lead Paint Violations

Last Thursday (Jan. 13), the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced that a civil lawsuit had been filed against CISNE NY Construction, Inc., CISNE JE...


Supreme Court Blocks Vaccine Mandate

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to block the Biden administration from enforcing a COVID-19 vaccine-or-testing mandate for large employers, undermining President Joe Biden’s attempts...


LA Pipeline Corrosion Causes Oil Spill

A pipeline near New Orleans ruptured and spilled more than 300,000 gallons of diesel fuel last month after repairs needed to fix corrosion damage were delayed.


UK Developers Forced to Fix Cladding

The Secretary of State for Leveling Up, Housing and Communities and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations in the United Kingdom recently issued a letter to residential property developers...


New Permits Granted for Mountain Valley Pipeline

Two water permits were approved last month for the Mountain Valley Pipeline, raising concerns over its impacts on the environment and sparking lawsuits.


MX Metro Collapse Inspection Finds More Cracks

Officials have announced that inspectors found 21 more cracks on an elevated subway line in Mexico City while investigating the metro collapse from May last year.


PFAS Testing Petition Granted by EPA

At the end of December, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it had granted a petition from six North Carolina public health and environmental justice organizations to ord...


EPA to Strengthen Lead and Copper Regulations

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced that it has begun developing new guidance and rules to regulatory framework on lead in drinking water.


Research: Electromagnetic Wave Absorbing Materials

Researchers from the Beijing Institute of Technology and the Heilongjiang Institute of Construction Technology in China recently published a review on the electromagnetic absorption function...


EPA Releases Draft Scope for Asbestos Risks

Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency requested public input in an emailed press release on its draft scope document for the Toxic Substances Control Act Risk Evaluation for Asbesto...


Nature-Inspired Coatings Could Benefit Medical Testing

Prior to the end of the year, researchers from the University of Toronto reportedly developed a new coating that allows for certain liquids to move across surfaces without experiencing fluid...


First Tornado Safety Building Standard Released

At the beginning of the month, the American Society of Civil Engineers announced the release of its newly updated ASCE/SEI 7-22 with the goal of better protecting infrastructure from tornado...


CSB Provides Update on OH Paint Plant Explosion

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board has issued an update on the Yenkin-Majestic Paint Corporation plant explosion in April that killed a press operator and hospitalized eight employees.


EPA Awards Funding for Safe Pigment Research

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the award of over $3 million in funding, split between 30 American small businesses with the goal of developing novel technologi...


White House Announces Lead Action Plan

The White House recently released its Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan as part of the bipartisan infrastructure law, to deliver clean drinking water, replace lead pipes and remediate lead pai...


Settlement Reached Over VT Bridge Allegations

The U.S Attorney General’s Office recently announced that it has reached a civil settlement with contractor J.A. McDonald, Inc. over allegations that it defectively built four bridges in Ver...


Eco-Friendly Blast Media Reduces Harmful Risks

When considering the health and safety of abrasive blasting operators and the environment, one aspect of abrasive media that comes to mind are the eco-friendly properties of media itself.


Utilizing Safety Practices in Abrasive Blasting

Safety guidelines are crucial to a worker’s health when abrasive blasting to prevent injury and long-term illness.


AGC Sues Over Vaccine Mandate

Despite the Associated General Contractors of America’s efforts to promote COVID-19 vaccination for construction workers, the association reportedly filed suit to block the Biden Administrat...


Looking at Coatings for Food and Beverage Plants

The Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency all have regulations in place for food and beverage plants, including which...


WA Issues Draft Report on Paint iPCBS

In taking the next step to finding alternatives to potential inadvertent Polychlorinated biphenyls, particularly those found in paint, the Washington State Department of Ecology recently pub...


Russia Cracking Down on Counterfeit Coatings

The Russian Building Ministry has developed a series of amendments to hold individuals who are producing or selling counterfeit coatings criminally accountable in the hopes of benefitting th...


Seattle to Address Seismic Retrofit Needs

Seattle City Councilmembers are planning to address its over 1,100 unreinforced masonry buildings in need of seismic retrofitting, most of which were built before 1945.


NJ Superfund Site to Become Solar Park

The GEMS Landfill in New Jersey, one of the first Superfund sites in the United States, is set to become the site of a new solar energy park.


US SEC Investigating Tesla Solar Panels

Following a whistleblower complaint, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission have launched an investigation into Tesla regarding the company’s...


EPA Invites Projects to Apply for WIFIA Loans

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced that it has invited 39 new projects to apply for Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loans.


OSHA Working to Develop Heat Standards

At the beginning of the month, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced that it had extended the comment period on the Advance Notice of Propose...


NYC to Update Various Construction Codes

The New York City Department of Buildings recently announced the official passage of major legislation in the City Council to update the city’s Construction Codes with the aim of keeping the...


Pilot Pile Approved for Millennium Tower

At the beginning of the month, installation of a second pilot pile was slated to proceed at the Millennium Tower in San Francisco.


MI Develops Corrosion Control Advisory Panel

Last month, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy announced the development of its Corrosion Control Advisory Panel to reduce lead in Michigan drinking water.


OSHA to Improve Workplace Fatality Procedures

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration released new instructional guidance on how the administration plans to communicate fatality in...


NYC Considering Drones for Facade Inspections

In a new comprehensive report released by the New York City Department of Buildings, the city contemplated the use of unmanned aircraft systems for facade and safety inspections throughout t...


Concerns Arise Over TX Power Grid Weatherizing

As winter approaches, Texas energy companies are gearing up weatherize their plants to prevent a repeat of this year’s blackouts.


Lawsuit Filed Over FL Condo Collapse

In a recent lawsuit filed on behalf of Champlain Towers South victims and family members, new allegations claim that the construction of a neighboring luxury building is what triggered the d...


EPA Announces New Lead Paint Enforcement

At the beginning of the month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced plans to hold property management companies responsible for lead-based paint safety requirements.


Research: Forensic Tool for Fire-Damaged Concrete

Korean researchers report that they’ve recently developed the world’s first forensic tool for fire-damaged concrete structures.


EPA Reviewing PFOA, PFOS Regulations

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency asked its Science Advisory Board to review draft documents regarding health effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.


Remote Control Robots Developed to Prevent Falls

Researchers from the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology announced last month that they have developed remote controlled robots to prevent falls at construction site...


ACA Urges Execution of TSCA Changes

In a recent letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the American Coatings Association wrote to express support of the continued implementation of the Lautenberg amendments to the...


States Plan Cuts to Boost Lake Mead Levels

As water levels continue to decline, officials have announced they are developing a voluntary water cut costing $100 million to leave more water in southern Nevada’s Lake Mead.


DOL Acts to Promote Workers' Rights

Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Labor, alongside the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the National Labor Relations Board, announced a joint initiative to raise awar...


Citations Issued for OH Paint Plant Explosion

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Yenkin-Majestic Paint Corporation for an explosion at its plant in April that killed a press operator a...


Grants Awarded for Wastewater Virus Research

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced it has awarded Tulane University (New Orleans) a grant to research human viruses found in wastewater intended for water reuse.


OSHA Issues ETS Vaccination Rule

On Monday (Nov. 5), the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration published an emergency temporary standard requiring employers with 100 or more employees to i...


LETI Publishes Climate Retrofit Guide

Last month, the London Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI) released a Climate Emergency Retrofit Guide to aid in retrofitting homes throughout the United Kingdom to meet national Net Zer...


Shoe Inspires New Building Protection Method

A professor from the Queensland University of Technology was recently inspired by a material commonly found in running shoes and memory foam pillows to better protect buildings from collisio...


Plans Revealed for MX Metro Rebuild

Carlos Slim, Mexico business magnate and owner of Grupo Carso, recently reached an agreement with Mexico City officials to pay for the costs of rebuilding the subway line that collapsed in M...


EPA Announces PFAS Strategic Roadmap

Last month, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan announced the creation of the Agency’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap to address contamination regarding per- and poly...


Sherwin Fire Protection Applied at Milan Landmark

In an emailed press release, global coatings firm The Sherwin-Williams Company announced that its fire protection intumescent coating system had been applied to a new landmark in Milan, Ital...


New PPE Helmet Available in US

Personal protective equipment manufacturer Ergodyne (St. Paul, Minnesota) has recently begun marketing its Multidirectional Impact Protection System-equipped construction helmet in the Unite...


EPA Finalizes Next Steps for Sherwin-Williams Site

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced this month that it has finalized its plan for the next phase of cleanup of the Sherwin-Williams Superfund Site in New Jersey.


Last Trial for FIU Bridge Collapse Scheduled

The trial for the last remaining lawsuit for the Florida International University bridge collapse in 2018 has reportedly been scheduled for Jan. 10, 2022.


Senate Confirms OSHA Leader

On Monday, the U.S. Senate voted in favor of President Joe Biden’s nominee to lead the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration.


Proposal Aims to Restore NEPA Regulations

The White House Council on Environmental Quality announced this month that it plans to reinstate federal regulations of the National Environmental Policy Act regarding environmental reviews ...


FL Contractors Create Safety Task Force

The Associated Builders and Contractors of Florida recently announced that it has created an industry task force for building structure and safety discussions.


Walsh Launches Addiction Recovery Program

As part of an initiative to address alcohol and drug addiction within the construction industry, U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and the Massachusetts Building Trades Council have launched ...


PPG Receives EPA Registration for Coating

At the beginning of the month, global coatings manufacturer PPG announced that it had received U.S. Environmental Protection Agency registration for its PPG Copper Armor antimicrobial paint.


Prior Pipeline Damage Caused CA Oil Spill

Coast Guard officials announced at a press conference Friday that the underwater pipeline responsible for the California oil spill was likely damaged by a ship’s anchor months prior to the i...


DOL Releases Conformance Request Guide

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division recently published a new guide aimed at assisting construction contractors and other industry stakeholders in understanding the process ...


EPA Awards Millions for Biosolids Research

The U.S. Environmental Agency announced in September that it was granting nearly $6 million in funding to four institutions to research the potential harming risks to human health and the en...


Study: Microplastic Paint Abundant in Ocean

A study conducted by the University of Plymouth and the Marine Biological Association (MBA) observed that paint flakes could be one of the most abundant types of microplastic particles found...


Study: Thermoplastic Markings Decrease Crashes

The North Carolina Department of Transportation found in a study that lane-departure crashes were reduced by 13% after rural roads were striped with long-life lane markings.


EPA Launches Lead-Safe Training Program

Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched a new training initiative, Enhancing Lead-Safe Work Practices through Education and Outreach, in Southern California communities.


Paint Company Cited After Employee Death

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Valmont Coatings following the investigation of an employee’s death in Oklahoma.


EPA Opens Nominations for 2022 Green Chemistry Awards

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking nominations for the 2022 Green Chemistry Challenge Awards.


Archroma Introduces Online Platform

Global specialty chemical company Archroma announced in September the launch of "The Safe Edge," an online platform for product-related regulatory and compliance certificates and information...


Construction Groups Sue Over Vaccine Mandate

Amidst the string of local and federal U.S. government officials instating COVID-19 vaccination mandates for workers, another lawsuit was recently filed alleging that the requirement is unco...


OR Passes Fire-Resistant Material Mandate

Recently, state lawmakers in Oregon passed new legislation outlining fire-safe building codes, in addition to the development and maintenance of a comprehensive statewide map of wildfire ris...


Coalition Announced to Quantify, Locate Lead Pipes

At the end of September, Google announced that it was awarding $3 million in grants to the BlueConduit Charitable Fund, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the We Act for Environmental...


Safety Sweeps Shut Down 1,499 Sites

Last month, New York City Buildings Commissioner Melanie E. La Rocca announced the results of the Department’s citywide “Zero Tolerance” construction safety enforcement campaign, revealing t...


Investigation Launched into CA Oil Spill

In a joint statement issued over the weekend, the U.S. Coast Guard and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced that an investigation had been launched into the cause, volume...


Contractors, Subs Mandated for Vaccine

In new guidance issued by President Joe Biden, federal contractors and subcontractors are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Dec. 8.


OSHA Awards Over $11.6M in Harwood Safety Grants

On Tuesday (Sept. 28), the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced the award of more than $11.6 million in grants to educate workers and employers ...


Amtrak Derailment Investigations Underway

Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board have recently launched an investigation into the deadly derailment of Amtrak’s Empire Builder train in a remote section of north-centr...


Notre Dame Cathedral Secured for Restoration

Officials from the French government agency overseeing the reconstruction of France’s Notre Dame Cathedral have recently reported that efforts to secure the structure have reached competitio...


Boston Passes Building Emissions Ordinance

In a unanimous decision, the Boston City Council has recently approved a new ordinance, requiring all buildings larger than 20,000 square feet to eliminate carbon emissions by 2050.


AU Projects Shutdown Over Vaccine Protests

Project sites were shut down last week after construction workers engaged in violent protests regarding Australia’s Victorian Government announcement to mandate COVID-19 vaccines.


OSHA Issues Enhanced Heat Protection Measures

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently announced plans to better combat hazards associated with extreme heat exposure—both indoors and outdoors...


'Static Liquefaction' to Blame for MI Dam Failure

According to an interim report released by the federally commissioned independent forensic team tasked with the investigation the failure of the Edenville Dam near Midland, Michigan last spr...


Plans Proposed for Grenfell Tower Demo

Despite safety concerns, ministers from the United Kingdom are expected to formally announce their decision to demolish the Grenfell Tower later this month.


EPA Plans New Wastewater, PFAS Regulations

On Wednesday (Sept. 8), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced plans to develop three new rulemakings in regard to identifying opportunities to better protect public health and t...


OSHA to Mandate Vaccines for Large Employers

In a statement issued by the White House, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is drafting a new temporary emergency standard that would require emplo...


New Report Blames Welds in MX Metro Collapse

Recently, Norwegian risk management firm DNV issued its final report regarding the deadly subway overpass collapse in Mexico City in May, finding that poor welds on the infrastructure were t...


EPA Plans New Rulemaking on PBT Chemicals

Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency announced its intentions to establish a new rulemaking and anticipates proposing new rules for five persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic chemi...


Electronic Signatures Approved for IL Agencies

Last week, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed new legislation allowing the use of electronic signatures at the Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority and t...


Wage Increases Proposed for Federal Contractors

Earlier this summer, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to increase the minimum wage for federal contractors.


HMG Donates Paint to Minutes Matter Campaign

United Kingdom-based independent paint manufacturer HMG Paints is working alongside the British Coatings Federation and its members to support the Minutes Matter campaign.


NIST Names Champlain Tower Investigators

Last week, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology announced its selection of a team of technical experts to investigate the partial collapse of the ...


EPA Open to Comments on New CDR Guidance

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced in an emailed press release that it is released for public comment some guidance on the two petition processes applicable to the Toxic ...


PHMSA Fines Dakota Pipeline Operator

Upon completing inspections at Energy Transfer’s Dakota Access Pipeline, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has issued a $93,000 f...


OSHA Fines Contractor $1.3M for Trench Deaths

Late last week, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that it is proposing $1.3 million in penalties following the death of two workers at a Boston dig site.


NJ Bill Passed to Replace Lead Pipes

Recently, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a new bill into law, requiring that hundreds of public water systems in the state have their inventories taken for lead pipes so that the inf...


FERC to Review Climate Impacts for 2 Projects

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has recently ruled that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission did not thoroughly consider environmental justices or the potential climate im...


EPA Reaches $1M Clean Water Settlement

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice announced that Noble Energy, Inc., Noble Midstream Partners LP, and Noble Midstream Services, LLC (coll...


Researchers Tap Graphene Coating to Combat Biofilm

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology (Gothenburg, Sweden) are reporting that they have developed a new method to prevent infections—by utilizing graphene coatings. More specifica...


Reports Look at Design, Corrosion in FL Collapse

Months after part of Champlain Towers South, in Surfside, Florida, collapsed killing 98 people, an investigation is ongoing surrounding what actually caused the collapse and how it unfolded....


PA Contractor Sentenced in Wage Case

A Pennsylvania contractor has pleaded no contest and has been sentenced in what’s being called the largest prevailing wage theft case in U.S. history. According to a press release from Attor...


OR Concrete Workers Test Exosuits

Employees of an Oregon-based concrete contractor are reportedly testing out new exosuits as part of a pilot project to look at workplace safety between the Associated General Contractors Ore...


OSHA Sends Reminder for Safety Meeting

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has released an emailed reminder that the next meeting of the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Healt...


IGM Confirms Photoinitiator PCB Levels

In a recent press release, global market leader in photoinitiators, IGM Resins confirmed that its Omnirad 1173 does not contain any detectable levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).


Work Continues, Suits Begin Around Notre Dame

The global effort to reconstruct parts of the Notre Dame Cathedral is in full swing as a Washington, D.C., group recently announced it will be using 800-year-old building techniques to recon...


OR Heat-Related Deaths Highlight Safety Need

A roofing worker has reportedly died of heat-related illness in Oregon, following what officials are calling a “record-setting heatwave,” according to the Oregon Occupational Safety and Heal...


Wastewater Continues to Help Track COVID-19

Thanks to wastewater surveillance, residents living in parts of Davis, California, were able to identify areas where cases of COVID-19 were increasing.


EPA Extends Comment Period on PFAS Rule

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued two new updates in emailed press releases regarding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, both extending the public comment period for its prop...


FTC Codifies 'Made in USA' Label Requirements

Earlier this month, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission published a final rule regarding “Made in the USA” claims and labels. While the rule doesn’t impose and new mandates, it does codify its...


Chemical Safety Board Reiterates Goals, Agenda

Earlier this week, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board released a video message from its Chairperson and CEO, Katherine Lemos.


PG&E to Spend $15B Burying Power Lines

According to a press release issued by California-based Pacific Gas and Electric Company, the utility plans to expand the undergrounding of electric distribution power lines in High Fire Thr...


UK Contractors, Architects Develop Part Z Proposal

A group of contractors, developers and architects in the United Kingdom have come together to call for whole-life carbon assessments of buildings with the goal to tackle the “hidden” emissio...


Workers Rescued from Sewer Construction Site

Last week, three construction workers became trapped 200 feet underground while working on the Deer Creek tunnel project in Shrewsbury, Missouri.


FL Condo Collapse Sparks Inspection Worries

A rise of inspections and questions have surfaced in the wake of Miami’s Champlain Towers South condominium collapse at the end of last month—including worries about structures all over the ...


Walsh Requests Budget Boost for OSHA

U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh has reportedly requested an increase in funding for Occupational Safety and Health Administration staffing. During a Senate subcommittee meeting last week, W...


Whistleblowers Speak Out About Shell Falcon Pipeline

According to two former pipeline inspectors, “bad seeds” are undermining the safety at Royal Dutch Shell PLC’s Falcon pipeline project, part of the company’s massive new petrochemical plant ...


CA Hospitals Aim to Push Seismic Requirements

The California Hospital Association, along with Gov. Gavin Newsom, are proposing another extension that would mandate hospitals upgrade their structures to ensure that they can stand up to a...


EPA Announces TSCA Committee, Webinar

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently made several announcements via email regarding the Toxic Substances Control Act: namely, that new members have been appointed to the TSCA Sc...


EPA Unveils PFAS Stewardship Program, Webinar

On Wednesday, the Environmental Protection Agency announced a stewardship program that it says aims to encourage the voluntary withdrawal of previously granted low volume exemptions (LVEs) f...


DOL Honors Worker Death with Heat Reminders

In honoring the heat-related death of a worker this time last year, the Department of Labor is urging everyone, but especially western New Yorkers, to safeguard against weather hazards.


EPA Revokes Exemption for Antimicrobial Coating

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Stop Sale, Use or Removal Order to Allied BioScience for its product SurfaceWise2, a residual antimicrobial surface coating.


China Halts High-Rise Work Over Safety

China’s National Development and Reform Commission announced last week that it is prohibiting the construction of some of the tallest high-rises among mounting safety concerns.


AZ Company Develops Drinking Water Tech

Based out of Scottsdale, Arizona, new commercial company Source Global, PBC, has developed a new way to deliver renewable, mineralized clean drinking water made from the power of its specifi...


OR Passes Emissions Bill

Oregon lawmakers recently passed legislation requiring that the state’s power grid reduce its carbon emissions by 80% by 2030 and 90% by 2035.


Navy, EPA Enter Wastewater Upgrade Agreement

Announced at the end of June, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported that it would be entering a Federal Facility Compliance Agreement with the U.S. Navy to complete major upgrade...


PG&E Agrees to $5.9M Water Discharge Settlement

The Pacific Gas and Electric Company recently reached a settlement agreement, involving the payment of $5.9 million to the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, which are slate...


New Product Announcement: Fireproofing Coating

The Sherwin-Williams Protective and Marine has recently announced the launch of a new cellulosic fireproofing coating to provide critical fire protection on construction projects.


EPA Announces Changes to TSCA Evaluations

On Wednesday (June 30), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced policy changes surrounding the Toxic Substances Control Act that impact the first 10 chemicals that underwent risk ...


Inspection Sweep Shuts Down 300 Sites in NYC

New York City’s Department of Buildings has reportedly shut down 322 construction sites due to hazardous conditions.


CA Water Tank Explosion Causes Fatality

Last week, a 1.5-million-gallon water tank exploded in at the Station 7 Water Facility in Lemoore, California.


OSHA to Increase CO Site Inspections

Construction sites in Colorado will now be subject to random, weekend safety inspections from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, according to a new...


DC Pedestrian Bridge Collapses

On Wednesday (June 23), several people were injured after a truck hit a pedestrian bridge over Interstate 295 in Washington D.C., collapsing as a result of the incident.


FL Condo Collapses Killing At Least 9

Crews are continuing to sift through debris after the collapse of a residential building last week, in the Surfside neighborhood of Florida, about six miles north of Miami beach. As of Sunda...


Vancouver to Pause Net-Zero Code Update

The City of Vancouver is considering holding off on recent net-zero construction requirements over a concern of building permit delays.


BCF: Manufacturers Worried About UK REACH

The British Coatings Federation recently released a survey of United Kingdom coatings manufacturers, who are increasingly concerned about the impact of the new U.K. chemical regulations.


$19M Settlement Reached for CITGO Oil Spill

Last week, the United States Department of Justice announced that Houston-based CITGO Petroleum Corporation had agreed to a $19.69 million settlement to resolve federal and state claims for ...


DOL Announces $21M in Safety Training Funding

The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced funding opportunities for more than $21 million in Occupational Safety and Health Administration training grants for non-profits.


DOL to Look at Overtime Pay Threshold

At a House committee hearing earlier this month, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh revealed that the Department of Labor will again be reviewing the current overtime threshold under the Fair Labor...


Prelim Findings Show Plagued MX Metro

Preliminary findings of Norwegian risk management firm DNV’s investigation into the deadly subway overpass collapse in Mexico City last month have revealed a structural fault as a leading ca...


ASCE Releases Manual for Infrastructure

Last week, the American Society of Civil Engineers released a new manual of practice, reporting that the document will give civil engineers the tools to design, plan, and build more resilien...


FL Authorizes Virtual Inspection Practices

Earlier this year, the Florida Building Codes Act was amended to authorize any government entity with the authority to enforce the building code to perform virtual inspections.


UK Issues New Guidance on Bridge Scour

The Construction Industry Research and Information Association (United Kingdom) has recently launched new guidance on bridge scour.


MI Sandblasting Business Cited for Violations

On several occasions this year, Kalamazoo Sandblast (Kalamazoo, Michigan) was investigated by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), Air Quality Division (AQD) upon r...


WA Finds Reason to Restrict Paint iPCBs

The Washington State Department of Ecology hosted its webinar at the beginning of the month that provided an update on its efforts to find alternatives to potential inadvertent Polychlorinat...


AWC Releases New Fire Design Publication

The American Wood Council recently released a new publication for fire design of wood members, assemblies and connections to meet code requirements, 2021 Fire Design Specification for Woo...


Lake Mead Suffers Historic Lows, Dam Energy Affected

Last week, southern Nevada’s Lake Mead hit historic lows, with officials reporting that the United States’ largest reservoir by volume was at an all-time low of just 1,071.44 feet—or roughly...


EPA Announces Multiple Actions on PFAS

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced three actions with the goal of reducing risks to the public from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.


MTA Suspends Several Track Inspectors

Last week, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Inspector General Carolyn Pokorny announced the findings of a nearly year-long investigation into the neglect of several track inspectors.


2021 European Coatings Show Officially Canceled

Vincentz Network, organizer of the European Coatings Show, and NürnbergMesse, jointly announced on Monday that the European Coatings Show has been canceled.


Railway Safety Questioned in Pakistan Crash

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered investigations into the country’s railway safety fault lines in wake of Monday’s (June 7) train derailment and collision, which caused at leas...


NSF Awards University for Drinking Water Research

At the beginning of the month, the National Science Foundation awarded the University of Pittsburgh a $500,000 CAREER award to address the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal.


FY22 Budget Proposes $11.2B for EPA

Last week, President Joe Biden submitted his budget request of $11.2 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency, with emphasis on issues such as the environment, science and support of ...


Kenzen Announces PPE Summer Rental

Manufacturer of smart personal protective equipment, Kenzen, has recently announced via emailed press release that it will be offering a new rental program for its wearable devices.


DOB to Sweep Large NYC Construction Sites

New York’s Department of Buildings Commissioner Melanie E. La Rocca announced last week that the DOB will be mobilizing teams of inspectors across the city’s five boroughs to perform safety ...


JPCL May Issue is Now Online

The May issue of the Journal of Protective Coatings & Linings is now online, available through options including an interactive digital edition, a full complement of web content and d...


Walsh Appoints 15 to Safety Advisory Board

Late last week, U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh announced that he has appointed 15 individuals to serve as members on the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health, which aims...


Work Underway on Memphis Bridge

Last week, officials from the Tennessee Department of Transportation announced that repairs to a fractured steel support beam on the I-40 Hernando de Soto bridge were underway.


Report: Decking Questioned at NOLA Hard Rock

Records recently obtained by WWL-TV show that a materials supplier for the NOLA Hard Rock project tried to warn those closer to the design that it needed more steel supports on the upper flo...


FL Governor Signs Flood Prevention Law

To better prepare the state for future flooding and sea level rise, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently signed two bills into law, outlining a several-years-long spending plan.


US, UK Agree to Work Together for BIM Program

Early this week, a Memorandum of Understanding was announced between representatives of the United Kingdom and the United States as a pledge to work together on the development of the U.S. N...


OSHA to Change Words in Beryllium Rulings

A years-long challenge between the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and several companies that produce or use blasting materials containing trace amounts of beryllium has reache...


Oil Chem Owner Sentenced for Flint Dumping

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that President and owner of Oil Chem Inc., Robert J. Massey, had been sentenced 12 months in prison for violating the Clean Water...


CA Proposes Over $5B for Water Infrastructure

In the wake of an ongoing and expanding state-wide drought, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed a $5.1 billion investment, slated to take over four years, for immediate drought respons...


Vortex Epoxy Coating Passes Greenbook

Global provider of trenchless infrastructure products and services, Vortex Companies, LLC, announced last week that its 100% solids epoxy coating, Structure Guard, had passed critical chemic...


Architecture Firm Develops Sustainable Products Database

The London office of architecture firm Perkins&Will announced that it is developing a searchable directory of sustainable products to help minimize the carbon footprint of interior projects.


EPA Extends Notification Period for Inventory

The Environmental Protection Agency has announced in an emailed press release that it has extended the notification deadline for a list of chemicals that are expected to lose their confident...


Officials Release Plans for Memphis Bridge Fix

Following the discovery of a structural crack on the Hernando de Soto 'M' bridge, the Tennessee Department of Transportation and the Arkansas Department of Transportation have announced a co...


NAHB to Partner in Mental Health Action Day

That National Association of Home Builders recently announced that it is partnering with more than 800 companies and associates for the first-ever Mental Health Action Day, to be held on May...


Firm Tapped to Investigate MX Metro Collapse

In the events following the subway overpass collapse in Mexico City at the beginning of the month, Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum has recently announced that Norwegian risk management firm DNV has ...


Tourist Left Dangling after Glass Bridge Shatters

In a horrific incident at the Piyan Mountain resort in Longjing City, China, a tourist became temporarily stranded on the resort’s glass-bottomed suspension bridge after extreme winds shatte...


UK High-Rise Fire Turns Eyes to Cladding Work

A high-rise block with similar cladding to the Grenfell Tower caught fire in London late last week. No one was killed, but the incident highlights delays responsibility arguments regarding r...


WA to Hold Webinar on PCB, Paint Inquiry

The Washington State Department of Ecology is moving forward with its inquiry into inadvertent Polychlorinated biphenyls (iPCBs), this time with a webinar that’s slated for June 1.


Skanska Worker Killed on Pensacola Bridge

At the end of last month, a deadly accident was reported at the Pensacola Bay Bridge, involving a Skanska employee being struck by a subcontractor’s dump truck on the work site.


EPA Announces Chemical Reporting Updates

Late last week the Environmental Protection Agency released multiple announcements regarding toxic substances and chemicals.


FHWA Inspection Program Celebrates 50 Years

Observed during the last week of April, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration celebrated the 50th anniversary of its National Bridge Inspection Standards.


Notre Dame Officials Tap AutoDesk for Tech, BIM

Building software firm Autodesk recently confirmed in a press release that it will be helping Notre Dame Cathedral officials with by contributing design and construction solutions to the reb...


Mexico City Metro Overpass Collapse Kills 23

On Monday evening (May 3), a subway overpass in Mexico City collapsed into a busy boulevard, causing cars of the passenger train to fall into the street below.


JPCL Presents 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards

In debuting the Journal of Protective Coatings & Linings’ independent, inaugural issue of sorts last month, one aspect that continued to stay consistent over the last four years is th...


McCabe Confirmed as EPA Deputy Admin

The U.S. Senate voted 52-42 last week to confirm Janet McCabe as deputy chief of the Environmental Protection Agency.


DOL, OSHA Honor Workers Memorial Day

Last week, on April 28, the U.S. Department of Labor and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration commemorated Workers Memorial Day to honor workers who have lost their lives on the...


EPA Admin Proposes PFAS Special Council

Earlier this week, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan issued a memorandum to senior leadership calling for the creation of a new EPA Council on PFAS. The counci...


NY Contractors Request Scaffold Law Waiver

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has recently received a letter from the New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials, in addition to three New York-...


Miami Outlines $4B Plan to Fight Rising Sea

The City of Miami has recently completed its updates on its Stormwater Master Plan, a comprehensive assessment of the city’s roads, drainage infrastructure, and water management features to ...


NIOSH Releases Well-Being Survey for Employers

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health released a survey earlier this month that it says is meant to be a resource design to measure worker well-being.


CSB Gives Update on OH Paint Explosion

Upon early investigations into the paint explosion that occurred at the Yenkin-Majestic Paints plant in Northeast Columbus earlier this month, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board has announced it...


Historic MO Bridge Collapses

Last week, the Haskins Bridge, an historic bridge located at Jolly Mill Park near Pierce City, Missouri, collapsed into Capps Creek after a tree had fallen onto the structure.


USGBC Looks Ahead to Program Development

The U.S. Green Building Council, along with Green Business Certification Inc., recently released the results of its 2021 Community Survey. The survey aims to gather feedback that can be used...


Canadian Carrier Fined for Clean Water Violation

Upon pleading guilty to dumping wastewater into Lake Ontario, dry and liquid bulk carrier company Algoma Central Corporation was fined $500,000.


Study: More Deaths Linked to Methylene Chloride

A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine earlier this week associates paint-stripping chemical methylene chloride to more deaths than what has previously been acknowledged by the Environm...


EU Research Looks at Ice, Vessel Safety

In research results recently published by CORDIS, European Union-funded project SEDNA discusses the severe challenges faced by ship navigators due to increased maritime traffic in the Arctic...


Biden Taps Assistant Secretary for OSHA

Last week, President Joe Biden announced a slew of nominations for key members of various departments including the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Energy, Department of Transp...


$21M Settlement Reached with National Grid

Last month, New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced that a $21 million settlement had been reached regarding two New York City gas distribution companies owned by National Grid, a multinatio...


Shell Falcon Pipeline Under Investigation

Following probes initiated last year by Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick McDonnell, state and federal agencies are now investigating the safety of Shel...


Paint Plant Explosion Kills 1, Injures 8

Last week, the Yenkin-Majestic Paints plant in Northeast Columbus experienced an explosion which resulted in one fatality and eight injuries.


Walsh Puts Pause on COVID-19 ETS

After missing the March 15 deadline to develop an emergency temporary standard for COVID-19, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration says that Labor Secretary Marty Walsh has put t...


Sessions, Roundtables Planned for LCRR

In a recent announcement, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released a schedule of upcoming public listening sessions and roundtables regarding its Lead and Copper Rule Revisions.


Bill Authorizes Cal/OSHA Inspection Notification

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) is facing a bill that was introduced at the end of February that would authorize California employers to receive advance ...


EPA Issues Order for Gowanus Canal

In an effort to control contaminated solids discharges at the Gowanus Canal Superfund site in Brooklyn, New York, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ordered the City of New York to con...


EPA Announces Update of TSCA New Use Rules

The Environmental Protection Agency recently released an emailed press release on its evaluation surrounding the policies, guidances, templates and regulations under the Toxic Substances Con...


Groups Split on New ICC Energy Framework

The International Code Council released what it calls “a new framework” at the beginning of the month that puts building code decisions more in the hands of the construction and gas industri...


FERC Conducts First-Ever Climate Change Review

For the first time in the agency’s history, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has recently completed a climate change review.


NYC Piloting Virtual Inspection Program

The New York City Department of Buildings has begun piloting a new Remote Video Inspections program that will replace in-person visits for some construction inspections.


Canada Introduces Agenda on VOC Emissions

The Canadian government recently released a consultation document that proposes a renewal of the “Federal Agenda on the Reduction of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds from Consumer and...


Cargo Ship Runs Aground, Blocks Suez Canal

On Tuesday morning (March 23), a massive container ship ran aground while traveling northbound through Egypt’s Suez Canal to the Mediterranean from the Red Sea, blocking a crucial waterway i...


EPA Issues Grant for Environmental Job Training

Environmental and conservation workforce development and job training company, Limitless Vistas Inc. has recently been awarded a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ...


NJ Committee Pushes PaintCare Legislation

Earlier this month, New Jersey’s state Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee unanimously passed legislation for a PaintCare program—a paint stewardship program involving paint manuf...


EPA Accepting Nominations for Safer Choice Awards

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it is now accepting nominations for the 2021 Safer Choice Partner of the Year Awards.


NOLA Inspectors Face Charges in Wider City Problem

The owner of a New Orleans private building inspection company, along with the former top building inspector for the city government, faced arrest at the end of last week on charges that the...


Report Confirms Corrosion in FL Sewage Spill

In a report issued by the Berkley Research Group in November, experts have both calculated the total amount of sewage leaked and the cause of the breach in Longboat Key’s main sewer line in ...


University to Gauge Infrastructure Resilience

A civil engineering assistant professor from the University of Texas at Arlington recently received two grants funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the North Central Texas Cou...


Researchers Working on AI for Exoskeletons

Robotics researchers at the University of Waterloo are reportedly developing exoskeleton legs capable of “thinking and making control decisions” using artificial intelligence technology.


MA Introduces Legislation for Solar Roofs

A recently proposed bill in Massachusetts would make the state the latest in to require solar roofs on new residential and commercial buildings. The Solar Neighborhoods Act was reportedly fi...


Details Released After Water Plant Death

Last week, a mechanical contractor employee from Murray Co. (Rancho Dominguez, California) fell to his death while securing a lid on top of a below-grade concrete tank at the Hyperion Water ...


VA Creates Worker Protections

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring at the beginning of this month announced the creation of a worker protection unit dedicated to workers’ rights—a first for the state.


Pedestrian Fatality Report Calls for Safer Streets

According to the 2021 Dangerous by Design report recently released by Smart Growth America, the number of pedestrians struck and killed by drivers nationwide over the last decade has increas...


EPA Seeks Comments on Lead, Copper Rule

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it would be extending the effective date of the Revised Lead and Copper Rule so that the agency could further seek public i...


OSHA Launches Emphasis Program for COVID-19

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has launched a national emphasis program focusing on enforcement efforts on companies that put the largest number...


Senate Votes to Confirm Regan as EPA Admin

Last week, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Michael S. Regan as the next administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. He was sworn in on March 11.


Women Answer Construction Roles Survey for WIC

In celebration of Women in Construction Week last week, the National Association of Women in Construction and Safe Site Check In held a workforce survey where they asked more than 700 women ...


Optical Illusion Plays Tricks on Bridge Stability

At the beginning of the month, officials from the North Carolina Department of Transportation were reportedly assuring local residents on the stability of a bridge in Raleigh.


OSHA Releases Top Violations for FY 2020

The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently revealed its annual top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety standards for fiscal year 2020. The list wa...


Bridge Collapse Remains Mystery 3 Years Later

Although nearly three years have passed since the collapse of a bridge in Port Bruce, Ontario, the reasoning behind the structure’s failure remains a mystery.


Nashville Introduces New Construction Safety Bill

Nashville councilmembers introduced a bill last week that aims to raise the standards and oversight for metro construction projects.


DOL Report: OSHA Left Workers at Increased Risk

With President Joe Biden’s deadline for an emergency temporary standard implementation (should it be deemed necessary) a week away, a report has surfaced from the Department of Labor’s Inspe...


Plans for Replacement FIU Bridge Move Forward

According to reports, plans to rebuild the Florida International University (FIU) pedestrian bridge are moving forward.


UK Committee Argues Impact of Cladding Tax

Parliament is at odds over a levy and taxes that are to be placed on the United Kingdom’s construction industry. While the money raised is earmarked for cladding remediation in high-rise bui...


China REACH Takes Effect for New Chemicals

China’s new Measures on Environmental Management Registration of New Chemical Substances went into effect earlier this year and have an aim to streamline the registration process for new che...


EPA Announces $1.9M CWA Settlement in WY

A settlement with private energy operator Fleur de Lis Energy and Fleur de Lis Operating, LLC was reached with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last month, in which the company agree...


OSHA Announces Dates for Safety Stand-Down

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has announced the dates for this year’s National Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction.


Revisions Announced for Joint Adhesive, Sealants Manual

The Adhesive and Sealant Council, the Association of the European Adhesive and Sealant Industry (FEICA) and the China Adhesives and Tape Industry Association, have partnered up to streamline...


CDC Updates Construction's Mental Health Checklists

At the end of January, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its checklists for construction employers and employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, with special consideration...


Biden Revokes Trump EO on Federal Architecture

In a move that revoked several executive orders from former President Donald J. Trump, President Joe Biden has reversed Executive Order 13967 of Dec. 18, 2020 (Promoting Beautiful Federal Ci...


NY Created Death Registry for Construction

A bill was recently signed into law in New York that creates a statewide death registry for the construction industry, as well as expands definitions on workers and reporting.


USGBC Releases Top 10 LEED States for 2020

Earlier this month, the U.S. Green Building Council announced its annual Top 10 States for LEED green building. Last year, Massachusetts lead the country with the most certified square feet ...


Expert Revisits Cecil Hotel Water Tank Case

Whether you’re a subscriber to the video streaming service Netflix or not, you’ve likely heard of the production company’s latest true crime documentary, Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the...


ACA Looks at New EU Chemical Strategy

The American Coatings Association published an overview of a recent strategy released by the European Commission that aims to update the European Union’s chemical management requirements.


$2.75B Diversion Project Makes Headway

Earlier this month, officials announced that they had received a key permit from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, allowing for the construction of the $2.75 billion Red River d...


OSHA Seeing Reports Under New Whistleblower Acts

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced that it is now overseeing worker retaliation complaints filed under two new whistleblower statutes: the...


EPA Requests Comments for Fees, PV29 Rules

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is asking for further comments on both the Toxic Substances Control Act Fees Rule and its potential rulemaking for C.I. Pigment Violet 29.


Environmentalists Threaten Suit Over Waterway Permits

At the beginning of the month, a coalition of environmental groups alerted the Biden administration that they would file suit if the Army Corps of Engineers failed to reconsider Trump-era pe...


Company Working with ICC-ES for 3D Criteria

A provider of large-scale 3D printers for construction sites, Black Buffalo 3D, has announced that it is working with the International Code Council Evaluation Service to revise its ICC-ES A...


EPA Further Clarifies Review of TSCA Process

The U.S. Environmental Protection agency has received a report evaluating its Toxic Substances Control Act chemical risk evaluations system prompting the agency to announce that it will be r...


EPA Settles with TX Reno Show Over Lead Violations

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has settled with Flipnmove Production and EQ media, Inc., over alleged violations of lead paint exposure regulations affiliated with one of the compa...


Rescuers Digging for Trapped Hydroelectric Workers

Last week, a portion of a Himalayan glacier broke off in the northern state of Uttarakhand, India, sending a rush of water and debris down the mountain and trapping 37 nearby power plant wor...


Tech, Construction Company Study Heat Sensor Devices

Physiological monitoring platform Kenzen has partnered with Kansas City-based firm Garney Construction to test out a new, wearable smart device to monitor health indicators of each worker.


OSHA Proposes Hazard Communication Update

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a proposed rule earlier this month to update the agency’s Hazard Communication Standard to align with the ...


EPA Registers Copper for Use Against COVID-19

Late last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency registered copper surfaces for residual use against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.


Inquiry: Flammable Panels Sold as 'Default'

The first—and probably only—person from Arconic testified in front of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry earlier this week and revealed that the company sold panels that it knew were flammable becau...


MI to Develop Dam Safety Regulations

Reported at the beginning of the month, the Michigan Dam Safety Task Force announced that it would be delayed in submitting new safety measures to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.


New Product Announcement: Wood Coating Defoamer

Specialty chemicals company Evonik recently introduced its new wood coatings defoamer Tego Foamex 812, adding that the product meets regulatory requirements that make it compliant with Europ...


EPA Announces Reviews, Chemical Webinars

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently sent two emailed press releases discussing both a review of its actions of the course of the previous administration, as well as announcing ...


Committee to Vote on Walsh for Labor Secretary

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee is set to vote today (Feb. 11) on the confirmation of labor secretary nominee Boston Mayor Marty Walsh.


EPA Settles Pittsburgh Stormwater Violations

On Friday, the United States Environmental Protection Agency announced that it had reached a consent agreement with the City of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA)...


ICC Releases New Online Code Tools

The International Code Council recently launched two online building code tools that aim to give access to free information about building code usage to safety professionals and the public.


Seattle Adopts New Building Energy Codes

At the beginning of the week, Seattle City Council unanimously approved Commercial Energy Code updates set forth by Mayor Jenny Durkan that seek to advance electrification throughout the com...


OSHA Updates COVID-19 Guidance Per Order

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued stronger worker safety guidance to aid employers in implementing a COVID-19 prevention program and to ...


Axalta Names New SVP of Global Industrial Coatings

Global liquid and powder coatings supplier Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. recently named its new Senior Vice President of Global Industrial Coatings, Shelley Bausch.


NYC Inks Deal with Tech to Track Safety Training

The New York City Department of Buildings has recently partnered with tech company myComply to build and administer software behind a new training credential database.


'Buy American' Rule Upped for Federal Projects

The “Buy American” policies initially set forth by former President Donald J. Trump got a boost earlier this week as President Joe Biden signed a new executive order aiming at increasing gov...


UK Unveils Regulatory Body for Construction

The United Kingdom’s Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick recently unveiled a new regulatory body that’s been established to oversee the safety of construction materials. The decision was influe...


OSHA Tasked with Updating COVID-19 Guidance

The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been ordered to issue new COVID-19 guidance and again consider a national emergency temporary standard, under an e...


Steel Industry Organizations Plea to Keep Tariffs

Earlier this month, a group of several domestic steel industry associations penned a letter to President Joe Biden, urging him to keep steel tariffs and quotas that were set in place by the ...


Streets to Reopen Around NOLA Hard Rock Demo

The $8.4 million demolition at the Hard Rock Hotel site in New Orleans is reaching milestones, with estimations now set for the reopening of adjacent streets.


COVID-19 Notification Law Enacted in CA

On Jan. 1, California’s AB 685 law officially went into effect, allowing state regulators to shut down jobsites that expose workers to an imminent hazard of COVID-19 infection.


Coating in Development for Rope Safety

Researchers at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) are working on developing a coating that changes color when exposed to high temperatures through fri...


OSHA Adjusts, Increases Civil Penalty Amounts

The U.S. Department of Labor has made adjustments to the Occupational Safety and Health administration’s civil penalty amounts based on cost-of-living adjustments for 2021.


ACI, ICRI Publish New Code Guide

The American Concrete Institute and the International Concrete Repair Institute have published an updated “Guide to the Code for Assessment, Repair and Rehabilitation of Existing Concrete St...


DOL Issues Independent Contractor Clarification

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a final rule meant to clarify the status of independent contractors under the Fair Labor Standards Act.


MI to Charge Former Gov for Flint Crisis

While specifics have yet to be announced, it was confirmed earlier this week that former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, along with his health director and other ex-officials from his administrat...


Disaster Funds Signed into Law

Marking the beginning of 2021, President Donald J. Trump signed S. 3418, the Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation Act—also known as the STORM Act—into law.


HUD Adopts Updated Safe Harbor Standards

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has adopted new safe harbors for the design and construction industry regarding the Fair Housing Act. This is the first update to the saf...


Codes Lawsuits Continue After Spring Ruling

The battle for intellectual property rights in the building codes sector rages on as the International Code Council and private company UpCodes are still in a legal dispute after an initial ...


MIOSHA Launches Silica Program

The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration, as part of the state’s Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, announced last year that it would be launching a state-wide e...


EPA Gathering Comments for TSCA Fees Rule

At the end of last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released for public comment a proposed set of updates to the Toxic Substances Control Act’s Fees Rule.


Notre Dame Officials Look to Lasers for Cleaning

Progress is continuing at the Notre Dame Cathedral, where a fire ravaged the 850-year-old structure in April 2019.


EPA Announces Final Lead Abatement Rule

At the end of last month, the EPA announced the final rule to lower the clearance levels for the amount of lead that can remain in dust on floors and windowsills after lead abatement.


OSHA Issues Injury, Illness Reporting Reminder

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued its annual reminder to specific employers to submit the required injury and illness date for 2020 by M...


Skanska Takes FL Liability to Court

Contractor and design-build team Skanska USA Civil Southeast turned to the U.S. District Court in Pensacola, Florida, last month in an attempt to significantly reduce or eliminate its liabil...


Transportation Agencies Issue Final Environmental Rule

Last Monday (Dec. 28, 2020), the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Transit Administration, and the United States Department of Transportation issued a ...


AECOM Tests Wastewater for COVID-19

Last month, infrastructure consulting firm AECOM announced that it would be partnering with Northern New Jersey-based Bergen County Utilities Authority and Columbia University (New York City...


EPA Releases Final Risk Assessment of NMP

Near the end of December, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released the final risk evaluation for n-methylpyrrolidone (NMP). This was the last step in the risk evaluation as required...


Trump Signs EO on Federal Architecture Design

President Donald J. Trump has signed the, “Executive Order on Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture,” which orders all federal buildings in Washington, D.C., as well as new federal ...


OSHA Releases FY 2020 Safety Review

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has released its review of safety throughout fiscal year 2020, in which it says it used both traditional practice...


AIA Adopts New Rules for Justice Facility Design

Earlier this month, the American Institute of Architects Board of Directors adopted new rules into the association’s Code of Ethics.


Man Rescued from Water Tank

In entering the winter season, officials from Lincoln Fire and Rescue in Nebraska weren’t expecting to receive a call regarding a water tank rescue near 84th and South streets.


BLS Releases 2019 Workplace Fatality Report

Earlier this week, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its annual National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries report for 2019. According to the data, the construction industry ha...


Lawsuit Filed Alleging Toxic Sandblasting Impacts

A Santa Clarita, California-based law firm has recently filed a complaint in the Los Angeles Superior Court against developer Five Points Development, alleging the company of failing to take...


AU Street Closed After Asbestos Mishap

Earlier this month, a variety of homes and vehicles were placed on lockdown in a suburban Sydney community after two private cleaning contractors sent asbestos particles flying from a home’s...


PSC Archive: Safety in Abrasive Blasting

Although Technology Publishing Co. has wrapped up PaintSquare Connect, its signature virtual event for the protective and commercial coatings industries, an archived library of its featured ...


Antimicrobial Coatings to be Tested on Transit

Diversified natural resources company, Teck Resources Limited (Vancouver, Canada) recently announced that it would be testing its antimicrobial copper coatings on high-touch transit surfaces...


New NY Guidelines Leave 'Essential' Questions

At the beginning of the week, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo outlines a new COVID-19 guidance plan for the state. Over the weekend the state updated the guidance for its COVID Cluster Action Ini...


USDOT Prepares for COVID-19 Vaccine Transport

At the beginning of the month, the United States Department of Transportation announced that it was ensuring that all its regulatory measures would be taken for the safe, rapid transportatio...


Data: Construction Tops Jobs in Asymptomatic COVID-19

A new study that tracked the results of more than 730,000 COVID-19 tests out of Los Angeles between August and October has found that construction workers had the highest positivity rates fo...


Venice Floods After Dike Activation Fails

Only two months after the newly inaugurated Mose flood barriers protected the city of Venice from acqua alta’s seasonal flooding, the city streets were reported to once again be underwater a...


Water Recycling Plant Explosion Kills 4

Last Thursday (Dec. 4), a large explosion was reported to have taken place at the Avonmouth, Bristol-based Wessex Water plant, a water supply and sewerage utility company serving an area of ...


TX Researchers Address Chemical Pollution

A team of researchers from Texas A&M University have recently been awarded a three-year Healthy Ecosystems grant by The Gulf Research Program of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering...


VT National Guard Rebuilds Field Hospital

The Vermont National Guard was recently tasked with rebuilding a 250-bed field hospital in Essex Junction, Vermont. The structure, which was initially built last April, was taken down in mid...


Observatory Collapses in Puerto Rico

Following weeks of concern over the possibility of cable failure, the Arecibo Observatory collapsed at the beginning of December, ending nearly 60 years of research at what was once the worl...


EPA Issues Final Rule on Cleanup Insurance

In a news release issued last month, the United States Environmental Protection Agency announced that it had finalized its rulemaking on financial assurance requirements for the Electric Pow...


Skanska Repairing FL Bridge ‘At a Loss’

Contractor and design-build team Skanska USA is continuing efforts to repair the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Florida, although reports indicate that the construction comes at a loss due to the d...


Biden Taps Former Labor Official for COVID Team

In an announcement published at the end of November, President-elect Joe Biden added a workplace health expert to his Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board, a move that prompted applause from t...


CA to Review Titanium Dioxide Classification

California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment’s Proposition 65 Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee is slated to hold a virtual, public meeting th...


Drivers Cannot Stop Hitting a MO Bridge

According to reports, an onslaught of collisions with an overpass on Independence Avenue near Wilson Avenue in northeast Kansas City have become quite the oddity.


FEMA Releases Study on Following Building Codes

Late last month, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which distributes billions of dollars in aid each year for communities to rebuild after disasters, released a study that took an in-...


Change in Bird Rule Could Impact Industry

An environmental analysis filed by the Trump administration last Friday (Nov. 27) could set up a rollback of some of the regulations in the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, namely the range of lia...


FHWA Proposes New Transportation Standards

Last Tuesday (Nov. 24), the United States Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding state department’s freeway and int...


Wheeler Announces New National Recycling Plan

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler held the EPA’s third-annual America Recycles Summit last month where he unveiled a new National Recycling Goal that aims to ...


EPA Sued Over Coal Rule Revisions

Last week, a coalition of nine environmental groups announced that they were suing the United States Environmental Protection Agency over finalized revisions made to coal ash and coal plant ...


USGBC Wraps Up Greenbuild with Initiatives

Earlier this month, the U.S. Green Building Council wrapped up its annual Greenbuild Conference & Expo. At the virtual event, the organization outlined several key updates that it says inten...


EPA Extends Comment Period on PV29 Risks

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has extended the public comment period on the revised draft risk evaluation for C.I. Pigment Violet 29 (PV29). The EPA said that the extension s to g...


Corning Seeks Nod for COVID-19 Coating Tech

Materials science company Corning Incorporated announced earlier this month that under test methods approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, paints and coatings with the company...


OSHA Releases COVID-19 Citation FAQ

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently issued guidance and an accompanying frequently-asked-questions sheet to help employers understand which ...


NACE International Opens Call for Abstracts

On behalf of NACE International, The Worldwide Corrosion Authority, last week SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings (slated to officially combine with NACE on Jan. 1, 2021) announced tha...


Clariant Commits to Global Lead Paint Elimination

Specialty chemicals company Clariant has announced that it is helping to accelerating the global phase-out of lead-based paint. The move was prompted by the eighth International Lead Poisoni...


Grenfell: Docs Hint Companies Knew of Dangers

Last week during the Grenfell Fire Inquiry, emails from the cladding companies involved in the tower’s 2015 refurbishment revealed that officials at the companies knew that their materials w...


Pipeline Co. to Pay $800K in Fines, Fixes

In a press release issued at the beginning of the month by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and Office of the Attorney General Maura Healey, Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co...


AGC Reports Job Increase in October

Construction employment increased by 84,000 jobs in October, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America.


ACI Releases New, Updated Detailing Manual

The American Concrete Institute has released a new and updated ACI Detailing Manual, which was last updated in 2004, and includes updates and revisions, as well as downloadable CAD files.


Researchers Get Funding for Antiviral Coating

Researchers from the University of Liverpool have been awarded 615,000 pounds in funding to develop a new antiviral coating for PPE in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.


Grenfell Inquiry Expert Points to Fire Consultants

An expert witness brought in by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry has called the lead architect on the tower refurbishment “imprudent” for not employing a fire consultant specialist when designing ...


Maroon Group Announces Lift Training Initiative

Specialty chemicals company Maroon Group, recently announced that it is initiating a new Tow Motor training program that the company says is a “commitment to continuous improvement and ongoi...


EPA Updates Risk Evaluation on PV29

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced late last week that it has released a revised draft risk evaluation for C.I. Pigment Violet 29 (PV29) for public comment and peer review un...


FDOT Requests Skanska to Cover Toll Loss

Last month, the Florida Department of Transportation issued a letter of intent to Skanska USA Civil Southeast, Inc. seeking damages and lost toll-related revenue because of the current toll ...


NTSB Attributes Corrosion in Fatal Crash

After completing the investigation of a fatal crash in the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s Lehigh Tunnel in February 2018, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board has recently issued two safet...


European Coatings Show Postponed

On Thursday (Oct. 15), European Coatings Show Conference organizer Vincentz Network and NürnbergMesse announced that the event would be postponed from March of next year to September 2021, d...


OSHA Issues FAQ on N95 Masks

Last week, U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration published a set of Frequently Asked Questions on how N95 respirators effectively protect wearers from coro...


Survey: Contractors Fear Pandemic Implications

In an August reader survey published by Associated Builders and Contractors, research found that more than 85% of American contractors have been negatively impacted by COVID-19 and expect to...


NYC MTA Inspector Requests Evaluation Reform

Earlier this month, the New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority Office of the Inspector General released a report recommending a revamp of the agency’s current contractor and con...


Projects Using LEED to Respond to Pandemic

The U.S. Green Building Council reported late last week that more than 130 LEED projects have engaged its Safety First pilot credits in support of “healthy reopening plans in response to the...


Legislators Introduce Flood Protection Bill

Announced at the end of September, Representatives David E. Price (D-North Carolina) and Lee Zeldin (R-New York) introduced legislation aimed at reducing the impacts of serve weather, such a...


Construction Industry on Most Dangerous Jobs List

A new report listing the 25 most dangerous jobs was recently released by business insurance analysis firm AdivsorSmith. Of that list, 12 of the 25 jobs are in the construction industry.


Flood Barrier Successfully Protects Venice

For the first time in decades, the city of Venice put its flood barriers into practice, successfully keeping the city dry during its first day of acqua alta or “high waters”—seasonal floodin...


Grenfell Inquiry Hears from Building Control

Moving on in the inquiry of London’s Grenfell Tower fire, officials heard last week that a restructuring at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea council had created an unbalanced work...


EPA Proposes Tank Inspection Alternative

On Wednesday, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced a proposal offering regulatory flexibility for the oil and gas industry by amending Clean Air Act re...


AGC Releases Job Numbers for September

The Associated General Contractors of America released its monthly employment survey results late last week, reporting that construction employment increased by 26,000 jobs in September, but...


OSHA Releases Updated COVID-19 FAQs

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration updated its Frequently Asked Questions forum regarding the need to report employees’ in-patient hospitalizations ...


ACC, OSHA Renew Alliance

The American Chemistry Council and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced last month that they have renewed their ACC OSHA Alliance, “which continues to foster safer and...


CA Dam Starts Draining for Seismic Retrofit

At the beginning of the month, officials from the Santa Clara Valley Water District started taking the first steps in its $576 million Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project to remove and rep...


EPA Awards WV $25M for Water Projects

Late last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it had awarded $24.7 million to West Virginia for various water quality improvement projects addressing wastewater tr...


FDOT Starts Demo on Pensacola Bay Bridge

Last week, the Florida Department of Transportation announced that it had begun demolition efforts on the damaged areas of the Pensacola Bay Bridge after weathering Hurricane Sally.


World of Concrete 2021 Pushed to June

Officials with World of Concrete have announced new dates for the 2021 conference, moving the event several months from January to June.


AIA Issues Support for Proposed Energy Package

The American Institute of Architects has announced support for a recently proposed energy package from the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.


Small Fire Breaks Out at NOLA Hard Rock Site

A fire broke out Monday morning (Sept. 28) at the site of the partially collapsed Hard Rock Hotel in New Orleans where workers are currently carrying out an $8.4 million demolition plan.


OSHA to Hold Whistleblower Teleconference

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced late last week that it is holding another teleconference to solicit public comments on the agency’s whi...


Grenfell: Clerk of Works Wasn't Monitoring Compliance

Late last week, the Grenfell Fire Inquiry found that the person on record as the Clerk of Works for the Grenfell Tower’s refurbishment was not, in fact, acting as Clerk of Works.


Mountain Valley Requests to Resume Construction

On behalf of joint venture Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC, representing attorney Matthew Eggerding recently filed a letter with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requesting that a stop-...


MDOT Bridge Inspectors Save Stranded Dog

On Sunday, two bridge inspectors from Stantec’s Bridge Inspection and Assessment team rescued a dog that had been stranded on the U.S. 84 bridge over the Mississippi River between Natchez, M...


FDOT Responds to Hurricane Damage

Nearly a week after Hurricane Sally rocked the Gulf Shores of Alabama­­, and surrounding areas, the Florida Department of Transportation has announced recovery efforts for the damages experi...


OSHA Awards $11.2M in Harwood Safety Grants

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently announced that it has awarded approximately $11.2 million in Susan Harwood federal safety and health tra...


Reports Indicate N95 Material Still Short

The raw material needed to make N95 masks is still in short supply, according to the Associated Press. The AP reported late last week that meltblown textile—a crucial component for the masks...


New NEPA Rules Take Effect This Week

Changes to the National Environmental Policy Act went into effect this week after a district court judge dismissed the request for a preliminary injunction on the changes.


Safety Stand-Down Takes Place This Week

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s 7th-Annual National Stand-Down to Prevent Falls is this week, Sept. 14-18.


Researcher Gets $1.8M Grant for Slip Study

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has awarded a $1.8 million grant to a University of Pittsburgh researcher to develop a safer ladder.


SDOT Releases Updates on Bridge Stabilization

The Seattle Department of Transportation has begun releasing weekly updated on the stabilization efforts of the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge ahead of the anticipated October announcement on...


Grenfell Inquiry Hears from Cladding Subcontractor

The cladding subcontractor on London’s Grenfell Tower refurbishment wrapped up two days of inquiry testimony earlier this week after the process went on summer break for the past month.


EPA Releases Final List for TSCA Fees

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released the final list of businesses that are subject to fees for the 20 chemicals designated as high priority for risk evaluation under the Tox...


NIOSH Issues Guidance on Counterfeit Masks

Late last month, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health—part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—released guidance on counterfeit respirators.


SSPC Postpones Coatings+ 2021 to December

SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings has announced the postponement of its Coatings+ 2021 conference, slated to be held at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona.


Document of Expedited Federal Projects Released

Some of the projects that have been expedited as a result of President Donald J. Trump’s recent executive order have been revealed, according to recently released documents from the Interior...


OSHA Issues Final Construction Beryllium Standard

The U.S. Department of Labor has issued its Final Beryllium Standard for Construction and Shipyards. While no major changes are reported in the rule, the DOL did include changes that it says...


Study Looks at Painting Turbine Blades Black

A recent study published in the journal Ecology and Evolution has found that bird death from collisions with turbine blades dropped by 71.9% when one of the blades was painted black, compare...


Interim Company List for TSCA Fees Released

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released an interim final list of businesses that are subject to pay fees for the 20 chemicals designated as high priority for the next ri...


EPA to Terminate COVID-19 Compliance Program

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently released an addendum on termination of the entity’s COVID-19 Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program.


ACA Responds to Air Quality Standards Proposal

The American Coatings Association recently released a response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to retain the existing National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone.


SDOT Hires Designer for Bridge Replacement

The Seattle Department of Transportation has selected HNTB Corporation to design the West Seattle Bridge replacement, though the timing of that replacement remains unclear as the department ...


Flint Reaches $600M Settlement with State

The state of Michigan has reached a $600 million settlement with Flint residents for the state’s role in the city’s water crisis. A summary of the deal shows that nearly 80% of the funds wil...


USDOT Announces Pipeline, Hazard Safety Grants

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has announced that it is awarding more than $97 million in grants through its pipeline and haza...


ICC Releases Publication for Virtual Inspections

The International Code Council recently published “Recommended Practices for Remote Virtual Inspections,” a guideline that it says governmental jurisdictions should consider for effective an...


Facade Inspections Get Stricter in NYC

Earlier this year, the New York City Department of Buildings adopted a new rule to its Facade Inspection and Safety Program that made changes to inspection and reporting requirements, common...


Judge Rejects Lifting FIGG Suspension

A federal judge has denied FIGG Bridge Engineers’ and engineer William “Denney” Pate’s request to lift the imposed suspension from the Federal Highway Administration.


Final Body Removed from NOLA Hard Rock

The third and final body has been removed from the New Orleans Hard Rock construction site, 10 months after the structure partially collapsed.


EPA Releases Energy Requirement Reductions

Last Friday, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced two final rules for the oil and gas industry that the EPA says “removes ineffective and duplicative r...


MD County Passes Bird-Friendly Building Law

Maryland’s Howard County Council passed a bird-safety building mandate last month, making it the first area in the state to do so following a recent trend around the country.


FIGG Files Against FHWA Suspension

FIGG Bridge Engineers Inc., along with FIGG engineer William “Denney” Pate, have sued the Federal Highway Administration asking for the agency’s suspension of its eligibility to participate ...


EPA Finalizes Plans for Sherwin-Williams Site

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday (Aug. 10) that it has finalized its plan to address contamination at the former manufacturing plant and adjoining areas of the Sherw...


SDOT to Seek Loan for Bridge Repair Plan

The Seattle Department of Transportation is in the midst of stabilizing the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge, which endured an emergency closure in March after previously inspected concrete cra...


Baltimore Gas Explosion Kills 2, Injures Several

A gas explosion in Northwest Baltimore on Monday morning has killed two people and seriously injured at least seven others, according to officials.


1 Body Recovered from NOLA Hard Rock

The remains have been recovered from one of the workers who were trapped in the New Orleans Hard Rock Hotel, which partially collapsed more than 10 months ago.


OSHA Sets Safety Stand-Down Dates

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced late last week that the 7th Annual National Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction has been resche...


Environmental Groups Sue Over NEPA Changes

Just weeks after the Trump administration finalized changes to the National Environmental Policy Act, two environmental groups (culminating in more than 35 organizations) are suing the White...


Company Unveils New Exoskeleton Device

Tool manufacturer Hilti has unveiled its first wearable exoskeleton, the EXO-O1. The company says that the “human augmentation device” aims to help contractors, tradesman and management to t...


Cleanup, Plans Begin after AZ Bridge Collapse

Officials are in the beginning stages of repair work on the Salt River Union Pacific Bridge, in Tempe, Arizona, which partially collapsed last week after a train derailed on the structure, s...


Genoa Bridge Opens 2 Years After Collapse

Italy’s Genoa San Giorgio Bridge officially opened to the public on Monday. The structure replaces the Morandi Bridge, which collapsed almost two years ago to the day, killing 43 people.


Grenfell Inquiry Looks at Contractor, Worries

Recent testimony of the Grenfell Inquiry have focused on the contractor for the Grenfell Tower’s 2015 refurbishment, Rydon, with focus on how the company handled concerns not only about the ...


ACI, PTI Announce Expanded Partnership

The American Concrete Institute announced late last week that it is expanding its partnership with the Post-Tensioning Institute as a “direct response to expressed industry need for building...


Research Looks at Coating to Inactivate Virus

Chemical engineering professor at Virginia Tech, William Ducker, says that he has found a solution to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.


None Injured in AZ Partial Rail Bridge Collapse

The Salt River Union Pacific Bridge, in Tempe, Arizona, partially collapsed last week after a train derailed on the structure, setting it ablaze and sending debris into the lake below.


USGBC Releases 2 New Safety Pilot Credits

The U.S. Green Building Council released two new Safety First pilot credits as part of its LEED for Cities and Communities rating system.


OSHA Revises Rule on Access to Medical Records

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced earlier this week that it has revised the Rules of Agency Practice and Procedure Concerning Occupationa...


$100M CA Millennium Tower Fix Approved

The permitting process is reportedly now complete for the fixes needed for San Francisco’s Millennium Tower. The $100 million shoring project is now estimated to begin in November.


NIOSH Study Looks at High-Risk Behavior

New research from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has found that behaviors that are linked to higher health risks are more prevalent in construction workers than ot...


SDOT Embarks on Cost-Benefit Analysis for Bridge

The Seattle Department of Transportation announced last week that it has begun the process of a cost-benefit analysis involved the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge.


FL Bridge Repair Assessment Complete

According to the Florida Department of Transportation, repair work for the Roosevelt Bridge could begin as early as next month as the agency reported that it had completed its initial assess...


NYC Begins COVID-19 Safety Enforcement

During the first days of enforcing COVID-19 safety regulations on construction sites, New York City’s Department of Buildings issued 88 citations, which included 41 stop work orders, accordi...


USDOT Claims $90B Saved via Deregulation

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced last week that it has saved the economy and consumers about $90 billion in regulatory costs under the Trump Administration.


Antiviral Coating Developing for Surface Contact

New research is underway at the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology within the University of Waterloo to develop a coating that officials say aims to “kill the COVID-19 virus immediately u...


Researcher Gets Grant to Study Wastewater

A civil engineering professor from the University of Arkansas has been awarded federal funding to study wastewater in regard to the spread of COVID-19.


Seattle Mayor Declares Bridge 'Civil Emergency'

In an effort to secure funding to remedy the cracks found on the West Seattle Bridge (whether that be a permanent fix or a whole replacement), Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan has declared the sit...


MIT Researchers Design New Face Mask

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, along with Brigham and Women’s Hospital have reportedly design a new face mask that they believe could stop viral particles as effec...


ICC Releases New Seismic Design Manuals

The International Code Council has partnered with the Structural Engineers Association of California to release a joint publication of the 2018 IBC SEAOC Structural/Seismic Design Manuals.


Holocaust Memorial Decisions to Get Judicial Review

A judicial review will now take place regarding United Kingdom Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick and his handling of London’s proposed Holocaust Memorial.


Trump Finalizes Environmental Review Revisions

Earlier this week, President Donald J. Trump announced that his administration has finalized changes to the National Environmental Policy Act that aim to not only reduce the number of projec...


Grenfell Inquiry: Officials Disagreed on Materials

In the most recent updates of the Grenfell Tower inquiry, it has come to light that there were disagreements between not only architects and building safety officers, but also between archit...


DOI Looking at Offshore Wind Proposals

The United States Department of the Interior is reportedly planning on issuing two proposed rules for offshore wind projects. The rules are expected to streamline the permitting requirements...


DOL Issues Final General Industry Beryllium Rule

The U.S. Department of Labor has issued its Final Beryllium Standard for General Industry. While no major changes are reported in the rule, the DOL did include changes that it says are desig...


Survey: Heavy Civil Construction Optimistic

A new industry survey has shown that contractors in heavy civil construction are less impacted by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic than commercial contractors, according to Dodge Data & ...


Notre Dame Work to Restore Latest Spire

French President Emmanuel Macron has officially dropped the unpopular idea of building a modern spire atop a restored Notre Dame Cathedral.


Manufacturers Press EU on Titanium Dioxide

The Titanium Dioxide Manufacturers Association and its member companies, as part of a wider group of TiO2 producers, submitted an action to the General Court of the European Union seeking an...


Grenfell Inquiry Restarts, Looks at Fire Consultant

London’s Grenfell Tower Inquiry resumed earlier this week after a months-long hiatus—caused by the COVID-19 pandemic—with new testimony revealing that the principal fire engineer for the tow...


Dakota Access Pipeline Ordered to Halt for Review

The Dakota Access Pipeline has officially been ordered to halt operations after the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruling surrounding the recently ordered environmental rev...


Shoring Work Begins on West Seattle Bridge

Work has officially begun on a temporary fix on the West Seattle Bridge—including a carbon fire wrap (CRFP) and post-tensioning tendons—intended to slow cracking that caused an emergency shu...


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US House Passes Bird-Friendly Legislation

Late last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 2, better known as the Moving Forward Act. While the legislation covers infrastructure, affordable housing and climate issues, t...


Some Lanes Reopen on Cracked FL Bridge

About 10 days after large cracks and falling concrete were discovered on the southernmost span of the southbound Roosevelt Bridge in Stuart, Florida, state officials have reopened four of th...


OSHA Releases Annual Heat Hazard Reminder

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued its annual reminder to employers “of their duty to protect employees from the risks and dangers of hea...


OSHA Issues Uniform Silica Guidance

Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a compliance directive designed to ensure uniformity in inspection and enforcement procedures w...


MI Team Completes Dam Inspection

Earlier this month, a group of Michigan engineers from consulting firm TRC Engineers Michigan Inc. presented its 46-page visual inspection report on the failure of the Edenville Dam.


Daubert Cromwell Receives REACH Cert

Last week, corrosion and rust inhibitor packaging manufacturer Daubert Cromwell announced via press release that it had successfully completed all necessary requirements for the European Uni...


Last Restrictions Lifted from Boston Construction

Boston construction is now in full swing after completing the last phase of its reopening of the industry, which began late last month.


Morandi Bridge Named, Opening Announced

Twenty-two months after the tragic collapse, on Monday (June 22), officials announced the inauguration of the new Morandi bridge—known as “Ponte Morandi”—in Genoa, Italy.


EPA Posts Risk Evaluation for Methylene Chloride

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released late last week the first risk evaluation to be completed under the Lautenberg Act amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act: the evalua...


Data: Construction Activity Back to Pre-Pandemic Level

The Associated General Contractor of America released new data last week that indicate that construction activity has returned to pre-COVID-19 levels in 34 states.


Hurricane Season Threatens NCDOT, Others

As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, reports claim that the North Carolina Department of Transportation is now facing financial concerns regarding the approaching hurricane season.


Report: UK Has No Counts on Dangerous Cladding

A recent investigation by the United Kingdom’s National Audit Office has revealed that the government doesn’t know how many of its estimated 85,000 buildings 11-18 meters tall are clad with ...


ICC Releases Guides on Reoccupancy

Earlier this month, the International Code Council released a set of guidelines to advice building owners and managers on the reoccupancy of buildings that had been closed due to the COVID-1...


Trans Mountain Pipeline Spills, Restarts

Earlier this month, Trans Mountain issued a statement announcing that it had experienced a spill at its Sumas Pump Station in Abbotsford, British Columbia, near Native American reservation, ...


Cracks Threaten Collapse of FL Bridge

During a routine biannual inspection on Tuesday (June 16), large cracks and falling concrete were discovered on the southernmost span of the southbound Roosevelt Bridge in Stuart, Florida.


MI Sues Dam Owners After Failures

Since the failure of the Edenville and Sanford dams last month, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced that a new state lawsuit has been filed against dam owners Boyce Hydro LLC and...


OSHA Schedules Construction Advisory Meetings

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently announced that its Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health will meet via teleconference on ...


States Issue Injunction Against EPA Ruling

At the beginning of the month, nine states issued a brief to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, requesting a preliminary injunction that would halt the Environmen...


Court Rejects Call for OSHA Emergency Standard

Last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit rejected a lawsuit filed in May by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations against the Occupationa...


Gordie Howe Pushes Toward 2024 Completion

According to officials from the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, despite the decline in productivity due to COVID-19, the Gordie Howe International Bridge is still on track for its 2024 tar...


MA Trade Group Presses Safety Regulations

Months after Boston was one of the first cities to shut down construction in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Massachusetts is working to reopen the state with strict safety guidelines.


USGBC Unveils Safety-Related Pilot Credits

Earlier this week, the U.S. Green Building Council released, as promised, four new Safety First Pilot Credits in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.


Workers Start Dismantling Scaffold at Notre Dame

Work has officially begun on dismantling the melting scaffolding surrounding the Notre Dame Cathedral. The process reportedly began on Monday, with crews working to take down 200 tons of met...


EO to Expedite Infrastructure, Waive Reviews

Last Thursday (June 4), President Donald J. Trump signed a second Executive Order, advising federal agencies to expedite infrastructure investments and other activities as to accelerate the ...


NY Begins Reopening with Construction Sites

At the beginning of this week New York City began opening up nonessential construction sites as directed by the phased reopening of the state put forth by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.


AWC Releases Fire-Resistance Update

The American Wood Council recently released an updated “Technical Report 10 (TR10), Calculating the Fire Resistance of Wood Members and Assemblies."


EPA Evaluates SARS-CoV-2 in Wastewater

Last month, the United States Environmental Protection Agency announced that its researchers would be engaging in research practices to help states, tribes, local, territorial governments, a...


Free Webinar: Hospital Coatings Guidelines

PaintSquare will host a free webinar June 17 entitled, “New Architectural Coatings Technology Targets Stricter Hospital Infection Protocols.”


Changes to PPP Pass Senate, Head to Trump

Last week, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved a bill that updates terms of the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program.


EPA Limits Opposition of Energy Infrastructure

On Monday (June 1), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced that the agency had issued a final rule that will both promote the construction of energy-base...


Morandi Bridge Replacement Reaches Completion

Recently, joint venture Pergenova, made up of construction and civil engineering business Salini Impregilo and shipbuilder Fincantieri, announced that the final span for the Morandi Bridge r...


COVID-19 Aid, Infrastructure Package Discussed

Earlier this week, the United States Senate returned from recess with the intent to begin discussions on the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act.


Sika Now Producing Respiratory Masks, Sanitizer

Swiss chemicals company Sika has reportedly commenced production of respiratory masks in France.


SDOT Weighs Analysis of West Seattle Bridge

Since the Seattle Department of Transportation issued an emergency closing of the West Seattle Bridge dude to cracks in the midspan, several professional engineers recently issued a seven-pa...


ABC Michigan Files Suit Against Governor

In response to two emergency COVID-19 safety orders issued by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer earlier this month, the Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan has filed a lawsuit again...


OSHA Releases Distancing Guides, Testimony

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued an alert last week detailing steps for social distancing in the workplace.