THE FUTURE IS NOW
Videos of 3-D printed cement have earned over 45 million views on TikTok. Similar to a home printer that automatically sets ink on paper, the “ink” in this case is reinforced concrete, which is layered in successive rows as buildings are “printed” to completion. This is next-generation technology with the capacity to propel construction into the future is accessible now, in 2022.
Compared to squeezing toothpaste from a tube and swirling soft serve from an ice cream machine, viewers are mesmerized by the “satisfying” process.
One of the creators, Aiman Hussein—aka thelayerlord—works at Alquist 3D, a 3D-printing construction company created in 2020 to solve the housing crisis in rural and underserved communities.
One of the homes featured in Hussein’s videos was built for Habitat for Humanity in Williamsburg, Virginia, and only took 22 hours to print the exterior shell. It is the first owner-occupied 3D-printed home in the world.
HARD HATS CEMENTED IN HISTORY
Edward W. Bullard was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) on May 5 for his invention of the hard hat in 1919. Initially, Bullard used overlapping layers of steamed canvas secured together with glue. He then used water-resistant shellac to coat the shell and dubbed it the “Hard Boiled Hat.”
The hat was modified for use by workers on San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge in the early 1930s to create a durable industrial hat that would mitigate the dangers of falling objects during bridge construction. The Golden Gate Bridge project was made the first designated “Hard Hat Area” in 1933.
Other 2022 inductees to the NIHF include Marian Croak, inventor of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and Lonnie Johnson, inventor of the Super Soaker®.
INCREASE HEALTH BENEFITS TO INCREASE MORALE
Health is critically linked to job satisfaction, says a survey conducted by Quest Diagnostics in March 2022. The study, “2022 Health at Work,” has revealed that 66% of employees are thinking of changing jobs next year—or have recently completed a job change. In addition, 77% of respondents state that preventative care was difficult during the pandemic.
With that in mind, 73% of human resources executives surveyed are concerned about employees’ chronic conditions and 90% believe they will need to improve benefit packages and increase wages in order to compete for the best workers and retain current employees during the Great Resignation.
Better benefits in general (38%), better healthcare benefits specifically (36%), as well as work/life balance (36%), were three of the top four reasons employees consider moving to a different company. Salary increase was the top reason (50%).
Read the full report at https://tinyurl.com/2f449824.
TINY HOME, BIG WORLD
A tiny house built by students at Bemidji State University’s School of Technology, Art and Design in North Dakota has found a home. Virginia “Ginny” and Chris Kelly of Stillwater, Minnesota closed on the house in April 2022 after the project went on the market in July 2021.
The sale of the 206-square-foot tiny house will sponsor a student endowment fund at the university, which started the project in Fall 2017.
The build includes energy-efficient windows, structural insulated panels and rooftop solar panels, as well as the capability to connect to a power grid when necessary. Professors in the TAD department, as well as other university officials and numerous local and regional partners contributed to the project, including Wanzek Construction, a MasTec company, and ACME tools, which are both members of Associated Builders and Contractors.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT—AND SAFE
Workers’ compensation claims filed by new employees rose6% over 10 years (from 32% in 2011 to 38% in 2021), according to a study from Selective Insurance. In “Workplace Industry Trends,” the company highlights safety risks facing employees at the start of the job, notably that employees reported a workplace-related injury 18% earlier in their tenure compared with 10 years prior.
Because an injured worker is off the job for an average of 98 days, comprehensive training and onboarding is critical. In fact, per the Travelers “2022 Injury Impact Report,” which analyzed more than 1.5 million workers compensation claims over a five-year period, 48% of all construction claims occurred within the first year of employment, representing 52% of total costs.
The most common causes of injuries were: overexertion (27% of claims); slips, trips and falls (22%); struck by an object (14%); cuts and punctures (6%); caught-in or -between hazards (6%; and motor vehicle accidents (6%).
The most common injuries were strains and sprains (38%).
To access the report from Selective Insurance, visit https://tinyurl.com/2p93jrwd.
To access the study by Travelers, visit Travelers.com/injuryimpactreport.
