Construction Materials

Secretary Chavez-DeRemer talks skilled construction jobs, workforce shortages during America at Work visit in Tucson TUCSON, AZ – U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer joined Rep. Juan Ciscomani in Tucson yesterday to see Pima Community College’s state-of-the-art workforce development programs in action. Pima Community Chancellor Dr. Jeffrey Nasse, Provost Ian Roark, President and CEO of the Chamber of Southern Arizona Joe Snell, and local business leaders joined the Secretary and Rep. Ciscomani to discuss collaborate efforts to build a stronger workforce pipeline. Secretary Chavez-DeRemer and Rep. Ciscomani then joined a roundtable discussion with members of the Arizona Builders Alliance. The conversation focused on workforce shortages in the construction industry and policies that reduce unnecessary red tape to empower workers and businesses.“With strong growth in the construction industry thanks to President Trump’s America First policies, it’s critical the Labor Departme...

Department of Labor to highlight safe construction work practices during 2025 National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is encouraging construction industry employers and workers, across the nation, to take part in its 12th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction from May 5-9, 2025. This nationwide event spotlights preventing falls, the construction industry’s leading cause of worker deaths. Throughout the week, OSHA urges employers to pause during the workday to conduct “stand-down” activities, including safety demonstrations, hazard recognition and fall prevention training, and “tool-box” talks about hazards. Employers are also encouraged to have discussions about job-specific hazards, like roofing, ladder use, and working on scaffolds. Deputy Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling will participate in the 2025 Stand-Down and provide remarks during an event at ...

US Department of Labor recovers over $1.4M in wages for 2,620 workers after employer failed to pay overtime wages SAN JOSE, CA – The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered more than $1.4 million in back wages for more than 2,600 employees after finding a large, San Jose-based electrical engineering and construction company failed to pay them proper overtime rates, a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.Investigators with the department’s Wage and Hour Division determined Cupertino Electric Inc. failed to include non-discretionary bonuses when determining the rate for purposes of calculating overtime pay, which led to the significant wage recovery. The company is one of California's largest electrical contractors.“The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to making sure employees are paid properly, including the full amount of their legally required overtime rates,” said Wage and Hour Division Assistant District Director Lilita Hom in San Jose. A subsidiary...

Secretary Chavez-DeRemer statement on April jobs report WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer issued the following statement regarding the April 2025 Employment Situation Report:“We’re just over 100 days in, and President Trump has already kept his promise to revitalize our economy by creating nearly half a million new jobs – once again beating expectations this month by 40,000. The private sector is booming, with expansion continuing in critical sectors previously abandoned by decades of failed policies that sold out American workers. The April jobs report showed strong growth in construction, with 11,000 jobs created, and transportation and warehousing, with 29,000 jobs added. At the same time, every dollar is going a little further – burdensome regulations that drive up the cost of living are being eliminated, and wages continue to grow.“With a businessman and master negotiator in the White House, we are finally bringing jobs back to our country. President Trump ...

US Department of Labor seeks input from building, large-scale construction contractors to set prevailing wages, fringe benefits in Houston area HOUSTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division encourages employers, stakeholders, and others in Southeast Texas’ building and heavy construction industries to help establish accurate prevailing wage rates and fringe benefits for workers on federally funded and assisted projects.Required by federal law, the division is distributing an online survey that asks for information on wages paid for relevant construction projects from May 5, 2024, to Aug. 5, 2025. The areas covered include Austin, Brazoria, Brazos, Burleson, Chambers, Colorado, Fayette, Fort Bend, Galveston, Grimes, Hardin, Harris, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Lee, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Matagorda, Milam, Montgomery, Newton, Orange, Polk, Robertson, San Jacinto, Trinity, Tyler, Waller, Washington, and Wharton counties. The Davis-Bacon and Related Acts re...

Secretary Chavez-DeRemer meets with Teamsters, manufacturers, construction workers as America at Work tour continues BEAVERTON, OR – U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer delivered a keynote address at the Teamsters Unity Conference last week in Nevada, where she also visited a training facility for aviation mechanics and held a roundtable with local small business owners. Continuing her promise to tell the story of America at Work, the Secretary then traveled to Oregon, where she toured a high school construction project and met with Daimler Truck North America’s Chief Executive Officer John O’Leary.In her speech to Teamsters last Tuesday, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer highlighted that her father’s experience as a Teamster “meant a paycheck we could count on, a roof over our heads, and a promise that hard work would be respected.” The Secretary concluded her remarks by promising to “push for jobs that pay what you’re worth, for workplaces that keep you safe, and for retir...

US Department of Labor, Missouri roofing contractor reach agreement after teen worker’s fatal fall in 2023 JAMESPORT, MO – The U.S. Department of Labor reached an agreement with Jamesport roofing contractor John Troyer after a federal investigation determined he violated federal laws, resulting in a teen worker’s fatal fall in March 2023.The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that Troyer, owner of Troyer Construction LLP which operates as Troyer Roofing & Coatings, failed to provide workers with required fall protection. A separate investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division found he violated the Fair Labor Standards Act by employing minors illegally in roofing work from May 2022 to June 2023.Under the agreement, Troyer must pay $290,000, which includes $156,259 in OSHA penalties, $15,000 in child labor penalties, and $118,741 in criminal fines to the U.S. Department of Justice. The company will also enroll in...

Secretary Chavez-DeRemer statement on March jobs report WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer issued the following statement regarding the March 2025 Employment Situation Report:“March’s incredibly strong jobs report reflects President Trump’s efforts to reshape and rebuild our economy to put the American Worker First, with over 13,000 construction jobs added. Additionally, growth far exceeded expectations at 228,000 jobs created, demonstrating strong expansion that will only continue when jobs that were previously shipped overseas are brought back to the United States.“As expected, this report also reflects the Trump Administration’s focus on improving efficiency across government. Federal telework numbers are now in-line with the private sector, and federal employment is shrinking while critical sectors throughout the economy are seeing growth. This trend will continue while agencies right-size their workforce and eliminate wasteful contracts, which will save Amer...

Phoenix drywall, painting contractor must pay more than $7.4M in wages, damages after deliberately denying overtime to over 1,400 employees PHOENIX – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment ordering two commonly owned Arizona drywall and painting companies to pay $7,450,000 in back wages and damages after investigators found the employers willfully denied overtime pay to more than 1,400 employees.The Jan. 15, 2025 judgment by the U.S. District Court of the District of Arizona follows an investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division that found Apodaca Wall Systems Inc. and Empire Wall Systems Inc. in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The companies, owned by Arnold Apodaca and his children Michael and Brittany Apodaca, attempted to evade payment of overtime wages by paying hourly employees with multiple checks at straight-time rates for all hours worked. They also used labor brokers to hire hourly workers who were paid in cash at st...

Statement by Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su on December jobs report WASHINGTON – Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su issued the following statement on the December 2024 Employment Situation report:“Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the American economy added 256,000 jobs in December, well above market expectations and reflecting a robust and resilient labor market. With unemployment ticking down to 4.1 percent and the three-month average of payroll employment gains at 170,000, this report underscores the strength of our economy as we close out 2024. “December was a particularly strong month for sectors like private healthcare, retail and government, while construction growth over the past year has been driven by non-residential projects. This is also the first economic recovery since the 1970’s in which manufacturing jobs have fully recovered - a testament to the investments and leadership of this administration. “The labor force participation rate h...

Zion contractor again found ignoring protections to prevent workers from suffering disabling, deadly falls from elevation; faces $266K in new fines ZION, IL – Federal inspectors have again cited a Zion contractor with an extensive history of endangering workers by exposing them to fall hazards. The latest violations were discovered when employees were found roofing a residential structure without required fall protections – marking the second such incident in six months and the fifth in two years.Inspectors with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration observed employees of Miguel A. Esquina Reyes – operating as Corner Construction Corp. – working without legally required fall protection equipment atop a residential structure in Glencoe in August 2024. Falls from elevation are the leading cause of fatal and serious injuries among construction workers and rank among the most frequently cited safety violations by OSHA. In 2022, the Burea...

Owner of Medford construction company sentenced to 18 months for tax crimes, making false statements to federal government Date of action:                       Dec. 10, 2024Type of action:                      SentencingEmployers:                            Mauricio Baiense, owner, Contract Framing Builders Inc.                                                     407R Mystic Ave. Suite 34B, Medford, MA 02155Allegations:                  ...

US Department of Labor finds Louisiana contractor could have prevented 27-year-old worker’s drowning at North Carolina worksite LELAND, NC – A U.S. Department of Labor investigation into the drowning of a 27-year-old heavy equipment operator at a Leland worksite found the employer could have prevented the fatal incident by following established safety regulations.      An investigation by the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration into the August 2024 incident found that a heavy equipment operator and a foreman with RIGID Constructors LLC were repositioning a pump at Cell-3 Eagle Island using an amphibious excavator. While attempting to exit the water-filled cell, the machine tipped over, trapping the equipment operator underwater. The crew and emergency responders could not revive equipment operator. OSHA cited the Louisiana contractor with four serious violations for failing to train workers on operating a marsh hoe and for not provid...

US Department of Labor finds worker electrocution tied to Alabama contractor’s expired tools, training failures BESSEMER, AL – A U.S. Department of Labor investigation has found a local electrical contractor could have prevented a 44-year-old foreman’s electrocution during storm recovery efforts in Coaling by taking critical safety measures to protect their workers. Investigators with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration learned the foreman was part of the three-person crew employed by Dexter Fortson Associates Inc. to restore distribution power to a series of natural gas pumps. While trying to replace a broken switch, the foreman suffered fatal electrocution from voltage in energized overhead power lines. OSHA inspectors later learned the switch was energized when the incident occurred. “Electrical work is inherently dangerous, and industry employers must ensure basic safety standards are met to prevent a needless tragedy like th...

US Department of Labor completed 14 impact inspections in November 2024 at mines with histories of repeated health, safety violations WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration completed impact inspections in November 2024 at 14 mines in Alabama, California, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia and issued 162 violations and one safeguard.The agency conducts impact inspections at mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement because of poor compliance history; previous accidents, injuries and illnesses; and other compliance concerns. Of the 162 violations MSHA identified in November 2024, 44 were evaluated by inspectors as significant and substantial and one had an unwarrantable failure finding. The agency began conducting impact inspections after an April 2010 explosion in West Virginia at the Upper Big Branch Mine killed 2...

US Department of Labor completed 14 impact inspections in November 2024 at mines with histories of repeated health, safety violations WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Mine Safety and Health Administration completed impact inspections in November 2024 at 14 mines in Alabama, California, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia and issued 162 violations and one safeguard.The agency conducts impact inspections at mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement because of poor compliance history; previous accidents, injuries and illnesses; and other compliance concerns. Of the 162 violations MSHA identified in November 2024, 44 were evaluated by inspectors as significant and substantial and one had an unwarrantable failure finding. The agency began conducting impact inspections after an April 2010 explosion in West Virginia at the Upper Big Branch Mine killed 2...

Department of Labor secures consent judgment prohibiting Massachusetts contractor from retaliating against employees Date of action:                                   Nov. 22, 2024Type of action:                                  Consent judgment and orderEmployers:                                        Evolution Group Inc., Junior Moreira de Lima, Vitor Moreira                   ...

US Department of Labor fines Des Plaines solar contractor $288K in penalties for exposing workers to deadly fall hazards DES PLAINES, IL – The U.S. Department of Labor has cited a solar panel and battery storage company with two repeat safety violations after federal investigators found the company exposed workers to deadly fall hazards twice within three months. Investigators with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration observed employees of Sunrun Installation Services Inc. of Des Plaines working without required fall protection while installing solar panels at two residential homes in the Chicago suburbs – one in Oak Park on June 18, 2024, and another in Skokie on Aug. 8, 2024. Falls from elevations are the leading cause of fatal and serious injuries in the construction industry.OSHA cited the company for two repeat safety violations and proposed $288,087 in penalties. The company has been cited previously for similar violations in Massachusetts in 2...

US Department of Labor finds contractor’s safety failures led to diver’s preventable fatality at underwater worksite at Manns Harbor bridge MANNS HARBOR, NC – A Maryland-based construction contractor could have prevented a 47-year-old diver from suffering fatal injuries during an underwater dive test in June 2024 at the Manns Harbor Bridge on Croatan Sound. Investigators with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration learned a four-member dive team employed by Coastal Gunite Construction Co. was doing an underwater test on the worker’s first day of work. Seconds after descending from a boat to about 19-feet underwater, the diver became unresponsive. Once the diver failed to answer radio calls, the other team members responded by removing the diver from the water. Co-workers assisted in getting the employee out of the water and performed CPR while waiting for emergency personnel to arrive. Despite those efforts, the employee could not be...

US Department of Labor awards $99.3M in grants to support training, job services to prepare young people to succeed in high-demand careers WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced its award of $99.3 million in grants to 71 organizations in 31 states to provide training and employment services in its continuing effort to expand access to Registered Apprenticeships, prepare young workers for quality jobs and equip them with industry skills.These YouthBuild Program grants will support pre-apprenticeships to educate and train young people from 16 to 24 and neither enrolled in school or now in the labor market for construction jobs and employment in other high-demand industries. YouthBuild grants will help deliver education and training to enable participants to build or rehabilitate affordable housing in their communities for people in need.Today’s awards follow the department’s July 18, 2024, funding availability announcement.“YouthBuild grants are investments i...