All posts by SEO Team

February 22, 2023

What You need to Know—2023 Women in Construction Conference

Surety Bond Professionals is a family owned and operated bonding agency with over 30 years of experience. With access to a broad range of surety markets, our expert agents are ready to assist with all of your construction bond needs. When and Where Will the 2023 Conference Be Held? The 2023 annual conference of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) is scheduled for August 9-12 in Portland, Oregon. This will be NAWIC’s 68th annual conference. NAWIC’s stated purpose is to strengthen and amplify the success of women in the construction industry, and its annual conference plays an important role in carrying out that mission. NAWIC Membership To join NAWIC, you must be a woman working in some capacity in the construction industry for 20 or more hours per week. That includes project management, administrative, legal, insurance, or financial work or employment in any of the construction trades. The only other requirement to join as a voting member is to hold membership in one of NAWIC’s chapters. Currently, there are more than 115 chapters spread across 47 states, divided into eight regions: Northeast, South Atlantic, Southeast, North Central, Midwest, South Central, Pacific Northwest, and Pacific Southwest. Women who...

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February 22, 2023

What Percentage of Construction Workers Are Female?

Surety Bond Professionals is a family owned and operated bonding agency with over 30 years of experience. With access to a broad range of surety markets, our expert agents are ready to assist with all of your construction bond needs. What Percentage of Construction Workers Are Female?: 2022 Statistics In September 2022, approximately 7.7 million people were employed in the U.S. construction industry. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 14% of construction workers in October 2022 were female. Both the number of women working in the construction industry and the number of construction-related companies owned by women have increased since 2014, despite some disruptions due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As of 2020, Hispanic women outnumber White women working in construction in the United States. This segment of the construction workforce grew by 117% between 2016 and 2020. Most Hispanic women entering the construction workforce do so in job site positions, not office jobs. States with the Most and the Least Women in Construction Though not technically a state, Washington, D.C. has the most women employed in construction (17.6%). In order, the remaining states in the top five are Arizona, Florida, Washington, and Oregon. This can be useful...

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February 22, 2023

What is the National Association of Women in Construction?

Surety Bond Professionals is a family owned and operated bonding agency with over 30 years of experience. With access to a broad range of surety markets, our expert agents are ready to assist with all of your construction bond needs. Origin of the National Association of Women in Construction Historically, construction has been male-dominated. In 1953, the relatively small number of women working in construction in the Fort Worth, Texas area felt a need to support and be supported by their female peers. That need for networking and support resulted in the formation of Women in Construction. It soon became apparent that all over the country, women trying to make a place for themselves in the construction industry would benefit greatly from an organization like Women in Construction. And in May 1955, Women in Construction revised its charter to add chapters throughout the U.S., changing the organization’s name to The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC). There are now more than 115 NAWIC chapters located in 47 states, organized into eight regions: Northeast, South Atlantic, Southeast, North Central, Midwest, South Central, Pacific Northwest, and Pacific Southwest. NAWIC is affiliated with NAWIC organizations in other countries, including Australia, New...

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February 22, 2023

Statistics on Women in Construction

Surety Bond Professionals is a family owned and operated bonding agency with over 30 years of experience. With access to a broad range of surety markets, our expert agents are ready to assist with all of your construction bond needs. Women Historically Have Been Underrepresented in Construction There is documentation of women working as construction laborers in the 13th century, but for centuries after that, there is little evidence of women construction workers, at least not in significant numbers. Some believe that the lack of historical statistical data on women in construction is simply due to the very small number of women doing construction work. Others think that women had such low social status outside of the nobility that they weren’t worth mentioning in the historical record. For most of the first millennium, women who worked outside of the home did so primarily out of economic necessity. Poor single women and widows with no husband or extended family they could rely on for support had few options for making money. For the most part, they were regarded as a burden on society and were even regarded as somehow being responsible for the dire circumstances in which they found themselves....

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February 22, 2023

How Long Does a Surety Bond Last?

Surety Bond Professionals is a family owned and operated bonding agency with over 30 years of experience. With access to a broad range of surety markets, our expert agents are ready to assist with all of your construction bond needs. How Long Does a Surety Bond Last? There are no surety bonds that last forever, but some can remain in force indefinitely. So, how long does a surety bond last? Some must be renewed annually, and some can’t be renewed at all. In other words, a surety bond lasts as long as the party requiring the purchase of the bond (the “obligee”) says it must last—as long as the premiums are paid, of course. Different types of surety bonds have different durations. Why Does Duration Matter? The financial protection a surety bond gives the obligee ends when the bond expires or is canceled. Unless there is an active surety bond in place at the time a loss is incurred, the obligee cannot file a claim to recover monetary damages. Surety Bond Basics It’s important to understand how surety bonds work to understand why “how long they last” is significant. A surety bond is a legally binding contract among three...

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February 22, 2023

OSHA Fines Contractor $287,000 in Arkansas Due to Employee Safety Issues

Surety Bond Professionals is a family owned and operated bonding agency with over 30 years of experience. With access to a broad range of surety markets, our expert agents are ready to assist with all of your construction bond needs. Behind the Headlines In June 2022, two construction company employees in Arkansas lost their lives in a tragic workplace incident. The first worker entered a newly installed 20-foot-deep sewer manhole to perform a test and soon lost consciousness. A coworker attempted to rescue him but soon lost consciousness as well. Both workers later died from lack of oxygen in the confined space. The following OSHA investigation found that the employer not only failed to obtain the permits required by federal law for the work. The company, which specializes in concrete and tunneling work and wastewater pipe construction, also did not test the oxygen level before sending a worker into the manhole. With proper pre-entry planning, the lack of oxygen and the resulting need for ventilation would have been detected through testing.  Additionally, the employer had not trained its employees on the proper procedures for entering a confined space nor equipped them with rescue equipment. The company was subsequently fined...

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February 22, 2023

Dodge Data Concludes Recession in Construction Unlikely in 2023

Surety Bond Professionals is a family owned and operated bonding agency with over 30 years of experience. With access to a broad range of surety markets, our expert agents are ready to assist with all of your construction bond needs. Significance of Economic Forecasts in Construction The construction industry typically looks to Dodge Data & Analytics for economic forecasts to guide planning related to workforce development, equipment purchases, project financing, and other short- to medium-term business decisions. The big question for the construction industry in the first quarter of 2023 is whether the U.S. economy is likely to enter into a recession this year and, if so, how bad are things likely to get. The Construction industry relies on research and forecasts from other sources in addition to Dodge Data & Analytics, such as the National Association of Home Builders, the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation, and other industry groups, as well as a variety of private research firms. Predictions about the likelihood of a recession in the construction industry take into account such factors as: Inflation Interest rate movements Unemployment rates and job creation in various sectors of the economy Planned construction, and actual construction starts (residential, commercial,...

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February 22, 2023

Solar Panels Vs. Tesla Solar Roof: What’s Best for Your Next Build?

Surety Bond Professionals is a family owned and operated bonding agency with over 30 years of experience. With access to a broad range of surety markets, our expert agents are ready to assist with all of your construction bond needs. What Is a Tesla Solar Roof? Most people are familiar with solar panels, but the Tesla solar roof—not so much. Although Tesla introduced the solar roof concept in 2016, potential clients who inquire about your ability to install a solar system probably are envisioning the usual solar panels installed on their roof or on the ground nearby. A Tesla solar roof is made of tempered glass panels instead of shingles. The glass panels capture solar energy and convert it to electricity. Advantages and Disadvantages of a Tesla Solar Roof A Tesla solar roof maintains the look and functionality of a traditional roof. The panels are not mounted on the roof; they are the roof. Every square inch of a solar roof captures solar energy. The downside is that homeowners can’t take their solar roof with them when they move, though a solar roof can increase the home’s value for potential buyers. In terms of generating electricity, a Tesla solar...

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February 22, 2023

Are Solar Panels Ethical in Construction?

Surety Bond Professionals is a family owned and operated bonding agency with over 30 years of experience. With access to a broad range of surety markets, our expert agents are ready to assist with all of your construction bond needs. What Are the Primary Ethical Issues? Construction companies and their customers are justifiably concerned about the integrity and ethical conduct of the companies that manufacture, distribute, or install solar panels. Homeowners and businesses that opt for solar energy do so for one or both of these reasons: to reduce their carbon footprint and support the use of renewable energy, and/or to reduce their electric bills and obtain any available tax advantages. Not all companies involved in the solar industry operate in accordance with these expectations. Ironically, some manufacturers of photovoltaic panels and related equipment also are involved in activities that are harmful to the environment. Some are owned by companies involved in industries that extract, refine, or sell petroleum products or are responsible for high greenhouse gas emissions. Some have investments in such industries. Additionally, some companies in the solar industry have dubious sales practices and misrepresent what customers can expect to gain from installing solar panels.  And some...

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