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The U.S. House of Representatives again failed to pass the �鶹��ý-supported $1.2T bipartisan (physical) infrastructure bill—formally called the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (click HERE for a construction industry overview and HERE for a “Myth vs. Fact” analysis of the bill)—as the federal-aid highway and transit construction programs were set to expire on Oct. 31. As a result, Congress passed an �鶹��ý-backed extension of the highway and transit programs until December 3.

On November 4, the White House announced that the deadline for direct federal contractors to have their employees fully vaccinated under the federal contractor vaccine mandate will be same as the new OSHA ETS: January 4, 2022. Previously, the deadline for direct federal contractors was December 8, 2021. It is important to note that federal contractors will still see the contract clause mandating vaccination in federal solicitations, new contracts, etc., as none of the other dates relevant to federal contractors have changed. As of Nov. 4, the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force website has not been updated to reflect the extended deadline. However, �鶹��ý expects it to be updated to reflect this announcement from the White House.

On Nov. 4, OSHA released its new COVID-19 emergency temporary standard (ETS). The OSHA ETS will require employers with 100 or more employees to ensure their workers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or tested for infection on at least a weekly basis. CLICK HERE to register for the �鶹��ý of America WebEd Series (at no cost to �鶹��ý members) entitled: “Preparing for the OSHA COVID-19 Vaccine/Testing Mandate” held Nov. 8 through Nov. 11. For more information, click “Learn More.”

On Nov. 4, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released its long anticipated COVID-19 vaccination and testing emergency temporary standard (ETS). As anticipated, the ETS requires all employers with 100 or more employees to either mandate vaccinations, or encourage vaccination or weekly testing of all employees. Those who remain unvaccinated must also wear a face covering at work. �鶹��ý will provide comments to this measure designed to fix its many flaws and continue to explore all other possible options to protect the construction industry from the many risks created by this measure. For �鶹��ý’s complete statement on the ETS release, click here.

Nearly one-fifth of U.S. metro areas lost construction jobs between September 2020 and September 2021, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government employment data released today. Association officials noted that the job losses are occurring in many metro areas as plans to boost investments in infrastructure languish in Washington and firms cope with shortages, delivery delays and construction materials price increases.

Total construction spending declined in September for the first time since February, as both residential and nonresidential construction slipped, according to a new analysis of federal construction spending data the Associated General Contractors of America released today. Officials urged the House of Representatives to promptly complete work on the bipartisan infrastructure bill that the Senate passed earlier this year, noting that spending on infrastructure in the first nine months of 2021 fell short of year-earlier levels.

The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued the following statement in reaction to another delayed vote on the Bipartisan Infrastructure measure in the U.S. House of Representatives:

On October 25, the Senate voted 50-41 to confirm President Biden’s nominee to be the Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA. Doug Parker, formerly the chief of California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, as well as serving as deputy assistant secretary for policy at the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) under the Obama administration, was part of the Biden transition team on worker health and safety issues. He will become the first to fill the position since David Michaels left the agency in 2017. Doug’s confirmation could signal the beginning of more regulatory and enforcement activity within OSHA, which has been understood to be agency priority.

On October 27, the U.S. Occupational and Safety Administration (OSHA) officially signaled that it is moving closer to developing a national workplace heat standard. �鶹��ý previously testified against legislation requiring such a standard, citing the industry’s thorough, proactive work in this area and informed lawmakers that quickly establishing a one-size-fits-all national standard to address workplace heat exposure is unwarranted. In addition, �鶹��ý has pointed out how the Obama administration’s OSHA previously decided against issuing such a standard, giving existing agency authority to take enforcement action when heat hazards exist on the jobsite. �鶹��ý will work with its members, chapters, and coalition partners to respond to this proposal.