Governor Issues Statewide Construction Operation and Safety Guideline
At this time, the City of Boston’s March 16, 2020 order pausing non-essential construction remains in effect...Attached is a letter sent by Governor Baker this afternoon to municipal officials, in which he clarifies his March 23 Order defining the continued operations of essential business services - including Construction. Today’s newest directive specifically states that any local ban on construction contradicts the March 23 state-wide order. The Governor recognizes the public health concerns with
What You Need to Know: Clarification of the Mass.Gov Essential Services Order
Contributed by John Ferrante, BTEA Associate Director & Tom Gunning, BTEA Director of Labor Relations We are in unprecedented times and there’s a lot of confusion with regards to COVID-19 and essential/non-essential businesses, particularly in the construction industry. On Monday, March 23rd, Gov. Baker issued an emergency advisory requiring all employers that do not provide “COVID-19 Essential Services” to close their physical workplaces and facilities to workers, customers, and the public from Tuesday,
Commonly Asked Employer Questions Regarding Employees During the COVID-19 Pandemic
An employee calls in sick to work. Can you ask them about their symptoms?Yes, an employer may ask if an employee is experiencing COVID19 symptoms such as fever, cough or chills. All health information about an employee illness must be kept confidential. The EEOC provides the following in its flu/pandemic guidance: “If pandemic influenza is like seasonal influenza or spring/summer 2009 H1N1, these inquiries are not disability-related. If pandemic influenza becomes severe, the inquiries, even if
What You Need to Know about Force Majeure in Light of the Coronavirus
By Samuel M. Tony Starr, Kaitlyn C. Leonard, Clare Prober With the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (“COVID-19”), the disease caused by the novel coronavirus (“SARS-CoV-2”), companies across various industries are taking precautions, some of which inevitably will result in nonperformance of their contracts. For some, relief from nonperformance may be found in the contracts themselves in the form of a force majeure provision. For others, whose contracts do not contain force majeure provisions,
AGC MA Programs & Events & COVID-19 - Important Update
In light of growing concerns over the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the updated guidance about limiting or eliminating work-related travel and large events from local officials and the CDC, AGC MA is reevaluating all of its upcoming in-person events, classes, programs and meetings through June 1, 2020. We will update registered participants, meeting invitees and the AGC calendar of events webpage as we make decisions about cancelling, rescheduling, or potentially moving some programs to virtual
Coronavirus Continues to Spread: What Employers Should Be Doing
In light of the coronavirus’s continued impact on the workforce, this post reviews the CDC’s newly issued guidelines for businesses, and dives deeper into how employers can lawfully navigate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), sick time laws, and other leave laws, while keeping maintaining the safety of their workforce. Read more.
Coronavirus and Being Prepared
ARE YOU PREPARED? As reports of the Coronavirus continue to dominate the news and there have been some confirmed cases in the United States, people should be aware of the facts regarding the virus and how you can keep yourself, your family, and your workers safe. We have included up-to-date-information from the MA Department of Public Health and tips about prevention and treatment of the virus with links to OSHA and the CDC guidelines and recommendations. MA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH As of
Lisa Frisbie, AGC MA Invited to Join AGC America's Business Development Forum & Steering Committee
Lisa Frisbie, AGC MA Director of Business Development and Marketing has recently been invited to join the AGC of America Business Development Forum & Steering Committee. The mission of the AGC Business Development Forum is to be a valuable resource for AGC member firms, from all divisions, for actionable information and tools that help improve business development programs and results. The 2 year term entails active participation in the development and implementation of the AGC Building Division strategic
Congratulations 2020 BWiC Inspire Awards Recipients!
Janet Chrisos, Deputy Director, MSCBA, Mentor of the Year Valerie Stone, Safety Dir. T.G. Gallagher, Emerging Leader Sabina Kintzer Shorey, Cost Eng.,Turner Construction, Rising StarSavy Francis, E.M. Duggan, Tradeswoman of the Year We would also like to recognize and thank our esteemed judging panel: Kristin Poulin, VP Business Development, Structure Tone, Inc.Joseph Barra, Partner, Robinson+ColePetrina Garbarini, Director, FAS Capital Projects at Harvard UniversityKathleen McNeil, Principal, MP
Wentworth CM Club Starts 2020 Strong!
On January 22nd the AGC MA Student Chapter CM Club at WIT hosted an evening of networking, refreshments and shared experiences with top women in the construction industry representing AGC MA Members from Gilbane, Bond, W.T. Rich, Lee Kennedy Co, SullyMac, Columbia, and Shawmut.Due to it’s success, the club will host a second event on February 26th. What's next for the CM Club? Vegas, baby! They're heading to AGC National Convention and ConExpo 2020 on March 9th, 2020. Stay tuned and stay in touch with AGC
Diversity & Inclusion Survey Results
In order to understand the current state of D&I in the commonwealth, The AGC MA Diversity and Inclusion Committee surveyed members in late spring 2019. The results of the survey are high-lighted in this one-page document. Next steps will include developing resources and education for every AGC MA organization looking to begin or enhance their D&I strategy. The first AGC Diversity and Inclusion Forum will be held during Women in Construction Week. Please join us on March 3rd from 8-10AM at Siena
AGC MA Celebrates 85 Years of Building Excellence
Legacy: Founded in 1935 by a group of commercial general contractors, AGC of Massachusetts was an outgrowth of the prior New England Branch of the AGC of America located for several years at 902 Park Street in Worcester, according to a 1931 Annual Report. Since then, your AGC has been a powerful voice for the commercial building industry throughout the Commonwealth. For 85 years, AGC MA has effectively promoted and protected the interests of the GC and CM at the State House, with the Building Trades,
AGC Launches Building Respect Campaign: Jan 2020
On January 9, 2020 the AGC MA BWiC and D&I Committees joined forces wth Liz Skidmore, Business Rep./Organizer at New England Regional Council of Carpenters and Mary Vogle, Executive Director, Building Pathways to discuss the challenges faced in providing a working environment that encourages mutual respect, promotes civil and collaborative relationships and is free from all forms of harassment and violence for everyone. The Building Respect Campaign, partially funded by MA Construction Advancement
AGC MA Hires Donna Scally, Director of Labor Relations & Employment Policy
We are very pleased to announce that Donna Scally will begin her duties as the next Director of Labor Relations & Employment Policy on Monday, January 27.Donna has been Director of Labor Relations for Rhode Island School of Design since 2015 where she administers and ensures compliance with nine collective bargaining agreements; plans, organizes and leads contract negotiations; is responsible for the grievance and arbitration processes; and reviews and drafts policies, contracts and settlement agreements.
Blackstone Valley Technical High School Graduates 2nd Class of ACE Students
Another group of Blackstone Valley Tech students have completed their ACE Mentorship Program! On Monday November 25th, juniors from the Blackstone Valley Technical High School gave individual presentations on their experience in the ACE Program and received their certificates of achievement. "They showed me a different side to construction and changed my perspective on what actually happens behind the scenes. Hearing their stories that led them to where they are, led me to the conclusion that I want to be
Lisa Frisbie attends the 2019 SMPS Pinnacle Experience Denver
Lisa Frisbie, Director of Business Development & Marketing, AGC MA attended the 2019 SMPS Pinnacle Experience on November 13th to the 15th in Denver, Colorado via an SMPS Boston scholarship. The 3 day program was packed with executive level marketing content delivered by seven highly regarded speakers addressing a variety of factors associated with setting strategic direction and leading successful firms. Lisa shared the highlights of her experience in the most recent SMPS Boston Blog which can be
Back in Blackstone - The AGC MA Building Future Leaders Program kicks off again!
AGC MA is thrilled to be back for a second year of leading the ACE mentoring program for Blackstone Valley Technical High School and ACE RI. Another great group of 20 ACE students are meeting weekly at BVT and learning about careers in architecture, construction and engineering by completing hands-on challenges and projects with the help of our tremendous team of mentors: Jeff Camusso, Shawmut Design & ConstructionAlicia Cox, ConsigliMatt Kellogg, GilbaneJonathan Nickerson, ConsigliBrett Syskmo, F.W.
AGC MA Launches 3 New Workforce Development Videos
As part of a future Workforce Development Campaign, AGC MA in partnership with AGC of America, has produced three 2 minute videos featuring the array of benefits and opportunities available in the commercial construction industry in the greater commonwealth. Thank you C.E. Floyd, Commodore Builders, Columbia Construction, BOND, Gilbane, Turner Construction, Janey Construction, NECTF, Shawmut, JMA, Colantonio, Inc., Consigli, T.G. Gallagher and Lee Kennedy for your participation and support! Watch
Congratulations to the 2019 Build New England Award Recipients!
On Thursday, October 24th more than 250 industry colleagues attended AGC's bi-annual Build New England Awards, honoring twelve projects that demonstrated Building Excellence through collaboration. AGC MA also launched the first AGC MA Member Distinction Awards recognizing individual members, Sarah Hotchkiss, Commodore Builders, Kathleen Freitas, BOND, Shaun Carvalho, Shawmut Design & Construction, Eric Stalmon, Marr Companies and Kenneth Rubinstein, Preti Flaherty who have gone above and beyond in their
AGC MA Construction Leadership Council (CLC) Holds Day of Service at Evelyn House
On Friday, October 4th more than 40 AGC members came together at Evelyn House, a Father Bill's & Mainspring emergency shelter in Stoughton for families experiencing homelessness for their annual service project. More than 20 commercial construction companies and roughly 40 volunteers performed major renovations to the property, including repairs and upgrades to two kitchens, installation of new flooring, repairs to the handicap access to the shelter, a face-lift to the common areas and bathrooms of the
Bob Petrucelli Keynotes Opioid Discussion at DC Chapter Leadership Meeting
AGC MA CEO Bob Petrucelli will be leading a discussion on Chapter Best Practices at the annual Chapter Leadership Conference in Washington DC on September 23, 2019. AGC MA has received national attention for its role in advancing industry awareness over the past year concerning the Opioid epidemic within the commercial construction industry and has been asked to highlight the outreach efforts and recent accomplishments. In 2019 AGC MA: Hosted a major construction industry Opioid Awareness Summit in
BOND's Kathy Freitas & AGC MA's Brendan Carter Featured Speakers at AGC America's Construction..
BOND's Kathy Freitas & AGC MA's Brendan Carter Featured Speakers at AGC of America's Construction HR & Training Professionals ConferenceKathy and Brendan's October 11th plenary presentation entitled, "Guidance for Substance Use Disorders in the Construction Industry", will focus on AGC MA's Human Resources Committee's Opioid Use Prevention H.R. Manual for Employers which was distributed as part of the AGC MA's successful Opioid Stand Down in June. The manual resulted from a collaboration of AGC MA H.R.
Congratulations to the 2019 AGC MA & MCAP Scholarship Winners!
The recipients rewarded are all outstanding individuals who work hard and show enthusiasm for the construction industry. All recipients are enrolled in a construction management or civil engineering degree program and maintain impressive GPAs. Representing from Wentworth Institute of Technology, Northeastern University, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and University of Maine. This year's recipients are looking forward to continuing their education and career in the
Claimants Need Not Record Complaints to Enforce Lien Dissolution Bonds Under G.L. c. 254 § 14
In a recent decision, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts (SJC) has held that a contractor seeking to enforce a lien dissolution bond under G.L. c. 254 § 14 need not record an attested to copy of its complaint with the Registry of Deeds. In City Electric Supply Co. v. Arch Insurance Co., the SJC vacated a decision of Norfolk Superior Court—refusing to apply the recording requirement of G.L. c. 254 § 5 to G.L. c. 254 § 14. The plaintiff in City Electric supplied electrical materials for a project
Discount Programs
AGC MA Membership Discount Program's provide members access to high-quality services, cutting-edge technology and top-of-the line products. From discounts on vehicles to computers and software, AGC has partnered with some of the best to give you the most for your money and improve your daily business operations. These value added discounts will give you the competitive advantage over your competition! Click here to learn more>>
AGC MA Invited to Present at Girls, Inc., Worcester
On Monday, April 22nd AGC MA member F.W. Madigan hosted a Women in Career Construction Presentation at Girls, Inc., Worcester, an organization that inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. The mission of "The Girls Inc. Experience" is to equip girls to navigate gender, economic and social barriers and grow into healthy, educated and independent adults. Their research- based programs offers hands-on, minds-on experiences and meets the needs of today's girls to provide age-appropriate information and
Anthony Leonard joins Elaine Construction as Project Executive.
Leonard brings almost three decades of experience, drawing from a diverse background which includes serving in the US Army Reserves, and nearly two decades on the Owner’s side, for Liberty Mutual Insurance. His experience with, infrastructure, major capital improvements, utilities and MEP projects, and the management of a large team of professionals, makes him well suited for his role as Project Executive. “Tony’s deep understanding of the Client’s perspective, coupled with his hands-on knowledge of the
Virtual Design & Construction Practice Guide | Alicia Cox, VDC Manager, Jack Moran, LEED AP, Manager of VDC Services Consigli Construction Company
The use of Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) technologies is an increasingly integral part of design and construction practices. While the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and other VDC technologies have been standard practice at Consigli for more than ten years, new technologies and applications are continuously emerging – some are good, and others are solutions looking for a problem. Companies must develop a process to research and evaluate the value of these new tools on an ongoing
Subcontracting Comment – Using Master Subcontracts as One Part of a Strong Partnership with Subcon | Paul James, Sr. V.P. Risk Management & General Counsel, BOND
One of the most fundamental features of operating as a general contractor or construction manager (GC/CM) involves use of a wide variety of types and formats of contract agreements needed to deliver a project. Starting with the prime agreement with the project owner there are typically many subsidiary agreements with the various parties we contract with to fulfill our obligations to the owner. These parties range from consultants and service professionals to material and equipment suppliers and various
Is Integrated Project Delivery the Right Fit for the Next Project with Your Trusted Business Partner? | Joubin Hassanein, Director, IPD & Lean Practice Shawmut Design & Construction
The ancient master builder was considered a design-build individual. The master builder was an oracle of the sciences, arts, crafts, and all things related to the build environment. In the 1900s, the master builder role split into two distinct roles: (1) the architect who was responsible for design only, possessing limited knowledge on how buildings were really built and (2) the contractor who was solely responsible for construction with very little understanding of design. Partially due to this
Daily Huddles Lead to Successful and Safe Projects | Bob Kunz, Corporate Safety Director Dimeo Construction Company
A multitude of reasons account for differences in safety, productivity, and quality in the building construction industry. Factors include schedule, complexity of design, weather, availability of an experienced, knowledgeable and skilled workforce, and the jobsite safety climate. An effective tool to manage the downstream effects of these impacts on safety, schedule, and budget is the daily huddle. The incorporation of daily huddles into the daily work tasks of field management is an effective way to
AGC MA Announces New Diversity & Inclusion Committee
We are pleased to announce the roll out of the AGC MA Diversity & Inclusion Committee. The Committees purpose is to provide a platform for members to engage and assist with developing and driving their firm's diversity and inclusion initiatives by inspiring construction companies to create a culture of sustainable business practices that promote a workforce of diverse backgrounds, perspectives and inclusive efforts. In 2019 the D&I Committee looks forward to working side by side with the BWiC Committee
AGC MA to Host its Second Career Fair at Fitchburg State University
The AGC MA and its Industry Advisory Board will be hosting its second annual career fair at Fitchburg State University on February 26th. Four more participants were added from last year and now seventeen AGC MA member and allied firms will be talking to students about their companies, the construction industry in Massachusetts, and any internship or full time opportunities that might be available. Also, this year the Construction Technology concentration merged into a new College of Business and
AGC MA Launches Building Respect Campaign
As part of its 2016 strategic plan, AGC MA has been committed to tackle the obstacles of workforce development and diversity within the industry, and although great strides have been taken, the expansion and retention of a diverse work-staff for our member companies and their staff continues to be a critical challenge. Led by the AGC MA Diversity & Inclusion and BWiC Committees and funded by the Massachusetts Construction Advancement Program (MCAP), the campaign will provide AGC members tools, information
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A Message from the Editor, 2nd Edition | Tom Dunn, Construction Lawyer, Pierce Atwood, LLP
Deliberative Communication is the theme of this edition of AGC’s Building Best Practices publication. We all have our routines, specialty areas, comfort zones, and standard forms/practices, but what happens when we or our employees travel outside those lanes or when we lose even a momentary focus within them? Maintaining a spirit of continuous learning, improvement, and awareness throughout the construction process on each job we tackle helps us stay in the moment and engage with other members of the
Mitigating the Risk of Residential Construction | Tyler Oaks, Sr. Account Executive, Construction Risk Partners
It’s no secret that the residential sector has been one of the driving forces behind New England’s recent construction boom. The continuous urbanization movement making cities like Boston more habitable have given rise to countless apartment and condominium projects. Although all projects regardless of size and scope warrant careful risk management considerations, residential work can be particularly challenging. The insurance marketplace generally views residential risk as unfavorable driven primarily
Planning for the Future: Today’s Strategies on Improved Material Procurement Processes | Chris Karian, Project Manager, Walsh Brothers, Inc.
The person in charge of material procurement and submittals lives in the future. When I am that person, I think about steel while site work is ongoing, I worry about millwork while MEP rough is being performed, and I work to stay numerous steps ahead at all times. And, it does not end there. Once everything is released and starts arriving on site, I sometimes have flashbacks about all the hurdles I jumped through months before. Not everyone enjoys this fortune telling work. A superintendent I sometimes
Navigating the Change Order Process Through the Eyes of an OPM | Christy Murphy, Senior P.M., Compass Management Inc
We have all seen the picture of the dinghy named “Original Contract” attached to the yacht named “Change Order”. Throughout the history of construction, there are likely many instances where this has been the case, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that it was unjustified or even an overly inflated change order value. The truth is that change orders are a necessity in construction contract administration and are born out of a variety of situations and reasons. As an OPM, we see it as a critical part of our
AGC MA Honors 34 Members Achieving Excellence in Safety
On June 22nd, 2018, AGC MA held its annual Safety Breakfast, sponsored by AON Construction Services Group at the Westin Copley to honor 34 members achieving excellence in safety for work completed in 2017. Congratulations to all the winners! The National Safety Award recognizes firms that have developed and successfully implemented industry-leading safety standards across its portfolio of work. The award program incentivizes construction firms to evaluate and improve existing safety standards. In
A Message from the Editor, 1st Edition | Tom Dunn, Construction Lawyer, Pierce Atwood, LLP
I am thrilled to contribute to the AGC’s Building Best Practices and honored to write in the inaugural edition. Our goal with this quarterly newsletter is to share the best practices developed by our members and to propose new strategies or ideas to improve the construction industry in Massachusetts. Whether done through case studies, tips, articles, or sample documents, it is our intention to spark an increased dialogue about ways we can improve construction processes for AGC MA members. Our
10 Tips Construction Companies Should Know About Crisis Communications | Susan Shelby, FSMPS, CPSM, President & CEO, Rhino Public Relations
Construction firms designate time and resources to safety programs, equipment, and coordinators, yet often neglect to plan for how to handle a crisis. Even with safety precautions and good business practices, accidents happen. How would you respond to a reporter asking about a construction incident involving your company? A crisis or unexpected event that focuses media attention on your firm can be disruptive to normal business operations and have a real or perceived negative impact upon your company.
Individual Improvement Through Collaboration | Jason Edic, Director of Environmental Health & Safety, Lee Kennedy, Co
Should a construction manager or general contractor ever pose the following question to a subcontractor – ‘How can I, as a CM, improve your company’s safety?’ – the answer would likely take some serious thought. Answering this question requires a construction manager (for the purposes of this article, the term construction manager will be synonymous with general contractor) to walk in the shoes of their subcontractors, as well as the trade people that build the project. Here’s the problem: despite the
SNAPSHOT in TIME: The Daily Report | Jackie Falla, Director of Client Services, Elaine Construction
If you’ve ever been tasked with reading or writing a daily report, it may not rank high on your excitement meter. Perhaps, so was reading Shakespeare in high school, as it is often difficult for students to find the relevance of the ancient script to their 21st century existence. Yet, as we all eventually learn, Shakespeare’s writings contain timeless themes that have an undeniable lasting impact. So too are those of the daily reports. Not designed for their poetic delivery of information, they are no
If You Didn’t Notice It, It Can Cost You | John Sheridan, Executive Director, PMA Consultants, LLC
When a potential change on a project is discovered, reviewing the contract documents is often not the contractor’s first step. A contractor is typically inclined to focus its attention first and foremost on solving the problem. However, it is important to recognize that most contracts contain provisions requiring certain steps be taken by any contractor or subcontractor who intends to assert a claim for extra work. For example, notifying the appropriate designated representative within a specific time frame
CASE STUDY: Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) Parking Garage at 110 Broad Street | Dan Connolly, Project Manager, Commodore Builders
Have you ever worked on a postage stamp of construction site?At 110 Broad this concept takes on a whole new meaning. With limited space, approximately 110,000sf to be exact, we had the challenge of building 36 luxury condo units with 3,500sf of commercial space on the ground level. The challenge came when we had to find a way to provide a parking solution to accommodate 48 spaces. It required the team to get innovated, dig deep (literally) and come up with the best and most unique solution – an automated
G4S Technology LLC v. Massachusetts Technology Park Corporation
In a case closely watched by the construction industry, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (“SJC”) has overturned a Superior Court’s decision barring any recovery by the general contractor G4S (the “General”) against the project Owner because the General had intentionally and falsely certified that subcontractors had been timely paid when they had not. Although the decision overturns case law going back over 100 years that strictly limited the circumstances under which a contractor can recover for
Gilbane’s Michael O’Brien Named Board Chairman of Associated General Contractors of Massachusetts
Michael O’Brien, vice president and Massachusetts operations manager of Gilbane Building Company was named 2018-2020 Board Chairman of the Associated General Contractors of Massachusetts (AGC MA) at the organization’s 82nd Annual Meeting at the Wequassett Inn on May 4. Mike previously served as 2016-2018 Vice Chairman of the Board. AGC MA is an 83-year old not-for-profit trade association, comprised of 200 CM/GC’s, Subcontractors and Service Providers who perform the majority of the commercial,
AGC MA Meets with DCAMM Leadership
A delegation from the AGC MA Chapter 149A Task Force met with DCAMM Commissioner Carol Gladstone and a number of her staff on April 6 to discuss a wide range of issues impacting CM’s and Subcontractors. At the meeting, AGC representatives were informed of key structural and staff changes at the agency. Key Topics discussed were: Status of DCAMM’s Disparity Study: Brian McPherson, new Director of Access & Opportunity reported that the draft of the Study is almost completed, but that the window for
Support AGC MA’s Legislative Efforts by Contributing to the AGC MA PAC
Over 7,000 bills are filed for each two-year election cycle on Beacon Hill by competing interest groups. The AGC/Mass PAC (Political Action Committee) was created to advance AGC’s legislative agenda to advance & protect your interests at the State House. Specifically, the AGC/Mass PAC: Enables AGC to contribute to candidates who support AGC’s legislative agenda on Beacon HillEnables AGC Staff and Lobbyist access to key legislators and their staff at political fundraisersEnables AGC to secure follow-up
