We’ve written before about how drug use is shrinking the American workforce. Now there’s a new wrinkle to the problem of substance abuse in the workplace: the opioid crisis. The Scale Of The Opioid Epidemic In 2016, more than 64,000 people died from overdoses of opioids. Drug overdose is now the leading cause of death …
Month: November 2017
Diesel, Lumber, And The State Of Staffing – November 28, 2017
The weekly changes in the price of diesel and lumber give a quick snapshot into the state of staffing in the construction and distribution industries. Diesel Price Tracker National Average Price Per Gallon: $2.926 Globally, oil prices fell today due to uncertainty in the market. OPEC will be meeting on November 30 to discuss …
The Dangers Of Winter Construction
Some people think construction work shuts down completely during the winter. But this isn’t the case. Some construction workers do leave the coldest states and travel south during the winter months. But many projects still have to move forward, even in the coldest climates. The only other option would be for construction firms to wait …
Smoking In The Trucking Industry
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States. More than 480,000 deaths every year – or 1 of every 5 – are linked to cigarette smoking. How Many Truck Drivers Smoke? A 2006 study surveyed 11,986 people in the trucking industry. It found that smoking among long-haul truck …
Diesel, Lumber, And The State Of Staffing – November 21, 2017
The weekly changes in the price of diesel and lumber give a quick snapshot into the state of staffing in the construction and distribution industries. Diesel Price Tracker National Average Price Per Gallon: $2.912 Petroleum output cuts in the Middle East caused global oil prices to rise today, although the average price of diesel …
2017 Seasonal Hiring Heats Up
Employers are gearing up for seasonal hiring ahead of the holidays. And there’s good news for workers who are looking for these temporary jobs. The labor market is getting more competitive. During the week of October 22, workers filed the fewest first-time jobless claims since 1973. This means that employers are having to compete to …
The State Of American Manufacturing
The death of American manufacturing has been greatly exaggerated. The Bureau of Labor Statistics posted the most recent job numbers on November 3. There were some surprise numbers for the manufacturing industry. Almost all regions of the country showed increased momentum in the industrial sector. Factories added 74,000 workers in October, or the most in …
Diesel, Lumber, And The State Of Staffing – November 14, 2017
The weekly changes in the price of diesel and lumber give a quick snapshot into the state of staffing in the construction and distribution industries. Diesel Price Tracker National Average Price Per Gallon: $2.915 Tensions in the Middle East and supply interruptions in Iraq and Nigeria have pushed oil above $60 a barrel. The …
Truck Drivers Fighting Human Trafficking
We’ve written about human trafficking in the past. But this issue is an important one. And there are exciting updates in the fight against human trafficking in 2017 as more states pass legislation targeted at enlisting more commercial drivers to help. Human trafficking tends to happen around travel hubs. Because of this, truck drivers …
Risk Assessment In Construction
I recently got a peek at an insurance company’s risk assessment report for construction workers at job sites in Connecticut. The insurance company examined three main categories of risk. 1. PPE The risk assessor was eager to make sure that no construction workers were sent to job sites without proper PPE (personal protective equipment). …