A lot can go wrong at an auto shop. A fire could destroy the building, the equipment and all the cars on site. Thieves could break in at night to steal the cars being repaired or the expensive tools. Dangerous chemicals could injure the employees and pollute the surrounding environment. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Auto shops face many exposures – which is why BNC now offers an insurance program that caters specifically to the needs of auto service shops.

Construction is booming. All that activity is good news, but it also means there’s a lot to keep track of. To help you stay abreast of what’s happening in the industry, here’s a roundup of recent construction news. 

Women are speaking out about the sexual harassment they’ve endured in the workplace for decades. From film producer Harvey Weinstein to television host Charlie Rose to politician Al Franken, numerous high-profile men have been accused of improper behavior, often by multiple women. Although cases involving powerful and well-known garner the biggest headlines, it’s not reasonable to assume that the problem is unique to celebrities and politicians. If fact, your business might be at risk.

Construction workers in New York City will soon receive more safety training. A new law aims to decrease construction injuries and deaths by requiring a minimum of 40 hours of safety training.

Although we often talk about cause and effect, the truth is that the average effect has multiple causes, not just one. A car accident, for example, might be the fault of one driver’s inattention and the other driver’s failure to signal, as well as the weather and road conditions. Similarly, a construction worker’s on-the-job injury can often be pinned on multiple factors. Nevertheless, in some case, the sole proximate cause defense – which argues that the injured worker is solely responsible for the injuries sustained – can be successful in a Scaffold Law case.

Cybercrime is a growing threat, and it’s not a problem for only the health and financial industries. Any business can fall victim to a cyberattack, including construction companies. To protect your construction company from financial loss and business disruption, you need to understand what the risks are and how to minimize them.

Businesses have plenty of incentive to prevent accidents. In 2015, approximately 2.9 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses were reported in private industry employers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That same year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration tallied more than 65,000 violations. It makes sense that businesses would want to reduce both injuries and fines by improving safety.   

Property owners and construction contractors feeling the financial stress of New York State’s Scaffold Law may have some relief soon. New legislation introduced by Congressman John Faso would offset the state’s strict liability standard and the resulting costs for construction. Called the Infrastructure Expansion Act, the new law would create a liability standard of comparative negligence for construction projects receiving federal funding. Multiple organizations in the construction industry have already expressed support for the proposal.

Using a ladder may seem like the easiest way to do construction work at high levels, but it’s not necessarily the safest. This is why many experts support “ladder last” policies, and Nationwide is now requiring our contractors to implement a ladder last program.

Construction can be a dangerous job. That’s why the rules established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are so important. Even construction companies that try to create a safe environment may sometimes be guilty of common violations – and have to pay the price in penalties. Now there’s a new rule that may lead to even more issues.