From fires to floods, tornadoes to hurricanes, a disaster can strike anytime, anywhere, and often with little to no warning. How an organization responds in the days and hours following a disruption is critical. Continue »
Construction sites are extremely susceptible to extreme weather events, and storms can result in project losses. Tropical storms and hurricanes are just some examples of wind events that can disrupt and cause damage to a construction project. Continue »
Recently there were as many as 60 major wildfires burning in the United States, primarily in western states, and more than 200 wildfires burning in Canada’s western provinces. Continue »
Imagine answering the phone in the middle of the night and a voice says, “The office is on fire.” That’s the call a construction business owner does not want to get, especially if it’s followed by, “It’s a total loss.” Continue »
When most contractors think about planning for disasters, they think about securing worksites for natural disasters, complying with OSHA and related guidelines to prevent or reduce jobsite injuries, and obtaining adequate insurance coverage to cover any losses. Continue »
Generally, when a contractor is required to build according to plans and specifications prepared by the owner, the contractor is not responsible for the consequences of design. Continue »
Additional Insured coverage is a common method of risk transfer used in construction projects. In 1985, the standard form of the additional insured endorsement used in insurance policies conferred much broader protection than the forms subsequently published in 2004 and 2013. Continue »
While there are guidelines and requirements in place to help prevent electrical accidents, there is still a lot of room for error and oversight during the course of a busy workday. Continue »
It was a sad day in West Michigan in July 2014 when the President of Lamar Construction announced they were closing, bankrupt after being in business since 1938. The bank had canceled their line of credit. Continue »
Owners and contractors often shift risk by requiring contractors and subcontractors to name them as additional insureds (AI) on commercial general liability (CGL) policies. Continue »
Beginning with a sound construction contract can have a significant impact on a firm’s profit, loss, reputation and overall ability to manage a project. Risk shifting is the contracting norm, and attorneys across the country scrutinize contract clauses when deciding which client will prevail. Continue »
The construction contract is a critical component to every construction project. And, unfortunately, construction contracts can be long documents understood only by attorneys. Continue »