The labor shortage is not nearly as bad as we think. We don’t (necessarily) need more training programs and vocational schools! News flash: most folks in the trades right now never had formal training. I learned carpentry because the guy I worked for mentored me! I’m betting you learned at the school of hard knocks […]

Burn Barnes and I visited with the soon to be graduating HVAC class at Erie Community College. We spent some time explaining what Sqrft does. I told my story about how I started as a carpenter, went to running Apollo Construction Co, and eventually to starting Construction Personnel Group, Inc.. Burn spent some time telling […]

The owner of a Bedford-Stuyvesant construction company and his businesses have been indicted on manslaughter and other charges after a wall collapsed at an excavation site, killing one construction worker and injuring two others. read the full story here The deceased worker, Fernando Vanegaz, 18, suffered severe head trauma, lacerations to his head, broken legs […]

There are three ways to get a job in the construction trades. 1).  A referral from your friends. This is arguably the best way to go as long as your friend is working at a great company. 2).  Surfing Craigslist. Hundreds of job posts. A few might be from righteous companies. Most are not. How […]

The Peter principle is a concept in management theory formulated by Laurence J. Peter and published in 1969. It states that the selection of a candidate for a position is based on the candidate’s performance in their current role, rather than on abilities relevant to the intended role. Thus, employees only stop being promoted once […]

The attached article is a fairly detailed analysis of what constitutes Joint Employment. A very broad definition of joint employment is that (as the name implies), an employee is controlled by two different companies and thereby is legally employed by both. The question is who owns the liability? Each agency is different, however if you […]

He is four years old and he is bugging his Mother? So she said, “Jimmy, why don’t you go across the street and watch the builders work, maybe you’ll learn something.” Jimmy was gone about 2 hrs. When he came home his mother asked him what he learned. Jimmy replied, “Well first you put the […]

ConstructionDive.com wrote a story about LPCiminelli and the corruption charges against them. Read about it here.

To aid in your compliance with the various Federal, State and City regulations requiring this training, the LSM safety department is once again offering the OSHA 10 Hour Course. The course is provided by our OSHA certified instructors. Each employee who successfully completes the program will receive a certification card from OSHA. Pre-registration is required. […]

Electrical Safety Hand Tool Safety Personal Protective Equipment Slips, Trips, Falls Safety Talk Lifting Safely Safety Talk Ladder Safety Talk Forklift Safety Hazard Communication with GHS Winter Safety

4″ taping knife 6″ mud knife 12″ mud knife Mud pan Utility knife Dust mask Tape holder Pole sander Recommended How To Videos: Drywall finishing made easy How the Pro’s Mix Drywall Mud and Apply Tape Applying the first coat of mud Applying corner bead  

I talked with a mid-level electrician recently who told me that he burned his arm with 270 volts while changing the ballast on a fixture. He said that his helper was supposed to turn the light switch off and apparently didn’t. Rule #1: Don’t trust anyone. Test it!  

I let one of the guys use my office computer so that he could file for unemployment. Ten minutes into it he came into my office and asked if I had any idea why unemployment wanted to know what his credit rating was. …ALARM BELLS… Somehow he accidently had gotten himself on to a phishing website. […]

Back when I was growing my construction company, the thing that I wanted more than anything, was someone to be a right hand—my second in command. Hell, maybe someone to take over the company if I ever wanted or needed to get out.  I was never able to find that person—but that maybe I would have had […]

According to Business First, some communities in Western New York have almost 33% dependency on government jobs. Overall, it’s one in six. Are we okay with this? Read the article here.  You can also see the specific numbers for each municipality.