Source: https://www.jdsupra.com/, August 23, 2024 By: David Peden & Gabriel Rincon, Porter Hedges LLP Coordination between the Owner-Architect Agreement and the Owner-Contractor Agreement is crucial for any successful project. In particular, parties most commonly overlook the provisions related to an Initial Decision Maker (“IDM”).  When the fight breaks out, there are usually conflicting claims whether […]

Source: https://www.keranews.org/, August 29, 2024 By: Mitch Borden After a fire erupted at an industrial facility on the outskirts of Odessa earlier this summer, some nearby residents are now suing over the environmental contamination they say it’s causing. Earlier this week, 19 Ector County residents and one business filed a lawsuit against the owners of […]

Source: https://www.insurancejournal.com/, August 29, 2024 Federal safety inspectors became aware that a 31-year-old employee of a Chicago countertop manufacturer needed a double lung transplant after suffering accelerated silicosis ‒ an incurable lung disease – and the U.S. Department of Labor immediately alerted the company of the potential imminent danger and an inspection by the department’s […]

Source: Professional Underwriters Agency (PUA) A claim was made against a structural engineer when a pier in a five-level parking garage failed, causing the garage to  settle several inches. During the review of the situation, it became clear that the precast concrete contractor did not  provide the structural engineer with certain load points in the […]

Source: Allied World Risk Management On August 6, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) announced an Emergency Order (see link below) for the suspension of all registrations of the preemergent herbicide1 dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA or Dacthal) under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The suspension of DCPA is based on the studies […]

Source: https://www.fourstateshomepage.com/, August 19, 2024 By: Kevin S. Held State health officials are warning recent guests of a southwest Missouri resort of a possible health concern after confirming three different guests contracted Legionnaires’ disease following their stay. Investigators with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) traveled to the Roaring River Lodge and […]

Source: https://www.aboutlawsuits.com/, August 26, 2024 By: Irvin Jackson Maine environmental officials indicate that at least 1,450 gallons of fire suppression foam, which contains toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), was accidentally released into the state’s water supply earlier this month, raising concerns about potential health risks among residents of Brunswick, Maine. The Maine Environmental Protection […]

Source: https://riskandinsurance.com/, August 21, 2024 By: Westfield Specialty When it comes to pollution and professional liability risks, the landscape is often evolving, this can be especially true for contractors who are working different jobsites with different needs. For an excavation crew or a site prep contractor, digging underground can uncover chemicals and other pollutive materials, […]

Source: https://www.constructiondive.com/, August 21, 2024 By; Nish Amarnath As environmental regulations for commercial buildings and properties tighten across the U.S., green leases and technologies offer owners and operators opportunities to reduce their portfolios’ carbon footprints, generate cost savings and further align with ESG goals. Challenges with monitoring and managing scope 3 emissions, however, continue to pose […]

Source: https://www.constructiondive.com/, August 21, 2024 By: Sebastian Obando The importance of an effective preconstruction process has never been more apparent, said Brett Poulos, national director of preconstruction and estimating at Burns & McDonnell, a Kansas City, Missouri-based construction company. Construction input prices increased again in July largely due to price hikes in petroleum and natural […]

Source: https://abc7.com/, August 20, 2024 The city of Los Angeles has agreed to pay $20.8 million to fix issues at the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant and to complete related environmental projects linked to the discharge of millions of gallons of wastewater into Santa Monica Bay in 2021, officials announced Tuesday. Hyperion, the city’s oldest and […]

Source: Professional Underwriters Agency (PUA) A claim was made against an electrical engineer for providing faulty electrical drawings for a new medical campus. The electrical  engineering firm hired another engineer, with whom they had a previous relationship, to prepare a portion of the design. Although the  electrical drawings at issue were the subconsultant’s design, it […]