York International division Unitary Products Group is recalling 226,000 gas furnaces for manufactured homes. The units can overheat, causing the heat-exchanger to crack and create openings for flames to escape.

The furnaces were previously recalled in November 2004. Since then, there have been 366 incidents, some involving extensive property damage.

Defective units were sold under the Coleman, Coleman Evcon and Red T brands between 1995 and 2000. Model numbers are: DGAM075BDD, DGAM075BDE, DGAM075BDF, DGAT070BDD, DGAT070BDE, DGAT070BDF, DGAT075BDD, DGAT075BDE, DGAT075BDF, DLAS075BDD, DLAS075BDE and DLAS075BDF.

Unitary is offering free inspections and repairs of the affected models. For more information, visit www.dgatprogram.com or call (888) 665-4640.

The Department of Labor & Industries announced that it is holding four hearings to take public comments on rules pertaining to structured settlement agreements for workers’ compensation claims.

In 2011, the Legislature passed several key workers’ compensation reforms. Engrossed House Bill 2123 allows workers, employers or L&I to initiate and negotiate structured settlement agreements to resolve claims for certain injured workers age 55 and over.

A structured settlement agreement is an agreement between the worker, the employer, and L&I to resolve future non-medical benefits on a claim. In most structured settlements, the claim is closed and the worker is paid a fixed amount of compensation in periodic payments spelled out in the agreement. Structured settlement is another option for those injured workers who want to pursue work or retirement goals independent of the system.

L&I is responsible for leading negotiations with State Fund employers who insure with L&I and their injured workers. The agency is not included in structured settlement agreement discussions with self-insured employers.

Even though workers enter into a structured settlement agreement, they may still receive appropriate medical treatment for conditions allowed on their claim.

The proposed rules concern the implementation of the legislation, and they are available under rules at the Structured Settlement website.

Public hearings on the proposed rules will be held at:

• Vancouver, Feb. 21, 10 a.m., Red Lion at the Quay, 100 Columbia St., 98660

• Tukwila, Feb. 21, 1 p.m., L&I Tukwila office, 12806 Gateway Dr. S., 98168

• Tumwater, Feb.22, 10 a.m., L&I Tumwater building, 7273 Linderson Way S.W., 98501

• Spokane, Feb.22, 10 a.m., Center Place Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery Place, 99216

Written comments will be accepted until 5 p.m., Feb. 24. You can submit written comments to Nancy James at:

Email: Nancy.James@lni.wa.gov

Fax: 360-902-4960

Mail: Department of Labor & Industries, P.O. Box 44208, Olympia, WA 98504

Hand delivery: L&I, 7273 Linderson Way SW, Tumwater, WA 98501.

The Senate Labor, Commerce & Consumer Protection Committee recently heard SB 6416, which would mandate certified payrolls on all public works projects. AGC is opposed to the measure.

While certified payrolls are, in of themselves, not entirely objectionable, the bill would merely layer the requirement on top of the existing framework of Statement of Intents to Pay Prevailing Wages and Affidavits of Wages in what amounted to “a regulatory dog pile”.  If we have certified payrolls, then why is there a need for Intents and Affidavits?

The bill did not pass out of committee but it is expected to be the topic of interim conversations after the legislative session, and AGC will be presenting as series of prevailing wage streamlining and simplification proposals.

SB 6416 was sponsored by Senators Chase, Pridemore, Conway, Benton, Kohl-Welles, Kline, Roach, Kastama, Keiser and Shin.

The Chinese are at it again. Last year, they built a 15-story hotel in 6 days. Now, the Broad Group has built a 30-story hotel in 15 days.

A big question that immediately pops up: “Is the building safe?” Well, Broad Group claims it can withstand a 9 magnitude earthquake and is 5 times more quake resistant than traditional buildings, thanks to a unique diagonal steel bracing system.

It also is 5 times more efficient than a traditional building, with 4-pane windows, exterior solar shading and interior window insulators. Building air is 20 times purer, thanks to a heat recovery system with 3-stage filtration.

Pretty cool stuff.

Driving through my neighborhood this week I noticed a sign staked off the side of the road with the handwritten message: “Tree Removal.” The only other information on it was a phone number.

Seems like every time an event like the recent ice storm hits, there’s a slew of “contractors” that come out of the woodwork.

Before calling that guy on the sign, remember he is probably not registered with the state as a contractor. That means he may not have insurance if he trims a tree that subsequently falls onto your house. Also, I believe that if he falls and injures himself, the unsuspecting homeowner that hired him could be liable.

The state Department of Labor & Industries says a little homework upfront can protect homeowners from fraud, shoddy work or bad contractors.

L&I says to take these steps when hiring a contractor or tree trimmer:
• Visit www.HiringAContractor.Lni.wa.gov to verify the company is registered, how much insurance they carry and their bonding capacity.
• Beware of contractors who ask to be paid in cash, have a check made out to someone other than the business, work just weekends or use high-pressure sales tactics.
• Avoid paying a large deposit or the entire cost upfront, and be sure to get the required Notice to Customer disclosure for any project that is more than $1,000.
• If subcontractors are used, or costly materials from suppliers, get lien releases from them. Before making final payment on the job, make sure subcontractors aren’t owed any money. Unpaid subcontractors can hold you responsible for their work by putting liens on your home.

For the first time on any Department of Defense project, the U.S. Navy is requiring the use of a project labor agreement (PLA).  AGC protests Naval Facilities Engineering Command’s (NAVFAC’s) use of a PLA for the building of the $450-550 million second explosives handling wharf at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor.

AGC is strongly opposed to government-negotiated PLAs.  The Navy says it is setting the parameters of the PLA rather than actually negotiating the agreement between the selected contractor and the unions.  However, it does not appear there is much negotiation “wiggle room” beyond the Navy’s parameters, which were preset with Labor.

The Defense Department is reportedly under pressure from the Obama Administration to increase the use of PLAs in its building plans. AGC is particularly concerned because the use of a PLA on such a large project could generate a large push for additional PLAs on federal projects in the State.

AGC strongly believes that the choice of whether to adopt a collective bargaining agreement should be left to the contractor-employers and their employees, and that such a choice should not be imposed as a condition to competing for, or performing on, a publicly funded project. Government mandates and preferences for PLAs can restrain competition, drive up costs, cause delays, lead to jobsite disputes, and disrupt local collective bargaining. In cases where use of a PLA would benefit a particular project, the construction contractors otherwise qualified to perform the work would be the first to recognize that fact and to adopt a PLA voluntarily. They would also be the most qualified to negotiate the terms of such an agreement.

AGC has worked with the short-listed contractors on their own response to the call for comments from the Navy, which has indicated it will soon respond to these comments.

NPR’s science blogger Robert Krulwich reports that helicopter robots in France have built a 20-foot tower out of foam bricks.

While the project was only a small-scale demonstration, it begs the question: Will the future construction workforce consist of robots directed by computer programmers?

Check out Krulwich’s blog here. Watch the robots in action below.

More than 100 Vashon Island kids got Christmas presents thanks to some busy elves at Skanska’s Seattle office.

Spearheaded by Skanska’s Community Involvement Committee, the contractor donated new toys through the Vashon Kiwanis Club.

Next, Skanska teamed with Fred Meyer and the AGC of Washington to donate about $10,000 worth of meals to 200 students of Seattle Vocational Institute. The meals included a 10-pound turkey, can of beans and a box of stuffing. Leftovers were taken by Farestart to bolster local food banks.
Jolly good, Skanska, AGC and Freddy’s!

Here’s some more holiday cheer: PCL Construction Services’ Seattle office donated $5,000 each to the Food Lifeline and Northwest Harvest food banks.
The local donation is part of a national effort by the contractor to fight hunger. If you add in donations from 13 other PCL district locations across the country, the total hits $140,000.
PCL says it has funded food banks for the last three years because buying in bulk can yield 5 to 15 pounds of food for every dollar donated. The total donated over three years is $438,000, providing about 1.3 million meals to those in need.
Cheers to PCL!