Florida Construction Law

Technology within construction has seen a significant shift in the creation of smart builds and cities. We take a look at five emerging technologies which will continue to transform the industry for years to come. Oculus Rift Increasingly utilized by construction workers and architects in the design of homes and commercial builds, the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset is making waves after previously being made popular through the gaming sector.   With integrated headphones, users are submersed into a 3D experience, allowing users to see the inner mechanisms of model buildings, inspect materials within a virtual reality setting and interact with builds before they are constructed, allowing teams to ensure swift, informed decision making. Microsoft HoloLens Released in 2016, the Microsoft HoloLens will become a dominant force within the construction industry. Utilizing Windows 10, the technology is able to map environments or rooms, allowing users to view holograms and ...

The use of drones in construction has quickly made its way from concept to reality in recent years. With rapidly evolving technologies and the government’s response to their adoption, industry members shouldn’t be learning the dos and don’ts on the fly. That was the message from construction lawyer Trent Cotney during a recent presentation at the “Best of Success” conference. “Less than a month ago, the law was completely different. That’s how fast things are changing,” he said. “And I guarantee you six month from now, the law will change again. So it’s something you want to constantly keep up with.” He said that 20 years ago, drones were nothing more than RC vehicles. “The drones being used today are much different … these are no longer just toys.” Drone Usage A potential use of drones in the glass and glazing industry is during the installation phase. Workers on-site can use them to monitor progress, identify issues and inspect quality without having to physically elevate up...

With the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, Congress created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to ensure safe working conditions for working men and women ( www.osha.gov ).  Every state is either governed by OSHA or the state-sponsored equivalent.  The standards set and enforce safety regulations that govern all aspects of roofing construction including the proper use of fall protection and personal protective equipment. Falls are one of the leading causes of death and injuries in the construction industry. Therefore, roofers must not only follow the current laws and regulations governing fall protection, but also stay abreast of the many changes that occur to OSHA regulations each year.  A roofer that does not follow OSHA regulations can attract unwanted attention to a job site through OSHA and other government agency inspections. These inspections delay job progress and can severely disrupt business operations.  More imp...

A good contract can be a roofer’s best friend A contract can be a roofer’s best friend because it will contain terms that will assist the roofer in collecting money or defending claims. Although this article will not discuss all the provisions needed in a good residential roofing contract, it will focus on three important provisions that every residential roofing contract should include. Notice Provision . All residential roofing contracts should contain a notice provision which requires that the owner notify the contractor of any defects or claims within a certain time period. The notice provision must be clear and unambiguous and should also provide that failure to provide the contractor with notice results in the owner waiving any damages arising out of that claim. The courts have strictly construed these notice provisions and have required that the contractor provide the owner with a reasonable period of time to notify the contractor. All notice provisions should require t...

Important precautions to protect children Many states have what is commonly referred to as the Attractive Nuisance Doctrine, which is a concept arising from negligence and premises liability. Although there may be nuances from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, generally speaking, an attractive nuisance is something on real property that may entice children to enter your property and potentially be harmed by the nuisance. A property owner that is aware of an attractive nuisance must take precautions to protect children from it. What are attractive nuisances? They can include things such as swimming pools, wells, equipment or machinery, or dangerous animals. In some cases, even roof tops have been considered attractive nuisances if the owner is aware that children like to climb on the roof. To protect himself or herself from liability, a property owner should try to eliminate attractive nuisances or otherwise prevent children from obtaining access to the nuisances by installing fencin...

Which health and safety violations occur most often on the job site today? With construction accounting for one in five workplace deaths in 2014, higher penalty payouts in place and new rules for tracking and recording violations looming, we asked the Occupational Safety and Health Administration which rules are broken  most often on construction-related projects. As it turns out, the worst offenses  have largely stayed the same  over time. It should come as little surprise that fall-protection mishaps top the list. With more than 20,000 incidents reported in the last four years, it remains  the leading cause of death in construction . Following close behind are faulty ladders and inefficient eye and face  and head protection. This summer, OSHA announce its interim rule  raising maximum civil penalties by 78%  to meet the requirements of a federally mandated increase designed to ensure that the fines reflect inflation. The rule went into ...