On a regular basis, we highlight content posted on other blogs that we feel would benefit our readers. This week's blog highlights include:
ConAppGuru on BIM Apps
ConAppGuru recently ran a three-part series on building information modeling (BIM) apps. The first of the series is an excellent article by Skyler Thomas of Topcon Positioning Systems who provides a high-level description of how models are created, coordinated and consumed. Thomas clearly describes how BIM is a process and how it works compared to a CAD 2D process. With that as a starting point, Thomas then discusses various apps, many of which you may recognize, and what role they play in the process and how consumers, i.e. contractors and subcontractors, can put the tools to use. Here are the links to each of the three posts:
Heat Safety Tool
With high temperatures and humidity upon us, it's time to pay close attention to working conditions and safety. OSHA has created a heat index safety app for Android and iPhone devices that allows workers and supervisors to calculate the heat index for their worksite, displays a risk level and provides reminders for protective measures. Visit the App store for your device or the OSHA Heat Safety Tool website here. Also check out OSHA's heat illness webpage and the heat index online guidance page.
Contracting Officer Must Exercise Independent Business Judgement
In a non-construction case summary reported at the Pepper Hamilton Constructlaw blog, the Court of Federal Claims ruled that a contracting officer could not simply accept her supervisor's decision to terminate a contract without exercising her own independent business judgement on the situation. Check out the blog post here. Although this was not a construction case, the ruling is instructional and contractors who receive a final decision from a contracting officer should be sure to request a full explanation and reasoning for the decision rendered.
