Shell reaches back in history for name of Beaver County plant
The Beaver County ethane cracker being built by Shell Chemicals has been dubbed Shell Polymers, according to a report in a plastics trade publication.
Shell Polymers is a name Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A) used when it had more of a presence in the plastics industry.
Plastics News reported
the name is back and on the Potter Township project as it works in the industry to build its business. But it had sold a lot of its plastics business in years past, Plastics News said.
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PTT Ensuring Possible Belmont County Cracker Will Be on Solid Footing
DILLES BOTTOM — To ensure the ground can support a $10 billion ethane cracker, officials are testing the soil at the former R.E. Burger plant along the Ohio River in Belmont County.
Nearly two years ago, the 854-foot-tall smoke stack at the site fell to the ground after an organized sequence of explosions. Last summer, officials with Thailand-based PTT Global Chemical paid $13 million to acquire this property.
“This is part of our ongoing feasibility and engineering work, including permit-related activities required through our contractors and consultants,”
said PTT spokesman Dan Williamson.
Early this month, PTT paid another $17.5 million to acquire the Ohio-West Virginia Excavating property, which is to the south and west of the Burger site. By combining the areas
, the company controls about 500 acres for possibly building the ethane cracker.
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The Dotted Line: What contractors need to know about arbitration
When it comes to contract disputes, arbitration is sometimes the answer, even if it does not mean contractors will get an inexpensive and quick resolution.
This feature is a part of "The Dotted Line" series, which takes an in-depth look at the complex legal landscape of the construction industry. To view the entire series,
click here
.
Many construction firms have never had a legal dispute that couldn't be resolved quickly and amicably without a lawyer. But for those who aren’t so lucky, it can sometimes be surprising to take a good look at a construction agreement to see what legal remedies are available and find that a traditional jury trial is not even an option.
In those cases, the last legal stop could be arbitration.
Contractors sometimes conflate arbitration with mediation, which is another form of alternative dispute resolution in which contractors try to work out their differences with the assistance of a neutral third party well versed in construction law who is only there to be a sounding board.
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Walmart shifts global strategy to battle Amazon
The day after announcing a record-breaking $16bn investment in Flipkart, Walmart’s chief executive Doug McMillon met reporters in a Delhi hotel dressed for the occasion — in a black top emblazoned with the logo of the Indian online retailer.
“Nice T-shirt,” said one reporter. “Thanks,” replied Mr McMillon. “It didn’t cost much.”
The visiting executive’s cost-conscious jest in the context of a multibillion-dollar purchase poked fun at the reputation of a US retailer that came to dominate its home market with a promise of “everyday low prices”. But the black Flipkart gear was also the sign of a company in transition.
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Changing marijuana laws and the opioid crisis are prompting employer action
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) holds a panel on state and national drug law each year at its employment law and legislative conference, but this year, shifts in state law — and deep tragedy — have brought the issue to the forefront.
James Reidy, attorney at Sheehan Phinney Bass & Green PA, jokingly said he’s become known as the “pot lawyer” partly thanks to the wave of marijuana laws and court precedent that has forced employers to reconsider their drug and alcohol policies and testing procedures. At the same time, the opioid crisis continues to rout communities and is draining employers of talent and productivity dollars, prompting many into action.
What’s an employer to do? That’s the question of the day.
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OSHA enforces new beryllium standard
The OSHA has started enforcement of its
new beryllium standard
for the construction industry – 60 days past the initial scheduled date.
In January 2017,
OSHA issued its final rule
regarding beryllium dust, reducing the permissible exposure limit (PEL) from 2.0 micrograms per cubic meter of air during an eight-hour period to 0.2 micrograms per cubic meter. The rule also required ancillary measures such as medical surveillance, changing rooms and showers under some circumstances. However, in June 2017, OSHA proposed rolling back all construction industry provisions with the exception of the eight-hour PEL and 15-minute short-term exposure limit (STEL) of 2.0 micrograms; so these are
the only parts of the rule that the agency will enforce
unless it provides notice otherwise.
When OSHA announced its decision to
propose changes
to the initial rule revision, the agency said it was doubtful that some of the regulation's requirements would increase construction industry safety. The inhalation of beryllium dust has been linked to lung cancer and other diseases, and OSHA said the new rule would prevent 46 new cases of beryllium-related illnesses and 90 deaths annually.
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National Safety Stand-Down Reaches Thousands with Fall Prevention Message
Construction workers stand-down to learn about fall prevention at a May 7 kick-off event held in the new DC United soccer stadium.
Thousands of employers held stand-downs during this weeklong event, emphasizing to hundreds of thousands of workers the importance of preventing dangerous on-the-job falls every day.
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Safe + Sound Campaign: Communication is Key
OSHA offers several resources to help employers increase worker participation in their safety and health efforts:
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