Business

Lawyers Note Changing Business Patterns Amid Pandemic

Published

4 years ago

February 5, 2021

As we approach a full year spent contending with the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are wondering about the impact of the virus on different industries. In response, we’ve seen plenty of coverage of restaurants and retail and even healthcare, but there are plenty of sectors that have received less coverage. For example, what’s currently happening in our country’s courtrooms and law offices? While certain issues have undoubtedly continued being adjudicated, including personal injury law services and criminal cases, the pandemic has significantly shifted other patterns.

Lawsuits In The Workplace

At the start of the pandemic, one of the biggest changes we saw on a national scale was the shift to remote work wherever possible. For those who couldn’t work from home, though, every day became uniquely risky, and many employers failed to act with their workers’ best interests in mind. The result was a spike in the number of workplace lawsuits, covering concerns ranging from failure to provide a safe work environment to discrimination, retaliation against whistleblowers, and wage and hour disputes caused by COVID-19 related work changes.

Decline In Divorces

While there may be a significant number of workplace lawsuits going on at present, there’s another core legal function that’s seen a significant decline: divorces. This may be surprising, given the interpersonal conflict the pandemic has caused, but it makes sense in other ways. Over the past year, both marriage and divorce rates have dropped largely because of inconvenience. Barring serious dangers like domestic violence, couples are contending with the reality that divorce is expensive and involves life transitions that are too hard to make right now.

Of course, the current depression in divorce rates is sure to be short lived, and may actually increase post-pandemic, a trend that was seen in China after their initial national shutdowns. Indeed, as divorce lawyer Rowdy Williams observes, “Divorce lawyers should expect to see a steady flow of clients in the months after the pandemic, especially once the economy begins to rebound.” People aren’t going to get divorced until they feel they have the financial resources to take care of things properly, and while Williams suggests we aren’t there yet, the spike could be coming soon.

Healthcare Suits

Healthcare providers have played an important role in our national survival throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, working on the frontlines of what has felt like a never-ending war, but they haven’t done it alone. Rather, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers like personal care assistants have operated in conjunction with insurance companies, who have changed numerous policies to accommodate new needs. Still, despite everyone’s hard work and most groups’ best efforts, not everything has gone as planned and the result is that insurers and nursing homes have been on the receiving end of numerous lawsuits.

Perhaps more than any other type of healthcare facility, nursing homes have been charged with a failure to protect their patients and staff, including through a failure to provide appropriate PPE and to test and isolate vulnerable patients. Even as the national death toll climbs above 400,000, more than a quarter of those can be linked to nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. Families are grieving and they are holding those facilities accountable for these untimely deaths.

We’re unlikely to be able to discern the full patterns underlying COVID-related lawsuits for some time, but already some trends are clear – and current demand, while different, can certainly keep lawyers busy. There are a lot of complaints to contend with at present as every industry deals with unprecedented conditions, but they all exist within the bounds of the law.

Business

Mega Construction Projects That Relied on Advanced Crane Technology

Published

2 weeks ago

February 21, 2025

Matthew Wiles

When it comes to large-scale construction projects, the right equipment can make all the difference. From towering skyscrapers to massive bridges and complex infrastructure developments, cranes play a crucial role in lifting, transporting, and positioning heavy materials with precision and efficiency. As technology has advanced, so too has crane engineering, allowing for safer and more ambitious builds. In the points below, we take a closer look at some of the world’s most impressive mega construction projects that relied on cutting-edge crane technology to bring them to life.

Burj Khalifa – Dubai, UAE

Standing at a staggering 828 metres, the Burj Khalifa remains the tallest building in the world. Constructing such a colossal structure required cranes that could operate at extreme heights. Specialised luffing-jib tower cranes were employed to lift materials hundreds of metres into the air, battling high winds and desert heat. These cranes were anchored to the structure itself as it rose, ensuring stability and precision throughout the build.

Sydney Metro – Australia

As Australia’s largest public transport infrastructure project, the Sydney Metro has transformed the way people move around the city. The project required massive tunnel boring machines (TBMs) to carve underground routes, but just as critical were the cranes used to transport and position enormous precast concrete segments. Mobile and crawler cranes with advanced hydraulic systems played a key role in assembling stations and track infrastructure with minimal disruption to existing road networks.

Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge – China

This engineering marvel, stretching 55 kilometres across the Pearl River Delta, is one of the longest sea crossings ever built. Given its scale, floating cranes with immense lifting capacity were used to position pre-fabricated bridge sections. Some of these cranes had lifting capabilities exceeding 3000 tonnes, demonstrating the sheer power and precision required for such a complex marine project.

The Panama Canal Expansion – Panama

The expansion of the Panama Canal was one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in recent history, involving the construction of massive new lock chambers. Gigantic gantry cranes were used to install the enormous steel lock gates, some weighing over 3000 tonnes. These cranes had to operate with pinpoint accuracy to ensure the seamless functioning of the canal’s new locks, allowing for the passage of larger vessels.

Hinkley Point C Nuclear Power Station – UK

The construction of this next-generation nuclear power plant has required some of the world’s most advanced heavy-lift cranes. The site features one of the largest land-based cranes in the world, capable of lifting reactor components that weigh hundreds of tonnes. These high-tech cranes have been crucial in ensuring the safe and efficient assembly of the plant’s intricate infrastructure.

The Role of Advanced Crane Technology in Modern Construction

Each of these projects would have been impossible without the evolution of crane technology. Innovations such as digital load monitoring, autonomous operation, and enhanced safety systems have allowed cranes to handle heavier loads with greater precision than ever before. For companies tackling complex construction projects, working with an experienced crane hire provider is essential. Businesses like Sventek Cranes offer cutting-edge crane solutions, ensuring that even the most ambitious projects can be completed safely and efficiently.

Mega construction projects continue to push the limits of engineering and design, and advanced crane technology remains at the heart of these achievements

Whether it’s lifting components for a record-breaking skyscraper or positioning bridge segments over open water, cranes will always be an integral part of building the world’s most remarkable structures. By leveraging state-of-the-art crane systems, today’s construction industry is making the impossible possible – one lift at a time.