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The 2024 MCAA Safety Statistics & Awards program highlights a consistent and stable cohort of safety performance across MCAA contractor membership. This year the MCAA Safety Excellence Initiative is proud to recognize 62 MCAA member companies. All applicants receive a valuable benchmarking report that will allow them to compare their own 2023 incidence rates with the aggregate rates of the other participating MCAA companies overall, those in the same size category, and with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics incidence rates.

This year’s cohort achieved best in industry rates across the construction sector. On average participating MCAA contractors had a recordable rate of 1.1, lower than years past and significantly lower than our industry in general with a 3.1. As far as lost workday cases go, MCAA members once again performed exceptionally with a .28 rate compared to the industry rate of 1.8.

Those who qualified will also receive a certificate of recognition.

The program provides six awards categories including awards for zero recordable cases, zero lost workday cases, recordable cases incidence rates that are 25% or more below the industry average, lost workday cases incidence rates that are 25% or more below the industry average, and two that are a mix of these items.

MCAA is pleased to give the following contractors special recognition for their safety performance.

Zero Recordable Cases

• James T. Kay Co., Inc.
• Bayes, Inc.
• Benkari LLC
• ACSI Mechanical Group
• Stirrett Johnsen, Inc.
• Sun Mechanical Systems, Inc.
• Denali Construction Services, LLC
• Neptune Plumbing & Heating Co.
• King Industries Inc.
• A J Allen Mechanical Contractors Inc.
• W.J. O’Neil Company
• BAKER GROUP

Zero Lost Workday Cases

• DebonAir Mechanical
• SEXSON MECHANICAL COMPANY
• Indoor Environmental Services
• Muir-Chase Plumbing Co., Inc.
• Hurckman Mechanical
• North Mechanical Service
• Auburn Mechanical
• Wm.T. Spaeder Co., Inc
• RW LaPIne Inc.
• UMC, inc.
• Warwick Mechanical Group
• icon Mechanical
• Control Air Enterprises LLC
• Therma LLC
• Nooter Construction Company
• Murray Company

Congratulations to all award winners and thank you to everyone who submitted. MCAA members’ focus on safety and health is objectively above average and your support of this program highlights your company’s commitment to safety.

Mental health awareness and suicide prevention are a priority across the construction and service industries. MCAA member ServiceTitan recently amplified the conversation with a special episode of its ‘Toolbox for the Trades’ podcast. The hour-long podcast, hosted by Jackie Aubel, features a dialogue between the United Association’s (UA) Jennifer Massey and MCAA’s Raffi Elchemmas.

There are a troubling 5,000 deaths by suicide each year in the United States construction industry.

Workplace challenges include doing a job that’s physically demanding and therefore brings a high probability of injury. Plus, there are the long hours and travel requirements.

Conditions have improved when it comes to deaths on the job caused by unsafe working environments. However, experts say, more needs to be done to address mental health in the construction ranks.

Jennifer Massey is the safety, health and environmental administrator for the United Association. The group represents approximately 375,000 home services industry workers in the United States and Canada.

“People should be able to go home in the same condition they came to work,” she says. “They should not be adversely affected while trying to have a livelihood to provide for their families and themselves.”

Both Massey and Raffi Elchemmas, executive director for safety, health and risk management at the Mechanical Contractors Association of America, are concerned about the mental health issues that led to those 5,000 suicides last year.

Elchemmas says workers deserve better than the status quo.

“We wrote the playbook with physical safety, how to prevent falls, how to keep people safe and PPE,” he says. “We can do it again in mental health, and that’s what we plan to do.”

It’s achievable, Elchemmas says.

“Compassion, empathy – those are the things we’re trying to do,” he adds. “We’re trying to break the stigma, ask the question that you would feel comfortable asking your sibling, asking your best friend, but on a job site.”

Jennifer Massey and Raffi Elchemmas recently joined ServiceTitan’s Jackie Aubel on the “Toolbox for the Trades” podcast, which included their thoughts on:

• [10:54]: The importance of mental health in the construction industry
• [16:42]: Clearly defining mental health issues and terms
• [35:01]: Warning signs that someone may be having mental health challenges
• [37:30]: Dealing with working in a toxic environment
• [49:01]: Available resources and support for those struggling with mental health

To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, or anywhere you get podcasts.

If you have questions, please contact Raffi Elchemmas, MCAA’s Executive Director of Safety, Health and Risk Management.