Archives: News Items

Guardian Fall Protection SRL-STOP USE NOTICE

A small number of Guardian Fall Protection leading edge compatible self-retracting lifelines (SRL-LE) have been identified as non-compliance with the American National Standard Institute’s (ANSI) standard Z359.14-14 Safety Requirements For Self-Retracting Devices For Personal Fall Arrest And Rescue Systems. The affected SRLs, which must be removed from service immediately, include the following.

Halo (formerly Edge) SRLs:

  • #10908 (20’ Web)
  • #10931 (20’ Stainless Steel)
  • #10933 (25’ Stainless Steel)
  • #10936 (30’ Stainless Steel) Diablo (formerly Daytona) SRLs
  • #10979 (50’ Stainless Steel)
  • #10980 (65’ Stainless Steel)

All custom or private-labeled SRLs related to these parts are also affected.

Read the Stop Use Notice

Year-End Progress on the Legislative Front

The Mineworkers national pension and health plans were provided badly need Federal fiscal support in the year-end spending measure allowing use of the abandoned mine reclamation funds to shore up both the Mineworker national pension and health funds. This long-overdue measure will help save national mineworker pension benefits and will take the fiscal pressure of looming insolvency of that plan off the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation’s (PBGC) potential liability books. This measure also provides a path forward for Federal support for broader multiemployer pension reform – an essential prerequisite for effective reforms to remedy the 140 or so critical and declining plans without irredeemably crippling the vast majority of otherwise healthy plans by transferring the fiscal liability for the remedy to healthy plans.

Also, health plans got some good news with the long-awaited repeal of the Cadillac tax on health plans and the 2021 repeal of the health insurer tax that was levied on our fully insured health plans.

Analysis of Grassley/Alexander [Pension Reform] Proposal Impacts Now Available

MCAA, in conjunction with the UA and Horizon Actuarial Services, has produced the UA/MCAA Analysis of the Cost Impact of the Grassley/Alexander [Pension Reform] Proposal. This latest joint UA/MCAA analysis is being used in lobbying meetings on the Hill to prod Congress to craft a more acceptable multiemployer reform proposal that focuses on remedies for critical and declining plans without levying crippling fiscal and funding restrictions on otherwise healthy plans. MCAA and the overall NCCMP Coalition are working hard to prod Congress to come up with a more fair and balanced reform that does no harm to healthy plans early in the next session of Congress. Initial indications are that the reforms will be moderated significantly.

The latest UA/MCAA analysis is added to the Multiemployer Pension Plan Reform Policy Issues analysis that Horizon did for the UA and MCAA earlier this year. That analysis shows the impact of reduced benefits and increased costs added to plans in the wake of Congress’s delay in enacting reforms.

Analysis of Grassley/Alexander Proposal

Multiemployer Pension Plan Reform Policy Issues

NCPWB Resources Provide ASME Section IX Compliance Help

The NCPWB has two new resources to help member companies comply with the new ASME Section IX requirements. A Technical Bulletin summarizes the requirements for contractor personnel who supervise UA/NCPWB joint test events. It includes customizable documentation forms to simplify compliance as well as a link to the full policy document. The new requirement becomes mandatory on January 1, 2020.

Safety Professional of the Year Award Application Deadline is Friday the 20th

The deadline to nominate someone for the 2019 Milwaukee Tool/MCAA Safety Professional of the Year award is Friday, December 20, 2019. The award is presented annually to a mechanical industry safety and health professional who has led his or her company to achieving an exceptionally high degree of safety excellence.  The award winner will be announced at MCAA’s 2020 Safety Directors’ Conference on January 23rd in San Antonio, and presented at MCAA’s 2020 Convention on March 18 in Maui.

To nominate someone from your company, or from another company to become the 2019 MILWAUKEE TOOL/MCAA Safety Professional of the Year,  complete the Nomination Form and e-mail it to Pete Chaney by COB December 20, 2019.

Discover the Latest from SAWIN Service Automation and Milwaukee Valve in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show

MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show connects our contractor members with the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Participating companies highlight and link to new products, product lines, services, solutions or web pages of particular interest. Here are just a few of the recent additions:

SAWIN Service Automation, Inc. - MCAA Virtual Trade Show
SAWIN Service Automation, Inc.
SAWIN BASIC is a cloud-based solution with a full-set of modules to run any business, any size. Ideal for companies with an existing accounting software. SAWIN BASIC can integrate with your current system while giving you the kind of features you need to grow your business while making it more efficient and effective.

Learn More

Milwaukee Valve Company, Inc. - MCAA Virtual Trade Show
Milwaukee Valve Company, Inc.
INSULATOR/MS® from Milwaukee Valve is the only insulating ball valve handle that does it all – controls condensation, has reliable memory stop, and saves time since there’s no need to disassemble for adjustments.

Learn More

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show!

Visit the Virtual Trade Show

Speaking of Smart Solutions

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website to learn how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with cost-saving and productivity-enhancing applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

This section of our website also includes tips and ideas to help your company save money and enhance your productivity. Don’t miss it!

VISIT SMART SOLUTIONS

Arista Air Conditioning Employs XOi Technology to Build Customer Trust

In New York City, competition among HVAC providers is intense, so Arista Air Conditioning Corporation found a new way to win over customers. The company armed all of their technicians with the cloud-based XOi mobile app. Technicians use their mobile devices to generate photo and video documentation of every service call for Arista’s customers—so customers can see what the techs see.

LEARN MORE

Looking for More Smart Solutions?

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website! You’ll see how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with productivity-enhancing and cost-saving applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Plus, you’ll find tips and ideas on other ways you and your company can save money and enhance your productivity.

VISIT SMART SOLUTIONS

Thank You for Supporting Your Foundation

Thank you for your donations to the Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation. With your support, MCERF can continue to provide nearly $1 million in funding to students, faculty and MCAA student chapters. Your donations also mean that MCERF can develop innovative resources like the Complexity Measurement Tool to help you work smarter and more efficiently. Read on to see which of your peers have donated, then join them by making your donation via the MCERF website.

Those supporting the Foundation from January 1, 2019 – December 20, 2019 were:

  • Anvil International
  • Arden Building Companies, LLC
  • Arista Air Conditioning Corporation
  • CCI Mechanical, Inc.
  • Cleveland Plumbing Contractors Assn.
  • Stephen R. Dawson, II
  • Eastern Iowa/Western Illinois MCA
  • Ferguson
  • Hughes Environmental Engineering
  • John W. Danforth Company
  • Josam Company
  • JPG Plumbing & Mechanical Services, Inc.
  • Kinetics
  • M&SCA of Eastern Pennsylvania, Inc.
  • MCA of Akron, Ohio, Inc.
  • MCA of Chicago
  • MCA of Colorado
  • MCA of Detroit
  • MCA of Eastern Missouri, Inc.
  • MCA of Indiana, Inc.
  • MCA of Kansas City
  • MCA of New Jersey, Inc.
  • MCA of Northwestern Ohio, Inc.
  • MCA of Omaha, Inc.
  • MCA of Rochester, Inc.
  • MCA of Rockford, Inc.
  • MCA of the Capitol Disctrict
  • MCA/MSCA of Cleveland, Inc.
  • MCA/MSCA of New York, Inc.
  • Mechanical Contractors Association of Las Vegas
  • Mechanical, Inc.
  • Michigan MCA
  • Mid-Atlantic MCA
  • Mid-Michigan MCA
  • MSCA of New York
  • New England MCA
  • Nooter Construction Company
  • North Mechanical Contracting, Inc.
  • Northern California MCA
  • O’Brien Mechanical, Inc. II
  • Poole & Kent Corporation
  • Michael F. Russo
  • Frank Schaetzke
  • SLOAN
  • Smith & Oby Company
  • Southern Tier of New York MCA
  • West Chester Mechanical Contractors
  • Western New York Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors, Inc.

MCAA Change Order Publication Receives ASA’s Full Support

The 2018 of edition of MCAA’s highly regarded construction management publication, Change Orders, Productivity, Overtime—A Primer for the Construction Industry, has the full support of the American Subcontractors Association (ASA).

ASA supports the contents of the publication as being applicable to subcontractors, which sustain impacts to the same level and the same types, as the mechanical piping and plumbing trades.

This publication has become a standard in the construction industry and is widely relied upon by mechanical and other specialty contractors, attorneys in construction practices, and consultants.

MCAA will make the publication available to ASA members at the MCAA member rate.

The 2018 Edition of MCAA’s Change Orders, Productivity, Overtime features new material that clarifies the process of selecting labor inefficiency factors. A new chapter devoted to the subject of concurrent delay has also been added. This resource is a must-have for mechanical and other specialty contractors, attorneys in construction practices, and consultants.

New material within the chapter on How to Use the MCAA Labor Factors clarifies the process of selecting inefficiency intensity factors. This information will prove useful for those using the MCAA Factors to prepare loss of labor productivity equitable adjustment requests.

In the concurrent delay chapter, authors Doug Patin, Esquire and Paul Stynchcomb, CCM, PSP, CFCC, explain how you can avoid being cited for potentially costly concurrent delays to a project. The chapter also provides information to assist contractors in defining and identifying concurrent delay in a project schedule.

This latest chapter, like the others in the publication, was peer reviewed by a panel of MCAA contractors. Peer reviewers for the new chapter were: Robert Beck, President of John W. Danforth Company in Tonawanda, NY; Steve Dawson, President of Harrell-Fish, Inc. in Bloomington, IN; Brian Helm, President of The Helm Group in Freeport, IL; and Adam Snavely, President and CEO of The Poole & Kent Corporation in Baltimore, MD.

Work is currently underway on a 2020 edition of the publication, which will feature a new chapter on the critical importance of obtaining the prime contractor’s native CPM scheduling files. Additional revisions addressing a variety of areas are also underway.

Download or Purchase Your Copy

USC Graduate Found Career Path with MCAA & CPMCA Support

Kathy Deng, a Mechanical Engineering graduate from the University of Southern California, a past MCAA student chapter member, and a current Design Engineer at Murray Company reflects on her experiences in college and how MCAA and CPMCA helped guide her to her career path:

I obtained my B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of Southern California (USC) in May 2018. Currently I am an Engineer in Training (EIT) at Murray Company, something I never would have expected before my senior year.

Many students at USC have already set their career goals by the time they enter college. Some of my mechanical engineering (ME) classmates had received job offers at the beginning of their senior year, and most of my ME friends ended up working in computer programming, aerospace, and the automobile industry. However, none of these areas excited me. I took some time to explore, working in a financial firm, joining a robotics competition, and taking programming courses and lots of aerospace classes. Yet, I could not find any passion in these fields. I felt lost.

During my senior year, one ME classmate asked if I would be interested in joining a construction competition. I thought it might be a good chance to explore different fields and so I joined. It turned out to be one of the best decisions in my life. It was so special to be a designer of part of the building, and I felt so accomplished. I found construction very interesting, but as an ME student, I felt a little bit out of place without a civil engineering degree.

That was until a few months later, I had the opportunity to go to the MCAA Annual Convention, where I met many students in ME, civil engineering and construction management. During one of the social events, the ladies in Women in the Mechanical Industry enlightened me about the value of mechanical engineers in construction.

I was encouraged and started looking for mechanical contractor jobs. Later in 2018, I volunteered at the CPMCA Technology Day event, where I had a chance to talk to CPMCA Executive Director Chip Martin. Surprised to hear that I was still searching for jobs in this field, Mr. Martin kindly shared my resume with several mechanical contractors. Not long after, Murray Company set up an interview with me, and eventually hired me to be a design engineer in their engineering department. I am so thankful to be working at this company with fun, supportive and knowledgeable coworkers and managers helping in my pursuit to be a Professional Engineer in HVAC, and I am glad that I can apply my ME knowledge in a field I am passionate about.

Thinking back, my winding career path was actually a great learning experience. I learned to make good use of every opportunity to explore new options and understand more about myself. Active participation in professional events, gaining the courage to connect and interact with people in the field, along with perseverance in pursuing your dream, all help open the door to a successful and satisfying career.

You can find current student chapter members like Kathy at MCAA2020. Don’t miss the Networking & Recruiting 360 event Wednesday, March 18, 9:00 am – 11:00 am. To preview students’ resumes, visit mcaagreatfutures.org.

Please contact Harlee Mooney if you have any questions about any of our student activities or internship grants.

Guardian Fall Protection and Web Devices 3-Way Rescue and Retrieval SRL Product Recall

All Guardian Fall Protection and Web Devices 3-Way Rescue and Retrieval self-retracting lifelines (SRL) manufactured before March of 2019 are being recalled. Under certain conditions, braking forces may cause gear misalignment, potentially resulting in diminished rescue/retrieval. If your company uses any of these SRLs manufactured before March 2019, or uses the equipment, but is uncertain of the date of manufacture, the SRLs should be removed from service immediately. All affected product should be returned to Pure Safety Group for repair. Do not attempt to repair the units.

Recall Notice

Crosby Shackles Safety Alert

Crosby Group has determined that certain sizes and types of Crosby shackles may have a condition that can reduce the ultimate load capacity from the published catalog values. The shackle bow may have a previously undetected defect; and continued use may result in loss of load, property damage, severe injury, or death”. If your company uses Crosby shackles G-2130, S-2130, G-213, S-213, G-209, S-209, G-2130OC  in size and capacity range 7/8” Size, 6.50t,  with capacity and product identification code (PIC) 5VJ, immediate action is required. Crosby Group requests that you immediately review your rigging stores and equipment, remove all affected shackles from service immediately, and obtain free replacements from Crosby.

Safety Alert

New MCAA Student Chapter Resources Now Available

MCAA’s student chapter program is dedicated to helping students prepare for careers in the mechanical construction and service industry. When a student joins a chapter, MCAA, MCAA’s local affiliate and the college or university commit to providing that student every opportunity to develop professional skills, knowledge and experiences.

MCAA’s Career Development Committee has created new resources to help student chapter members manage the overall operations, recruitment and successes of a chapter. Click on the links below to download MCAA Student Chapter documents:

MCAA Student Chapter Best Practices & Guidelines detail the policies, procedures and rules to operating a chapter and share the MCAA resources available to student chapter members.

MCAA Student Chapter Workbook guides the chapter through meetings, recruitment, social media, fundraising, community service and the various activities of a student chapter. All MCAA Student chapters are required to return their completed workbook to the national MCAA office each year.

MCAA Student Chapter Recruiting Presentation showcases the benefits of joining an MCAA Student Chapter. A customizable template is included in the notes section of the PowerPoint.

MCAA Student Chapter Competition Has Record 33 Bids Submitted

The MCAA Student Chapter Competition received 33 submissions from chapters, including three from first-time participants Alfred State College, California State University, East Bay and Indiana State University.

Thank you to all the other MCAA student chapter that have submitted bids:

This year’s project details were generously provided by Fresh Meadow Mechanical Corporation of Fresh Meadows, New York.

The students have been tasked with developing a proposal to be the prime contractor on a chiller and cooling tower replacement project in the Penn South building in New York City.

The project includes the completion of all plumbing, piping and HVAC, electrical, controls and any other work required to complete the project as described in the bid documents. The student chapters are tasked with purchasing all equipment and materials and providing all necessary labor to compete the entire project scope.

The successful bidder will be required to coordinate the installation of their work with all other trades. This will include full BIM coordination with all other trades to locate and correct any clashes before fabrication or installation of any piping or ductwork. The contractor will be responsible for all costs related to any modification required for rerouting or relocation of any pipe or duct due to their lack of participation in the model clash detection exercise.

The teams will be notified if they made the Final Four by Friday, January 17. The Final Four teams will compete at MCAA2020 on Monday, March 16 from 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

The top competition prize is $10,000. The second-place team receives $5,000 and the other two finalists will each receive $2,500. The other six teams in the top ten will receive Certificates of Merit and a check for $1,000.

Members of the MCAA Career Development Committee will review and judge the bid submissions.

Learn How to Be Unstoppable at MCAA2020

Odds are that you or someone you work with uses Alden Mills’ inventions. He is a former Navy SEAL who has been awarded more than 40 patents, which have sold over 10 million products (and counting) worldwide. He’s created five No. 1 ranked infomercials and is the author of Be Unstoppable: The 8 Essential Actions to Succeed at Anything and Build Unstoppable Teams. The company he co-founded and led, Perfect Fitness (e.g. Perfect Pushup, Perfect Ab-Carver, etc.), gained national acclaim through Inc. Magazine as the fastest-growing consumer products business from 2007 to 2009, with an astounding 12,000-plus percent growth-rate, going from $500K to over $63M in just three years. Tested and proven, he has been called the modern-day Zig Zigler because of his magnetic presence, riveting story-telling and innovative teaching methodologies. His simple and effective frameworks help organizations build high-functioning team players and leaders. For Mills, it is all about enabling his audiences to achieve more than what they originally thought was possible. MCAA thanks Trimble for sponsoring this speaker. Learn more about Mills and find out more about MCAA2020 on our convention website.

Hurry Up and Register for the Safety Directors’ Conference!

Don’t miss out on our industry’s best opportunity for world class education on the safety and health topics and issues that are currently affecting mechanical construction and service businesses. Registrations for MCAA’s 17th annual Safety Directors’ Conference are on pace to result in a 17th consecutive year of record attendance. There are already more than 170 attendees registered for the conference. The conference will be presented January 21-23, 2020 in San Antonio, Texas. Pre and post conference courses will also be presented.

Our room block at the Westin on the River Walk in San Antonio expires on January 3rd, so please be sure to register before then to guarantee the best possible overnight room rate. If you have any questions about registration, please contact Sobeida Orantes at saorantes@mcaa.org or 301-990-2207. For all other questions, please contact Pete Chaney at pchaney@mcaa.org, or 301-990-2214. We are very much looking forward to seeing you there.

Explore the Latest from Conex Bänninger (IBP GROUP LLC) and E.H. Wachs in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show

MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show connects our contractor members with the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Participating companies highlight and link to new products, product lines, services, solutions or web pages of particular interest. Here are just a few of the recent additions:

Conex Bänninger (IBP GROUP LLC) - MCAA Virtual Trade Show
Conex Bänninger (IBP GROUP LLC)
Benefiting from over 100 years’ experience in fittings manufacture and over two decades experience in press system design, >B< MaxiPro is set to revolutionize pipe jointing in air conditioning and refrigeration applications. The >B< MaxiPro range is brought to you by Conex Bänninger, a specialist in providing high quality fittings, valves and accessories across the globe.

Learn More

E.H. Wachs - MCAA Virtual Trade Show
E.H. Wachs
E.H. Wachs manufactures portable weld prep machine tools used in construction and maintenance to cut, bevel, face and counterbore pipe and vessels. Available for purchase or rental.

Learn More

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show!

Visit the Virtual Trade Show

Speaking of Smart Solutions

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website to learn how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with cost-saving and productivity-enhancing applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

This section of our website also includes tips and ideas to help your company save money and enhance your productivity. Don’t miss it!

VISIT SMART SOLUTIONS

Safety Professional of the Year Award Application Deadline Extended

In response to numerous requests, MCAA is extending the application deadline for the MILWAUKEE TOOL/MCAA Safety Professional of the Year award to December 20, 2019. The award is presented annually to a mechanical industry safety and health professional who has led his or her company to achieving an exceptionally high degree of safety excellence. The award winner will be announced at MCAA’s 2020 Safety Directors’ Conference on January 23rd in San Antonio, and presented at MCAA’s 2020 Convention on March 18 in Maui.

To nominate someone from your company, or from another company to become the 2019 MILWAUKEE TOOL/MCAA Safety Professional of the Year,  complete the Nomination Form and e-mail it to Pete Chaney by COB December 20, 2019.

Webinar Covering Findings From 2019 MSCA Benchmark Survey

Leah Gutmann, owner of First Forward Consulting, LLC, will uncover the findings from the 2019 MSCA Benchmark Survey. The webinar will be held January 16 at 1 PM ET. During this webinar participants will experience a deep dive in to the key 2019 Survey results as well as get an overview of what the results mean for our industry, our companies, and our employees.  Leah will challenge the group to strip away the face value numbers and look at where they are compared to their industry counterparts and decide if it’s where they want to be.  Are you leading the charge of change or are you running to catch up?  In the bigger picture, each individual contractor must ensure they are setting themselves up for longevity and profitability.  The group will examine a select group of Survey results that tell us where we’ve been, where we are, and where we are headed as an industry.