Archives: News Items

Find the Latest from MILWAUKEE TOOL, Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.® and More 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:

MILWAUKEE TOOL
Milwaukee Tool continues to revolutionize tool transportation, organization and storage for the trades with the addition of the new PACKOUT™ Mounting Plate and PACKOUT™ Dolly. Designed to provide users with the ability to interchange and interlock a wide assortment of heavy duty tool boxes organizers and storage totes in different configurations, PACKOUT™ is the most versatile and durable modular storage system in the industry.

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Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.® a Member of Morris Group International
A favorite with contractors everywhere! The legs on this support provide numerous options to secure and transport a battery and/or mount or affix the supply line for the flush valve. Discover more products that save you time on the job.

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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

With Close Collaboration, Hill York Saves Time, Carrier Saves Money

Hill York Service Company worked closely with Carrier Corporation for nearly a year before construction began on Carrier’s new headquarters, and Hill York’s input saved Carrier $1 million. Moreover, Hill York introduced a novel approach to installing Carrier’s chilled induction beams that allowed the contractor to save time on the project’s tight schedule. Thanks in part to Hill York, Carrier’s new headquarters also met stringent indoor air quality (IAQ) standards and received LEED® Platinum certification.

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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

Succeed Together at the UA-MCAA Labor Relations Conference

From discussions on apprenticeship best practices, diversity, and service to an MCAA-sponsored session that lets apprentices understand the management side of the business, the 2019 UA-MCAA Labor Relations Conference: Succeeding Together will enhance your understanding of both UA and MCAA viewpoints. With mutual understanding, we can work toward continued work for UA members and profitable jobs for MCAA contractors, and that’s a win for everyone!

Keep Your Field Leaders Ahead of the Change Curve

Our industry will change more in the next 5 years than it did in the last 50. Are your field leaders equipped to evolve along with it? Chris Haslinger served his apprenticeship with UA Local 50 and has held various roles throughout his career with the UA. With a career focused on education and training, Chris has seen the evolution of how jobs are performed first-hand. He has played a primary role in developing UA projects that embrace new technologies, including sustainable technology programs, energy audits and retroﬁts, CAD/BIM programs and technology in supervisory roles.

reENERGIZE: Learn How to Hire and Motivate a Top Sales Team at MSCA19

Join us for this year’s MSCA19 educational conference, October 13—16 in Colorado Springs, CO. Carl Herman, Director of Operations at University of Houston’s Sales Excellence Institute and senior professor, as well as lead instructor at MSCA’s Sales Masters program, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in motivating and training the next generation of salespeople. He will delve into the value of “dashboards” that encourage peer pressure and healthy competition. Carl will demonstrate benefits of focused training of the sales process and explore the hiring process and the qualities to look for when hiring salespeople. In addition, he will open your eyes to the value of incorporating a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system in your company.

Kruse Saves Thousands Using Victaulic BIM and Products

Victaulic’s building information modeling (BIM) expertise saved Kruse Corporation an estimated $15,000 to $20,000 on the renovation of Union Station in Wichita, KS, while the streamlined construction approach reduced build hours from 4,000 to 3,100, yielding an additional $40,000 in labor savings. The combination of BIM services and Victaulic products simplified coordination, reduced risks during construction, and cut the manpower needed for this project in half.

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Looking for More Smart Solutions?

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

VISIT SMART SOLUTIONS

Find the Latest from Anvil, DEWALT, IFS North America and More 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:

Anvil International
Anvil International now offers a free Revit Plug-in, called Anvil Tools™, which allows designers to easily incorporate Anvil® and Gruvlok® branded products into any Revit Project. By using our customized plug-in, designers can save time by automating and enhancing mechanical workflows; design with smart pipe routing and fitting families; and create simplified tagging, scheduling, and spool sheet creation. We want to help your team build better and smarter. All BIM and CAD content is available online, click on the Learn More button below.

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DEWALT Industrial Tool Company
Cordless powered threading will soon be available through the new DEWALT FLEXVOLT® 60V MAX* Cordless Pipe Threader (DCE700). Adding to the growing FLEXVOLT® System, the tool’s high-performance brushless motor delivers long runtime in demanding applications, without the hassles of power cords, and wherever the jobsite is located.

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IFS North America
With unmatched depth and breadth of capabilities, IFS is the industry leader in helping companies master even the most complex service, allowing you to deliver on your service vision without having to fit it around limitations of your tech. Come see how IFS Field Service Management can help your service firm get the tools, the insight, and the vision to master digital transformation.

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Need Something Else?

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

Visit the Virtual Trade Show

Speaking of Smart Solutions

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

Planning for Hurricane Season? MCAA Partner CNA Offers Guidance

Each year in the United States, June 1st through November 30th is considered hurricane season. The earliest in a year that a hurricane struck in the U.S. was June 9, 1966 when hurricane Alma slammed into Florida and Georgia affecting several other east coast states as well. The states most affected by hurricanes include Florida, Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, New York, and Virginia. However, eleven other other states have been hit by hurricanes, including California and Hawaii.

Because hurricanes can wreak havoc on mechanical construction and service businesses, you may want to consider planning ahead. Long-time MCAA partner in safety CNA offers guidance on the subject in one of its highly informative risk control bulletins.

BULLETIN

Honeywell Issues STOP-USE of Miller MightEvac and MightyLite Self-Retracting Lifelines

Honeywell is informing users of potentially non-conforming brake components in certain models of Miller MightEvac and MightyLite Self-Retracting Lifelines (SRLs) ranges manufactured within a specific time-frame. While there have been NO reported incidents due to this nonconformity, continued use of the product could result in serious injury or death. The company urges all users of this equipment to immediately discontinue use to avoid safety risks.

Brake components in affected models of Miller MightEvac and MightyLite Self-Retracting Lifelines (SRLs) must be replaced at the manufacturer’s repair center.

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Need a Customized Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan? Start with this MCAA Model Program

Not sure whether you need a detailed, written bloodborne pathogens exposure control plan for your next job? The flowcharts in MCAA’s Model Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan will help you figure it out.

If the answer is yes, the model program will guide you through the process of establishing one. This resource is especially helpful for contractors whose employees work in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, funeral homes, laboratories or other settings where they may be exposed to bloodborne pathogens.

Topics covered include:

Exposure determination
Methods of compliance
Hepatitis B vaccinations
Post-exposure evaluations
Worker information and training
Recordkeeping

Appendices include company obligations when a standard does not apply, a summary of OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens Standard and applicable definitions and a sample Hepatitis B vaccine declination form.

Download

Want even more safety resources?

MCAA has you covered, with a full range of resources to help you protect your workers from injury and comply with applicable safety regulations. Here’s where to find them:

On our Direct Links to MCAA & MSCA Safety Resources page, where they’re listed by category with links.

Go there now

In the Resource Center, where you can use the blue Refine Your Search bar to pinpoint exactly what you’re looking for.

Visit the Resource Center

Have questions or need personal assistance?

Contact MCAA’s Pete Chaney.

Discover the Latest from Hilti, Inc., Craftmark Pipe Markers and More 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:

Hilti, Inc.
Hilti has the products, services and software to help mechanical contractors get the job done. Choose an application, and we’ll show you the right solutions for the job.

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Craftmark Pipe Markers
Craftmark is a world leader in Pipe Markers, Valve Tags, Equipment Signs and Safety Products for Leading Mechanical Contractors across the U.S. MCAA members receive a 40% discount on all pipe markers!

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

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

New Agreement Can Enhance Your Recruiting Efforts

Last week, representatives from the United Association and HVAC Excellence signed a new articulation agreement which can provide substantial benefits in your recruiting efforts. This new articulation agreement establishes a pathway for students enrolled in HVACR educational programs accredited by HVAC Excellence to advanced placement in a UA apprenticeship program.

When you are in need of qualified or entry-level service technicians it is often difficult to know where to look. Local technical training schools can be a great resource for discovering potential entry-level employees. Many technical training schools have HVAC degree programs which provide students with basic courses in mechanical systems, electricity, blueprint reading, refrigeration, etc., in both classroom and field settings. In addition students often learn basic customer service and business skills – such as the importance of showing up on time and presenting themselves in a clean respectable manner. Probably the single greatest benefit for considering these students is that they want to be in our industry and have an understanding of the industry. They have already made an investment of time and money, often spending thousands of dollars to enroll in these schools and have demonstrated a commitment to our industry. It will be well worth your time to get involved with these schools.

HVAC Excellence programmatic accreditation of technical training schools provides independent third-party review of HVACR educational programs to ensure they meet established standards of excellence for such programs. Such standards are designed to assure that our future workforce receives the quality of training required to provide the skills necessary for success in the HVACR industry. A list of accredited HVAC Excellence accredited schools can be found here: https://www.escogroup.org/accreditation/accreditedprograms.aspx.

Since MSCA members offer some of the most sought-after jobs in the industry it is advantageous for you to get involved with these HVAC Excellence accredited schools in your area. These technical training schools are always looking for business partners to mentor students, serve on advisory boards and participant in classroom programs. A primary goal of the school is to place these students in jobs once they graduate. By getting involved and building a relationship with the program, you will have a great advantage in recruiting the top students. And now, with this new articulation agreement in place, working for an MSCA member contractor should be even more attractive to these students as the credits earned while in school may now count towards the time required to complete the United Association’s apprenticeship training program.

Elliott-Lewis Installs Resurrected EVAPCO Cooling Tower for Historic Philadelphia Residence

Downtown Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin House needed an HVAC overhaul but, like most historic buildings, had no room to expand. EVAPCO reached into its archives for the specs of the building’s original cooling tower and created a more powerful, up-to-date version for the same space, making the installation process easier for Elliott-Lewis Corporation.

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Looking for More Smart Solutions?

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

VISIT SMART SOLUTIONS

Braconier Saves Time, Money with Obvious Choice for New Viega Headquarters

While it is no surprise that Viega chose to put its own products into its newly constructed building, Braconier Mechanical and Plumbing Services said using Viega products was a good option for them, too. “We reduced the manpower needs on this project by using Viega. That’s a big advantage of MegaPress—we can have a smaller crew and still stay on schedule,” said Tom Stone, president of Braconier.

LEARN MORE

Looking for More Smart Solutions?

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

VISIT SMART SOLUTIONS

Want to Learn How to Establish the Best Possible Ergonomics Program? Join Our September 26 Webinar

MCAA has been working with the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR), the United Association (UA), and Washington University in St. Louis to develop and produce ergonomics resources for the construction industry. Our September 26, 2019 webinar, which is free to members, will show you how to create an effective ergonomics program to reduce the occurrence of soft tissue injuries among mechanical construction workers. MCAA believes that effective ergonomics programs are critical in our industry, especially since more than half our workforce is 45 years old or older. In this webinar you’ll learn about two sets of new ergonomics resources, which will be made available to members for free through MCAA’s website. One set teaches contractors how to establish effective ergonomics programs for their companies. The other set is for training our worker about effective ergonomics in construction. To access the webinar, visit the link below. If you prefer to access the audio by telephone, please call 415-655-0003. The access code is 661 495 207.

WEBINAR ACCESS

Simplify Your Safety Training with these Toolbox Talks!

Have you ever wished that safety training was as easy as selecting the topic, presenting it, and following up? It can be, with MCAA’s Toolbox Safety Talks for Mechanical Construction Contractors – Volume III. This resource includes 52 talks, everything you need for a year of weekly worker safety training without the stress of having to prepare the training from scratch.

Topics covered include:

Hazard communication
Respiratory protection
Hearing conservation
Welding hazards
Vehicle safety and maintenance
First aid and health issues
Materials handling

Additional training topics emphasize why training is so important and provide tools like a personal safety checklist to help ensure that workers are on the lookout for all potential safety hazards.

Instructions and a worker safety training documentation sheet are included to further simplify the process.

Download

Want even more safety resources?

MCAA has you covered, with a full range of resources to help you protect your workers from injury and comply with applicable safety regulations. Here’s where to find them:

On our Direct Links to MCAA & MSCA Safety Resources page, where they’re listed by category with links.

Go there now

In the Resource Center, where you can use the blue Refine Your Search bar to pinpoint exactly what you’re looking for.

Visit the Resource Center

Have questions or need personal assistance?

Contact MCAA’s Pete Chaney.

Find the Latest from Watts Water Technologies, Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.® and More 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:

Watts Water Technologies
Say hello to Pronto!™ – the brand new adjustable floor drain from Watts® that provides maximum efficiency and accuracy during installation. Designed for post-pour adjustment with flexibility in mind, Pronto! Key product features save contractors time and labor costs.

Learn More

Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.® a Member of Morris Group International
Tired of taping up your strainer heads before a pour? This cover eliminates that step and protects the finish during shipping and on the job site. Discover more products that save you time on the job.

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

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

Transform Your Field Leaders’ Perspective – Give them a Network of Peers

In their fast-paced jobs, it’s easy for field leaders to feel isolated. The Field Leaders Conference will transform their perspective by enabling them to share stories and challenges—as well as solutions— with jobsite leaders from outside of their area. By participating in discussions and interactive exercises as a team, they will develop a group of contacts they can call upon when they’re up against a tough challenge. Take it from Jeff Ranke of Smith & Oby, “I am so glad I was sent to the Philly Field Leaders Conference. I needed this. Very helpful. Great speakers. I took a lot from this. Nice to know I’m not alone.” Choose your preferred city for details – it’s the same education.

Save Time on Your Next JHA with this Guide

It’s no accident that job hazard analyses (JHA) are required by many construction owners, GCs, CMs, and government agencies. These analyses help significantly reduce the risk of workplace incidents that could result in injury or property damage, thus reducing cost. Whether you’re developing a JHA to meet a requirement, or as part of your company’s standard process, this resource gives you a head start.

Inside, you’ll find:

Information to help you identify the jobs that require hazard analysis
Guidance on developing JHAs for your projects
A sample JHA that uses the hazards and safe work practices outlined in the guide
A list of job components, along with the associated hazards and safe work practices for each, that can be easily plugged into your JHA

Using these tools and guidelines will save you time and make the JHA development process easier and more cost-effective than starting from scratch.

reEVALUATE and reESTABLISH Your Financial Health at MSCA19

This year at MSCA19, being held October 13—16 in Colorado Springs, CO, we are honing in on financial health — both personal and business.

reEVALUATE Your Personal Finance

We invite you to reEVALUATE the tenets of Personal Finance with Innovest Vice President and Certified Financial Planner® Jared Martin. Jared will outline aspects of personal finance and ways to reinforce your finances through estate planning, education planning, investing and retirement planning and will identify best practices that can maximize efficiencies for retirement. You’ll leave with tools to ensure your money is working for you!

reEVALUATE the Financial Health of Your Service Business

The key to financial health and sustainability is knowing what financial benchmarks you should be measuring and why. Join Leah Gutmann, owner of First Forward Consulting, LLC, to reESTABLISH and sustaining the financial health of your service business. Leah will share results from the 2019 MSCA Benchmark Survey and explain what these findings mean to you!