MCAA’s Model Fall Protection Program can be quickly and easily tailored to create your company’s program. You can supplement your written program with safety training from these MCAA resources.

If you have any questions about this publication, or about other occupational safety and health issues, please contact Pete Chaney.

In November of 2016 the EPA updated the Section 608 Refrigerant Management program. This ruling phased in changes over a three-year period. On October 1, 2018 the EPA issued a new ruling that will revise refrigerant regulations, again.

One significant change is to rescind the refrigerant management requirements of subpart F, (sales restriction) from substitute refrigerants. The removal of this sales restriction would enable anyone (do-it-yourselfers “DIY”), to purchase substitute refrigerants. If these refrigerants could be purchased by anyone, they could also be sold by anyone, including big box retailers and online stores. This change would be detrimental for manufacturers, wholesalers and contractors.

The HVACR industry collaborated with the EPA for two years, to modernize the Section 608 Refrigerant Management Program. While no regulation is perfect, this regulation has always been good for business and the environment, and we should voice our opinions to keep it that way. You can view the ruling and comment here.

Please take the time to submit a comment to the EPA letting them know that such a change could be harmful to the public at large. Allowing anyone to purchase substitute refrigerants could result in unqualified individuals working on equipment and handing refrigerant in an unsafe manner. Comments due no later than November 15, 2018.

MCAA’s recently revised injury and illness recordkeeping guide is now available to MCAA and MSCA members for free as a benefit of membership. Several recent changes to OSHA’s recordkeeping regulation prompted the revisions, which include new work-related injury illness reporting requirements, electronic submission of injury and illness records, deadlines for reporting, etc. If you have any questions about this publication or any of OSHA’s recordkeeping requirements, please contact Pete Chaney at pchaney@mcaa.org or 301-990-2214.

MSCA and its members welcome new chair of the MSCA Board of Managers, Kip Bagley. Kip is the Vice President of Service at MESA Energy/Emcor Services in Irvine, CA, overseeing HVACR service operations, production and recruiting in Mesa’s twelve offices. Kip supports the maintenance/repairs, automation, and energy needs of client facilities and assures a single line of communication for all multiple-site clients within Mesa’s national and regional service divisions.

Kip has 17 years of field experience after completing his apprentice training in Los Angeles. He holds an AA degree from Fullerton College and a bachelor’s degree from Cal State Fresno.

He has served as chairman of the MSCA Education Committee for the past six years.  Kip began his term on the MSCA Board of Managers in 2013. He is also active on the local level both in southern and northern California.

We would like to extend a special welcome to all our new Board Members and officers.

 2018—2019 MSCA Board of Managers

Kip Bagley, MESA Energy/Emcor Services, Irvine, CA, Chair

Steve Smith, ACCO Engineered Systems, Inc., Glendale, CA, Vice Chair

Michael Star, Lane Associates, Inc., Island Park, NY, Treasurer

Jaimi Lomas, A.O.  Reed & Company, San Diego, CA, Past Chair

Kane Armistead, AMI Services, Inc., Waldwick, NJ

Mark Crockett, Crockett Facilities Services, Inc., Bowie, MD

Robert Dills, Western Allied Mechanical, Menlo Park, CA

Renee Fiorelli, Peterson Service Company Inc., Medford, NJ

Rich Happel, University Mechanical, Mukilteo, WA

Adam Wallenstein, Neptune Plumbing and Heating, Co., Cleveland, OH

The D.S. O’Brien Award of Excellence was established in 2000 to recognize those individuals who exhibit extraordinary dedication and outstanding commitment to our industry, and to MSCA. This year’s recipient, John Gentille, CEO of MCAA, has been extremely instrumental in elevating MSCA and MCAA to new levels of excellence and providing extraordinary value to our members. The D.S. O’Brien was presented to John during the recent MSCA Education conference, held October 21—24 in Huntington Beach, CA.

Through his foresight, vision and leadership, John has ensured MSCA and MCAA are world class organizations providing all the tools and resources our member companies need to grow, succeed and compete.  Through his guidance, MCAA has become THE education association, with over 400 resources available and free to every member.

John played a key role in the development of the Safety Excellence Initiative, Advanced Leadership Institute, Women in the Mechanical Industry Initiative, National Education Initiative, web-based Labor Estimating Manual and many of our other hands-on training programs. Early on, he recognized the impact technology played in association management and as a valuable tool for our members and introduced programs and resources, including a first-class website, to ensure the association and its membership are always on the cutting-edge of technological innovation.

John has been a great supporter of our student chapters and spearheaded the creation of a Career Development Initiative to help recruit talented young people into our members’ ranks.

As stated by MSCA Chair, Jaimi Lomas, A.O Reed, during the award presentation, “I can go on but just suffice it to say that since he began his tenure at MCAA, the association has taken giant steps forward and never looked back”.