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.
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.
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.
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.
Learn More
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Lacking a broad and powerful field service management application, trade contractors can find themselves facing a variety of business challenges. However, if your contracting business gets its operations processes right by leveraging comprehensive field service management software like that available from IFS North America, you can turn that challenge into an asset. (Learn more about IFS’ latest field service management application.) Here are nine essential functional capabilities trade contractors need in their field service management software to make the most of service revenue opportunity.
Work Order Initiation
The execution level of field service is the work order, the tool used to assign the service task to a technician or subcontractor, provide instructions, define a scope of work, and record work performed. Modern field service software must be able to initiate a work order through an omnichannel platform. (See IFS’ customer engagement solutions as an example.)
Contract Management
Contract management functionality is essential to safeguard the customer experience while avoiding penalties for underperformance. It also helps keep track of what services and parts the contract covers, which may carry an extra cost. More and more service contracts are customer-specific, rather than standard agreements that apply broadly to all customers. This places a premium on field service software that tracks the specific deliverables and then operationalizes the terms of the contract.
Scheduling and Dispatch
Scheduling optimization puts management in control of the field service workforce by generating an optimized route for the day. Modern field service solutions will have advanced scheduling options, like episodic and dynamic scheduling. Options like these allow technicians information on one or two jobs at a time so that they are not setting their own route and schedule, which can be inefficient. Using scheduling optimization, service organizations have realized 40-percent improvement in technician productivity and more than 20-percent improvement in service-level-agreement compliance and on-time service delivery.
Quote Generation
Generating quotes is important not only for customer service reps in the back office taking inbound calls, but for technicians in the field so they can sell additional work, parts, or even service contracts. That information must be available in the system to support adequate pricing on the go.
Inventory Management
Inventory management is one functional area neglected in many field service software applications. A lack of the required part, though, is the single largest factor preventing contractors from improving their first-time fix rate. You can get a technician to the customer site quickly, but if he or she does not have the parts required, or if that part is out of stock, you will be wasting resources on return trips while simultaneously damaging the customer relationship.
Work Order Execution
Once a service technician is assigned to a job, that technician will need access to the work order. Ideally, access to this information is on a feature-rich mobile interface, with real-time connectivity to data of the full-service history, asset lifecycle, and repair documentation—all over a simple web connection. Hiring and retaining employees is a challenge for many trade contractors, so a more powerful mobile interface that provides guidance to the technician may substantially improve productivity of a new or revolving workforce.
Subcontractor Management
If you involve subcontractors in your aftermarket service lifecycle, your field service software must, again, enable them to receive and complete work orders. It will need to capture broad information on their capabilities, background, skill sets, available equipment, and past performance so you can automate the process of involving them in your aftermarket service contracts.
Closing and Invoicing
Invoicing is typically handled in an enterprise resource planning (ERP) or other financial system. However, your field service management software should be able to capture all invoicing details from the work order and customer-specific contracts (such as warranties or entitlements) and integrate with your ERP system so that you have a single source of truth when it comes to billing your
customers. (Get more information about IFS’ ERP software.)
Analytics
One other reason to ensure that field service management software contains adequate invoicing functionality is for analytics. The data contained in sales and field performance offers visibility in operational effectiveness, and when paired with key performance indicators, you will have actionable insights to make improvements and the potential to create revenue opportunities.
California-based Jackson & Blanc digitized its timekeeping process with Rhumbix Core, saving an estimated $52,000 per year in labor costs alone. The company’s commitment to adopting innovative technologies is well-known, but adopting a new technology can sometimes be costly and require overcoming hurdles to implementation and adoption. Jackson & Blanc realized that technological advancements and social changes force companies to evolve—or fall behind.
The company’s challenges were two-fold: solve the inefficiencies and countless hours associated with manual timekeeping and gain broad buy-in and adoption with an automated approach. Before they brought in Rhumbix, J&B’s existing timekeeping method was done manually—100-percent pen and paper.
The process would begin each Monday with the team’s superintendent reviewing hours logged on various sheets of paper, then manually entering the data into an Excel spreadsheet. With a craft workforce approaching 125 employees, it became a marathon exercise that took about 10 or more hours per week. Additional time was spent investigating inconsistencies and correcting errors.
Jackson & Blanc was eager to address the problem. The management team wanted an easy-to-use solution that their extended team would quickly embrace and apply. A brief product demo of Rhumbix Core led to a month-long product trial. The company was quick to expand its list of software testers, and it included a cross-section of users, from tech-savvy to tech-challenged. Within three months, Jackson & Blanc deployed a digital timekeeping solution, stopped using paper, and fully embraced Rhumbix Core at all levels.
“It can be challenging to get our more veteran employees on board with any kind of change,” said Daryl Bauer, construction operations manager. “But this was different. It was so, so easy. Everyone embraced it.”
“Once we were introduced to Rhumbix, the decision was easy. The results were immediate.”
—Daryl Bauer, Construction Operations Manager, Jackson & Blanc
Today, the team bypasses hefty, error-prone paperwork and focuses on what really matters: building. The digital solution has led to more consistent time reporting from foremen and more
accurate timesheets overall, seamlessly connecting the field and office.
“Once we were introduced to Rhumbix, the decision was easy. The results were immediate,” said Bauer.
Jackson & Blanc found Rhumbix to be user-friendly and intuitive, ensuring broad user adoption and satisfaction. It simplifies their work and saves them time. What used to take 10 hours a week per foreman, now takes only 1 hour per week, so Jackson & Blanc saves about $1,000 per week in labor costs—a significant savings of $52,000 per year.
“The Rhumbix team is outstanding. Their support and flexibility are unmatched,” Bauer noted.
When Southern New Hampshire Medical Center in Nashua, NH, started having problems with its antiquated chiller system, the facility was eager to make an upgrade and chose Daikin chillers primarily for the energy efficiency. As a result, it has cut energy use in half and reduced maintenance costs.
Keeping patients, staff, and visitors as comfortable as possible is a top priority for any medical center. The HVAC systems “serve the entire building, including operating rooms and patient rooms and general use in the building,” said Alex Finlayson, field supervisor of Daikin Applied’s Boston Service office, explaining the glaring need for new equipment. “They had three non-Daikin centrifugal chillers that were 25 years old [and] that had leaks and control platform issues. The platform wouldn’t support it anymore, so the customer started to look at options to replace the machine.”
Investing in Efficiency
Finlayson gives credit to a diligent administrator for making the right call. “The facility director did his homework. He compared the competitor’s machines they already had and similar replacements with what Daikin had to offer. The energy efficiency of the Daikin chiller he selected was significantly better.”
“It was mainly energy-based,” Finlayson explained. “That was the reason for investing in these chillers. That, and a magnetic-bearing chiller is certainly a cutting-edge piece of equipment. We got involved and introduced to them our WME magnetic-bearing compressor, which improved efficiency and decreased costs.”
Daikin’s Magnitude® chillers can, in fact, save building owners up to $4 million over the life of the chiller. Proven through installations all over the world, the oil-free design may reap up to 40-percent efficiency gains and reduces maintenance costs by eliminating the oil, mechanical seals, wear surfaces, and gears.
Difficult Installation Stays on Target
Despite the clear decision, the team faced obstacles in the path to installation. Removing three aging chillers from a hospital basement was not a simple task. Fortunately, the chiller project was scheduled alongside several other renovations, including new lighting and a new pump system, which helped make the Daikin project less obtrusive.
Even so, Finlayson said it was still a major undertaking. “It was a very complicated rig to get the old chillers out and the new chillers in.” To fit into the basement space, the chillers had to be disassembled, dropped through a pit to the mechanical room level, reassembled, and installed.
“It was very time-consuming,” said Finlayson. “Long days, 12-hour days to get the new machines down into the basement and the old ones out. It was a year-long project, one chiller at a time.” Still, the project came in on time and under budget. In the end, the hospital had three new, highly efficient Daikin Magnitude magnetic-bearing chillers.
Daikin’s magnetic bearing technology eliminates oil, bearing wear surfaces, and gears for longer machine life and increased reliability. The design eliminates the risk of contamination from efficiency-robbing oil buildup onto heat-transfer surfaces. For Southern New Hampshire Medical Center, that translates to lower maintenance costs.
Decision Pays Off
The long-running labor effort paid off. In the two years since the project was completed, the facility has seen improved energy efficiency and a significant drop in mechanical issues. Finlayson said the facility director has been pleased. “The maintenance costs were substantially less as well, because the chiller uses a magnetic-bearing compressor, and he didn’t have to deal with changing oil every year.”
It may have been a long process getting the chiller system upgraded, but now the staff at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center can be assured that they are delivering superior indoor air quality for the best patient outcomes. That is an upgrade that every hospital visitor should be able to appreciate.
Read Daikin’s blog post on the effect of air quality on health outcomes.
Distracted driving poses significant risk to every business that has employees who drive both company-owned and personal vehicles for company business. Common activities that divert attention from the road include texting, most mobile phone use, eating and drinking, reaching for an object, talking with a passenger, and reading navigation systems. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), for the second consecutive year, more than 40,000 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2017. According to a 2017 NSC public opinion poll, 74 percent rated distracted drivers as a major concern for traffic safety.
Use this guide to assist in developing and supporting a program that helps in the control of driver behaviors, based on statistics about the impact of cell phone use and driver distractions, such as talking and texting. (Go to the NSC’s website to download a poster explaining the risks of distracted driving: Hands-Free Is Not Risk-Free.)
What Is Distracted Driving?
Any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving is considered distracted driving. All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety. According to the NSC, distractions now join alcohol and speeding as leading factors in crashes that cause fatal and serious injuries.
Common Cell Phone Distractions
Phone calls
Reading or composing text messages
GPS
Social media applications
Taking photos or videos
Surfing the web
Adjusting music
Watching videos
Vehicle Crash Statistics
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that 94 percent of crashes are caused by human error.
According to the NSC, an estimated 25 percent of crashes involve cell phones (conversations and text messaging).
Drivers using handheld or hands-free cell phones are four times as likely to crash.
Texting
Texting is a distraction that requires all three types of attention—manual, visual, and cognitive. Studies show that using voice-to-text is more distracting than manually composing texts. The NSC estimates a minimum of 341,000 vehicle crashes involved the driver text messaging. According to NHTSA, five seconds is the average time your eyes are off the road while texting. At 55 mph, that is enough time to cover the entire length of a football field.
Talking
A common misconception about talking on the phone while driving is that use of a hands-free device is a safe alternative to holding a phone to your ear. In 2013 NSC estimated 21 percent of crashes, or 1.2 million crashes, involved talking on handheld and hands-free cell phones.
Company Responsibility
Under the doctrine of vicarious liability, employers may be held legally accountable for the negligent acts of employees committed during the course of their employment. Employers may also be
found negligent if they fail to put a policy in place for the safe use of cell phones. According to the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, motor vehicle crashes at work cost employers an estimated:
More than 80 percent of the nation’s 94 million cell phone owners use them while driving—at least sometimes. Many states have legislation to regulate cell phone use and texting while driving. At least 13 nations, including England, Germany, and Japan, have banned the use of cell phones when driving a vehicle. Check state laws regularly, as legislation may have recently changed.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Highway Loss Data Institute HLDI website includes an interactive version of this map that is regularly updated.
In the past few years, cell phone usage has been an issue in several lawsuits, and employers are being held responsible if a worker causes an accident while talking on the phone. So why are employers concerned about cell phones? Cell phone records can be subpoenaed to prove the employee was on the phone when the accident occurred. Other distractions cannot be identified
to a specific time, and many drivers do not want to say they were distracted and not driving safely.
While there is no guaranteed defense to liability, developing appropriate policies, training, and enforcement mechanisms can help limit potential liability and increase public safety. Several companies are deciding on a total ban to prohibit employees from using cell phones while driving company or personal vehicles for work. With over 150,000 employees, Cargill is the largest privately held corporation to implement such a strict policy. According to the NSC, 1 percent of companies believe that productivity declined as a result of implementing a total ban. In contrast, other companies adopt cell phone safety guidelines and focus on training and enforcement. Each company should determine whether the benefits of employee cell phone use outweigh the risk. Many companies are opting for a total ban on cell phone use unless absolutely necessary.
All workers are at risk of crashes, whether they drive light or heavy vehicles or whether driving is a main or incidental job duty. To protect themselves, employers should consider establishing a written policy restricting any use of a cell phone and ensure employees read and sign the written policy. The restriction should include the use of hands-free headsets, because studies indicate it is the conversation, not the physical act of holding the phone, that contributes to accidents.
A cell phone policy might include the following guidelines:
Do not use a cell phone while driving personal or company vehicles for work.
Pull over in a legal and safe location to make phone calls, respond to text messages, or set up GPS.
Ask a passenger to make or take the call.
Inform regular callers of your driving schedule and when you will be available to talk.
Plan calls prior to traveling or while on rest breaks whenever possible.
To learn more about how CNA can help your company maintain business income while reducing commercial auto exposures, visit www.cna.com/driverperformance.
The information, examples and suggestions presented in this material have been developed from sources believed to be reliable, but they should not be construed as legal or other professional advice. CNA accepts no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of this material and recommends the consultation with competent legal counsel and/or other professional advisors before applying this material in any particular factual situations.
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.
Arista Air Conditioning serves more than 3,000 commercial and luxury residential customers in the New York City metropolitan area. The company harnesses the power of hundreds of highly-trained field service technicians, 100 trucks, and the latest technology. Evidence-based video collection elevates the customer service experience by increasing transparency and enhancing communication. It also helps Arista optimize its recordkeeping and provide technicians with easy, immediate access to the collective experience of the company’s most experienced workers.
The XOi platform ensures that field service techs can clearly communicate job requirements, progress, and circumstances through the lifecycle of the relationship. Videos and still images get added to customer-facing records, so customers can verify they are paying for the correct services.
XOi Vision™ content also helps the organization train technicians efficiently and cost effectively, using real-world video examples. Vision helps senior field service technicians collaborate with less-skilled techs on unique problems or unfamiliar equipment through shared, real-time video. The company benefits from the knowledge of its best techs on every jobsite, without having to roll a second truck, which costs over $400 on average in the field service industry.
“We think giving our employees the ability to instantly tap into the collective wisdom of technicians, who jointly have thousands of years of experience, is an invaluable resource,” said Michael Rosone, vice president of Service Sales for Arista Air Conditioning.
Just two years after implementing STRATUS software from GTP Services, University Mechanical Contractors, Inc. (UMC) saved hundreds of thousands of dollars in packaging, spooling, and cutting costs and eliminated its cumbersome paper processes. UMC credits STRATUS with increasing efficiency, multiplying output volume, and enhancing its modeling capabilities.
First Step: Paper to PDFs
Roughly two years ago, UMC set out to transform the way it issued deliverables to the fabrication team, moving from paper to a digital platform. Each fabrication package contained a set of drawings, bill of materials (BOM), material request, purchase order, cut list, packing slip, and identification stickers for each spool or assembly. Creating these items was labor-intensive and manually driven; printing multiple copies was burdensome.
UMC initially tackled the printing and copying issue by switching to PDF documents viewed on mobile tablets. Moving to a PDF workflow helped with document control and reduced paper, but UMC still had separate systems to manage production and draw deliverables with Smartsheet and Bluebeam, along with a separate workflow inside of FABMEP, where UMC created the cut lists, BOMs, and packing slips. To support this work, UMC either had to train its fabrication team and purchase separate software licenses or rely on its virtual construction (VC) teams, which were already laden with deliverables.
Transitioning from paper to PDFs was a radical step for UMC, but PDFs did not take advantage of the integrated 3D models created by the VC teams. The VC staff spend countless hours poring over design documents to develop a constructible product in a 3D environment that is embedded with powerful information, such as cost and labor.
Next Step: PDFs to an Integrated Platform
In November 2017, Doug Smith of Dynamic Systems, Inc., introduced UMC to GTP Services’ STRATUS software, a construction manufacturing and logistics solution that uses Autodesk’s Forge Platform. The product was in its infancy at the time, but UMC appreciated the vision and potential and so became an early adopter.
At its core, STRATUS is a data aggregator that allows UMC to access and manipulate all the information contained in its models in any number of ways—solving the problem of maintaining PDF drawings separately from cut lists, BOMs, hanger reports, and other data. It can also connect to tooling, such as Watts Plasma, TigerStop, and Greenlee Tubing Benders, eliminating the manual effort of creating the lists or typing them into machine interfaces. UMC found that the STRATUS integration with tooling resulted in a large savings in material costs through its nesting routines. Because STRATUS connects to its printers, UMC eliminated another manual process.
The ability to create spools and assemblies inside of STRATUS was a major improvement for UMC. STRATUS gives UMC the opportunity to work directly within the model, eliminating the need for text and annotation. With the ability to rotate a model virtually, the user no longer needs multiple views on spool sheets, and UMC can put the power of the model in the shop personnel’s hands. In addition, STRATUS pairs the visual aspects of a tool like Navisworks with the manufacturing tool. It allows UMC to take full advantage of the VC teams’ work by building digitally. The modeling team now does less reporting and more modeling, and workers in the field can generate reports themselves through STRATUS if needed.
Early Adoption Pays Off
A six-month snapshot of UMC’s return on investment while running STRATUS integrated with TigerStop showed a total savings of more than $330,000. UMC also runs its shops using three TigerStops purchased from GTP Services. UMC appreciated how GTP Services listens to the needs of the end users. GTP Services’ continued dedication to improvement and contractor involvement in development has transformed STRATUS into a powerful tool that met UMC’s initial challenge to change its shop from a paperless workflow to a digital workflow with mechanized integration.
AMS Mechanical Contractors relied on Sloan products for a new Welcome Pavilion on Chicago’s Navy Pier because “Sloan’s products definitely saved us time on installation,” said John Brassfield of AMS, the project’s site foreman. “A lot of them come assembled, and it’s very cut and dry as far as the installation. We definitely save on labor costs,” said Brassfield.
Welcome to Navy Pier
Navy Pier is one of the most visited leisure and cultural destinations in the world and is Chicago’s lakefront treasure. With parks, restaurants, exhibits, and more—all situated on the shore of Lake Michigan—it is a very popular tourist attraction.
Navy Pier opened its People’s Energy Welcome Pavilion in 2017, designed to greet people coming to enjoy the Pier’s numerous amenities. For the more than nine million guests that visit the Pier annually, the Welcome Pavilion must make a good first impression on visitors and set the tone for the rest of their experience. For the Welcome Center, AMS installed Sloan products that deliver an elegant aesthetic along with the durability to stand up to millions of users each year. “There really isn’t any failure rate, either, so that’s why we continue to use Sloan products,” said Brassfield.
AMS saves money and time by specifying durable, efficient Sloan products. “There really isn’t any failure rate,” said AMS’ John Brassfield.
Windy City Water Savings
The Pier also needed products that would match its commitment to sustainability. Along with the facility’s energy-saving green roof and LED lighting, Sloan’s products help make the building over 20 percent more efficient than traditional structures. With Lake Michigan in its backyard, the Pier strives to protect and conserve water and the life around it. The Navy Pier wanted water-saving flushometers that would contribute to its sustainability efforts in maximizing the guest experience while minimizing the environmental impact. Sloan SU-7009 Small Washdown Urinals were paired with Sloan Royal® Sensor Flushometers (Royal 186 SFSM) to deliver an efficient 0.125 gallons per flush (gpf). For AMS, Sloan was the preferred solution because of their touchless, sustainable products, as well as the products’ versatility.
Additionally, Sloan ST-2459 Elongated Wall-Mounted Water Closets were installed with Sloan Royal 111 SFSM Sensor Flushometers. With a static load rating of 750 pounds, the water closets can withstand the Welcome Center’s high traffic, while the flushometers’ 1.28 gpf contributes to water savings across the facility.
Lakefront Lavatories
The Pier paired Sloan DSG Designer Series™ sinks with its BASYS® EFX800 wall-mounted faucets for an aesthetically pleasing, sustainable handwashing experience. Featuring a Silestone Spa Suede finish, the ADA-compliant sinks complement the faucets’ sleek polished chrome. The faucets’ infrared sensors allow for hygienic, touch-free handwashing, with a flow rate of just 1.5 gallons per minute and a line purge feature to eliminate stagnant water.
“Sloan’s products do an excellent job of inviting guests to the Welcome Pavilion with an elegant aesthetic that they can expect throughout Navy Pier,” said Harry Smyrniotes, Navy Pier brand activations and marketing associate. “Not only that, but they match our unwavering commitment to sustainability,” he noted.
MMC Contractors simplified its day-to-day labor management tasks with LaborChart, freeing up time so workers could focus on higher impact tasks and activities. With labor being the most expensive and valued asset, a good workforce management solution is vital. The company’s executive team has seen how LaborChart increased efficiency and alignment across multiple departments.
Making the Case for New Technology
Founded in 1932, MMC Contractors of Kansas City, MO, has offices throughout the country. For decades, they managed their workforce on a whiteboard. Years ago, they transitioned from a whiteboard to a spreadsheet—a big step up that brought new challenges. The most noticeable frustration was the time it took their team to update and maintain the spreadsheet.
“The ability to keep everyone aligned … not to mention the ROI from reduced labor waste—it’s a no brainer.”
Eventually, MMC Contractors realized it was time to find a more efficient way to manage their workforce. But to change methods for the second time in four years—while simultaneously implementing new accounting software—the company needed to ensure they could make a seamless transition.
MMC Contractors needed a platform that:
would be easy to use;
could be scaled up, so they would not have to change again in the near future;
would provide the correct information to the people who needed it;
would demonstrate a clear return on investment (ROI); and
could integrate with current software.
To make the case for investing in LaborChart, the labor operations team needed to show (not tell) their executive team the problems with the existing method and process. Once leadership knew how big the problem was, they agreed it was time for a significant change.
At the time MMC Contractors was evaluating LaborChart, they were implementing a new accounting software—and it was a complex upgrade. They did not want to further frustrate employees by adding another system to learn. In addition, MMC Contractors wanted management software that would house operation-focused documents—including safety certifications—in one place, so employees would not have to hunt down and piece information together.
Meeting the Company’s Needs
The labor operations team demonstrated to their company leadership how LaborChart could operate in real time. For example, if you are out in the field, you can make a schedule change from your mobile device, without worrying about emailing someone back at the office to make the change for you.
To simplify the transition to LaborChart, Erika Laney, labor coordinator at MMC Contractors, set up small user groups to help her coworkers get familiar with the software. They caught on quickly, and MMC Contractors slowly began to roll LaborChart out to the whole company. Because of Laney’s methodical implementation process and LaborChart’s ongoing implementation support, the transition was easy to manage.
Recognizing that managers need to interact with LaborChart in different ways than their subordinates, MMC Contractors used LaborChart’s customizable permissions to assign permissions to users that matched their role and level of responsibility. Most importantly, this approach allows for control, so that no one can make significant changes without the appropriate permission.
To show the ROI for LaborChart, Jim Price, MMC Contractors’ labor/operations superintendent, said, “It’s simple. I break down the annual subscription to a ‘cost-per-day’ to use LaborChart. The ability to keep everyone aligned at that calculated daily cost—not to mention the ROI from reduced labor waste—it’s a no brainer.”
Added Benefits Realized
MMC Contractors has been using LaborChart for almost two years, and Laney and Price said they could not imagine going back to the old spreadsheet process. In addition to the expected benefits, LaborChart helped MMC Contractors’ safety department by bringing together all the safety and trade certifications in one place. As a result, the department can see quickly what needs to be updated and who is fit for which job.
With LaborChart, MMC Contractors saved time in its labor department and company operations.
Learn from Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.’s Years of Experience
With years of manufacturing all types of trench drain under their belts, engineers at Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.® have come up with a list of 10 tips—and a bit extra—to assist you in specifying a trench drain system. By applying the following tips during design, you will avoid situations that might cause headaches both during and after installation.
1. Identify the anticipated traffic traveling over the trench drain. Areas such as an airport runway will have significantly higher load requirements than areas devoted to pedestrian traffic and, therefore, require different materials. That much is obvious, but you also want to consider the direction a vehicle will be approaching the trench drain and the speed that traffic will be moving when it drives over the trench. Forklifts running parallel to the drain versus perpendicular are going to cause very different wear and tear on the drain, as will tractor trailers slowly backing up to a loading dock versus those speeding over the trench at 50 mph.
Bonus Tip: Even pedestrian traffic has its own set of considerations—footwear. If you are specifying trench drains for shopping centers, office plazas, or similar locations where people might be sporting pointy heels, consider “heel-proof” grates.
2. Calculate the length and width of the catchment area. Calculating the catchment area seems pretty straightforward, but sometimes the catchment area can be deceiving.Say you have a parking lot that is 200′ by 400′. That is a simple calculation: 800 square feet. However, what if that parking lot is sitting next to a warehouse (200′ by 600′), and the rainwater runoff from the roof goes directly onto the parking lot? In this case, your catchment area is actually the combined measurements of both the parking lot and the warehouse roof.
3. Consider site restrictions and utilities. Be sure to consult as-built drawings when calculating trench drain for installation in and around existing buildings. Certain obstructions, such as shallow utilities, can often be relocated and will not have any effect on your system design. Even when relocating utilities is not an option, a shallower, wider trench will often be able to handle the same amount of fluids.
4. Identify the outlet position and source and flow rate of the liquid to be drained. If all you are dealing with is rainwater runoff, you can find your installation area’s rainfall intensity charts very easily online. Be sure to check rates for 20-, 50-, and 100-year storms—keeping in mind that 100-year storms, despite the moniker, can happen more frequently than once a century. Indoor situations often have more factors to consider. For example, what if you were working with a dairy that uses several 2,600-gallon bulk tanks? You will need to find out what the flow rate is when the valves on the tank are opened. You also need to consider not just what those tanks are for—meaning the liquid being stored—but you also want to know how they are being cleaned. For example, brewery tanks hold beer, and they are often cleaned with caustic, which leads to Tip 5.
5. Determine the concentration of the chemicals to which the system may be exposed. Whenever chemicals are involved, you need to know the precise chemical, the concentration of the chemical, the temperature of the affluent, and how long the drain will be exposed to the compound. For example, you might be designing a trench system to be built around an area where there could be battery acid leaking onto the floor. You will want to know whether that acid will sit in the drain for only a couple hours before it is flushed out or sitting all weekend or even for weeks. That information is going to affect the desired material of the trench you specify (more on that in Tip 8).
6. Determine runoff surface flow characteristics. Liquid runs at different speeds across concrete, asphalt, and pavers because of their surface characteristics. The smoother the surface, the faster the fluid will flow. However, that is not the only variable you need to know. You also want to consider how steep or shallow the approach slope is, as well as the length of that slope.
7. Determine the number, size, and positions of outlets to the drainage system. The size and position of the outlets determine the efficiency of the drain, and that information is usually taken into consideration by the design engineer. However, if you are simply replacing or installing a trench as part of a smaller renovation, you need to know the size of the outlet into which the channel is directing the flow. A 4″ outlet at the end of the trench could restrict the flow, whereas dropping fluid directly into a catch basin would not.
8. Match the trench drain material with the application. Trench drains are typically made of cast iron, polypropylene, stainless steel, polymer concrete, and fiberglass. Stainless steel trench drains have the best chemical resistance, but you should also look for one that is manufactured with radius-rounded edges, so contaminants cannot get a foothold and grow. That chemical and contamination resistance and the fact that stainless steel can stand up to boiling water make it perfect for kitchens, dairies, and breweries. If you have steel-wheeled pallet jacks, solid tire fork lifts, or track vehicles such as tanks or heavy construction equipment rolling over your trench, polymer concrete is probably the material of choice. However, if you are looking for an excellent general-purpose trench drain with optimal flow characteristics, chemical resistance, and a low price point, consider polypropylene.
Polypropylene Zip Trench with an extra-heavy-duty frame and grate is appropriate for busy loading dock traffic.
A Polymer Concrete Trench Drain System is appropriate for extra-heavy-duty hard wheel traffic applications.
9. Specify trench drains appropriate to the area. Whether the area you are draining is vast or just complicated, break it down into manageable areas, because insufficient drainage will cause pooling and possibly flooding. If standing water could be an issue—for example, in cold climates where ice could cause someone to fall—work with the manufacturer to find the best solution.
10. Have a preinstallation discussion with your trench drain manufacturer. Before you even discuss plans for how you intend to install the product, consult with your manufacturer on recommended installation techniques. Not having this talk is at the root of most problems MCAA contractors experience. You will end up saving time, money, labor, and quite possibly your back if you do. Manufacturers can even give you recommendations on how to make the job more bearable on a 90-degree day.
10 1/2. Take advantage of your manufacturer’s resources. Whether it’s resources on the website or technical engineers walking you through everything from specification to installation, be sure to take advantage of what is available from the manufacturer. It is a whole lot smarter and cheaper to use those resources at the very beginning of a project, instead of once the product is already in the ground. If you have questions about the load, hydraulics, or any unusual situations, a manufacturer will be happy to provide assistance and direction.
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.
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.
Data and Mapping Allow Contractor to Find, Fix Issues Fast
Using Key2Act’s Connect, Harris Company of St. Paul, MN, gathers data from building controls and sensors, then uses that information to identify problems much faster than traditional troubleshooting methods, which can take hours or even days. With Connect, a cloud-based solution, Harris technicians have eyes into their buildings that they have never had before—so they can find and fix issues quickly. Connect data can also reveal trends that allow techs to anticipate problems before they happen.
Seeking Connected Building Solutions
In 2018, Harris was looking to differentiate itself from the competition. Connect’s affordable pricing, along with its ease of deployment and use, helped the solution rise to the top of Harris’s list, said Harris Vice President of Service Bob Swanger. “The ability of Connect and its MiniAgent devices to connect into buildings easily and begin streaming data, and sort of configuring and mapping those points through, made a huge difference for us,” Swanger said. “We wanted something that would be easy to deploy. We don’t want to have to have a technical expert, necessarily, in every location. We were convinced that Key2Act would support us in the adventure. And they have so far.”
“[Connect from Key2Act is] going to allow the technicians to be more efficient and identify more issues.”
According to Swanger, Harris’s customers are looking to accomplish four things:
Extend the life of the physical assets in their buildings
Keep buildings comfortable
Prevent downtime and failures
Operate efficiently when it comes to energy use
“We were looking at connected building solutions in that spectrum of ‘How do we help the customers accomplish those four things?’” Swanger said. “Anything that helps us deliver on that better is going to position us to be a better solution for them.”
Pinpoint Problems Early
The first property Harris hooked up to Connect was the company’s own headquarters building in St. Paul. The two-story structure, constructed in 1997, includes about 34,000 square feet of office space and another 36,000 square feet of warehouse and shop space.
Once the building was connected and began trending data, the Key2Act Client Services team reviewed the findings with Harris. Key2Act Optimization Engineer Scott Whyte found several opportunities for improvement within the building, starting with some demand-side energy savings opportunities involving fan scheduling. Connect also exposed the fact that the main boiler plant was not operating as originally designed, but with a few tweaks to the system, Harris could optimize the plant’s operation, leading to better control and a more energy-efficient system overall.
Whyte also found multiple issues related to sensors. Some sensors were not reporting data, some were locked in a certain state, and others were not resetting properly. Specifically, several outside air sensors were not reporting properly, which meant that the building’s freeze protection could have been compromised. In Minnesota, that is never a good thing.
The clear, concise information delivered by Connect gave Harris the ability to identify issues that the company would otherwise never have known about until a failure occurred. The Connect Dashboard allowed Harris to prioritize which issues and related pieces of equipment the company should tackle first, before even getting to the job, saving time and money.
Tech Benefits Customers and Contractors
Harris has since implemented Connect at several customer-owned facilities. Based on early experiences, Harris has identified a number of benefits the company expects will continue. For example, “It’s going to allow the technicians to be more efficient and identify more issues,” said Harris’s Data-Driven Solutions Manager Brent Robertson.
Adopting a cutting-edge technology like Connect can also help mechanical service providers attract and retain technicians. “I think companies that don’t embrace technology are just going to get left behind,” Robertson said. “Because the younger generation, they embrace technology. They’re going to want to work for a company that is using technology. Those that do things the old standard way, they’re eventually not going to have talent.” Swanger is looking forward to leveraging Connect’s capabilities to create a superior experience for Harris’s customers. Most other mechanical service providers seem to be using connected services mainly to benefit themselves. “It’s largely being used to the advantage of the contractor or the service provider, and not so much to the advantage of the customer. I think that’s a missed opportunity,” Swanger said.
“We’re very early, but I think it will have a profound impact.”
Delta Electronics (Americas) originally specified a conventional radiant tubing heating and cooling system for its headquarters expansion in Fremont, CA, to help meet LEED® Platinum and net-zero energy building standards, but ACCO Engineered Systems suggested Uponor’s Radiant Rollout™ Mats for a faster, more efficient, consistent installation. ACCO crews installed 138,000′ of tubing with the Radiant Rollout Mats in five months—much faster than the time required for conventional PEX rails or tie-down methods.
Committed to Green Building
Founded in 1971, Delta’s mission is “To provide innovative, clean and energy-efficient solutions for a better tomorrow,” and its headquarters is a shining example of creative thinking paired with a desire to protect the environment. The company takes advantage of the latest in advanced energy-efficient research and product development, and the American headquarters is their 13th green building worldwide.
ACCO designed the radiant heating and cooling system using the mats for the 178,000-square-foot campus, which includes a 38,000-square-foot warehouse. The radiant slabs are the primary cooling and heating systems in the campus buildings, so it was crucial for the design to ensure comfort as well as the desired energy efficiencies.
ACCO crews installed 138,000’ of tubing with Uponor’s Radiant Rollout Mats in five months at Delta Electronics (Americas) Fremont, CA, headquarters—much faster than the time required for conventional PEX rails or tiedown methods.
Planning Pays Off
ACCO had recently completed several large commercial projects using the mats, including the Pier 15 Exploratorium in San Francisco and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District building. For the Delta project, ACCO spent a considerable amount of time up front designing the slab construction, the sequence of the slab construction, and how the mats would be fabricated to align with the installation process. “We eliminated a lot of potential problems up front—lessons that we learned on other projects,” said Jonathan Bell, ACCO project manager.
Three dedicated crew members plus one runner installed 138,000′ of tubing with the Radiant Rollout Mats in five months—much less time and labor than using conventional PEX rails or tie-down methods would have required. The installers needed a bit of onsite training to get up to speed, and the first couple of circuits went in a little slower while workers learned efficient, effective ways to speed up the installation. “But it didn’t take long for the crew to have a full understanding of the processes, and they quickly picked up the pace for the rest of the installation,” Bell said.
“For large, open circuits, the installation of the Radiant Rollout Mats is much quicker than laying down regular tubing,” said Bell. “And the prefabricated and labelled mats allow for more efficient material handling onsite, which is very important in these large installations.”
Uponor’s Radiant Rollout Mats were just one of the energy-efficient technologies that Delta used to achieve LEED Platinum status. The company also earned a First Place Honor Award in the National Institute of Building Sciences’ 2018 Beyond Green™ High Performance Building and Community Awards.
Complete Temperature Systems of Chicago cut office staff time by 14 hours per week using MobiliForms from iBusiness Technologies to help streamline their operations. Before, field work orders, service tickets, and preventive maintenance checklists had been driven around, which delayed invoicing and created the possibility of getting lost. Now, information streams in real time, allowing for same-day or next-day invoicing. CTS’ government contracts require specific work acknowledgement letters; with MobiliForms in place, they are signed onsite, stored, and shared digitally. MobiliForms also allows techs to capture pictures and sounds on work orders.
CTS achieved these benefits without changing their backend software. Service Supervisor Jason Churchill said, “Invoicing staff no longer has to hand-input illegible information from paperwork, saving approximately 14 hours per week. Our customers also really appreciate digital conveniences.”
Having heard about MobiliForms, CTS staff took a close look while attending the annual MCA of Chicago Tech Day. According to International Data Corporation research, U.S. business annual spending on mobile is $300 billion and growing. Industries like construction—where billable hours are paramount and labor costs continue to increase—are seeing the fastest returns on investment in mobile technology.
MobiliForms run on Apple’s iPad, a top choice for contractors seeking battle-tested mobile devices. Apple’s underlying iOS deployment platform simplifies managing devices and streamlines content distribution.
