If workers inhale a large enough concentration of microscopic crystalline silica particles, it can lead to silicosis, lung cancer, and other health problems. MCAA’s Guide to Silica Safety provides mechanical construction employers with the information they need to help their workers:

• Understand the potential hazards associated with overexposure to respirable crystalline silica
• Identify the most common mechanical construction activities that can produce it
• Identify common activities performed by other trades that can produce it
• Implement the best available safe work practices to prevent overexposure
• Comply with OSHA’s Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard

Download

Additional Silica Resources

Whether you’re looking for help developing a written silica exposure control plan, a summary of the OSHA standard or additional training materials, MCAA has you covered with these resources:

• Model Exposure Control Plan – Alternative Exposure Control Methods
• Model Exposure Control Plan – Table 1 Applications
• MCAA Safety Bulletin
• Safety Training Video
• Pocket Guide
• Documentation Sheet
• Test
• Test Answer Key
• CNA Silica Compliance Course

If you have questions about any of these resources or OSHA’s silica standard, please contact Pete Chaney at pchaney@mcaa.org or 301-990-2214.

There may be a defect in a dorsal d-ring utilized in ExoFit NEX™ harnesses manufactured between January 2016 and December 2018.  3M Fall Protection urges all affected users to inspect the harnesses immediately. They should not be used until they pass inspection. Details about how to inspect the harnesses are described in 3M’s Fall Protection Inspection Notice.

INSPECTION NOTICE 

At many jobsites across the country, April means the removal of hard hat liners and no longer having to factor the impact of snow days into the schedule. Here at MCAA, April means the launch of the year’s first Institute for Project Management classes, where we welcome the nation’s best and brightest Mechanical PMs to our two-week intensive educational programs.

Classes 73 and 74 of the IPM spent last week learning from industry experts, honing their skills in project planning, scheduling, job cost control, and an array of other topics presented by top-notch contractor-educators from across the nation. These 68 individuals will return in September to study negotiation, change management, and leadership (among other things), and to practice what they’ve learned in our Change Order Negotiation workshop and “Crisis at the Jobsite” capstone case study.

Attendees at the Institute for Project Management learn real-world skills that they can apply to every job they manage. Beyond that, the peer-to-peer learning and networking opportunities provided by the program are every bit as valuable as the in-classroom lessons. The included photo illustrates that idea better than any words ever could: shown here is Class 73 of the IPM, who self-organized to rent a bus and visit The Salt Lick for a true Texan BBQ experience. We always say ‘you’ll learn a ton from our top-notch instructors, but you’ll learn even more from each other.’ We are pretty sure that a lot of learning took place over brisket and peach cobbler last week, and we hope that the relationships these PMs have built last for a long, long time.

To learn more about the IPM – including how to get someone on the waitlist – visit our IPM page.

MCAA has signed on its 60^th student chapter, Cal State East Bay.

The CSU East Bay MCAA Chapter is sponsored by Northern California MCA.

The university has a well-established Construction Management program. Fadi Castronovo, Assistant Professor of Engineering, serves as the chapter’s faculty advisor. MCAA looks forward to welcoming the new chapter at the upcoming GreatFutures Forum.

Congratulations Cal State and welcome to your GreatFuture!

For more information on all 60 of MCAA’s Student Chapter Programs visit mcaagreatfutures.org.

The Management Methods Committee has released a two-part podcast in conjunction with the its latest WebBook on the subject of Scheduling Best Practices. In an in-depth discussion, Host Bob Lindbloom and co-host Paul Alexander discuss scheduling best practices with Michael McLin and Brian Lightner of Maxim Consulting Group.

You can play the podcast directly from the WebBook or get them via the iTunes or Google Play stores.

Have questions or need support? Contact us at ManagementMethods@mcaa.org.