Organization: MCAA

MCAA is producing several new safety and health resources for members in 2017. These resources will be free in electronic format as a benefit of membership. Coming to you the first-half of 2017 are:

• Safety Manual for Mechanical Fabrication Shop Workers (Already available electronically – Printed manuals will be available in February)

• Toolbox Safety Talks for Construction Contractors – Volume VI

• Safety Manual for the Mechanical Construction Trades (Revised)

• Safety Manual for the Mechanical Service Trades (Revised)

• Mechanical Industry Ergonomics for Injury Prevention Video and Accompanying Materials

The release of each resource will be announced on the MCAA website.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently published a new rule on Beryllium. The rule does apply to the construction industry, but it will have little effect on mechanical construction employers and their workers. The only potential exposure to beryllium for mechanical construction workers would be work in close proximity to another trade that is performing abrasive blasting with a blasting media containing beryllium. Under these circumstances affected employers would have to reschedule work in the affected area or establish protective measures for the workers, such as ventilation and respiratory protection. The welding consumables used for most mechanical work do not contain beryllium.
 
Read OSHA’s Fact Sheet on the Final Rule

If you would like more information on beryllium in construction, the Hilgeman Group is presenting a one hour webcast on the subject on February 2, 2017 starting at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Learn More

The Management Methods Committee has been updating and revising bulletins to ensure they continue to help you solve problems and answer questions that will keep your business on track, growing and thriving. Whether it’s a general business issue, a project management challenge or a technology question, a Management Methods Bulletin just may have the answer.

Below are recently updated Bulletins that address a variety of business issues. Select the Bulletin title below for the link directly to the publication.  A complete list of Management Methods Bulletins is also available for you to scan and download.

Cash Flow

Corporate Structure:  Using Outside Advisors/Directors

Failure of One Corporate Member of a Joint Venture to Qualify as a Foreign Corporation May Penalize All Venturers

The Management Audit:  Peer Group Guidelines

Emergency Procedures

For more information, please contact Donald May.

Selecting subcontractors that are fully committed to workplace safety and health is crucial to staying competitive in the mechanical construction industry. Subcontractors’ safety and health practices can positively or negatively impact your company’s ability to protect workers, make money, and secure future work. Following selection, properly managing subcontractors to ensure implementation of effective safety and health programs, and best safe work practices is just as critical. Safe projects are more profitable, and companies whose subcontractors consistently perform safely have a much easier time securing future work.

This guide provides mechanical construction employers with the information needed to objectively select subcontractors that are committed to jobsite safety and health, and assist them through the process of establishing and implementing the programs, policies, procedures, and safe work practices necessary to consistently perform their work safely. The guide will also help the user verify and document that the necessary safety and health measures have been established, and are consistently implemented.

Download Guide

MCAA recently released another safety resource… the MCAA Safety Manual for Mechanical Fabrication Shop Workers. This resource is similar in design to the association’s extremely popular Safety Manual for the Mechanical Construction Trades, and Safety Manual for the Mechanical Service Trades.  The manual provides fabrication shop workers with critical safety information on everything from working safely with overhead and gantry cranes to preventing overexposure to manganese while performing hot work in the fab shop. The information is presented in a user-friendly manner and includes illustrations to keep the users engaged in the topics. This resource is available to members for free in electronic format as a benefit of membership.

Download the Manual

Technology is making our world a better place in which to live and work, as well as transforming our industry.  Find out how and why from the experts at MCAA 2017 (March 5-9, San Diego, CA).

Peter Diamandis—visionary, scientist, innovator, CEO, storyteller and wizard—will explain how technology breakthroughs are blazing trails that will lead to innovations that, until now, have been the stuff of sci-fi books and movies. You’ll learn how these inventions will help you overcome the challenges of everyday living and lead to more exciting and fulfilling lives.

No surprise that some of these technology breakthroughs are already happening in the construction industry. Matt Abeles of BuiltWorlds will showcase the latest construction resources and the start-up companies that are making them possible. Find out how these innovations—the technology disruptors—are creating entirely new solutions to the troublesome challenges that confound progress on your projects.

Find out from technology guru James Benham of JBKnowledge how new devices and software can save just enough time—five minutes—to increase productivity by 1%. That’s all you need to gain a competitive edge and improve your margins and, as important, your profits.

Virtual design and construction offers one approach to achieving more efficient, productive and profitable projects.  But, which software package is the right one for your company?  Benham and Josh Bone, also of JBKnowledge, have done the hard work of evaluating design software and processes for you and will share their findings.  They’ll also provide you with tools you can use to evaluate your software options.

Finding the right devices to bring your design ideas to life in the field is critical to your business, but choosing the right apps to assist your crew is just as important.  Rob McKinney, the ConAppGuru, will recommend workflow apps for daily reports, plan viewing and time entry.  He’ll explain differences in each platform—phone, phablet, iPad or Surface Pro.

Don’t miss any of these fascinating sessions…and you won’t if you register for MCAA 2017.

Visit our Convention website to download the brochure and register!

MCAA’s 2017 Field Leaders Conference (Denver, May 10-12) provides foremen and superintendents with the management and leadership skills they need to be effective in managing jobsite labor, other personnel and operations to keep projects on time, on budget and profitable. Act now while space is available.

Field leaders play a key role in making sure that projects run smoothly and efficiently, and their abilities as leaders and managers determines their success. However, those who rose from the craft labor force to their position may not have sufficient skills to properly motivate project staff and labor, solve project problems quickly and effectively, relate positively with customers, suppliers and colleagues and develop and implement strategies that will increase productivity and profits. And, they may not think of themselves as a professional and a member of your management team, which may affect their interpersonal as well as their project management actions and decisions.

Helping your field leaders understand their importance and value to your business and its bottom-line is an important objective of this conference. They will learn the skills needed to be an effective people motivator rather than a punisher; a proactive planner rather than a knee-jerk responder; a team leader rather than a team member; a skillful communicator, listener, and arbiter rather than a my-way-or-the-highway dictator; and a business-and results-oriented manager focused on growing your company’s profits and brand.

Your field leaders will understand:

• That they ARE professionals, a member of your management team and the face of your company;
• The importance of the bottom line and the company brand;
• How to communicate with and relate to project and craft labor personnel effectively;
• That customer relationships matter;
• How to establish tangible goals;
• The “smarter” way to work; and
• What a great foreman is and means.

Not certain if your field leaders will benefit? Here is a sampling of comments from the 2016 class:

• “I felt so empowered…there is a lot I am doing but so much more I need to do.”
• “My first time attending a conference. Hit home on many topics. It was extremely valuable to hear different ideas and approaches from fellow leaders.”
• “This was an experience that will impact the way I carry out my new career path.”
• “I thought the topics were well laid out, very motivational.”
• “I came to the conference not expecting much but I got something from every part. Lots of great info and lots of things I need to improve.”

Don’t miss your chance to train your personnel at the Denver Field Leaders Conference. It will sell out quickly.

Download Brochure

Register Now

MCAA’s safety training video Pre-Task Safety and Health Planning for Supervisors is one of six mechanical construction supervisor safety training videos that are available to you as a benefit of membership. The video describes the benefits of pre-task safety and health planning and walks supervisors through the quick and easy planning process. 

Download or play the video

OSHA recently released compliance guidelines covering several provisions in its revised recordkeeping rule. The guidelines address industry questions and concerns about the rule’s employee involvement and prohibition against employee discrimination provisions. The provisions affect employer safety incentive programs, and mandatory post-incident drug testing requirements. There is currently litigation that may ultimately impose an injunction on the entire rule, or parts of it. However, a ruling is not expected until later next year. MCAA encourages all affected employers to be in compliance with the rule by December 1, 2016.

Download the guidelines