Organization: MCAA

Fostering a Learning Organization to Avoid Human Error and Accidents

Adapted from materials provided by Frantz Belot, Ph.D., Co-Founder, Tyfoom

Human error is often misinterpreted as solely a human issue. However, it predominantly arises from system flaws within organizations. We inadvertently create systems that tolerate poor processes for the sake of rewarding outcomes, leading to constraints and errors. To effectively prevent and mitigate human error, it is crucial to shift our focus towards understanding the systemic factors at play.

Identifying Root Causes

Traditionally, human error has been labeled as the root cause of incidents and accidents. However, this perspective oversimplifies the issue. Human error should be viewed as a result of flawed organizational systems rather than an isolated failing of individuals. Errors can be caused by various factors, such as the following:

Inadequate training
Unclear procedures
Inadequate supervision
Ineffective communication

When organizations solely focus on blaming individuals, they miss the opportunity to address the underlying causes and prevent future errors through targeted interventions and system improvements.

Systemic Analysis

Adopting a systemic analysis approach allows organizations to delve deeper into the factors that influence human behavior and contribute to errors. This analysis involves examining the organizational culture, leadership practices, communication channels, training programs, and work processes. By thoroughly understanding these elements, organizations can identify potential weaknesses in their systems and make targeted improvements to prevent errors.

People do things that make sense to them at the time given other constraints and priorities. Investigation should ask why employees thought they were doing the right thing or why their actions made sense to them at the time.

Creating a Learning Organization

Building a learning organization is a key aspect of addressing human error and promoting safety. A learning organization encourages a proactive approach to safety, where employees are empowered to improve their skills and knowledge continuously. It fosters a culture of open communication, where reporting errors and near-misses is encouraged without fear of blame or punishment. This approach enables organizations to learn from incidents and implement preventive measures.

One of the pillars of a learning organization is effective training programs. Organizations can use video-based microlearning courses to provide employees with accessible and engaging learning experiences. Companies like Tyfoom offer short, focused content that can be easily understood and retained. By delivering training in bite-sized formats, organizations can ensure that employees have the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate complex systems and make informed decisions that prioritize safety.

See a sample microlearning video from Tyfoom.

Tyfoom’s platform enables employees to create their own videos to share their best practices with their peers—the ultimate expression of a learning organization. Microlearning courses are designed to be easily accessible to employees at their convenience, allowing for learning during short breaks or downtime. These modules can be accessed whenever employees encounter specific tasks or situations, promoting just-in-time learning and reducing errors caused by knowledge gaps.

See the sidebar, MCAA Partners With Tyfoom, to learn about MCAA member access to select Tyfoom educational materials and products.

The Power of a Learning Culture

A learning culture encourages employees to embrace a mindset of continuous learning and development, which in turn leads to better decision-making, increased efficiency, and reduced human error. Employees are empowered to share knowledge, learn from mistakes, and actively contribute to improving systems and processes. This collaborative and innovative environment nurtures engagement, motivation, and a sense of ownership among employees, ultimately creating a safer and more productive workplace.

A deep dive on this topic is available here.

Learning cultures thrive on continuous improvement and feedback loops to identify system weaknesses and implement corrective actions promptly. Organizations should establish mechanisms for employees to provide feedback, report concerns, and suggest improvements. A strong learning culture also builds a safety culture that not only protects employees from harm but also enhances productivity, reduces costs associated with incidents, and improves overall organizational performance.

Let’s embrace a systemic perspective, unlock the potential of our systems, and cultivate a learning culture that prioritizes safety and optimal outcomes.

For more information, visit www.tyfoom.com.

Sidebar: MCAA Partners With Tyfoom

Tyfoom offers MCAA members access to select MCAA-produced training and education material and products via Tyfoom’s video-based microlearning format. With Tyfoom’s advanced training capabilities and MCAA’s safety training content, members can stay competitive and keep their employees safe. MCAA safety training content will be rolled out throughout the second and third quarter of 2023. New users may sign up at www.tyfoom.com/signup.

FARO Looks at the Future of AI and 3D Laser Scanning for MEP Applications

It is clear that artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing fast and coming into everyday use. In the near-future, AI systems will be paired with established technology, such as 3D laser scanning for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) applications. What many do not appreciate is that AI is still largely only as good as the quality of data fed into the system, either by human operators or through technology that gathers and organizes information, such as 3D laser scanners and cloud-based data platforms.

As MEP professionals know, whether you’re constructing something new or completing a redesign of a building for repurpose, enhancement, or maintenance, the success and timeline of an entire project rely on accurate and comprehensive data of the site. Any inaccuracies or clashes in MEP installation can lead to unnecessary rework, higher costs, and a subpar final result. 3D capture technology ensures that MEP designs are accurate and that piping, plumbing, and ductwork for HVAC fit narrow spaces with tight tolerances. Only once these data are captured and shared can sophisticated AI software like that currently being developed do its job.

See the sidebar, Successful Scanning, to learn more about 3D capture improves the accuracy of data.

So once you have accurate 3D data collected, organized, and shared, where does AI fit in?

AI for MEP can be useful in two ways. First AI is excellent for culling data and recognizing patterns. Every MEP system is different, so how can you determine that one design or set of designs is superior—for example, more energy-efficient because it requires less piping? AI has the potential to rapidly review thousands of MEP projects and identify the best, most energy-efficient solutions. AI can also be used to look at factors such as cost-effectiveness and strategic implementation.

AI can also be used for project management. AI can monitor, collect, control, evaluate, and manage energy consumption in relation to MEP needs across an entire building or set of buildings. AI can be useful in long-term energy management system planning, of which MEP is an essential component. It can also analyze processes to highlight the need for changes in the MEP design and suggest solutions.

MEP installation stands to benefit from the near-term union of AI, 3D laser scanning, and humans working together: 3D scanning and human operators capture and input data, and AI assists in identifying enhanced efficiencies and informing long-term energy system management. AI continues to evolve, and tomorrow’s AI could far surpass our expectations. The contracting industry should think now about possible applications and the guidelines needed to maximize the potential of AI.

For more information, visit www.faro.com.

Sidebar: Successful Scanning

Working with 3D laser scanning hardware and software solutions, such as the ones developed by FARO Technologies, Inc., offers several immediate advantages by ensuring accurate data capture:

Faster installation verification. Instead of relying on cumbersome manual measurement, 3D reality capture devices verify the built environment (which includes MEP) with greater accuracy and in a fraction of the time, while accompanying software makes it easy to convert raw data into tangible information.
Enhanced as-built-to-building information modeling (BIM) comparison. With 3D laser scanning and construction software, you can compare the installation of the MEP components to the BIM output and identify accurate MEP placement.
Simplify data organization and project collaboration. Increasingly, the technology enables secure sharing of all data with project stakeholders from anywhere in the world, reducing the risk of miscommunications or misunderstandings.
More accuracy for retrofit and remodel projects. With most retrofits, you must determine how much you can rely on the original design documentation. The latest scan-to-BIM technology ensures that the as-built 3D replica represents what actually exists.

Harris Realizes Immediate ROI With Watts Specialties Pipe Cutter

Harris saw an immediate return on investment (ROI) from their Watts Specialties automated pipe cutter, with improved efficiency in cutting and handling and no need for hand-cutting for olets or saddles. Based in St. Paul, MN, Harris has 15 regional offices with more than 300,000 square feet of fabrication shops.

In Need of an Upgrade

“Our operation in the Bellingham facility was growing… fast,” said Garett Andersen, director of the fabrication shop and field operations for Harris’ Bellingham location. “We needed to gain efficiency, and we knew that we needed an automated pipe cutting machine to gain that efficiency. We had an old Vernon machine with problems. One of our other shops had an older Watts Specialties machine, and they were getting the efficiency that we lacked.

“We looked at Watts Specialties. Then we looked at three other manufacturers: all three were either priced too high or their machines did not have the features we wanted.

“We decided to take a small group to the Watts Specialties facility in Puyallup, WA, to meet the Watts team,” said Andersen. “We met a couple of the owner/managers, which was good, but then we met with a few of the machine technicians and support team. We were completely impressed with the machine guys. We walked away knowing that we were going to move forward with Watts. Seeing how they build each machine specifically for the purchasing company was also impressive. The personal contact with their service and support team was HUGE if or when we have any issues.”

Harris leased a Watts Specialties W-244-Eco automated pipe cutter and saw an immediate return on investment, thanks to the ease of use, efficiency, and quality of cuts.

Anderson continued, “We wanted a larger machine, but our need for an automated solution outweighed our ability to wait for a machine to be built. We needed a machine more quickly, so Dave Dunham [Watt’s managing director of operations] offered us a rental machine so we could get started quickly and see the benefits before we made a large capital commitment.

“We leased a W-244-Eco machine with a 24’ bed. We use Stratus so we were able to import pipe data directly into the machine through the Watts software. We immediately realized a benefit we had not expected—savings on pipe fitup. The cutting accuracy—the quality of the bevels, joints, and olets—saved us on prep manhours. We would typically transport a cut pipe to another fabrication station for prep and fitup. Prep work was reduced dramatically!”

See the Harris Bellingham fabrication shop in action.

Results in Real Time

“We immediately benefited from leasing the Watts machine,” Anderson noted. “Their service technician came to our shop and trained our machine operator. In a day-and-a-half, she was running the machine. The operator inputs the data with Stratus into the Watts software and the machine starts cutting. We quickly saw the ROI with this machine; the efficiency in cutting and handling was immediate. No more measuring and marking pipe. The operator inputs the data and the machine makes all the cuts. We realized immediately additional ROI by not having any hand-cutting for olets or saddles.”

Anderson added that Harris is extremely happy with the Watts software. “The software is easy to learn, easy to use. Importing data through Status also reduced the learning curve.”

Now, Harris is planning to expand the capacity of its Watts machine. “We are now looking at extending our W-244-E with a 40’ cutting bed and other logistics,” said Anderson. “The economy version came without loading racks. Adding loading racks will make material handling far more safe and efficient.”

For more information, visit www.watts-specialties.com.

Western Allied Mechanical Saves Time, Expands Reach With Novarc’s Spool Welding Robot

Like every contractor, Western Allied Mechanical is always looking for innovative ways to get ahead in their market and deliver projects better, faster, and cheaper for their clients. Also like every contractor, Western Allied is facing the nationwide shortage of qualified welders. By adopting Novarc’s spool welding robot (SWR), they have not only increased productivity dramatically, they also increased capacity and are taking on bigger jobs.

Opening Up to Automation

Western Allied operates in the highly competitive market of California’s San Francisco Bay area. Cyrus Patel, piping superintendent at Western Allied, explained that the company has been trying to automate more of its production processes to improve efficiency and productivity. “Robotics is the way of the future,” he said. “We have been looking at it for a long time from the sideline.” About two years ago, Western Allied decided to move forward, to “see where robotics would help us as a team to achieve some better results,” said Patel.

The company focused on areas in the fabrication process where fatigue had the most impact. Jim Jeffrey, operations manager, explained, “We learned that we were having fatigued welders, and that was the bottleneck in our fabrication process. When we compared the productivity at the start of the day to the end, we noticed that we were kind of dragging. So that’s why we looked at automating our pipe welding and choosing the SWR, because it doesn’t call in sick, it doesn’t get fatigued, and it takes a lot for it to beg for mercy.”

Finding the Perfect Fit

When they came across Novarc at FABTECH Expo, Western Allied knew that they had found the right automated solution to speed up welding and increase productivity. They also needed a solution that would meet the requirements of ASME B31.1 and B31.3 codes.

“We were looking for a custom, tailored product at the FABTECH Expo when we came across the Novarc machine. The SWR had the lead on the other solutions, so we took that and ran with it,”, said Patel. “I really liked the SWR; it was a well-manufactured product.”

Novarc’s SWR is a collaborative welding robot designed specifically for pipes, small-pressure vessels, and other types of roll welding. As a collaborative robot, the SWR enables less-experienced operators to significantly improve shop productivity and produce high-quality welds every single time.

“Novarc did some testing for us, and we fell in love. The first project we did we cut off four-and-a-half man-weeks of shop welding, so we saved around $114,000 on that project, and it made us competitive and added value to the end user,” said Jeffrey. “Also, with the SWR we could take the video of each weld and give it to the inspector if he’s not there, and that basically was the driver.”

See the Novarc SWR in action on the shop floor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAbEbFWUrQw

Scaling Up

With the SWR, Patel said, “We’re now going after projects that we were shying away from because of the size. Since we have implemented the SWR, we have been spooling a lot more, and we are also taking on bigger projects, knowing that we have the capabilities of the welding in place. So it’s actually helped us go after some projects that we were not going after before.”

Jeffrey added, “We’ve reduced our dependence on hybrid systems and embraced flanges and bolting it up because the net effect is that it is cheaper and faster, and the quality is there.” Moreover, the SWR is helping Western Allied manage the shortage of highly-qualified welders. “We are getting repeatability and productivity so we can compete head-to-head with non-union shops. And I’m not worried about having a qualified welder that I have to have all the time,” said Jeffrey.

Check out Novarc’s podcast series, which covers topics like robotics, artificial intelligence in welding, and estimating the return on investment with collaborative robots:

https://www.novarctech.com/podcast/

Filling a Gap

The American Welding Society anticipates that the current labor crisis will very quickly escalate to a shortage of about 400,000 welders by 2024. “The labor shortage has been coming for years,” said Jeffrey. “We had been experiencing it before the pandemic as well, so we had to innovate to keep up with the demand.”

Western Allied also appreciated the simplicity of the training for Novarc’s SWR. “Once you get it up and running, to feel happy with it and to feel comfortable with it, you are not talking months and you are not talking about getting another university degree,” Jeffrey observed. “It’s very intuitive, and in three days, you are good at it. In five days, you are really good at it. So that’s what really more than anything else made me pleased. I can train people, and I’m not dependent on people who have changing commitments.”

For more information, visit www.novarctech.com.

PULL QUOTE

“Novarc did some testing for us, and we fell in love. The first project we did we cut off four-and-a-half man-weeks of shop welding, so we saved around $114,000 on that project.”

—Jim Jeffrey, Operations Manager, Western Allied Mechanical

Egan Employs MSUITE to Meet Critical Needs in the Energy Industry

Michigan-based Andy J. Egan Co., Inc., relies on MSUITE software to improve their fabrication operations, which has enabled the company to grow exponentially as it carves out a niche in the energy industry. For example, Egan credits MSUITE with helping them shave three weeks off a major power utility upgrade project.

Energy Industry Insiders

In the Midwest, and specifically in Michigan, a few main utility contractors have aggressive commitments to going coal-free by 2025. Egan performs a lot of work for various clients, including small municipalities and towns, seeking to make the transition to alternative energy sources. Pat Heffron, Egan’s director of fabrication, explained, “They’re shutting off their coal burners and moving over to the combined cycle or a Phase Out Peaker project.” (Phase Out Peakers is a move to replace peaker power plants with clean energy alternatives.) Egan has worked with clients to fabricate and install new piping and equipment.

Industrial fabrication involves very high quality and technical standards, so there is a smaller labor force and fewer companies that can handle the technical requirements. For contractors like Egan, these projects pose a high risk but can also bring high reward if the project goes well.

“Documentation, quality control, and certifications of the welders are critical,” said Heffron. “The difference is in material and metals, such as chrome, and working on projects like pressure vessels. Egan is an ASME code shop, so they build a fair amount of pressure vessels and stamp them for both internal and external projects within the industrial sector.”

Substantial Time Savings

For a major utility company project, Egan replaced significant equipment and associated piping at a compressor station. The $8.2 million project required installation of 6,200 linear feet of piping along routes with 14 different tie-in points.

Without a detailed 3D model, prefabrication would have been impossible, and the crew would have constructed everything in the field. Egan gathered data using laser scanning and converted it into a precise 3D model using MSUITE tools. As result, Egan was able to install 80-foot towers without any connected piping, saving three weeks on the compressed project schedule. Field welds were kept to a minimum, and because so much of the documentation took place in the fabrication shop, paperwork required for quality control was also minimized for the field crew.

Read more about Egan’s utility company project here.

Improving Efficiency

Heffron’s team at Egan used to spend countless hours doing manual inventory to get status updates. They could easily keep track of what had not started production and what was complete, but they had trouble keeping on top of which products were in which stage of production. As a result, consistent and accurate production updates were almost impossible, making forecasting and scheduling extremely difficult. “MSUITE FAB has solved this one for us,” said Heffron. “Knowing where a specific spool or workpiece was physically in the process at any given time” has been a significant factor in Egan’s success.

MSUITE helped Egan standardize workflows to improve throughput, efficiency, and productivity and achieve consistency in fabrication processes. Egan eliminated the master production spreadsheet that required hours of daily updates. They also got rid of paper and manual activity tracking. With MSUITE, Egan also improved quality control and tracking for large industrial clients.

When Egan first encountered MSUITE, said Heffron, “We were impressed by MSUITE being 100-percent dedicated to mechanical contractors, and that was a key decision factor in moving forward.” With MSUITE BIM, Egan is taking advantage of the MSUITE platform to make the transition from CAD MEP to Revit.

Watch how Egan’s teams collaborate to help construct a 250-megawatt combined cycle power plant in Lansing, MI.

Overcoming Apprehension

Once Egan decided to implement MSUITE, leadership had some apprehension about using it throughout the fabrication facility. “We had to be cautious, because we had glaring needs for improvement and employees that were averse to using technology in the fabrication shop,” said Heffron. “Our guys got into the trades because they like building stuff, not using software, but MSUITE’s focus on the mechanical trade and being onsite for training is a big reason for overcoming this culture shock.”

The MSUITE team configured the system correctly to Egan’s exact specifications and mirrored Egan’s process requirements. Holding the team of 30 to 50 employees to that process removed the risk that they might take shortcuts, which could create larger issues.

MSUITE helped Egan fabricate more than 2,500 carbon steel, coated spools for a dry ash system at the largest coal-fired plant in the western hemisphere. The spools were shipped to the project jobsite and installed with a 99.4-percent accuracy rate.

See photos from the coal plant project.

For more information, visit www.Msuite.com.

Western Allied Mechanical Cuts Quote Delivery Time in Half with ServiceTrade

Since they implemented ServiceTrade software in 2021, Western Allied Mechanical’s service department has been able to cut their quote delivery time in half and send invoices three times faster, while also providing clients a better overall experience with more visibility. ServiceTrade allowed Western Allied to streamline their operations and improve thecustomer experience while sticking with their existing accounting software and processes. In this Q&A, Western AlliedVice President Jeremy Goodland talks about how the company has been improving operations, customer experience, and sales since implementing ServiceTrade.

Please describe your prior processes and the journey to ServiceTrade.

Five or six years ago, we were doing everything in editable PDFs. Time cards, repair work orders, everything was aPDF. Techs would either email them as attachments or upload them to the cloud. Then we’d take all that information and manually enter it into Spectrum, our accounting software.

In 2018, we began utilizing Spectrum’s service component, but it fell short in a few areas where we knew we could dobetter. One of the areas we really felt was lacking was proposal (or quote) generation. We were doing all of our estimates in an Excel spreadsheet. So every job would have an Excel estimate and a Word proposal that we’d have to type up, save as a PDF, and email to the client to sign for approval. Then they’d have to email it back.

It was a clunky process, and given that we’re a service business generating hundreds of proposals each month, we feltit was in our best interest to try and streamline that process.

Was streamlining that quoting process a big factor in choosing ServiceTrade?

It was. We knew that if we were able to reduce that turnaround time by even just 20 percent, we’d be able to crank outthat many more proposals and generate that much more business. We ended up cutting the time from identifying arepair in the field to sending the proposal to the client by 50 percent on average.

How have customer communications changed with ServiceTrade?

ServiceTrade’s customer portal allows our clients to access all of their information—which is great for them, of course, but also for our account managers. I can’t tell you how often our clients reach out, saying, “Hey, can you send me the last two years of records for our account?” Now, with this portal, they have all that data at their fingertips, and that’s really helping out our account managers with that pain point.

The client portal is huge. It has a big impact on how we’re able to go to market. We’re able to pitch that added value to the client and differentiate ourselves. Prospective clients see that value. Tasking is also well received, and it’s nice to be able to sell it as it connects to the customer portal. As soon as the tech submits a task sheet, the client can access itthrough the portal.

Does that visibility help you sell to bigger or more complex clients?

Our construction division does a lot of work in life science and biotechnology buildings. Those clients have strict requirements and have to run a pretty tight ship. In order to work with these types of clients on the service side, weneed the ability to send them the information they need right away. So, yes, it has definitely been a big selling point for these clients.

For more information, visit www.servicetrade.com.

Heat Stress: ClickSafety Explains Your Responsibility as an Employer

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), employers have a responsibility to protect their workers from extreme heat. Every year, dozens of workers die and thousands more become ill while working in hot or humid conditions. Heat is the number-one cause of weather-related deaths in the United States. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 815 heat-related worker deaths and 70,000 heat-related serious injuries between 1992 and 2017. To protect workers, employers should establish a complete heat illness prevention program in addition to observing the heat index.

Under OSHA law, employers must have the appropriate measures in place to protect workers and establish a complete heat illness prevention program that includes these elements:

Education: Provide training to employees and supervisors on the signs and symptoms of heat illness, as well as the preventive measures that can be taken.
Hydration: Make sure employees always have access to fluids and encourage frequent breaks for hydration.
Shade: Provide areas of shade for employees to rest in during breaks or when working in direct sunlight.
Clothing: Supply appropriate clothing for employees who are working in high-heat environments, such as light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
Monitoring: Regularly monitor the heat index to ensure that employees are not exposed to dangerous levels of heat.
Acclimatization: Allow for a gradual increase in exposure to hot temperatures to ensure that employees can safely adjust to the heat.
Rest: Make sure that employees have access to rest and recovery periods throughout the day, especially when the heat index is high.

Employers should recognize the warning signs for heat illness:

Heavy sweating
Paleness
Muscle cramps
Fatigue
Dizziness
Rapid heartbeat
Headache
Nausea
Confusion
Fainting

Workers should also be aware of factors that increase the risk for heat-related illness, such as high temperature and humidity, direct sun exposure, physical exertion, and medications. The National Weather Service created the heat index to indicate the risk of heat-related illness for workers exposed to hot and humid conditions. The risk increases as the weather gets hotter and more humid and is especially serious when hot weather arrives suddenly early in the season, before workers have had a chance to adapt to warm weather.

The heat index can be categorized into four risk levels, with protective measures for each:

Lower (caution): Basic heat safety and planning
Moderate: Implementation of precautions and heightened awareness
High: Additional precautions to protect workers
Very High to Extreme: More aggressive protective measures

Learn more about the National Weather Service’s new HeatRisk Prototype for forecasting the heat risk in your region: https://www.wrh.noaa.gov/wrh/heatrisk/

Risk factors that must be taken into consideration even when the heat index is lower include employees working in direct sunlight, performing prolonged or strenuous work, or wearing heavy protective clothing or impermeable suits. Workers at higher risk of heat stress include those who are age 65 or older, are overweight, have heart disease or high blood pressure, or take medications that may be affected by extreme heat.

Employees also must be able to recognize the risk factors of heat illness and know what to do if they are experiencing symptoms. ClickSafety offers safety training for heat illness and stress awareness, so you can help keep your employees safe.

MCAA members get a 10-percent discount with the code MCAA23 on all ClickSafety training courses. For more information, visit www.clicksafety.com, email Katie Adams at katie.adams@clicksafety.com, or call her at 913-239-2692.

Northwest Mechanical Group Ramps Up Business With BuildOps

When their out-of-date software started slowing them down in the office and the field, Northwest Mechanical Group switched to the BuildOps platform, simplifying and streamlining data management so they could grow their business. “Before we knew it, we were seeing quicker turnaround times on job closeout and a huge improvement in the time it took for quotes to be accepted by our customers,” said Chris Howard, owner and CEO.

Operating out of Portland, OR, Northwest Mechanical Group has been in the commercial service industry for more than 30 years, specializing in low-temperature refrigeration and HVAC services for supermarkets. Northwest relies heavily on technology to help manage its operations and improve overall productivity—both in the back office and on the jobsite. However, their previous software system was out of date, with no future updates in sight. As a result, they were experiencing pain points in the field and slowdowns in the back office. Data were being lost between different platforms. The constant need for repetitive entry and manual processes was causing growing frustration throughout their workforce. As a critical step to growing and scaling up their business, Northwest needed to find a better solution to help manage operations more efficiently.

Northwest spent years looking for software that could keep up with the modern needs of their growing operations. Eventually, they discovered BuildOps. “Since switching over to the BuildOps platform, we’ve experienced a significant jump in job satisfaction from our field technicians and back-office employees,” said Chris Howard.

“The platform is much more user-friendly than what we were used to,” Chris Howard continued. Northwest’s technicians appreciated the easy-to-use nature of the platform and its mobile app. “The [BuildOps] simple approach to field service and project management is unparalleled,” said Howard. “It lets us do exactly what needs to be done, no questions asked.”

BuildOps also saves Northwest both time and effort with invoicing. “The process has become far smoother than it’s ever been,” said Liz Howard, CFO. “And we no longer have to rely on insight from multiple applications to build an invoice—it’s all right there, rolled into one single platform,” she added. This new and improved process has allowed the company to refocus their efforts—helping them take on additional work, which in turn has helped them grow their business.

Since integrating the new BuildOps platform, Northwest Mechanical Group has increased their staff by 30 percent. With more staff, Northwest can keep up with the growing workload—a testament to the impact the right field service management software can have on a commercial business. “We highly recommend BuildOps to any other commercial contractor in the industry,” Chris Howard said. “It’s been a great tool for us to use both in the office and in the field.”

For more information, visit www.buildops.com.

Althoff Industries’ Revenue Surges With ServiceTitan for Customer Service

Althoff Industries credits their switch to ServiceTitan software with an improvement in customer service that contributed to an increase from $8.5 million in revenue in 2021 to $11.4 million in 2022. Althoff went live with the software in July 2021 after spending decades on a server-based customer relationship management system. It was such a momentous occasion for Blake Wiltshire, director of residential services at Althoff, that an empty bottle of champagne sits on his shelf to commemorate the moment.

Exceptional Customer Service

Exceptional service starts with the first phone call, and Wiltshire loves that he and his customer service representatives (CSRs) can play the role of psychic the second a customer calls in. “Their information pops up, and it’s easy for our CSRs to quickly identify who they’re talking to, what plan they have, and look at open invoices,” Wiltshire said.

He also has heard many compliments about the customer experience component of ServiceTitan. Customers appreciate things like text messages that include appointment reminders and technician bios, as well as tech-tracking features similar to that of Uber rideshare service.

“When we dispatch, it sends the profile of the guy, but also the little button where (customers) can track and see where (our tech) is coming from,” Wiltshire said. “These are just things that you expect today.”

When Wiltshire first pitched ServiceTitan to Althoff’s owners, he emphasized customer expectations around service. He told leadership, “We’re a premium brand in our market, we present ourselves that way. Our processes and our software and the things that we’re doing need to be a premium brand, too.”

Staying Competitive

Althoff recognizes that even premium brands need to offer competitive prices. As a union shop, Althoff has to compete with prices from nonunion shops, which was a challenge until the Mechanical Contractors Association of Chicago (MCA) stepped in and created a solution.

“The best thing that the union and the MCA have worked together on has been the residential and light commercial, or ‘R card,’ agreement,” Wiltshire said. “They recognized that the union contractors were starting to lose a lot of residential business.”

The R card has given Althoff the ability to be more competitive against the low-cost, nonunion contractors it competes with in the Chicagoland area.

“This has been a game changer for me and my company, and we were early adopters,” Wiltshire said. “We heavily utilize the program, and the majority of my field technicians are R cards.”

Wiltshire added, “The MCA (Chicago) also promotes its contractors to potential customers. This helps provide legitimacy to our claims as the best around.”

Adding to that legitimacy is the newest feature Althoff recently rolled out: rewards points. It’s just one more way that Wiltshire is making good on the promise of being a premium brand.

Althoff aims to reach $14.6 million in revenue in 2023, and ServiceTitan and the support of the MCA will make a huge difference in hitting that number.

For more information, visit www.servicetitan.com.

Grodsky Tackles Tight Timelines and Tight Spaces With Easy-to-Use Press Fittings From Mueller Industries

To expedite construction of a new university housing project designed as a hybrid of wood and steel, Harry Grodsky & Co., Inc. turned to Mueller Industries and its Mueller Streamline Co. products and piping systems specialists “We were able to save an incredible amount of time on the project thanks to Mueller” and its Streamline^® ACR Press Fittings in particular, said Ross Halket, superintendent at Grodsky. Mueller’s products gave Grodsky “the ability to get stuff into tight spaces, [and with] no fear of burning the building down, the ability to run piping in areas where brazing would have been hazardous,” Halket noted.

High-Quality Housing

In October 2022, University of Massachusetts Amherst moved forward with plans to build new undergraduate, graduate, and student family housing on campus. The project calls for 150 two-bedroom units and another 824 new beds in total and is poised to address the university’s strategic housing needs. UMass Amherst approached Grodsky, a fourth-generation family-owned mechanical contracting business with offices in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Adding Grodsky to the project gave UMass Amherst more than a century of contracting experience with a local touch, and the Grodsky team quickly took to the unique project.

“It’s a large housing project that is 100-percent electric heat, using Lennox VRF systems,” said Halket. “It’s a hybrid structure, as it is wood framed. It was challenging to get lines to fit in places where they need to go, as you’re dealing with all the nuances that come with a wood structure, such as trusses. Spaces for large mechanical systems are limited. And no pre-fab was used, as everything was fitted on the job in real-time.”

In addition to housing, the $274-million project includes retail spaces for the school, dining spaces, and student social areas. It brings UMass Amherst’s total undergraduate rooming capacity to 14,700 beds, the sixth-largest on-campus residential program in the country. With an extremely tight local housing market, the university knew it had to provide high-quality living spaces with modern amenities in a central campus location.

Productive Partnership

Brian Caufield, vice president of Mueller Streamline Co., described meeting Dave Streeter, vice president of Design Build at Grodsky, at an industry event, where they discussed upcoming projects. “We agreed that there was an opportunity to provide Grodsky assistance and value with our new Streamline ACR Press Fittings. That conversation led to the UMass Amherst project,” said Caulfield.

In particular, Grodsky recognized the value of using Mueller’s Streamline ACR Press Fittings. “We saw benefits of the double O-ring design,” said Halket. “Mueller is heavy into the air conditioning and refrigeration space with their ancillary products. And they have a good support system, whether it be tech support or on-site training.”

The partnership with Mueller provided Grodsky with substantial and crucial time savings during the project. Mueller provided complete onsite installation training to get installers ready quickly, and the intuitive and flameless process eliminated the need for brazing. “That eliminated the concern of bringing an open flame to the wood structure, and we weren’t required to have a fire watch either,” said Halket.

Halket added that Mueller’s overall onsite support came with everything Grodsky needed for the project, whether it was tech support, tooling, or expediting necessary products.

Looking Ahead

So far, the first phase of student-family housing is complete. Seventy two-bedroom units and a multipurpose community center will soon be joined by 80 additional two-bedroom units. The next phase includes construction of apartment-style housing that will provide 623 beds for upper-level undergraduates and 201 beds for graduate students, scheduled to be completed in fall 2023.

Throughout the process, Grodsky team members cited the quality and reliability of the Streamline ACR Press Fitting’s dual O-ring design and the full 360-degree press contour. “I found it all to be very intuitive,” said one Grodsky team member. “The way the fitting and the jaws work together is very self-explanatory. The foolproof design led to no phone calls or installation issues.”

“We really found it very beneficial to partner with a company that is heavily involved in the HVAC and refrigeration space to provide support for the job,” added another team member.

Mueller Streamline Co.’s Caufield added, “We appreciate the opportunity to work with the Grodsky team on this project and look forward to many more collaborations in the future.” Halket anticipated Grodsky partnering with Mueller on future projects. “I really enjoyed working with the Mueller team,” he said. “I like the fitting. It provides a fast, quick, and reliable connection.”

For more information, visit www.muellerstreamline.com.

Find the Latest from Kojo Technologies, Inc. and Omegaflex, Inc. 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:

Kojo Technologies, Inc.
Kojo is the industry’s leading material procurement solution, providing contractors with a digital solution to streamline materials management from pre-con to payment.

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Omegaflex, Inc.
CounterStrike CSST, MediTrac CMT, and DoubleTrac double containment piping systems are now listed by the ICC for seismic resilience per the ICC-ES ESR-4565 Report.

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

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

Registration for MSCA’s Autumn Classes Now Open

MSCA provides focused training programs for your operational personnel. This collection of programs, unlike any other, provide the continued training to set your employees apart in the HVACR industry.

MSCA Dispatchers Professional Development Training Program
November 9-10, 2023
Seattle, WA

SOLD OUT

This two-day program will provide dispatchers with all the skills they need to dramatically improve job performance. Custom designed especially for MSCA members, this program goes beyond traditional technical training to cover such critical dispatcher skills as leading technicians rather than letting technicians lead them, becoming the service manager’s partner, prioritizing customer emergencies, evaluating technician abilities, and managing their own careers in dispatching. After attending this program, dispatchers will be able to improve their job performance by learning how to: identify the service life cycle and the critical contact points that impact service success; recognize the importance of the dispatcher’s job and its impact on the organization’s profitability; communicate effectively with technicians and customers; and use good decision-making approaches for optimum priority setting and effective resource allocation.

LEARN MORE

MSCA Growing and Developing Service Supervisors
November 9-10, 2023
Seattle, WA

SOLD OUT

The Field Service Supervisors Training Program is focused training designed specifically for improving the performance of your field service supervisors. Using proven methods, this program will advance skills in leadership, coaching, planning, time management, communication, and motivational techniques, all of which will give the field supervisor an edge and the confidence to deal with the workplace challenges of today.

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MSCA Service Managers Training Program
November 13-16, 2023
Seattle, WA

SOLD OUT

Get the management and leadership skills you need to help your company succeed during this intensive four-day program. Whether you have come up through the trades with little or no formal management training or you want to enhance your management skills to become a more effective leader, this course is for you. Topics will include financial management, communications, coaching, managing conflict, motivating employees and more. A variety of small group activities, assessment tools, and skills-building exercises will help you apply the skills you learn in class, preparing you to go back to the office ready to use what you’ve learned.

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AEC Welcomes New Leadership Team & New Committee Members

MCAA’s Association Executives Council (AEC) welcomed new leaders at the conclusion of the 2023 AEC Best Practices Conference on August 2, 2023, in Carlsbad, CA. Chair Valerie Pope (MCA of Cincinnati, Inc./MCA of Central Ohio, Inc./Lima Area Mechanical Contractors Association/MCA of Greater Dayton), Vice Chair Stephen Affanato (New England MCA, Inc.) and Program Chair John Rayburn (MCA of Chicago) will lead the group’s efforts in the coming year. Both Stephen and Val will represent the AEC on the MCAA Board of Directors in the coming year.

Welcome New Committee Members

Kelsey Johnson (MCA of Omaha, Inc.) and Alex Hall (Northern California MCA) are the newest members of the Executive Leadership Initiative (ELI) Committee. As committee members, they will share their thoughts and ideas about our programs focused on the success and knowledge of our local affiliate executives.

MCAA and the AEC look forward to your leadership and new ideas. Congratulations!

Plan Now for Summer ’24 Employment Needs

College students are starting to head back to campus, which means underclassmen are starting to explore their options for summer internships and seniors are already weighing their offers for full-time employment for June 2024. Now is the time to start the conversation and the MCAA GreatFutures Job Board is the perfect place to start!

MCAA GreatFutures Job Board – How to Post an Entry-Level Job or Internship

Login with an MCAA username and password
Click on the job board within the Career Development page
Click Manage My Jobs and Add a Job to create your posting
Jobs remain active for 1 month to ensure postings stay fresh
When the job is set to expire, a reminder will be sent for you to either “mark as filled” or “duplicate” and repost for another month
Interested students can view postings and submit their contact information and resume
Your office will be notified via email when interested students submit their resume
From there, your office is encouraged to continue with your company’s application and interview process

View Job Board

New Resources Will Assist with Hiring & Managing Interns

The MCAA Career Development Committee recently compiled four resources to assist companies with the internship hiring and management process. Internship Best Practices is a quick read (1 page) and walks employers through the hiring process in a timeline format.

Internship Guide

Once Your Intern Is Hired, Submit a Part 1 JRGF Internship Grant Application

Once you’ve successfully hired your intern, head over to the JRGF Internship Grant page to submit at Part 1 application for a $1,000 grant for 1 intern or $2,000 grant for 2 or more interns. These grants are available anytime throughout the year (summer interns and/or school year interns).

If You Hire an Intern Full Time, Be Sure to Complete a Part 2 JRGF Internship Grant Application

Did you recently hire one of your interns full-time? If they were previously on a Part 1 list, submit a Part 2 application for a $500 gift card for your new hire.

JRGF Internship Grants

Have Questions?

Please contact MCAA Director of Career Development, Michele Hoffman.

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Contract Terms and Conditions

Contracts for mechanical construction and service work lay out the rights and obligations of each party. Mechanical contractors must carefully consider the types of terms and conditions that are appropriate for the given contract to minimize risk. MCAA’s Contract Terms and Conditions highlights 18 common terms and conditions that may be appropriate for inclusion in any contract as a starting point for each company’s independent discussions with their attorney and accountant. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The items covered include:

Equipment and workmanship guarantees
Liability for defects in design or manufacturing
Work hours
Workplace safety
When the buyer assumes risk of loss or damage to equipment
What happens if the buyer is unable to receive material
Accidents, strikes, lockouts or other causes not within the seller’s control
Title to the equipment
What happens in the event of default of payment
Performance delays
Responsibility for structural capability
Equipment
Taxes
Unforeseen material cost escalations
Assignment of rights

DOWNLOAD

For a full list of available Management Methods Bulletins, visit the Management Methods Bulletins page.

Have Questions or Need Personal Assistance?

Contact MCAA’s Frank Wall.

Connect With the Latest Training from CNA and Kojo Technologies at MCAA.org

The Manufacturer/Supplier Training area of MCAA’s website connects our contractor members with training opportunities available from the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Participating companies highlight and link to new webinars and training opportunities across their product lines, services, solutions or web pages. Here are just a few of the recent additions:

CNA
E-TALK SERIES – CNA’s e-Talks provide tips & resources to help your business thrive in an uncertain risk environment.

Learn More

Kojo Technologies
Good material procurement keeps a business operations, while great procurement allows a contractor to grow and outperform competitors. Learn how to be more efficient with Kojo’s FREE eBook.

Learn More

Interested in More Training from Our Supplier Partners?

Be sure to visit the Manufacturer/Supplier Training area for all the latest offerings.

Learn More

AEC Recognizes Chip Martin

MCAA’s Association Executives Council (AEC) recognized outgoing Chair Chip Martin at the conclusion of the 2023 AEC Best Practices Conference on August 2, 2023 in Carlsbad, CA. During his time in office, Chip (CPMCA and Arizona MCA) led the formation of the Arizona MCA and contributed to the development of the AEC Executive Trainee Program, which he will help launch in 2024. He also assisted in the development of the AEC Affiliate Board Orientation Manual and served as the AEC advocate on the MCAA Board of Directors. Thank you, Chip!

New Management Methods Bulletin Offers Tips for Mitigating the Risks of Design-Assist Projects

On a Design-Assist project, specialty contractors participate in a project’s design. They can provide input that maximizes system efficiencies, reduces costs, and potentially limits design errors or omissions. While the process has many benefits, it also presents risks that are not inherent in other forms of delivery. MCAA’s new Design-Assist bulletin offers tips for mitigating those risks. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin includes:

An introduction to design-assist
The role of a design-assist contractor
Why a design-assist project is potentially riskier than a design-bid-build (DBB) project
How design-assist affects the Spearin Doctrine
Takeaways from Coughlin
Risk management recommendations for contractors
Contract forms addressing design-assist obligations

DOWNLOAD

For a full list of available Management Methods Bulletins, visit the Management Methods Bulletins page.

Find all of MCAA’s educational resources in the Resource Center.

Have Questions or Need Personal Assistance?

Contact MCAA’s Frank Wall.

Find the Latest from Morris Group International and Craftmark Pipe Markers 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:

Morris Group International
The Maintenance Advantage^® single mechanical button feature from Murdock, a member of Morris Group International has a one-touch operation and no electrical outlets compared to other water coolers.

Learn More

Craftmark Pipe Markers
Self-adhesive roll-form pipe markers providing pipe contents identification as well as flow direction. Available in 6”, 8”, 12”, & 24” widths.Meets ASME/ANSI A13.1-2020 Scheme for the Identification of Piping Systems. MCAA members receive a 30% discount and free shipping when ordered online!

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

Simplifying the Way We Capture and Transfer Knowledge

With more than 70 million baby boomers set to retire by 2030—more than 10,000 each day—organizations need to rethink the way they capture and transfer knowledge before it is lost forever.

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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