Organization: MCAA

Therma Bridges Creativity and Collaboration with Procore’s Construction Management Platform

Therma’s steady growth and sterling reputation over the decades has been driven in part by its highly motivated and skilled innovators, each with their own approach to process—which also resulted in a disjointed recordkeeping system. They chose Procore’s scalable construction management platform to standardize their project processes and centralize their document management, creating seamless collaboration, complete flexibility across project types, and a single source of truth and project data accessible to all. Now, workers collaborate through a common platform with deep visibility into all the information they need, all available on mobile devices.

LEARN MORE

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

Postler & Jaeckle Corp. Earns Top MCAA/CNA Safety Award

Postler & Jaeckle Corp. was recently recognized as the MCAA/CNA Safety Excellence Awards winner for 2022 in Size Category 3, 250,001 – 450,000 Work Hours. Postler & Jaeckle’s organization-wide safety approach set the company apart.

Postler & Jaeckle established a company-wide initiative focused on the health of their employees, which included the installation of AEDs in every fixed office within the company and a wall with the slogan “This is why we work safely.” The program reached all levels of employment by asking for photos of employees with people that are special to them – family, friends, etc.

The MCAA/CNA Safety Excellence Awards began in the 1990s when MCAA partnered with CNA Insurance. It is a fiercely competitive program in which only the best of the best compete for the awards.

This is one of the most competitive safety awards programs in the country and winners are highly regarded among their peers.

The award focuses on safety and health programs, safety innovations and achievements in safety to reach a high degree of safety and health excellence. Companies are divided into five categories by number of hours worked and winners are selected by a committee of their peers.

Participants are required to describe their safety programs in detail, including how they achieved safety excellence and why they believe they deserve the award. The Safety Awards Selection Taskforce, which is led by CNA, carefully evaluates each submission looking for safety leadership, an advanced safety culture, effective leading indicators of safety performance, and innovative safety initiatives that helped the company achieve an exceptionally high degree of safety excellence.

MCAA and CNA congratulate Postler & Jaeckle Corp. for achieving such a high degree of safety excellence in 2022.

OSHA Announces National Emphasis Program to Prevent Falls

The U.S. Department of Labor announced that OSHA has begun a National Emphasis Program (NEP) to identify and to reduce hazards which are causing or likely to cause serious injuries and fatalities from falls while working at heights. Considering that falls remain the leading cause of fatalities and serious injuries in all industries, and the violation the agency cites most frequently in construction industry inspections, the agency has determined that an increase in enforcement and outreach activities is warranted.

The targeted enforcement program is based on historical Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data and OSHA enforcement history. BLS data shows that of the 5,190 total fatalities in 2021, 680 were associated with falls from elevation, about 13 percent of all deaths. “This national emphasis program aligns all of OSHA’s fall protection resources to combat one of the most preventable and significant causes of workplace fatalities,” said Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health, Doug Parker.

The program establishes guidance for locating and inspecting fall hazards and allows OSHA compliance safety and health officers to open inspections whenever they observe someone working at heights. An outreach component of the program will focus on educating employers about effective ways to keep their workers safe. If a compliance officer determines an inspection is not necessary after entering a worksite and observing work activities, they will provide outreach on fall protection and leave the site.

“MCAA supports the focus on improving fall prevention, including the outreach and education to prevent falls across all industries.” said Raffi Elchemmas, MCAA Executive Director of Safety, Health, and Risk Management. MCAA has several resources on working at heights, including videos and programs on Aerial Lift Safety, Fall Prevention and Protection, Ladder Safety, and Scaffold Safety.

LEARN MORE ABOUT FEDERALLY REQUIRED FALL PROTECTION
MCAA RESOURCES ON WORKING AT HEIGHTS

Safety Week 2023 Comes to a Close – Look Back On the Week

#SafetyWeek is a wrap! But the safety & health of our workers, our teams, and each other continues to be of the utmost importance. You can view all of last week’s video clips below for tips to prevent accidents and ensure the safety of our workers below.

May 1, 2023:
We kicked off the week with a message from Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA) Executive Director of Safety, Health & Risk Management Raffi Elchemmas about how workers can stay safe while using ladders and stairs, or when working at heights.

May 2, 2023:
On Tuesday, we heard from National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) Executive Director, Outside Line Safety Mike Starner, CUSP, CHST about how workers can protect themselves from line of fire incidents including caught-in, caught-between and struck-by. Lockout/tagout is also covered.

May 3, 2023:
The Association of Union Constructors Director of Environmental Health & Safety Alex Kopp shared a message on Wednesday about the importance of mental health and resources that are available to provide support.

May 4, 2023:
On Thursday, we heard from SMACNA Director of Safety Justin Crandol, CSP, ARM, CRIS with tips to help workers protect themselves from heat hazards.

May 5, 2023:
To close out the week, we heard from National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) Executive Director of Safety Wesley Wheeler, SMS, CESCP about the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE), a critical component to jobsite safety.

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Other Direct Job Costs & Indirect Job Costs

Job costs (labor, materials, subcontracts, lift rentals, permits, etc.) are pretty straight forward, but what are “indirect job costs” or “other direct job costs”? Hard hats, fab shop expenses, drill bits, grinding wheels, and company vehicles are all examples of “other direct job costs” (ODJC) and a management system that accounts for and helps you identify and manage these expenses is very important to a successful business. The problem is that there are many types of ODJCs, and tracking them individually, by project, could be very time consuming, require significant resources, and is not necessary.

The bulletin identifies ODJCs and provides some options to assist in managing and understanding these costs.

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.

Winning Team, Pittsburg State University, Visits the Site Used for the 2022-2023 Student Competition

The 2022-2023 MCAA Student Chapter Competition 1st Place Team, Pittsburg State University, was invited to Denver, CO on April 21st to view the real-life completed site for their proposal of the National Western Center, which included a meeting with Lynn Mueller, CEO of SHARC Energy.

Leslie Fangman, VP of Corporate Development at Centrio, led the group through a tour of the district energy facility that features the largest SHARC system in North America.  The students learned about the inception of the project, the predevelopment process, the construction and the operation of the facility.

Andy Wright (Senior Project Manager), Taylor Heideman (Project Manager), Kevin Stoddard (Director of Preconstruction), Sarabeth Gandara (Preconstruction Manager) and John Marlow (VP of Project Development) from US Engineering also joined on the tour to meet the chapter and answer questions from the mechanical contractor’s perspective on the project.

After the tour of the energy facility, the students quickly toured a couple of additional buildings on the National Western Campus and then headed off to the US Engineering office for a tour, “101 course” of the officer air handling unit, and lunch. 

On Friday afternoon, US Engineering attendees joined the students for a few rounds of TopGolf and networking.  Attendees from US Engineering included: John Marlow (VP of Project Development), Whitney Bell-Haggard (VP of Strategy), Kevin Stoddard (Director of Preconstruction), Sarabeth Gandara (Preconstruction Manager), Josh Martinez (Preconstruction Manager), Brandon Richardt (Preconstruction Engineer) and Lupe Garza (Project Manager).  Leslie Fangman with Centrio also attended.

Thank you to US Engineering, Centrio and SHARC Energy for this incredible invitation and experience for our championship team!

Join MSCA and ServiceTrade’s May 23rd Webinar on Adapting to the Skilled Labor Shortage

Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. ET

The technician shortage is daunting. How can your business grow, let alone keep up with demand? You know that your technicians’ time is precious, however, many spend valuable hours each week performing work that could be done by other team members or eliminated altogether.

It’s time to optimize your mechanical business by unburdening technicians of work that can be done elsewhere. Industry expert Billy Marshall will share insights on three areas for improvement during this busy season: reducing the chaos of unpredictable demand work, empowering your office staff to take on more responsibility, and optimizing your technicians’ workflow.

You will learn to:

  • Minimize the demand work that causes chaos for you and your customers;
  • Unburden your technicians of optional work to increase their productivity and improve your bottom line; and
  • Improve customer satisfaction by focusing on tasks that directly impact service quality.

Whether you’re struggling to keep up with demand or looking to scale your business, this webinar will provide you with techniques you need to succeed.

REGISTER NOW

Congratulations to Veronica Brems, Recipient of the 2023 William A. Bianco, Jr. Memorial Scholarship

Veronica Brems is this year’s recipient of the annual William A. Bianco, Jr. Memorial Scholarship. MCAA member, Kinetics, established this scholarship to honor William “Bill” Bianco (the foundation’s former President and an MCAA Distinguished Service Award recipient) for his many contributions to the industry’s continuing advancement.

Veronica is the President of her local student chapter at Purdue University and will be graduating in May 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management. Last summer, Veronica interned with Auburn Mechanical in Auburn, WA where she aided in writing, reviewing and logging RFI’s and submittals, engaged in weekly site walks with members of the safety teams, field superintendents, project managers and executive team, and communicated with venders, plus wrote purchase orders for equipment.

“Working for a mechanical contractor is appealing to me because it is what makes the building come to life. There is no way for a building to function without the systems that circulate the air, provide heating and cooling, plumbing, fire sprinklers, etc. Five years after graduation, I see myself working for a mechanical contractor as a Project Manager leading a team of individuals to create something special for the clients.”

MCAA and the John R. Gentille Foundation congratulate Veronica on this prestigious scholarship and thank Kinetics for their commitment to supporting students interested in pursuing a career in the mechanical contracting industry.

Spring Hiring To-Do List

  1. Save the Date for MCAA’s GreatFutures Forum in Milwaukee, WI (Sept 28 – 30)
  • Don’t miss out on the Job Fair on Sept 29th.
  • Complimentary registration for the entire conference is available for MCAA Members, Local Association Executives and Forum Sponsors.
  • Registration opens June 15th!
  1. Post an Internship or Job NOW on the MCAA GreatFutures Job Board!
  • Don’t wait until the Fall!  Students are already starting to consider their summer ’24 employment options. 
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
  1. Submit an Internship Grant Application for new interns
  • Submit an application for each intern (even beyond 2)!
  • Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
  • Companies with 1 intern are eligible for a $1,000 grant OR companies with two or more interns may receive a $2,000 grant.
Internship Grant Part I Form
  1. Submit an Internship Grant Application for your intern to new hire conversion
  • For companies successfully converting an intern from their Part 1 list to a full-time new hire, a $500 gift card will be mailed to the company to present to their new hire.
  • New hire conversions are unlimited, but the name must be included on a Part 1 list from an MCAA member company.
  • Part 2 applications may not be submitted until after the full-time start date.
Internship to New Hire Part II Form

Graco Mechanical Upgrades Houston Highrise in One Weekend with Marley Cooling Towers

For Graco Mechanical of Houston, TX, Marley NC® Cooling Towers from SPX Cooling Tech, LLC proved to be the ideal solution for replacing a highrise building’s aging cooling tower in a tight space with an even tighter timeline—just one weekend. These factory-assembled, or “package,” towers allowed for faster installation than a field-erected option while meeting the building’s needs.

LEARN MORE

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

MCAA Partners with Tyfoom to Provide Safety Training Resources to Members

Springville, Utah — May 2, 2023 — Tyfoom, an engagement platform for employee communication and training, today announced a partnership with the Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA), which will give MCAA members access to select MCAA-produced training and education material and products via Tyfoom’s video-based microlearning format.

MCAA materials will be made available as short bite-sized microlearning videos that are easy to digest and assist with knowledge transfer. With Tyfoom’s advanced training capabilities and MCAA’s safety training content, members have everything they need to stay competitive and keep their employees safe.

“We are thrilled to partner with MCAA ,” said Mark Nelson, CEO of Tyfoom. “This partnership will enable us to provide MCAA members with access to world-class training content, and we are excited to help support the industry by providing innovative tools for training and communication.”

“We are excited about this partnership and the opportunity to expand our reach and impact through Tyfoom’s platform,” said Raffi Elchemmas, Executive Director, Safety, Health, and Risk Management, MCAA. “We look forward to working closely with Tyfoom to provide our members with the tools and resources they need to succeed.”

MCAA members can take advantage of Tyfoom’s powerful training and communication platform that helps organizations deliver relevant communication and training in the flow of work and as an on-demand resource. With the platform, organizations can also create their own content to ensure standardization of their unique best practices.

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.

About Tyfoom

Tyfoom is the #1 engagement platform for employee communication and training. They provide a simple and easy way to connect all employees with leaders everyday to improve culture, productivity and employee engagement. Tyfoom employs non-disruptive, science-based techniques and gamification to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and increase accountability. For more information visit: www.tyfoom.com.

Celebrate MCAA’s 20 Years of Safety Excellence Each Month of 2023 With a Safety Resource Kit

To celebrate MCAA’s 20 Years of Safety Excellence, MCAA is offering monthly safety kits to benefit our contractors around the country and the mechanical industry workers they support. Each kit will include videos, webinars, trainings, and additional resources on each monthly topic.

May 2023: Working at Heights

Working at heights continues to be one of the most dangerous parts of construction and service. Each year falls are the leading cause of workplace fatalities and fall protection is the most cited OSHA violation. MCAA has put together a kit which includes training on Aerial Lift Safety, Fall Prevention and Protection, Ladder Safety, and Scaffold Safety. This kit also includes model programs on fall protection and fall rescue. This could be one of the most important kits of the year.

Worker Safety Training Videos & Accompanying Resources

Aerial Lift Safety

Fall Prevention and Protection 

Ladder Safety

Scaffold Safety

Model Safety Programs

DOWNLOAD RESOURCE SUMMARY

Registration is Now Open for MCAA’s Collective Bargaining & the UA/MCAA Labor Relations Conference

We are very pleased to announce that registration is now open for MCAA’s Collective Bargaining Conference and the UA/MCAA Labor Relations Conference this September! Through the registration process, you will have the ability to register for both conferences at once, or select an individual conference. After your conference registration is complete, you will be directed to make your own hotel reservations based on your particular travel arrangements.

Collective Bargaining Conference –

September 25-27, 2023
The Mirage, Las Vegas, NV

Suggested Attendees: Affiliate Directors, Bargaining Committee & Contractors welcome

Registration Rate: $495/member

This workshop is designed to highlight MCAA’s Collective Bargaining Guide. Attendees will learn negotiating techniques and constructive approaches that will improve workforce performance along with contractor and industry competitiveness. The workshop will help members and local association executives improve their understanding of the bargaining process to assist in preparing properly for negotiations and to make bargaining a constructive event for management and labor.

REGISTER

UA/MCAA Labor Relations Conference –

September 27 & 28, 2023
The Mirage, Las Vegas, NV

Suggested Attendees: Affiliated Association Executives and Leadership welcome

Registration Rate: Complimentary

The conference, jointly hosted by the United Association (UA) and MCAA, will feature networking opportunities, panel discussions focused on topics such as the current need for manpower, organizing, workforce develop, and other topics that involve our UA/MCAA partnership. This is a great opportunity for local labor/management teams to attend and develop strategies to help protect our industry.

REGISTER

Congratulations to Daniel Colon-Crespo, Recipient of the 2023 DEWALT Patriot Scholarship

The DEWALT Patriot Scholarship, now in its second year, was created to recognize two veterans, or those who are currently serving in the United States Military, who have valiantly served their country and have chosen to enter a career in the construction industry.  Thank you to DEWALT for honoring our military and to our scholarship recipients for their service to our country.  These two special scholarships were presented at the MCAA Awards of Excellence Breakfast in Phoenix on March 29th by Jake Sullivan (U.S. Marine Corp Veteran) and Jon Howland (U.S. Navy Veteran). 

Daniel Colon-Crespo has been serving in the Michigan National Guard since December 2019 as a Specialist and had the opportunity to lead during training events, as well as ensuring the safety of others during natural disasters and under extreme conditions. 

Daniel will be graduating in December 2024 from Ferris State University and is planning on interning this summer in Michigan with MCAA Member, Hurst Mechanical (Control Resource).  Daniel has also been serving as Ferris State’s MSCA Student Chapter President since January 2021 and previously held the offices of Community Service Chair and Historian.

“Working for a mechanical contractor appeals to me because, as I learned at the GreatFutures Forum, mechanical contracting is like the heart of a building.  I think the challenge of trying to maintain human comfort in a building is extremely rewarding.  I joined MCAA because I new it would be important for my future.  It connects me with mechanical contractors, builds my leadership skills, enhances my communication abilities, and has helped me learn more about possible job opportunities.”

MCAA and the John R. Gentille Foundation congratulate Daniel on this prestigious scholarship and thank DEWALT for their commitment to supporting students interested in pursuing a career in the mechanical contracting industry, as well as for recognizing the courageous service of our country’s Veterans.

Check Out the Line Up for MCAA’s 2023 WiMI Conference

This year’s WiMI Conference will be held June 12-14 in Nashville, TN at the Grand Hyatt and is packed with opportunities to learn, grow and discover all that you are capable of and what this industry has to offer.

Keynote Sessions

Our industry’s own, Kathy Crosby will use the personal DISC assessment tool to help attendees uncover valuable information about themselves and others. 

Best selling author, Diana Kander will show us how we can level up our simple questions to get significantly better results and drive innovation in the opening keynote presentation; Unleash Your Curiosity.  

In our Closing General Session, Be Who You Came to Be, through personal experience, stories, and research, Tara Renze, author and thought leader, will walk her audience through a three-step process to “be who they came to be”.

Education Sessions

In the Women & Mental Health in Construction session, Sally Spencer-Thomas, Co-Founder & President, United Suicide Survivors International, will dive into why mental health matters for women in construction, why leaders need to attend to risk factors and environmental drivers, and what action steps they can take.

John Koontz, MCAA Director for Project Management Education and Kathryn Crosby, Owner and Founder of C2 Consulting, Inc, have seen hundreds of success stories in this industry, and they will share the traits they all have in common in the Quality, Traits and Characteristics of Successful People in Our Industry session.

Colene Rogers, speaker and Executive Coach, will lead the session, Change the Conversation. Change the Culture, and provide practical tips to help attendees have conversations that address differences of opinion to resolve issues; what Colene calls Tough Talks.

Industry Panels

Keynote speaker, Diana Kander, will moderate an interactive discussion with some of our WiMI Committee members on lessons learned and keys to being successful in our industry.

Discover Your Allies, will be moderated by UA’s Special Representative for Training and Outreach, Laura Ceja and feature Ray Boyd, UA’s Director ‑ Education and Training, Bill Tavenner, Vice President of Sales at Ferguson Enterprises, Tom Bello, Executive Vice President of Mechanical Contractors Association of Metropolitan Washington and MCAA’s Director of Project Management Education, John Koontz. The panel will discuss how men can be allies and support the growth of women in our industry.

Additional Opportunities for Development & Networking

We have two sessions of roundtable discussions that will cover a variety of industry and growth-related topics led by WiMI committee members. Our evening receptions will provide additional time for networking and connecting with peers.

Check out the full line up of this year’s conference. Hotel rooms are filling up fast, so register today and lock in the group rate by May 14!

LEARN MORE & REGISTER

Find the Latest from Morris Group International and Parker Hannifin 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
Learn how vacuum plumbing can assist design professionals in addressing the need for a healthy, safe, and sustainable building design.

Learn More

Parker Hannifin
ZoomLock® MAX, Press-To-Connect Refrigerant Fittings is the next step in ZoomLock’s evolution. ZoomLock MAX fittings provide better overall value than the original ZoomLock for today’s contractor.

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

MCAA Members Approve Bylaws Change

MCAA members voted in favor of the MCAA Board of Directors recommended change to the MCAA Bylaws during the Annual Business Meeting held March 30, 2023. As a result, the MCAA Bylaws have been amended to extend the previous two-year waiting period to seek re-election to the Board of Directors to four years. The amended language appears in Article VIII—Board of Directors, Section 1.

Harder Mechanical Tackles Welder Shortage, Amps Up Productivity With Novarc’s Spool Welding Robot

By implementing Novarc’s Spool Welding Robot (SWR), Harder Mechanical Contractors has minimized their need for highly skilled welders and increased productivity from an average of 120 factored diameter inches (FDI) per shift to more than 200 FDI, while also achieving a repair rate of 0 percent and maximizing arc-on time. Moreover, because the SWR is a collaborative robot—or cobot—Harder Mechanical can assign less experienced welders to operate the machine, significantly improving shop productivity and resulting in high-quality welds every single time.

LEARN MORE

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

Save the Date for MCAA’s 2023 GreatFutures Forum

Time to start thinking about your summer ’24 interns! Save the date for MCAA’s GreatFutures Forum (September 28-30, 2023) in Milwaukee, WI. Conference registration (including the Friday Job Fair) is complimentary for MCAA Members, Local Association Executives and Forum Sponsors. Registration will open on June 15.