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.
July 2023: Heat Stress
Each year, thousands of workers suffer from heat illness while working in high temperatures, direct sun, and humid conditions; dozens even die. Many mechanical contractors spend part of their working day in hot environments, both indoors and outdoors. Workers performing physical labor are often exposed to hazardous heat conditions that can have severe safety and health outcomes. This month’s kit includes information and posters from MCAA, OSHA, CNA and Milwaukee Tool. We will also be partnering with Tyfoom on a free heat stress webinar on July 27th at 3:00 pm ET.
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 ConTrols® Hi-Low Master Mixing Valve mixes hot water from the heater with cold water to the right temperature for the distribution system. ConTrols is a member of Morris Group International.
Craftmark Pipe Markers CraftMark DuraMark Self-Stick Pipe Markers Durable indoor/outdoor pipe marking system meets ASME/ANSI A13.1 2020 Scheme for the Identification of Piping Systems. MCAA members receive a 30% discount and free shipping on all pipe markers!
Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website to learn how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with cost-saving and productivity-enhancing applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.
This section of our website also includes tips and ideas to help your company save money and enhance your productivity. Don’t miss it!
A hospitality industry veteran opted for A.O. Smith for a dependable water heating solution for a new four-story Hampton Inn in Ashland City, TN. “Hampton Inns thrive on being local,” said hotel general manager Sammy Naquin, “so it made sense to turn to A. O. Smith, who is right here in Ashland City, for a solution.” Naquin worked closely with A. O. Smith, which specified two 750,000 Btu/hr Cyclone® XL commercial gas water heaters, recommended for the hotel’s size and water heating demands.
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.
Heat Illness poses a serious concern for worker safety and health in the mechanical construction and service industries. Join MCAA and Tyfoom as we review strategies to keep workers safe against heat illness during a 30-minute webinar on Thursday, July 27, at 3:00 PM EDT. The webinar will emphasize the importance of awareness, best practices, and effective communication in ensuring worker safety. It will also address strategies for doing so, including planning awareness and training, best practices, and consistent communication into the daily work routine. Register today!
The webinar, which will be led by Tyfoom’s Jason Cuskelly and facilitated by MCAA’s Raffi Elchemmas, will provide attendees with an understanding of:
The urgency of implementing these strategies
The importance of planning to ensure employees are safe from heat illness
How intentional communication helps to educate employees about the risks associated with heat and best practices for staying safe
The role of microlearning techniques as an effective method for knowledge retention, enabling employees to stay informed and vigilant
By implementing these best practices, MCAA members can mitigate the risks of heat-illness, safeguard their workforces, and promote an overall culture of safety.
Seeking to improve shop productivity, Kinetics adopted the 5 S’s, a variation of lean thinking. By applying these actions, Kinetics’ employees were able to reduce wasted time, materials and information, thereby increasing their productivity. MCAA’s Five S’s: The Road to Improvement shares the process and the results the company was able to achieve. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.
Incorporating a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) committee into your company or organization provides endless benefits. Adopting a DEI committee, can aid your company in promoting diversity, addressing biases, increasing employee engagement, building a stronger reputation, proving dedication to ethical responsibilities, and creating an inclusive environment to drive positive change. This bulletin explains how to form a DEI committee and how to maintain and strengthen your commitment to DEI through ongoing efforts and outside support.
Calling all Safety Professionals. Have you ever wanted to present at a national Safety & Health Conference?
Now is your chance to share your knowledge and expertise with hundreds of attendees from all over the country at the 2024 Safety & Health Conference in Tucson, AZ, January 16-18, 2024.
Submissions are due July 14th, 2023. Proposals must be submitted using the link below.
Please email raffi@mcaa.org for any questions about presenting.
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:
NIBCO INC. The NIBCO® 585HP High Performance ball valve and the revolutionary technology used in its construction, use, and performance. The 585HP includes patented, laser-welded construction (designed to eliminate potential leak paths), high-quality lead-free Performance Bronze®, and an easily reversible handle. With a pressure rating of up to 1,000 psi CWP and 150 SWP, the NIBCO 585HP ball valve is the perfect fit for drinking water, HVAC, isolation or throttling, or domestic hot and cold water piping operations.
Craftmark Pipe Markers Precoiled and pretensioned plastic snap on markers meet ASME/ANSI A13.1-2020 Scheme for the Identification of Piping Systems. MCAA members receive a 30% discount and free shipping on all pipe markers!
Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website to learn how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with cost-saving and productivity-enhancing applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.
This section of our website also includes tips and ideas to help your company save money and enhance your productivity. Don’t miss it!
Silicon Valley Mechanical, a full-service mechanical contractor in San Jose, CA, rapidly improved productivity and increased efficiency by putting PypeServer software into place. Here, Jamie Garza, detail manager, and Dean Garza, piping shop general foreman at Silicon Valley Mechanical, describe how they achieved those gains.
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.
The MCAA Fabrication Conference boasts a rich history of bringing together professionals from the mechanical contracting and fabrication industries. Now in its 24th year, the conference has grown to be a pivotal event, serving as a platform for industry leaders, innovators, and experts to share their knowledge, insights, and best practices. With a focus on cutting-edge technologies, process improvements, and collaboration, the MCAA Fabrication Conference has continually evolved to address the ever-changing landscape of the mechanical contracting world, fostering a community of professionals dedicated to advancing the industry and ensuring its sustainable growth.
Expanded Tours
While always popular, the conference has always been limited to the tour capacity of the host contractor. This year that changes. While UMC, Inc. will serve as the primary conference host, three additional contractors have agreed to have smaller tour groups through their facility as well. The 2023 conference will offer more tour options in a streamlined format.
UMC, Inc. – Primary tour host featuring a new 90,000 ft2 fabrication facility featuring piping and plumbing as well as a look at their digitally integrated fabrication process.
SJS Mechanical – One of the premier multi-family contractors in the US with a unique facility that focuses on light commercial and plumbing fabrication.
Shinn Mechanical – Innovative Seattle contractor that focuses on industrial and commercial markets, this tour will focus on their sprinkler fabrication, while highlighting their other fabrication solutions.
MacDonald Miller – Full-service design-build contractor with 11 locations and over 1,000 employees. Their tour offers a look at their Sheet Metal fabrication abilities.
Updated Education
While tours remain an important component to the MCAA Fabrication Conference, additional ideas, education, and innovation are increasingly important. The format of the conference is expanding so that the tour is not the only educational offering for attendees. This year’s conference will now include:
Contractor Case Studies – Learn from how others are doing it.
Breakout sessions – Repeated so you don’t miss it while on a tour.
Lean Workshops – Hands on exercises to demonstrate lean concepts.
Expanded Exhibit – Expanded beyond the reception through entire first day.
Uncapped Attendee Limit – The two per MCAA member rule has been removed.
One of the classic mistakes that owners of mechanical contracting firms often make when transferring ownership of their company is not fully exploring all their options. MCAA’s Business Transition Options for the Mechanical Contractor reviews the various options for transferring ownership of a company and showcases the advance planning and analysis needed for a successful transfer. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.
The bulletin covers:
How owner motives drive decisions
Understanding the tradeoffs necessary to meet the owner’s objectives
Transfer channels available
The valuation and liquidity issues associated with external vs. internal transfers
In the related podcast, host Bob Lindbloom and co-host Rob Armistead discuss Exit Strategy Planning with Mario Vicari, business advisor to privately-held companies at Kreisher Miller. Play the podcast directly from the WebBook, or listen and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or Google Play.
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:
SLOAN Hygiene-friendly sinks have become essential post-pandemic. This course is designed to inform general contractors, architects, and interior designers how hygiene can be incorporated into sink design.
There are heroes among us who use their time, money, and generosity to propel their communities forward. They do things that are truly needed out of the kindness of their hearts and with a passion for making a difference. MSCA’s Everyday Hero Award has become a favorite way to recognize and award employees, peers, employers, and the community. Do you know someone who has stepped up and propelled their community into a better place?
Submit your nomination by completing the brief survey below by July 14, 2023. If you have nominated someone before and they haven’t won, you can always nominate them again.
MSCA will recognize them onstage at the MSCA23 Conference Propel this October 22-25, 2023 in Marco Island, Florida, as well as make a very generous donation to the winner’s charity of choice.
Explore critical topics such as management, personnel, finance, service technology, training, and recruiting issues. This is the only industry conference specifically geared to service companies and the unique challenges and issues they face. Also included is an exhibit of products and services that can help you run your business more efficiently. Education sessions will help you make your time, resources, and personnel go farther. Plus, there are expanded opportunities for structured networking and peer group discussions as well as numerous social events.
Explore critical topics such as management, personnel, finance, service technology, training, and recruiting issues. This is the only industry conference specifically geared to service companies and the unique challenges and issues they face. Also included is an exhibit of products and services that can help you run your business more efficiently. Education sessions will help you make your time, resources, and personnel go farther. Plus, there are expanded opportunities for structured networking and peer group discussions as well as numerous social events.
Explore critical topics such as management, personnel, finance, service technology, training, and recruiting issues. This is the only industry conference specifically geared to service companies and the unique challenges and issues they face. Also included is an exhibit of products and services that can help you run your business more efficiently. Education sessions will help you make your time, resources, and personnel go farther. Plus, there are expanded opportunities for structured networking and peer group discussions as well as numerous social events.
Explore critical topics such as management, personnel, finance, service technology, training, and recruiting issues. This is the only industry conference specifically geared to service companies and the unique challenges and issues they face. Also included is an exhibit of products and services that can help you run your business more efficiently. Education sessions will help you make your time, resources, and personnel go farther. Plus, there are expanded opportunities for structured networking and peer group discussions as well as numerous social events.
We are thrilled to share some exciting news with you! In our continuous efforts to enhance your user experience, we will soon be implementing a significant upgrade to the WebLEM login process. Say hello to Single Sign-On (SSO)!
With SSO, we are replacing the traditional login method with a streamlined and secure authentication process. This change aims to make accessing WebLEM a breeze, providing you with a more seamless and convenient experience.
How It Works
Once you log in to the MCAA website as a member or WebLEM subscriber, you will automatically be logged into the WebLEM. No additional login steps required! It’s that simple. To access WebLEM, click on Resources tab and then WebLEM.
In the event that you visit www.weblem.org directly (see below), you will be automatically redirected to the MCAA website. If you have already signed in to MCAA.org, you will have instant access to the WebLEM without the need for a separate login.
We believe that this upgrade will greatly enhance your overall user experience, making it easier than ever to access and utilize the valuable resources the WebLEM.
We are excited about the SSO and are confident that you’ll appreciate the improved login process. With the upcoming SSO implementation, each WebLEM user will have their own unique login credentials. Gone are the days of relying on shared credentials that your WebLEM administrator had to update and distribute to all users within your company. This change ensures greater security and individual accountability for your WebLEM access.
Please Note
Due to the transition to SSO, your company admin may have to regenerate your subscriber token and/or the API key. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but this step is essential to ensure a secure and uninterrupted login experience. The good news is that now you can find out who your company administrator is by simply clicking on the drop-down box located at the top right-hand corner of the WebLEM page.
We understand that change can sometimes be challenging, but we firmly believe that this shift to SSO will greatly improve your WebLEM experience. Our team is working diligently to make this transition as seamless as possible.
We will be rolling out this upgrade soon. We appreciate your continued support and patience during this upgrade.
In a new fleet safety series, CNA, a member of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council, offers MCAA members four infographic posters around the most common claim, auto safety. The posters address common issues including: tips to reduce auto accidents, situational awareness while driving, driving under the influence, and understanding distracted driving. MCAA thanks CNA for sharing these valuable safety resources with the entire membership.
Think about this:
In 2020, almost 3,000 fatal and over 200,000 nonfatal distraction-related motor vehicle accidents occurred.
Commercial drivers are six times more likes to be involved in a critical event when participating in handheld browser activities.
In 2020, there were fewer vehicles on the road, but the decrease in miles driven did not correlate to fewer accidents.
Even with an 11% decrease in miles driven, vehicle accident deaths rose by 8.3%.
Download the four infographics to share with your team. The more conscious we all are of how to prevent auto accidents, the more likely we are to avoid them, and that’s good for everyone!
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 Meet the Maintenance Advantage® key tool from Murdock Mfg., a division of MGI. This all-in-one tool unlocks all the maintenance features on the Water Cooler and Bottle Filler with EZ Door™ filter.
Autodesk, Inc. Success in a changing market comes from your ability to adapt while doing more with less. With improved collaboration throughout the project lifecycle, savings in time and money, and new capabilities like precision prefabrication, BIM makes the difference between surviving and thriving. Learn how the integrated tools in the AEC Collection can help you achieve better business outcomes.
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!
