Organization: MCAA

Paige Taylor has been a Project Engineer at MMC Contractors in Des Moines, IA for the past two and a half years and was formerly a member of the Iowa State Student Chapter. While Paige has always felt very supported in her career and came into this program with goals already set, she’s found it beneficial to have Kathy to bounce ideas and goals off of, as well as  learn about her experiences in the industry .

Kathy McCauley ­­is President of McCauley Mechanical Construction Inc. in Bridgeview, IL, a member of the MCAA Board of Directors and also serves  on the  WiMI Committee. She has been in the industry for 36 years and 29 years with MCA of Chicago. In 2004, Kathy was elected  President of MCA of Chicago. That marked her as the 4^th generation in her family to take on that role and the first female president. Kathy shared that yes she did wear a pink suit coat to the inauguration!  Kathy­ was inspired to help create this WiMI mentor/mentee program as an opportunity to give back due to a lack of such program when she came up in the industry.

Kathy and Paige  started their relationship  with phone calls every three weeks. Kathy shared; ‘I loved the momentum we had going before the world turned upside down”. Like many of the pairs, Kathy and Paige were planning on meeting in person in 2020 but both planned trips were cancelled due to the pandemic. They are looking forward to getting that opportunity again in 2021 and plan to continue the mentorship beyond the initial six month commitment. Both agree that they’d love to see more opportunities to be able to network with other mentor/mentee pairs which has been a challenge.

Paige shared that even though there are so many women she looks up to in her own company being a part of WiMI has been a nice opportunity to have outside options for advice. She’s always on the lookout for the chance to connect with women her own age and to learn from them first-hand. The pair loves sharing interesting reads, opportunities or resources to check out. Kathy shared the Brilliant Balance podcast and invitations to virtual professional development seminars through the WiMi group in Chicago and Paige recommended the book How Women Rise and brought up the twelve habits for discussion. Paige has been inspired by Kathy’s dedication to the industry through her teaching and her involvement in not only MCAA but other leadership organizations as well.

For Kathy, this program has been a reminder to get out of her world and remember what it’s like to be new in the industry. “It’s hard for me to remember what is was like when I started.” Although things have come a long way since she entered the industry, there’s still room for growth and improvement.

When asked what her best piece of advice for Paige and all other young females in this industry at this time, Kathy replied; “Listen to everything that anyone wants to teach you. And don’t take anything too seriously! You need a sense of humor to get through this industry.”

For more information visit the Women in the Mechanical Industry Initiative Page.

Arc flash can change a service tech’s life in the blink of an eye. Fred Bothwell, CHST, safety coordinator at Speer Mechanical, an MCAA member, uses personal experience to impress upon Speer techs the seriousness of arc flash situations.

“While working as warehouse manager for one of the nation’s largest tire companies back in the early 1990s, I had requested getting the roof-top unit checked out by our A/C company.  As the A/C guy was checking voltage, he lets out a yell.  Then he gathers himself, starts doing the same thing and lets out another yell.  It turns out that through perfect timing, at the same moment he touched the two leads to the unit, his beeper–on vibrate in his shirt pocket–was signaling him.  He thought he was getting shocked.  Later that year, when this same A/C guy was checking an industrial battery charger, he did get shocked for real.  We had to call the emergency squad.  He was okay, but it was a real ‘shock’ for all.”

About the Company

Speer Mechanical has a Construction division, a Special Projects group, and a Service department. The company does everything from demolition to installing units inside mechanical rooms and on rooftops.

For roof-top installations, Speer Mechanical uses Rough Terrain forklifts, cranes, and helicopters to place the units on the roofs.  The company’s Construction workers set the units in place and connect them to the building, and Service Techs connect the units to the power and provide ongoing service as needed.

The Advent of NFPA 70E Training

The company began holding NFPA 70E classes, purchasing Arc Flash suits, and preparing workers to follow the rules in 2006. They were one of the first companies in the Central Ohio area to do so, which comes as no surprise since Speer has one of the area’s largest service departments.

Fred shares, “The Arc Flash suits were really stiff, bulky, and had the ‘beekeeper’ hood.  You can bet everyone couldn’t wait to wear that outfit in our 90-degree humid Ohio weather.”  He adds, “We held about five Arc Flash classes to cover the entire Service department.” 

Later that year, Fred had the opportunity to present Speer’s NFPA 70E program to the UA local 189 union hall in Columbus, Ohio, where the company’s Service Techs are members.  He said, “It was a fairly new topic in the area, and I think some of the information was surprising to those who attended.  I reviewed cost, time spent, and what would be required in the future.  Some of those things have since changed somewhat, but the importance of the training has not.”

A Herculean Task

“Training, following, and observing some 70+ Service Techs is my challenge,” Fred said. He noted that the company’s service technicians work on equipment pushing 480 volts or less.  “Our work opportunities can occur at any time, at any jobsite, and on most any type of equipment,” he said. He added that “[A]ll Service Technicians are trained and tested to prove they know what they’re doing.  They take classes at the union hall and attend training sessions held at Speer.” Fred noted that some vendor companies want Speer workers to have specific knowledge of certain equipment, which can have inner workings that change over time.  He is pleased with their performance, saying, “Our Service Techs do a good job of working safely on all equipment and following the rules to continue being safe.”

Related MCAA Resources

MCAA offers resources to help member companies keep their workers safe when performing electrical work that falls within the purview of NFPA 70E.

• Related MCAA Safety Resources
• Qualified Level Arc Flash Safety Training Webinars

New Arc Flash Suits, Training Make a Difference

In February 2020, we received new Arc Flash suits purchased from Enespro and the difference is astounding:  no more stiff, uncomfortable outfits, but more like putting on regular clothing.  As we continue to utilize the updates we all get from NFPA, the training we get from vendors and other outside sources, and the experiences we encounter on the job, we give ourselves the guidance and education necessary to be safe and successful. 

Fred sums up the experience, saying, “The times may change, but the need for safety is a constant element.  Not just safety first, but safety always.”