Category: Uncategorized

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.

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.

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.

September 2023: Mental Health Awareness

Construction has one of the highest rates of death by suicide of all industries in the United States, about four times higher than the general population. MCAA is proud to tackle Mental Health Awareness & Suicide Prevention head on with a series of NEW resources developed in partnership with the United Association (UA).

Mental Health Awareness & Suicide Prevention Video

Our newest safety and health video highlights the success story of an industry veteran, with appearances from MCAA’s president Robert Beck, the UA’s Jen Massey, industry expert Dr. Sally Spencer Thomas, and MCAA member Ricky Reams.

Joint Statement from MCAA & UA

UA General President Mark McManus and MCAA President Robert Beck highlight the importance of mental health awareness and suicide prevention.

988 Chips & Hard Hat Stickers

The MCAA and the UA have partnered to create UA/MCAA branded chips and hard hat stickers  highlighting the 988 National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

  • MCAA members can order items by filling out this form. Those with questions can contact Raffi Elchemmas (raffi@mcaa.org).
  • UA members can order right from the UA’s webstore. Those with questions can reach out to Nicole Jeup (nicolej@uanet.org).

Mental Health Toolbox Talks

This series of toolbox talks are easy to reference, quick to use, and a great way to start the conversation on mental health awareness and suicide prevention in construction at your company.

Additional Resources

UA workers and MCAA members can access several posters, flyers, and other resources through these sites:

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.

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.

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Credit Card Payments

Credit cards are rapidly becoming the preferred method of covering a variety of financial transactions between contractors and their vendors/suppliers and project owners. MCAA’s Credit Card Payments reviews the advantages and disadvantages of making payments via credit card to help you fully understand the benefits and costs involved. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin covers:

  • Getting established with the appropriate accounts
  • Advantages to the contractor
  • Advantages to the vendor and supplier

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.

Congratulations to Cole Perkins, Recipient of the 2023 Robert J. Durr, Sr. – NCPWB Partnering Scholarship

Congratulations to Cole Perkins, the recipient of the new Robert J. Durr, Sr. – NCPWB Partnering Scholarship, which is in honor of Robert J. Durr, Sr., former chairman of the National Certified Pipe Welding Bureau Board of Trustees for his effort and dedication in creating a partnership between the United Association and the NCPWB, which resulted in the formation of the Joint Welder Testing Program.

Cole is studying Construction Engineering at Iowa State University and will be graduating in May 2024. He’s been an active member of his student chapter and has served as Recruitment Chair and Vice President. Cole previously interned with MCAA Members MMC Contractors and Baker Group.

“I really enjoy seeing how my work in the construction industry positively impacts our community. I especially enjoy building systems and learning how they work and coincide with other trades in the industry. I’m also a very curious person that enjoys learning new topics. I joined my local MCAA student chapter to become active in my future profession and network with others in my industry.

For the future, I would love to be a project manager working with the guys in the field on a daily basis after gathering enough experience to do so. Long-term, I see myself at a company that has a good community-based culture that’s active in their community and participates in volunteering-based opportunities. Working to improve those in my community is important to me.”

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

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.

August 2023: Equipment Safety

In 2020, almost 3,000 fatal and over 200K nonfatal distracted-related motor vehicle accidents occurred. Commercial drivers are 6 times more likely to be involved in a critical safety event when participating in handheld browser activities. Also in 2020, there were fewer vehicles on the road, but the decrease in miles driven did not correlate to fewer accidents. Even with 11% fewer miles driven, vehicle accident deaths rose by 8.3%. This month’s kit includes resources on auto safety, forklift safety, and heavy equipment safety. Also, check out the four new CNA infographics in their fleet safety series.

MCAA/CNA Microlearning Safety Video Series

Worker Safety Training Videos & Accompanying Resources

Forklift Safety

Heavy Equipment Safety

Inspecting Materials Handling Equipment

Supervisor Safety Training Videos

Safety Bulletins

Safety Guides

CNA Fleet Safety Infographics

Miller Electric Illustrates Benefits of Induction for Welding Preheating

Welding preheating is used to ensure weld quality and reduce the chance of cracking and other defects that can result in costly rework. Preheating is commonly used in field and shop applications when welding steel or steel alloy pipes or plates that are 1” thick or more. Applications that often use preheating include power plant and structural construction, as well as pipe fabrication. Here, Miller Electric outlines four common methods for welding preheating and how to choose the best option for your application.

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.

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.

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.

CNA Resources

Milwaukee Tool Resources

MCAA Toolbox Talks

Tyfoom Webinar

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Business Transition Options for the Mechanical Contractor

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.

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.

MCAA President Robert Beck Rolls Out MCAA’s 2023-2024 Initiatives

MCAA President Robert Beck rolled out the association’s 2023-2024 initiatives in a series of conference calls with MCAA committee chairs, local association executives, and MCAA staff. MCAA has been working towards these goals already, and now we are going to show how it all ties together and is being supported by MCAA leadership.

The initiatives are:

Member Engagement – We are a member-driven organization. We are going to motivate more of you, our world-class members, to engage by getting involved with local and national committees and boards.

  • Energize committees & boards
  • Align staff, chairs and Local Association Execs
  • Recruit and motivate member participation
  • Formalize the mission, time commitment expectations, and term expectations for each committee

Resource Awareness – We will find more avenues to connect our member companies with our vast resources available to assist with every aspect of business. Our mission is to be a partner, and help our member companies to improve, reduce risk, and maximize profitability.

Industry Improvement – We must work together to find new and better ways to stay ahead of the curve by reinventing how we provide value and conduct business in an industry that no longer looks like it did yesterday – and that will undoubtedly look very different tomorrow.

Watch for changes as MCAA implements these initiatives. We look forward to your continued involvement.

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Developing Improved Labor-Management Relations

Intense competition requires the parties to the collective bargaining process to jointly find a path to create wealth and build relationships that allow them to be more competitive in their markets. MCAA’s Developing Improved Labor-Management Relations provides a look back at past practices as well as a road map for improving your company’s relationship with labor. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin covers:

  • Inherited collective bargaining characteristics
  • An alternative to the traditional distributive negotiation model
  • Lessons learned from the past
  • Cornerstones for change

For a full list of available Management Methods Bulletins, including several on the topic of purchasing, visit the Management Methods Bulletins page.

Have Questions or Need Personal Assistance?

Contact MCAA’s Frank Wall.

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.

April 2023: Worker Health

Worker health is at the heart of all that safety professionals do. This month the MCAA is packaging six worker safety videos and their accompanying materials with eleven worker safety resources and bringing you an infection control recertification webinar with the ASSE, the American Society of Sanitary Engineering. Members can refresh training on subjects such as Asbestos Awareness, Bloodborne Pathogens, Hexavalent Chromium, Silica, Radio Frequency Radiation Safety, Respiratory Protection as well as download guides, bulletins, and programs on each topic.

ASSE 12020 Infection Control Recertification Webinar

April 13, 2023 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Eastern

Worker Safety Training Videos & Accompanying Resources

Asbestos Awareness

Bloodborne Pathogens

Hexavalent Chromium

Silica

Radio Frequency Radiation Safety

Respiratory Protection

Safety Bulletins

Safety Guides

Model Safety Programs

Get Recertified for ASSE 12020 – This Webinar Is the First Step

Did you take MCAA’s ASSE 12020: Environment of Care, Infection Control and Construction Risk Assessment Professional Qualification Standard certification class in April 2020? If so, your certification is set to expire, and MCAA has prepared a free 2-hour recertification course through ASSE International. The goal of the ASSE 12020 personnel certification is to provide end users with contractors and technicians who can work as valuable members of construction risk assessment teams. You can assist in protecting building occupants from pathogens and other potential construction hazards while at the same time preventing outbreaks. Following the course, attendees will need to pass a recertification exam. The cost of the exam is $110. ASSE will provide additional details during the webinar. Join MCAA and ASSE on Thursday, April 13 from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Eastern to take the first step toward your recertification.

CNA Risk Control e-Talks Offer Insights Into Business Resilience

You cannot eliminate the possibility of business disruptions—but you can prepare for them. Whether the cause is a storm, a cyberattack, or another unexpected event, a sudden disruption could affect your organization at any time. To grow and thrive in an uncertain risk environment, your business needs preparation to absorb, adapt, and be resilient to disruptive events. CNA, a benefactor of MCAA23, offers a series of short podcasts (about 15 minutes each) on risk and resilience.

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.

Get Recertified for ASSE 12020 – This Webinar Is the First Step

Did you take MCAA’s ASSE 12020: Environment of Care, Infection Control and Construction Risk Assessment Professional Qualification Standard certification class in April 2020? If so, your certification is set to expire, and MCAA has prepared a free 2-hour recertification course through ASSE International. The goal of the ASSE 12020 personnel certification is to provide end users with contractors and technicians who can work as valuable members of construction risk assessment teams. You can assist in protecting building occupants from pathogens and other potential construction hazards while at the same time preventing outbreaks. Following the course, attendees will need to pass a recertification exam. The cost of the exam is $110. ASSE will provide additional details during the webinar. Join MCAA and ASSE on Thursday, April 13 from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Eastern to take the first step toward your recertification.

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.

March 2023: Power Tool & Hand Tool Safety

Every contractor and worker use tools to do their job. Injuries from improper use and choosing the wrong tool for the job happen far too often. This month’s kit provides members with information on the most common hand and power tool injuries in the mechanical construction and service trades. The videos highlight the tools most likely to be involved in an injury incident and teach proper use of the tools to help prevent injuries. Also, check out these additional resources from our partner in safety, MILWAUKEE TOOL, for additional information on power and hand tool safety.

Worker Safety Training Videos & Accompanying Resources

Hand & Power Tool Safety

Welding and Cutting Safety

Welding – Electric Arc Welding Safety

MILWAUKEE TOOL Resources

Hand Incident Prevention Training Kits

Safety Training Videos