Archives: News Items

MCAA & Alliance Partners Suicide Prevention Webinar Recording Available

Studies show that suicide is killing workers in the construction industry at five times the rate of work-related injuries like falls and struck-by incidents. And it’s killing them in all parts of the industry – including upper management. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to why this is happening nor is there an easy fix, but in many cases deaths from suicide CAN be prevented when we push mental health stigma aside and help one another. MCAA and our Alliance partners explored the topic during a September 13, 2023, webinar. This is one recording you won’t want to miss – you could help save a life!

MCAA and our Alliance partners at CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR), the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA), and The Association of Union Constructors (TAUC) partnered to present the webinar.

During the event, a representative from NASCAR driver Daniel Dye’s race team and the Race to Stop Suicide participated in a conversation about real issues affecting us every day and ways to spot signs of depression or feelings of hopelessness in colleagues, employees, and loved ones.

Panelists shared their own experiences with mental health, engaging in suicide prevention activities in the workplace, and breaking down barriers in an industry that does not always welcome conversations about feelings. Employers and other attendees walked away with ideas to help reduce stigma and save lives and a toolbox of mental health resources for the construction industry.

Meet the Panel

Moderator:

  • Chris Trahan Cain, CIH, Executive Director, CPWR

Panelists:

  • Raffi F. Elchemmas, Executive Director, Safety, Health and Risk Management, MCAA
  • Alexander M. Kopp, Director of Environmental Health and Safety, TAUC
  • Daniel Dye, NASCAR Driver
  • Randy Dye, Chairman, Race to Stop Suicide
  • Kevin Striegle, Manager, Daniel Dye Racing
  • Justin Crandol, MS, CSP, ARM, CRIS, Director of Safety, SMACNA
  • Wesley L. Wheeler, SMS, CESCP, Executive Director of Safety, NECA

See a Brand-New Video from MILWAUKEE TOOL

In addition to the panel discussion, the webinar featured a brand-new video on overcoming suicidal thoughts from Justin Azbill, National EH&S Director at MILWAUKEE TOOL, an MCAA member company.

VIEW WEBINAR
DOWNLOAD PRESENTATION
DOWNLOAD ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

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.

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

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 stickers here. To order chips, contact Lindsay Korpiniski at orderdesk@unionproud.com and reference the MCAA and UA 988 Chips. Both manufacturers employ union labor, and the chips and stickers carry the union label. 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:

DOWNLOAD RESOURCE SUMMARY

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.

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

Phishing Alert: Email with “MCAA Field Leaders Conferences – 2023” in the Subject

MCAA has become aware that some people have received an email stating that the MCAA Field Leaders Conference mailing list is available for sale. We would like to assure you that MCAA never sells lists of our members or our event attendees, nor do we authorize any third parties to do so.

The emails that we are aware of have come from different contacts at the same company, “conferencesonline.live,” but carry the same message:

Hi Team,

Just writing to check if you would be interested in acquiring the Attendees list of “MCAA Field Leaders Conferences” Held on| August 02nd – 04th – 2023| San Francisco, CA, USA

Each record will contain details like: Contact Name, Title, Phone Number, Fax Number, Physical address, State/City, Company Name, Company URL, and most importantly verified email addresses.

Let us know if you are interested and we will revert back with cost and other deliverables.

Email from conferencesonline.live

MCAA has investigated and determined that this is a phishing scheme designed to gather your personal or company financial information by selling you a list that you will never receive. Please handle them accordingly.

Darnelle Everett and Sosina Haileselassie Have Joined the MCAA Staff

MCAA is pleased to welcome the two newest members of the staff: Darnelle Everett and Sosina Haileselassie.

Darnelle is a meeting coordinator supporting the Events Department by helping with planning and logistics. He was born and raised in Washington, D.C. and graduated from nearby Morgan State University with a B.S. in Communications. He enjoys discovering new music and food. He is also interested in sports, fashion, and traveling to new countries.

Sosina is a dues coordinator supporting the Accounting Department. She has a B.A. degree in Accounting, which she earned while living in Ethiopia. Her extensive accounting background includes positions from accounting clerk to supervisor (and pretty much everything in between) in the airline and construction industries and at a law firm. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and watching British comedies and classic U.S. comedies.

Join us in welcoming Darnelle, Sosina and their families to the MCAA staff family.

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
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.

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

DOWNLOAD RESOURCE SUMMARY

OSHA Announces Hazard Alert for Heat

On July 27, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced that the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) issued a hazard alert for heat. This action is to remind employers of their obligation to protect workers against heat illness or injury in outdoor and indoor workplaces. The agencies will also step up inspections and enforcement of heat-safety violations in high-risk industries, including construction.

OSHA also released information posters in both English and Spanish related to this hazard alert.

This announcement comes on the heels of a press conference where President Biden asked the DOL to issue the advisory and ramp up enforcement of heat safety violations. “DOL will ramp up enforcement of heat-safety violations, increasing inspections in high-risk industries like construction and agriculture, while OSHA continues to develop a national standard for workplace heat-safety rules,” the White House said in a July 27 fact sheet.

With the unprecedented heat waves most states are experiencing, OSHA also announced it, “will intensify its enforcement where workers are exposed to heat hazards, with increased inspections in high-risk industries like construction…”.

In April, OSHA announced a National Emphasis Program on Heat and in 2021 OSHA began the rulemaking process to consider a heat-specific workplace standard.

Learn more about OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention Campaign here.

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.

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

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

DOWNLOAD RESOURCE SUMMARY

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
DOWNLOAD
WEBBOOK

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.

Introducing Single Sign-On for WebLEM Users: Enhancing Your User Experience

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.

New CNA Fleet Safety Resources Offer Tips for Staying Safe On the Road

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!

tips to reduce auto accidents
situational awareness while driving
driving under the influence
understanding distracted driving

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact:

MCAA Safety & Health Data Raises The Bar

The 2023 MCAA Safety Statistics & Awards program recognizes member company safety performance from 2022. This year the MCAA Safety Excellence Initiative is proud to recognize 86 MCAA members companies. All applicants receive a valuable benchmarking report that will allow them to compare their own 2022 incidence rates with the aggregate rates of the other participating MCAA companies overall, those in the same size category, and with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics incidence rates.

Across the board MCAA contractors have an average recordable rate of 1.2, lower than our own rate last year, and significantly lower than our industry in general by over 60%. As far as lost workday cases go, MCAA members once again performed better than last year with a .27 rate compared to non-members rate of 1.9.

Those who qualified also received a certificate of recognition.

The program provides six awards categories including awards for zero recordable cases, zero lost workday cases, recordable cases incidence rates that are 25% or more below the industry average, lost workday cases incidence rates that are 25% or more below the industry average, and two that are a mix of these items.

MCAA is pleased to give the following contractors special recognition for their safety performance.

Zero Recordable Cases

  • Bayes, Inc.
  • S&D Mechanical, Inc
  • James T. Kay Co., Inc.
  • Advanced Mechanical Corp
  • ACSI Mechanical (American Combustion Service, Inc.)
  • Allison Mechanical, Inc.
  • Leibold Inc.
  • J. WILLIAMS INDUSTRIAL GROUP, INC
  • Gunthorpe Plumbing and Heating
  • Smith-Boughan, Inc.
  • The YMI Group, Inc.
  • Neptune Plumbing & Heating Co.
  • Mecco LLC
  • Power Process Piping
  • AJ Allen Mechanical Contractors Inc.
  • Westside Mechanical Group
  • Denali Construction Services
  • Air Temp Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.
  • Loescher Heating & Air Conditioning, Co.
  • G.E. Mechanical, LLC
  • Air Comfort LLC
  • Sexson Mechanical Company
  • North Mechanical Contracting, Inc
  • Bumler Mechanical
  • Suttles Plumbing and Mechanical Corp
  • Progressive Mechanical Inc.

Zero Lost Workday Cases

  • Warner Mechanical Corporation
  • Modern Controls, Inc.
  • Armistead Mechanical NJ
  • Rite-Way Plumbing & Heating Inc.
  • Stirrett Johnsen, Inc.
  • PCI Services, Inc.
  • Thermalair, Inc.
  • Armistead Mechanical- NY
  • Ainsworth, Inc- PA
  • Corrigan Company
  • Herrman & Goetz, Inc.
  • DebonAir Mechanical
  • Haberberger, Inc.
  • UMC. Inc.
  • McCloskey Mechanical Contractors, Inc.
  • Horwitz, LLC
  • Winger Contracting Company
  • Nooter Construction Company
  • A.O. Reed & Co.
  • Total Facility Solutions
  • Apollo Mechanical
  • W. Soule & Co.

Congratulations to all award winners and thank you to everyone who submitted. MCAA members’ focus on safety & health is objectively above average and your support of this programs highlights your company’s commitment to safety.

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
DOWNLOAD

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.