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MCAA’s 2017 Field Leaders Conference (Denver, May 10-12) provides foremen and superintendents with the management and leadership skills they need to be effective in managing jobsite labor, other personnel and operations to keep projects on time, on budget and profitable. Act now while space is available.

Field leaders play a key role in making sure that projects run smoothly and efficiently, and their abilities as leaders and managers determines their success. However, those who rose from the craft labor force to their position may not have sufficient skills to properly motivate project staff and labor, solve project problems quickly and effectively, relate positively with customers, suppliers and colleagues and develop and implement strategies that will increase productivity and profits. And, they may not think of themselves as a professional and a member of your management team, which may affect their interpersonal as well as their project management actions and decisions.

Helping your field leaders understand their importance and value to your business and its bottom-line is an important objective of this conference. They will learn the skills needed to be an effective people motivator rather than a punisher; a proactive planner rather than a knee-jerk responder; a team leader rather than a team member; a skillful communicator, listener, and arbiter rather than a my-way-or-the-highway dictator; and a business-and results-oriented manager focused on growing your company’s profits and brand.

Your field leaders will understand:

• That they ARE professionals, a member of your management team and the face of your company;
• The importance of the bottom line and the company brand;
• How to communicate with and relate to project and craft labor personnel effectively;
• That customer relationships matter;
• How to establish tangible goals;
• The “smarter” way to work; and
• What a great foreman is and means.

Not certain if your field leaders will benefit? Here is a sampling of comments from the 2016 class:

• “I felt so empowered…there is a lot I am doing but so much more I need to do.”
• “My first time attending a conference. Hit home on many topics. It was extremely valuable to hear different ideas and approaches from fellow leaders.”
• “This was an experience that will impact the way I carry out my new career path.”
• “I thought the topics were well laid out, very motivational.”
• “I came to the conference not expecting much but I got something from every part. Lots of great info and lots of things I need to improve.”

Don’t miss your chance to train your personnel at the Denver Field Leaders Conference. It will sell out quickly.

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MCAA’s safety training video Pre-Task Safety and Health Planning for Supervisors is one of six mechanical construction supervisor safety training videos that are available to you as a benefit of membership. The video describes the benefits of pre-task safety and health planning and walks supervisors through the quick and easy planning process. 

Download or play the video

OSHA recently released compliance guidelines covering several provisions in its revised recordkeeping rule. The guidelines address industry questions and concerns about the rule’s employee involvement and prohibition against employee discrimination provisions. The provisions affect employer safety incentive programs, and mandatory post-incident drug testing requirements. There is currently litigation that may ultimately impose an injunction on the entire rule, or parts of it. However, a ruling is not expected until later next year. MCAA encourages all affected employers to be in compliance with the rule by December 1, 2016.

Download the guidelines

MCAA’s growing family of student chapters at colleges and universities around the country has increased by two—one at Missouri State University in Springfield, MO and another at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks in Fairbanks, AK.

The Missouri State University Chapter of the Mechanical Contractors Association of America is sponsored by the MCA of Greater Springfield, Missouri.  Prof. Jacob Nelson, an instructor with the Department of Technology and Construction Management, is the chapter’s faculty advisor.  Bryan Fielder, president of Springfield Engineering Company in Springfield, MO led the effort to organize the chapter.

The University of Alaska-Fairbanks is the home of the UAF Student Chapter of the Mechanical Contractors Association of America. The MCA of Fairbanks is the sponsoring association, and Prof. Daisy Huang with the Department of Mechanical Engineering is the faculty advisor.

Both chapters will receive their charters at MCAA 2017 in San Diego, CA during the Awards of Excellence Breakfast.  Both chapters will be eligible for the Emerging Chapter Grant and scholarships.

Congratulations and welcome!

OSHA’s new standard on Respirable Crystalline Silica requires employers using alternative exposure control methods to establish and regularly update a written exposure control plan for each applicable construction operation. Compliance is easy and cost effective for members with MCAA’s new Model Silica Exposure Control Plan for Mechanical Construction.

Download the plan

If your experience at the 2016 Student Chapter and Mechanical Contractors Summit inspired you to organize an MCAA student chapter, “Starting an MCAA Student Chapter” can help.

The brochure is revised, redesigned and updated to cover all the steps involved in organizing a new MCAA student chapter as well as the benefits of the program to help you recruit members.

The colorful brochure explains:

• How MCAA’s student chapter program works with local affiliated associations that sponsor chapters;
• The grants and scholarships, funded by the Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation (MCERF), that help support chapter activities and projects and travel to the Summit and MCAA’s convention;
• The MCAAGreatFutures.org website that helps students find internships and full-time positions and learn more about our industry; and
• Who to contact for more help and information.

Download your copy.

Four new silica safety resources are now available to MCAA members. The resources will help your workers protect themselves from overexposure to silica and help your company comply with OSHA’s new standard… Respirable Crystalline Silica. Affected employers must be in compliance with the standard by June 23, 2017. The resources include a silica safety training video for workers, a pocket guide that highlights the key training points, a 20-question multiple choice test, and a training documentation sheet. To access these resources, please click here. All of these resources are available to you as a benefit of your membership with MCAA.