Organization: MCAA

Register Now for Coffee with Koontz Episode 11: Spotlight on Service – Changing Perspectives on Essential Work

Episode 11: Spotlight on Service – Changing Perspectives on Essential Work
Friday, August 14 at 2:00 p.m. EDT

Kip Bagley (Senior VP of Service, EMCOR Services – Mesa Energy Systems; Co-Chair, MSCA Board of Managers) had himself graduated with a degree in Physical Education and was on his way towards a Master’s degree, when one of his professors wrote down on the chalkboard what a PE teacher with a Master’s could earn. Well, Kip’s dad was earning twice that as an air conditioning tech, and the phone call home that took place shortly after basically went “I changed my mind. I want to do what you do.”

When COVID-19 hit and the world was divided up into essential and non-essential workers, it shone a new light on the mechanical industry, and specifically the service sector. These folks were keeping hospitals running and grocery stores functioning. Mechanical techs were going to work, bringing home a paycheck, and serving the nation. As Kip observes, if anything good has come out of the pandemic – besides there being less traffic in LA – it may be that more people are realizing that the trades are a viable alternative to college: one where they can succeed, make money, and have stability. Join John and Kip as they discuss how the circumstances of 2020 have impacted recruitment, perception of the industry, and what it means to be of service.

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Jon Danuser Has Retired from Johnson Controls

After a career spent overseeing the transformation of an industry, Jon Danuser retired from MCAA member Johnson Controls in June 2020. During his career, Jon was an active member of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Eastern Missouri (MCA-EMO), where he served in various leadership positions including board president. As Jon embarks on this new chapter in his life, he said, “What I am going to miss the most is all of the people I have had the privilege to work with and the customers we served over the years.”

When Jon joined Johnson Controls in 1978 as construction sales engineer, his job was estimating pneumatic thermostats, valves and copper tubing. At the time of his retirement as market director for the company in June 2020, he was overseeing the work of more than 250 people in Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois designing, maintaining and installing highly sophisticated building controls, fire alarm/suppression and security systems.

Digital Age Changes Everything

“The digital age changed everything,” Jon said. “I remember when they first introduced computers to manage just the HVAC systems; they were 32K and the size of a refrigerator and cost $50,000. Today they can operate a total building out of one panel. Also, technology and remote monitoring have totally altered energy management and maintenance. Technology is increasingly rapidly and has transformed everything.”

Association Reaps Benefits

A mechanical engineering graduate of the University of Missouri-Rolla (now Missouri University of Science & Technology), Jon enjoyed his association with the MCA of Eastern Missouri (MCA-EMO). He served as a member of the board from 2006 through March of 2020. He held various leadership positions over the years, including a stint as MCA-EMO board president from 2009 to 2011, and as treasurer before that.

“MCA-EMO is a great organization of industry peers,” Jon said. “I learned a lot about all aspects of our industry by being on the board. It was a great advantage to be able to interact with our leaders and future leaders over the years.”

According to Jeff Rush, P.E., president of Icon Mechanical Construction & Engineering, LLC and current president of MCA-EMO, “It’s been a privilege to work with Jon, both in the construction marketplace and as a board member of the MCA. Few people in our industry have been as involved or given more freely of their time to support the construction industry as he has. Jon always brings a depth of knowledge, friendly personality and positive approach that will be missed by all. Congratulations Jon on behalf of the MCA and thank you for the support you’ve shown the organization over the years.”

Labor Relationship Evolves

Jon also truly enjoyed working with members of the Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 562 and seeing the dynamic growth of their relationship with management over the years. “Everyone has worked hard to improve relations between Local 562 and management, and to improve our industry as a whole. Working together we’ve also improved overall perceptions with our owners/customers.”

Jon served on the Joint Apprenticeship Committee for 10 years. “It was a very valuable experience,” he said. “Developing the labor force has been a source of pride for the whole organization, as evidenced through Local 562’s new training center.”

“What Jon did best was to look out for the entire industry,” said John O’Mara, business manager, secretary-treasurer for Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 562. “He approached our relationship like a true partnership and the communications he brought to it was phenomenal. We didn’t always agree on everything, but we could always find some common ground. Jon was always about fixing the situation and making it right for both sides. He treated our members with respect and always made sure the workforce had what they needed. When you walk into a room, he’s one of those people you want to see. He always brings a breath of fresh air to the conversation.”

Expertise Yields Top Installations

“The whole industry has upped its game,” Jon added. “Our region has some of the highest technical and management levels in the country. The St. Louis region has a very high level of technical expertise and skilled labor ability that’s simply not available in other regions. Combined with a strong Midwestern work ethic, our industry is producing some of the top mechanical installations in the country.”

Investing in the Future

MCA-EMO also has benefitted from investing in the future. “I think the organization has done a great job of managing its finances and its business to improve its financial standing which allows it to invest in the future. “A prime example is the success of our student chapter at the University of Missouri-Columbia,” Jon said. “They have placed first in the national competition and consistently rank within the top Final Four teams in the nation. Sometimes our members get to recruit among these top students. It’s a win/win for everyone.”

Additionally, the MCA-EMO has raised its level of training, offering advanced courses for project managers, estimators and other professionals. “It’s been a 15-year work in progress, but I feel we’ve really turned the corner,” Jon added. “I believe our chapter’s training is now among the best in the country. The MCA-EMO board, committee members, leadership and staff have done a superior job of continuous improvement to better its membership.”

Beginning a New Chapter

Now that he’s retired Jon is enjoying time with his family and the “no stress” era he recently entered, although his blood pressure hasn’t dropped! “As soon as we can lock down this COVID-19 virus, I want to do some traveling. It’s the beginning of a new chapter in my life. What I am going to miss the most is all of the people I have had the privilege to work with and the customers we served over the years.”

MCAA wishes Jon all the best. We’ll miss you, too.

Coffee with Koontz E12: Labor Relations – Myths, Facts, and Bridging the Gaps

When you hear the story of Ed Kommers’ youth, you find yourself wondering if there’s something in the water in Butte, Montana. Among the kids on his block alone, three grew up to have careers in labor relations. As Executive Director of the MCA of Western Washington and Chair of the national Association Executives Council (AEC), Ed is certainly one of those three. Local Affiliate MCA chapters across America serve many functions and provide many services to their members but, as Ed will tell you, labor relations is truly at the core of an AEC Affiliate’s purpose. Although they differ widely, all Affiliates were created to be multi-employer bargaining units. From his beginnings as a plumber’s apprentice, Ed has built his career upon the many moving parts of labor relations; from history to law, from culture to relationships. Construction is a unique industry when it comes to labor relations, and differs greatly from much of what you may read about unions in the newspaper. Ed’s mission is to sort out the myths from the facts when it comes to construction labor relations, and to help develop understanding of how to navigate these critical relationships. Because if labor relations fall apart… everything falls apart. Join John and Ed as they explore the unique, critical, and fascinating connection between labor and mechanical contractors.

Coffee with Koontz E11: Spotlight on Service – Changing Perspectives on Essential Work

‘I didn’t start out in construction. I went to college.’ How many times have you heard that from someone in the mechanical industry? Whether it’s pressure from parents or an uncertainty about what to do after high school, college often seems to be the default option. Kip Bagley (Senior VP of Service, EMCOR Services – Mesa Energy Systems; Co-Chair, MSCA Board of Managers) had himself graduated with a degree in Physical Education and was on his way towards a Master’s degree, when one of his professors wrote down on the chalkboard what a PE teacher with a Master’s could earn. Well, Kip’s dad was earning twice that as an air conditioning tech, and the phone call home that took place shortly after basically went “I changed my mind. I want to do what you do.” When COVID-19 hit and the world was divided up into essential and non-essential workers, it shone a new light on the mechanical industry, and specifically the service sector. These folks were keeping hospitals running and grocery stores functioning. Mechanical techs were going to work, bringing home a paycheck, and serving the nation. As Kip observes, if anything good has come out of the pandemic – besides there being less traffic in LA – it may be that more people are realizing that the trades are a viable alternative to college: one where they can succeed, make money, and have stability. Join John and Kip as they discuss how the circumstances of 2020 have impacted recruitment, perception of the industry, and what it means to be of service.

Auburn Mechanical Uses Innovative Techniques to Approach its Largest & Most Complex Project to Date

MCAA members are constantly innovating and trying new techniques on their projects. Auburn Mechanical is just one example. The MCA of Western Washington member has been building through the COVID-19 pandemic, using a lean approach and specialty systems to meet the Washington State Convention Center Addition Project’s sustainability goals.

Planning and constructing a massive civic project like Seattle’s Washington State Convention Center Addition (WSSC) is no small feat. After nearly 10 years of design and planning and 2 years of preconstruction, the $1.6 billion project is in the middle of construction. Once complete, the new convention center will include a 150,000-square-foot exhibit hall, 100,000-square-foot flex hall, meeting rooms, a ballroom, an outdoor terrace and three levels of garage parking.

The project, a joint venture between Clark Construction Group and Seattle-based contractor Lease Crutcher Lewis, is the largest project in Auburn Mechanical’s 42-year history. It is also one of the most complex.

A Lean Approach

When Auburn Mechanical was selected as the plumbing contractor for the 570,290-square-foot addition in 2016, team members immediately implemented lean principles, including co-locating with the engineering team to support design, constructability review, and to explore opportunities for pre-fabrication. Auburn Mechanical’s detailers contributed to building the project’s massive federated model, which was completely designed in Revit.

With a plumbing contract worth over $40 million, Auburn Mechanical’s team will have installed 36 miles of plumbing, including six miles of underground piping, on the eight-acre site by the time the project is complete.

Focus on Sustainability

The project, which focuses on sustainability and long-term functionality, involves several specialty systems, including a heat traced and insulated stainless-steel Blucher grease waste piping system. Two 24,000-pound grease interceptors were successfully flown, landed, and installed on site. Additionally, stormwater recycling and reclamation systems will be used for the restroom toilets, reducing water consumption.

A Somewhat Unique Methodology

The convention center is being erected using “billboard construction” methodologies, a technique that is somewhat unique to Seattle-area construction. This technique involves building vertical sections simultaneously instead of floor-by-floor and creates greater efficiencies on sites with limited laydown area.

For their part, Auburn Mechanical is executing layout for systems on the slab-on-metal decks with a fast two-day turnaround between each deck. For added efficiency, Auburn Mechanical’s pre-fabrication shop has built almost 500 toilet and urinal carrier banks and prefabbed additional components to support just-in-time deliveries to the congested site.

Essential Status Requires Exhaustive Safety Protocols

Deemed an essential project at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, construction never stopped as a result of Washington State’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy order. With over 2,000 construction workers on the project, exhaustive safety protocols were put in place, including custom portable handwash stations designed and fabricated by Auburn Mechanical.

Project Completion Schedule

Construction is scheduled to complete in early 2022, nearly doubling the capacity of the current convention center.

2020 Construction Technology Report Challenges Contractors Innovation

In 2020, the construction industry has been forced into dramatic changes in operations and workflow. More people are working remotely and thus, more projects are being handled in a distributed manner. To help MCAA members better understand what processes are gaining wide implementation across the industry and how their companies measure against these benchmarks, MCAA has sponsored the JBKnowledge Construction Technology Report.

The 2019 report, released in December, has an accurate look at where companies began the year. MCAA has worked with JBKnowledge to make sure that the 2020 report will take into account new practices and challenges that contractors face with the COVID-19 pandemic. Simply taking the 2020 survey can force you to ask questions about your own operations and if your company is operating at pace with innovation in the industry.

To learn more, download the 2019 report:

DOWNLOAD REPORT

Or participate in the 2020 ConTech Report Survey:

TAKE THE SURVEY

Webinar #26: Using the MCAA’s Publication to Quantify CV-19 Loss of Labor Productivity on Your Project

There is no question the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the construction and service jobsite productivity. In this expanded webinar John McNerney, Paul Stynchcomb, CCM, PSP, CFCC and Professor William Ibbs, Ph.D. of The Ibbs Consulting Group discuss MCAA’s newly updated Change Orders, Productivity, Overtime manual, and how to use the manual to quantify a loss of productivity (LoP) impact caused by COVID-19. Being one of the most difficult processes, our panelists will guide you through the nuts and bolts of how to craft an LoP claim and the need for construction counsel to review contracts, government guidelines and current regulations. This webinar explores the project-specific LoP quantification methods and reviews which of the MCAA Factor categories are potentially applicable to the COVID-19 LoP impacts.

Additional Resources:

Quantify CV-19 Loss of Labor Productivity slides (PDF)

Editor’s note: The slides available for download contain the most recent and up-to-date calculations originally released in the MCAA’s Change Orders, Productivity, Overtime manual and corrects slide #40 in this webinar, recorded Tuesday, August 4, 2020.

Don’t Miss MCAA’s October Field Leaders Conference in Toledo

As an attendee at MCAA’s Field Leaders Conference, you will hear from dedicated industry professionals who will share their real-life tips and tools for success on the job site, including ways you can professionally control crucial job site conversations. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to meet other field leaders and share your field challenges and findings during nightly networking events. You will leave with actionable education. Learning from some of the industry’s best, you will be inspired to take this knowledge and apply it to better yourself at work, and in life. We look forward to seeing you in Toledo!

REGISTER TODAY

Find the Latest from Ferguson and Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.® in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show

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:

Ferguson
Ferguson is a market leader dedicated to helping contractors keep projects on schedule and provide custom solutions. Our extensive inventory includes fixtures, faucets, equipment/instrumentation, pipe, valves, fittings, tools, safety and MRO supplies so you can find the products you need when and where you need them.

Learn More

Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.® a Member of Morris Group International
Dielectric fittings protect the plumbing system with a steel-to-plastic design that interrupts electrical current where dissimilar metals are connected, preventing pipe corrosion and eventual leakage. These fittings are part of our new Smith Fluid Controls ™ line and are available in three models for flexible installations.

Learn More

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show!

Visit the Virtual Trade Show

Speaking of Smart Solutions

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!

VISIT SMART SOLUTIONS

8/3 Alston & Bird Coronavirus Flash Update

Alston & Bird have released their August 3 COVID-19 update, including the latest news on emergency funding, administrative and regulatory actions, workplace and home issues, and many other topics, as well as to links to all their past updates.

Murphy Company’s Rick Reams Promoted to Vice President – Safety and Quality

MCAA member Murphy Company recently promoted Rick Reams to Vice President – Safety and Quality. Tom Skaggs, Executive Vice President, made the announcement, saying, “Rick’s work ethic, professionalism and genuine concern for our workforce are assets to the organization. We are confident that under Rick’s leadership we will further strengthen our safety and quality programs.”

Tom commended Rick’s work, noting, “Since rejoining Murphy Company as our Corporate Safety Director, Rick has demonstrated exceptional leadership and has contributed significantly to our improved safety performance.”

Rick has over 25 years of experience as a safety professional and consultant in a variety of industries. His work has focused primarily on heavy industrial and large commercial projects in both the public and private sectors.

In addition to serving as President of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), Rick is an active member of several other local and national safety and construction boards, including the MCA of Eastern Missouri’s Safety Committee, the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), the American Subcontractors Association (ASA), the St. Louis Council of Construction Consumers (SLCCC), the National Demolition Association (NDA) and the American Allied Safety Council (AASC).

Train Your COVID-19 Symptom Screeners with MCAA’s New Screener Training Resource

Are your company’s COVID-19 temperature and symptom screeners properly trained? To protect your company as much as possible from complaints, lawsuits, local labor issues, etc., it is critically important to:

Establish a consistent process for conducting such screening and excluding symptomatic individuals to promote workplace
safety;
Adopt measures to mitigate the risk of claims under laws related to discrimination and medical privacy; and
Be mindful of employee relations considerations.

Temperature and symptom screeners play an important role in accomplishing these objectives, so it’s a good idea to ensure that they are properly trained to take temperatures and screen for symptoms. MCAA’s new training resource, COVID-19 Temperature and Symptom Screener Training, will help you provide the proper training.

DOWNLOAD

Withum COVID-19 Bill Update – 7/29/2020

Second Round of PPP Loans: There has been a lot of news swirling online that new legislation will open the door for borrowers to get a second PPP loan. Also there is more chatter that automatic forgiveness for certain loans is on the horizon. It appears as though early August may be the target for new legislation if it comes. Details on this are fluid to say the least, but it looks like both Republicans and Democrats are on the same page that the PPP is an effective tool that they want to use as part of upcoming stimulus programs.

SBA Issues Procedural Notice on Forgiveness Process: The SBA released a notice that provides clarification to lenders on how they should submit applications to the SBA for “final approval” after the lender has reviewed and approved a borrower’s forgiveness application. The highlight in this document is that the SBA indicated it will be using a third party software vendor to develop its portal, which will not be up and running until August 10^th, so lenders will need to hold any applications until that time.

The SBA further clarified that it may delay the opening of its portal further if any new legislation impacts the forgiveness process. Withum has long believed Congress or the SBA would choose a loan threshold (e.g., loans of $250,000 or less) and grant “automatic” forgiveness to those borrowers, requiring only a signed certification that the funds were used properly. This would drastically reduce the amount of applications that the SBA and lenders would need to review.

Withum does not have any official guidance or information on the legislative proposals reported in the press in past day or two (as noted above), but they think it may be prudent to wait to submit your application to your lender until a legislative consensus emerges. As a reminder, lenders have 60 days to process your loan forgiveness application and submit their decision to the SBA, and the SBA has 90 days to authorize the forgiveness amount.

PPP and M&A: Withum often gets questions regarding how the sale of a business or the acquisition of another entity may impact a borrowers PPP loan and ability to obtain forgiveness. Withum put together an article addressing some of the complexity that may arise from these transactions, as well as how they impact the employee retention tax credit.

Reminder Section: (what should I be doing):

Talk to your payroll company about claiming the employer payroll tax deferral and employee retention credits (ERC) that were made available in the CARES Act.
Talk to your payroll company about claiming the qualified sick/family leave refundable tax credits (from FFCRA, passed prior to the CARES Act).
Consider speaking with your lender to discuss changes to terms of existing debt facilities.
If you have already received a PPP loan, start forecasting how you intend to spend the funds and how you can qualify for the highest amount of loan forgiveness possible. If you are not forecasting 100% loan forgiveness, then most likely you should seek assistance regarding your particular situation. Withum believes the vast majority of borrowers should expect and plan to receive 100% loan forgiveness.

Evaluate Your Company’s Pressure Testing Safety Practices with MCAA’s Updated Guide

Evaluate your company’s work practices on pressure testing safety with MCAA’s recently revised Guide to Steel and Copper Piping System Pressure Testing Safety. The guide includes information on pressure testing hazards, associated injuries, primary causes of pressure testing failures, general pressure testing safety, safe work practices for hydrostatic testing, and safe work practices for pneumatic testing. The guide also provides direction on pre-test safety planning, and sample checklists to help improve safety during your company’s hydrostatic and pneumatic pressure testing operations.

DOWNLOAD

Revised CDC Guidelines for Discontinuing COVID-19 Isolation and Precautions

CDC Guidelines for Discontinuing COVID-19 Isolation & Precautions – For Non-Healthcare Settings – July 2020

Recent research indicates that individuals with mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 remain infectious no longer than 10 days after symptoms began; and individuals with severe illness or those who are severely immunocompromised remain infectious no longer than 20 days after symptoms began.

Based on these findings, the CDC has made changes to their guidelines regarding discontinuing COVID-19 isolation and precautions for non-healthcare settings. The highlights of these changes include the following:

Decision makers should use a symptom-based strategy for decision making. Using a test-based strategy is no longer recommended, except to discontinue isolation or other precautions earlier than would occur under the symptom-based strategy that follows.
Persons with COVID-19 who have symptoms and were directed to care for themselves at home may discontinue isolation under the following conditions:
- At least 10 days have passed since symptom onset; and
- At least 24 hours have passed since resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications; and
- Other symptoms have improved.
Infected individuals who never develop COVID-19 symptoms may discontinue isolation and other precautions 10 days after the date of their first positive real-time qualitative test for the virus.
The test-based strategy may still be appropriate for severely immunocompromised individuals. Consult with infectious disease experts for more information.

These recommendations will prevent most, but cannot prevent all, instances of secondary spread.

VIEW GUIDELINES

Joint Response to Critique of Groom Law Group’s Paper on Composite Plans

In a joint letter to the Congress, the national labor/management coalition responded to the Western Council of Teamsters rebuttal of the Groom Law Group paper of Composite Plans. Coalition partners include the Associated General Contractors of America, FCA International, International Council of Employers of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, International Union of Operating Engineers, Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA!), Mechanical Contractors Association of America, National Electrical Contractors Association, Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association, The Association of Union Constructors, The International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers, The Signatory Wall and Ceiling Contractors Alliance, United Association of Plumbers and Fitters, and United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. This July 31, 2020 version of the letter contains update analysis of the 5500 filings of the median critical and declining status plans.

UA TRAINING COURSE: Residential Plumbing Service

The UA is offering a free course to all UA members on residential plumbing. Learn how to pull back the blinders and navigate the service call thru a holistic approach. Identify customer essentials and expectations. Is it a quick fix? Permanent solution? Prevention of future episodes? In this webinar attendees will learn an “all the above” approach on how to educate and provide customer driven solutions.

Additionally, metrics will be offered to measure appropriate delivery of customer service. Tactics for building consumer confidence during and after the service calls will be demonstrated.

August 26, 2020 from 10:00am – 12 PM EST
https://zoom.us/j/97736243044
Meetting ID: 977 3624 3044

There is no pre-registration for this course. Attendance is limited to 300 people and will be on a first come, first serve basis.

UA TRAINING COURSE: Residential Plumbing Service

The UA is offering a free program open to all MSCA/MCAA contractors and UA members on residential plumbing. Learn how to pull back the blinders and navigate the service call through a holistic approach. Identify customer essentials and expectations. Is it a quick fix? Permanent solution? Prevention of future episodes? In this webinar attendees will learn an “all the above” approach on how to educate and provide customer driven solutions.

Additionally, metrics will be offered to measure appropriate delivery of customer service. Tactics for building consumer confidence during and after the service calls will be demonstrated.

August 26, 2020 from 10:00am – 12 PM EST

https://zoom.us/j/97736243044
Meeting ID: 977 3624 3044

There is no pre-registration for this course. Attendance is limited to 300 people
and will be on a first come, first serve basis.

VIEW PROGRAM BROCHURE

Find the Latest from SLOAN and Raken in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show

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:

SLOAN
Programmed Water Technologies
The most advanced way to control and conserve water.

Learn More

Raken
Crews in the field can record quantities of materials with cost codes from any mobile device. They can also add photos and notes to track progress in the field while the office sees the data in real-time.

Learn More

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show!

Visit the Virtual Trade Show

Speaking of Smart Solutions

This section of our website also includes tips and ideas to help your company save money and enhance your productivity. Don’t miss it!

VISIT SMART SOLUTIONS

7/27 Alston & Bird Coronavirus Flash Update

Alston & Bird have released their July 27 COVID-19 update, including the latest news on emergency funding, administrative and regulatory actions, workplace and home issues, and many other topics, as well as to links to all their past updates.