AWPT Operator Course Available in Spanish

“Vulnerable workers” in the United States who are not proficient in English may be at risk of not being properly trained for safe work at height.

At the IPAF Summit in Miami, Jordan Barab, U.S .Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, highlighted the need to target vulnerable workers with limited English proficiency and commended IPAF’s ongoing training and safety initiatives. IPAF CEO Tim Whiteman committed to provide the AWPT operator training program in Spanish.

The aerial work platform (AWP) operator course managed in the US and Canada by IPAF’s North American subsidiary American Work Platform Training (AWPT) is now available in Spanish, as part of IPAF’s continuing commitment to provide training and safety material in other languages. IPAF has, thus, fulfilled the commitment made to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

AWPT-approved training centers that will be offering the operator course in Spanish include Valcourt Exterior Building Services based in New Jersey. The AWPT eLearning module will be available in Spanish by the end of September.

“IPAF has met the commitment it made to provide materials in other languages,” says Tony Groat, IPAF USA and AWPT executive VP. “We open up the challenge to those in the industry. Get your employees trained in a manner they can understand for safe AWP operations. The material and the tools are there, and there is no excuse for untrained workers when working at height.”

MCAA Key Accomplishments 2012-2013

By Jeff Buczkiewicz

 

Membership dues paid to the Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) is the largest source of funding that we have. Its importance cannot be understated…it's a vital part of the association that enables us to continue to fight for our industry on behalf of all mason contractors. Our involvement on all fronts (from regulatory reform to education and training) continues to ensure the survivability and viability of our industry for generations to come. Below is a list of some our recent successes supported by MCAA Membership dollars followed by a brief outlook for the year ahead.

BIM software development

Phase One of the BIM Software Development program is complete. Phase one has given the industry a roadmap forward to implement a fully operational BIM for Masonry program. Phase Two of the process is formally going to be kicked off June 1, 2013. Phase two will see contractor education and input is a major emphasis. Phase two will have contractor education initiatives rolled out and will take up to 18 months to complete. It is during this time that the vast majority of "what contractors need from BIM" will be developed, then the tools for contractors to access those wants will begin in the form of education. This is an exciting step forward in the process and will offer huge opportunities for contractors. The entire process is projected to be about a five-year process. When complete masonry will level the playing field with competing systems and will be at the very beginning of the development process in building design.

Single wythe wall study

The MCAA has partnered with the IMI and the Canadian mason contractors to engage the University of Louisville to conduct a study, which will help make it possible to design single wythe masonry walls in climate zones 3-6 in spite of the new IECC code. We expect to receive results of this study this summer June/July and expect to begin to promote those results soon thereafter. A large component of this study will deal with thermal mass and it's impact on R-values. The results of the study are showing that thermal walls with lower R-values perform better than walls without thermal mass at higher R-values. This research will be invaluable in fighting for changes to energy codes that impacted single wythe walls and getting better designs, that are more energy efficient with thermal mass walls and lower R-values.

Learning experiences for contractors

The MCAA introduced new "Networking Sessions" at our two face-to-face meetings. These new sessions replaced our old educational programs. At our mid-year meeting we broke into five breakout sessions by employment classification. Participants discussed some pre-developed questions about best practices within their company and then had an open forum on topics the participants wanted to learn more about. It was so popular it was carried over to our convention and these sessions were conducted in a mobile classroom on the show floor. In addition to this experience, the MCAA introduced the "webinar season pass". This concept offer's programs and educational opportunities for your entire company all year long. We are looking to reach beyond a key contact and give benefits to your entire firm. New programs are offered weekly and are recorded for on demand viewing. This brings the educational experience to your doors and gives great opportunities to everyone within your company.

MasonrySystems.org

MasonrySystems.org was re-launched Feb. 7, 2013, during the MCAA Convention at the World of Concrete/World of Masonry in Las Vegas. The site allows visitors to determine which masonry wall system is right for their next building, learn why masonry structures outlast and outperform every other building system, and discover the beauty and versatility of brick, block and stone. The goal for the redesign was to create a user-friendly, aesthetically pleasing, and informative website that would be used as a masonry resource for architects, owners, contractors, masonry suppliers, and other decision makers. Masonry wall systems along with an updated and easily visible Details, Benefits, Gallery, Knowledge, Communication, and Resources sections are highlighted on the website. Each section includes updated graphics, links to other resources, and cross-references to other sections on the site. Since re-launching, over 400,000 visitors have viewed the new MasonrySystems.org and the site has received over 1,000,000 hits.

A Look to the Year Ahead

Silica initiatives

It is expected that OSHA will finally release a new silica rule this year. In preparation for this rule, the MCAA has reconvened and been active in the silica coalition made up of over 20 construction associations including the Home Builders, AGC, ABC, ASA, Roofers and many more. This coalition will shortly hire a law firm to develop an independent economic impact study of construction, as well as develop a response and questions about the new required PEL level. This level is believed to be half of the current PEL, which would be 50 (from the current 100) with an action level of 25. This would be economically devastating to the construction industry and very harmful to our industry in particular. In addition to the economical issues, there are great concerns about the technological feasibility of our industry to be able to meet these new PEL levels. Those arguments will be discussed in detail in the industries response to the new rule.

MQI redevelopment

Another very exciting program happening in 2013-14 is the re-development of our Masonry Quality Institute program. This program will be redeveloped and designed in consultation with eight different contractors from around the country. Their knowledge and experience will be the basis of the course. In addition to a great program, attendees will also take away from the program an outline of a company quality assurance program. As they work through the program, they will fill in the outline to make it company specific. We have had numerous requests for Quality Assurance programs and this class will now offer that opportunity. In addition the class will be more economical for attendees and will likely see webinar based learning opportunities.

Contractor-to-contractor education

The MCAA is committed to bringing more educational opportunities to contractors which give them real life experience and learning opportunities from one another. The MCAA is in the process of developing a new opportunity for contractor-to-contractor learning by visiting each other's job sites, facilities, yards, etc. Look for the first opportunity late this winter (of course in a warm climate), sometime soon after the convention. It will be a unique experience for all to enjoy.

As the year develops there will be undoubtedly more exciting opportunities for our association to participate in. We need your continued support to maximize our opportunities and serve the needs of our industry.

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About the Author

Jeff Buczkiewicz is the President and CEO of the Mason Contractors Association of America. Jeff has worked in the masonry industry for several years as the Executive Vice President of the Building Stone Institute and the Director of Marketing and Membership for the Mason Contractors Association of America. Jeff has also served as Secretary on the Board of the Natural Stone Council and is a former Board Member of the StonExpo Federation.

The Cost of Government Regulation

By Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC)

All too often, the federal government implements overreaching regulations that hinder economic growth for the average American business. Whether it be excessive taxes or burdensome rules, these impediments to success are unacceptable from a government that is in place to serve its people. In many cases, new regulations that have no foundation in fact or science are issued even when adequate standards are already in place. 

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration’s (OSHA) continued focus on workplace crystalline silica regulation is one such example of unnecessary government regulation in the masonry industry. Despite the fact that personal exposure limits already have been instituted to prevent workers from developing chronic silicosis, OSHA has announced that it intends to “modernize” exposure limits for construction and shipyard workers and institute new, comprehensive regulations to lower these limits. 

The issue of worker health is a serious one, but piling on unnecessary regulations is not an appropriate course of action. The enormous expense of implementing the new rules proposed by OSHA would have a significant effect on the masonry industry, potentially costing tens of thousands of jobs. These regulations cross the line between ensuring that workers are operating in healthy conditions and imposing restrictions that prevent businesses from reaching their full potential. 

In these tough economic times, the last thing we need is an onslaught of regulations that stifle business growth. Rather, we need to ensure that the current policies are being enforced appropriately, and that any new standards are based on tried-and-true scientific evidence. If alternative options are available to enhance worker safety, these should be considered before job-killing regulations are imposed. The independent business owners have successfully supported sound policies for workplace safety in the past. Now, OSHA is creating an environment of unsound rules and regulations. 

We, in the House of Representatives, have an important role to play in the prevention of costly, overreaching government regulations. I believe it is crucial for Congress to take active steps to ensure that agencies under our oversight do not impose rules that stifle economic growth. During my time representing the Third District of North Carolina, I have continually advocated for a regulatory environment that encourages businesses to grow and prosper. 

The importance of workplace safety for employees in the masonry industry cannot be overstated. However, when private businesses already have implemented safety policies, superfluous measures that will hinder the American economy are not needed. It is time for Washington to get out of the way of business growth, and I believe that the first step is to end costly, unnecessary government regulations.

Walter Jones was first sworn in to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1995, after serving 10 years as an elected member of the North Carolina General Assembly. Jones strongly believes in the strength of faith and family and has worked to represent the citizens of Eastern North Carolina with both honor and integrity. Visit http://jones.house.gov for more information.

Laying the Foundation on Capitol Hill

By Stephen A. Borg

What another great week we had during the annual Masonry Industry Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., May 6-8, 2013. Nearly 25 members of the Mason Contractors Association of America hit Capitol Hill to meet with Members of Congress and their staffs and to meet with Federal Agencies, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). 

One of the most exciting aspects to this years fly-in was the participation of several new MCAA members who had never traveled to Washington, D.C., in years past to make their voices heard. One of them told us, “What a week! I would attend again in a heartbeat!” 

Not only do we try to make your time in Washington fun, we also allow you to have high-profile meetings with Members of Congress who want to hear your stories and are eager to help you and your businesses succeed.

Over this 1 ½-day period, we met with more than 100 Member of Congress’ offices, where we expressed concerns related to the job-destroying burdens of the overbearing, unneeded regulations coming out of Federal Agencies such as OSHA; pushed for the enactment of a “check-off” program that would benefit the concrete masonry industry through research and development, education, and promotion of concrete masonry products; and expressed our thoughts and concerns over the current immigration reform debate occurring in Congress.

During this time, we also presented our 2013 MCAA Freedom and Prosperity Award to Representative Reid Ribble from Wisconsin, Representative (now Senator) Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin, Senator Roy Blunt from Missouri, and Senator Tom Udall from New Mexico. 

These four Members of Congress have played a vital role in ensuring that small businesses and the construction industry are able to get our economy back humming again, and have thrown their weight behind our efforts to enact a check-off program that would benefit the concrete masonry industry. We look forward to continuing to work with them in the years to come and to work with the many new Members of Congress we were able to reach during this week.

If you have read this column over the years, you may be thinking I am starting to sound like a broken record. But it is important to remember that telling your story is not a once-a-year event. This is just the beginning of your job – telling your story to our elected officials. Each of our elected officials is charged with representing you in government and, without hearing from you, they are not able to adequately represent you and your businesses. 

As many of our first-time Conference attendees learned, Members of Congress want and need to hear about your businesses, your stories, and your communities. We need to make sure that they are continually hearing those stories. I would encourage you to invite your Member of Congress to visit one of your jobsites; and visit him or her back in your state and share who you are and how your business is impacting the District as well as how the masonry industry plays an integral role in our local and national economies.

The Keelen Group looks forward to continuing these discussions as Congress continues to do its work through the remainder of 2013. We would encourage anyone who is being impacted, both positively and negatively, by the Federal Government, to keep their eyes out for information related to the 2014 Masonry Industry Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., and join us in ensuring that Congress hears your voice, gets out of the way, and allows the masonry industry to get our economy moving again.

Stephen A. Borg is VP of The Keelen Group, www.keelengroup.com.