E Newsletter September 2018

 

September Connector Newsletter

Connector | September 2018   Website   Membership   Events   Craft Training   Subscribe   Association News     Ironworker Craft Training Program Expands to 18 Units   Three additional companies have joined the nationwide network of SEAA/NCCER Ironworker Training Units and Assessment Sites, bringing the total to 18 providers.   “The SEAA/NCCER Ironworker Craft Training Program provides our company with access to industry professionals, networking opportunities, and a solid training path,” said Fermin Goitia, Project Executive for Building Envelope Systems, Plainville, Mass. MORE     SEAA to Launch Event App   In an effort to improve communication and member engagement at association events, SEAA will launch a new custom event app at the annual Education Fundraiser Golf Tournament in October. Download the free SEAA Events app in Google Play or Apple App Store. MORE     In this Issue of Fall 2018 Connector   Cover Story: Common Sense and Collaboration. Arena construction made easier, safer and more efficient with thoughtful communication and modifications. READ   Management: Not so "Gee Whiz" Tech in Steel Erection. Behind the scenes, tools for improving workflow still reign supreme. READ   In the Field: Flying Beyond Aerial Surveillance. Ideas for using drones in steel construction applications. READ     READ DIGITAL ISSUE NOW   Upcoming Events     Tilt-Up Convention & Expo Sept. 19-21, 2018 Dallas, Texas     Meet & Greet Oct. 18, 2018 Embassy Suites Raleigh-Crabtree   SEAA Education Fundraiser Oct. 19, 2018 Lonnie Poole Golf Course Raleigh, NC     October Meet & Greet, Raleigh, NC   Attend the October Board Meeting and meet other Erector Members at the October Meet & Greet Reception. Then stay for the Golf Tournament, Oct. 19 at Lonnie Poole Golf Course.   Oct. 18, 2018 Embassy Suites Raleigh-Crabtree 4700 Creedmoor Road Raleigh, NC 27612   RSVP   Industry Reports     SEAA Supports Workforce Development Policies   The average age of a craft professional is 47 and by 2031, 41 percent of the current workforce will retire. Considering it takes 8-12 years for an individual to go from entry level to fully trained to seasoned craft professional, it is critical to employ needed changes now that will support the development of our current and future workforce. MORE   2019 Construction Starts Predicted to Rebound   In its Fall 2018 Forecast and Quarterly Report, ConstructConnect’s Chief Economist Alex Carrick said: “The incentives to carry out capital spending at this time include numerous positive indicators: strong GDP growth accompanied by exceptional jobs creation and an almost record-low unemployment rate; a big cut in the tax rate and a bonus depreciation rate that are lifting corporate profitability; and a pervasive shift to rosier consumer and business confidence.” However, the report indicates three economic concerns: Escalating inflation and rising interest rates U.S. dollar climbing in value Worries over tariffs and possible trade wars   MORE     Tilt-Up Certification Of Interest to Erectors with Concrete Panel Divisions   The ACI/TCA Tilt-Up Supervisor and Technician Certification program has undergone the first major overhaul since its inception. New areas of knowledge include Safety Communications & Procedures, Planning and Scheduling, Structural Systems, Site Preparation & Foundations, Slabs on Grade, Layout & Forming, Concrete Properties & Placement, Erection & Bracing, and Panel Finishes & Building Finishing. MORE   Photo Credit: Matthew McFarland, M Studio West   News Briefs   AISC: Steel Design Student Winners   Industry Week: Steel Workers Seek Payout as Trade Prices Rise   ACTE: Push for Perkins Funding Increase   Safety + Health: Crisis Communication in the Digital Age   EHS Today: True Risk Awareness Means Knowing the Rules and When to Break Them   Member Updates   MSC Safety Solutions and Colorado Crane School Open New Facility MSC Safety Solutions and the Colorado Crane Operator School opened a new joint facility on September 17, 2018 in Frederick, Colo. The facility, just 10 minutes north of the previous Westminster office, features three training rooms and a 30-foot training tower. “We believe that safety is not something that you enforce, safety is a byproduct of training,” said Troy Clark, President.   The company will continue to offer classes on fall protection, scaffold, excavation, confined space, and OSHA 10 and 30-hour courses. Additional hands-on classes include NCCER Ironworker Apprenticeship Program, the Corp of Engineers 24 Hour Competent Person Fall Protection class, and hands on Fall Rescue planning and practical application. New crane operation curriculum includes 4-week New Operator Training, and NCCCO Rigger and Crane Operator Certification Workshops.  MORE   Appalachian Drafting Wins Business Award   Steven Harris, owner of Appalachian Drafting, Fletcher, N.C., credits technical education with setting him on a path to success. After winning a local business award and $5,000 to implement business strategy, the company has grown, serving steel detailers and fabricators across the country, the Bristol Herald Courier reports. MORE   Dallas Business Journal Profiles Diane Waghorne of Tech Safety Lines   Tech Safety Lines, Carollton, Texas, which provides rescue equipment and training for work at height scenarios, was founded by Diane Waghorne not long after 9/11. "Amid the tragedy unfolding before her eyes," reports Dallas Business Journal Staff Writer Evan Hooper, "she kept thinking, how was it possible all these people trapped in the burning buildings didn't have a way to get down safely?" MORE   LeJeune Bolt Company Names Canadian Distributor of TNA Torque + Angle Fastening System   LeJeune Bolt Company, Burnsville, Minn., announces an exclusive partnership with Boulons Plus to become the authorized Canadian distributor of the TNA® Torque + Angle Fastening System. Boulons Plus and subsidiary Precision Bolt will offer the product to the Canadian steel construction market.   The TNA® Fastening System uses the exclusive 144ksi ASTM F3148 single-sided spline drive bolt and the dual function Torque and Angle TAE Series installation tools to deliver economical, accurate and repeatable bolting for structural steel construction. MORE   Simpson Strong-Tie Hosts Scholarship Recipients Simpson Strong-Tie, Pleasanton, Calif., hosted more than 30 Architecture, Engineering and Construction Management college students who were awarded with a Simpson Strong-Tie® Student Scholarship for the 2018–2019 academic year.   Students from across the country toured the company’s manufacturing facility and training center, observed product testing and demos, visited with a local architect and a structural engineer, and collaborated on a mini-house build project.   The Simpson Strong-Tie Student Scholarship Program supports education and encourages the design and building of safer structures in communities. Up to 68 scholarships of $2,000 per recipient are awarded every academic year to students at 76 participating schools. MORE   STAY CONNECTED ‌ ‌ ‌