SEAA ENEWS APRIL 2013

April 2013

Click any article link:

• SEAA NEWS
  • Successful 2013 Convention & Trade Show in New Orleans
  • SEAA Officers and Board Members
  • Volunteers Needed for the New Steel Erection Training Committee
  • Welcome to New SEAA Members
  • In Memoriam: Wayne Williams
  • SEAA Thanks Our Generous Convention Sponsors & Exhibitors
• LAWS & REGULATIONS
  • SEAA Represented at Cranes Stakeholder Meeting in Washington, DC
  • Report: OSHA Stakeholders Meeting on Construction Cranes Standard
• INDUSTRY
  • ASPE Earns Highest AISC Certification
  • New Product Enhances Project Estimating Capability
  • LeJeune Bolt Company Opens Western Division
• TRAINING & EDUCATION
  • The Steel Conference in April to Offer Wide Array of Technology Sessions
  • Crane and Rigging Conference and Industrial Crane and Hoist Conference to Address OSHA Crane Regulation
• SAFETY
  • Tractel Introduces a Helmet with a Complete View

SEAA NEWS

Successful 2013 Convention & Trade Show in New Orleans - back to top As an advance event to the convention, the SEAA Board of Directors met on Wednesday, March 20 from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Steve Burkholder with S&R Enterprises, LLC our new President for 2013 -2014 presided over the meeting. Joshua Cilley with American Steel and Precast Erectors was elected 1st Vice President while Dave Schulz of Schulz Iron Works, Inc. was named Secretary and Geoffrey Kress of Gardner-Watson Decking, Treasurer for terms 2013–2014. The well-attended meeting included discussion of priorities for Steve Burkholder’s term, which the Directors approved. You would never know that no SEAA Convention activities were scheduled on Wednesday evening March 20, because many SEAA attendees were networking at the 8 Block Bar in the lobby area of the Hyatt Regency Superdome. Bright and early--at 5:15 AM to be precise-- on Thursday morning the Spin Fishing group left for their outing, while the golfers left for English Turn at 7:15 AM via motor coach. This year we had optional tours that proved to be very popular and well attended. The New Orleans City and Katrina Recovery Tour, which started at 10 AM, enlightened participants about New Orleans – from the French Market to the Central Business District. The golf team winning first place (L to R): Marc Cox, Jeff Harnish, Josh Cilley, and Billy Hanes The Welcome Reception and Trade Show Opening, combined this year into one event, brought out good attendance, and people seemed to enjoy themselves. We had 36 Exhibitors this year, and the Celestine Ballroom was full of attendees enjoying the lively music of the Smitty Dee’s Brass Band, the magical tricks of a strolling Magician, and an entertaining Mime. This format on Thursday night allowed the exhibitors and attendees to have additional meeting time in a casual environment. Thank you to United Rentals for their sponsorship for the Thursday Night Reception. Friday morning continental breakfast and lunch in the Trade Show area gave the attendees another opportunity to visit the Exhibitors and see the most current products in the industry. The Management and Field presentations were well attended, with the presenters offering the latest information and updates on the current market conditions. All the sessions were recorded and will be available on the SEAA website in the Members Only section. Due to sequestration in Washington, DC – OSHA representatives were unable to attend in person as planned, so a video teleconference was set up to allow the dialog between our attendees and OSHA. Many thanks to Ed Valencia of LPR Company, Inc. for assisting in making the one-on-one meeting with OSHA happen. The South Louisiana Plantation Tour, made available to spouses during the sessions, was well attended and an enjoyable event. On Friday night The Big Easy Bash and Awards Banquet started with a cocktail reception with entertainment that included a contemporary New Orleans Jazz Band, a Tarot Card Reader and Caricature Artist who entertained us throughout the evening. The outstanding New Orleans cuisine and the atmosphere in the Empire Ballroom proved excellent for our event. Board member Alan Sears, with Nucor – Vulcraft , was the Master of Ceremony. A distinguished guest, President of AISC Roger Ferch, addressed our group and reinforced our partnership with their association. 2012 Project of the Year winners were announced accompanies by brief power-point presentations. Class III – S&R Enterprises, LLC – Pegula Ice Area at Penn State University Class II – Gabriel Steel Erectors, Inc. – Coney Island Steeple Chase Plaza Class I – American Steel and Precast Erectors – North Trail Pedestrian Bridge Honorable Mention – River City Erectors, LLC – Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – Hall A Expansion 2012 Person of the Year: Jim Larson – Phoenix Steel Erectors, Inc. 2012 William Davis Service Award: Bruce Basden - Basden Steel Corporation After the conclusion of the banquet, it is rumored that several of the attendees were spotted visiting the French Quarter and Bourbon Street area of the city. The Convention continued Saturday morning with breakfast, followed by the Annual SEAA Business meeting where new officers and Board Members were announced. Jennifer Wilkerson and Tim Johnson with NCCER addressed our group with emphasis on training and education opportunities that NCCER offers to Ironworkers and our industry. The morning session concluded with our Keynote Speaker, Bruce Wilkinson presenting about the multi-generational workforce and how to communicate with this new generation of employees in today’s workforce. The convention concluded with an optional tour of the National World War II Museum with transportation provided by SEAA. The consensus of those on the tour: you need two days to view the entire museum but it is well worth the time. SEAA Officers and Board Members - back to top SEAA Immediate Past President Charlie Johnson passes the leadership to President Stephen Burkholder During the SEAA Convention and Trade Show in New Orleans, new officers were elected for the coming term: President—Steve Burkholder, S&R Enterprises, LLC, Harrisburg, PA Vice President—Josh Cilley, American Steel & Precast Erectors, Greenfield, NH Secretary—Dave Schulz, Schulz Iron Works, Inc., Raleigh, NC Treasurer—Geoff Kress, Gardner-Watson Decking, Inc., Oldsmar, FL Immediate Past President—Charlie Johnson, Steel Performance, Inc., Greensboro, NC Past President—Duff Zimmerman, Cooper Steel, Shelbyville, TN New Board Member Greg Phillips of River City Erectors, LLC, Rossville,TN, joins returning Board Members Bob Beckner, Carrie Sopuch-Gulajan, Alan Sears, Duke Perry, Ed Valencia, Eddie Williams, Jack Metcalfe, Jack Nix, Jim Larson, Marc Cox, Richard Tucker, Sherrie Wilkinson, and Tom McAleese. In his role as president, Burkholder plans to work with the board, members and staff to move SEAA forward with these goals: Enhancing SEAA services to members. Speaking on behalf of members and the industry on significant issues, such as the new crane operator requirements. Expanding training programs, including adding web-based training (see related article on training committee in this issue) Growing SEAA member roll to 500 in 5 years and 1,000 members in 10 years. Partnering with OSHA to meet 2-3 times per year to discuss current and proposed standards, to ensure the voice of SEAA and its members are heard. Integrating new training classes through NCCER to enhance both craft workers and project management skills. Creating a scholarship program to further educate members through trade schools and college/university engineering/construction programs. Feel free to contact staff and board members with your ideas, especially if you’re willing to volunteer to help. Volunteers Needed for the New Steel Erection Training Committee - back to top The Board of Directors of the Steel Erectors Association of America is looking for people to serve on a Steel Erection Training Committee. Interested members should respond by April 20, 2013 to Tom Underhill: [email protected] or [email protected] The emphasis of the Committee will be to look for better and/or different ways to train ironworkers in the ironworker curriculum. Our goal is to offer a program for small and large companies that can be used either at your headquarters in a classroom, at your jobsite, via the internet, teleconferencing or training assessment centers located in different geographical areas. This Committee will make recommendations to the SEAA Board of Directors to forward this cause. Committee members need to be available to meet in person and/or through video conferencing for up to six times by the end of 2014. Two of our Board Members will be spearheading this effort: Ed Valencia of LPR Construction Company, Inc. has tentatively agreed to be the Chairman of this committee; Eddie Williams of Buckner Companies will serve as Co-Chairman. Welcome to New SEAA Members - back to top Ed Emmons Steel Erectors, Inc. Pensacola, FL Spartan Mat LLC Olive Branch, MS Website Hercules Bolt Company Madison, TN Website Stud Welding Associates Braselton, GA Website H&R Welding LLC Brick, NJ G. A. West & Company, Inc. Chunchula, AL Website HiPower Systems, Inc. Lenexa, KS Website Slay Steel, Inc. Meridian, MS Clay & Land Insurance Memphis, TN Website Steelco, inc. Porter, TX In Memoriam: Wayne Williams - back to top  We at the SEAA would like to extend our deepest condolences to the family of Wayne Williams. Wayne was a long-standing employee with Steel Performance, Inc. and recently attended the SEAA Convention & Trade Show in New Orleans. He passed away suddenly on Saturday, April 6th in Colfax, NC. Wayne will be missed greatly by friends and family alike. Wayne Williams (R) with wife Diane Williams attended the recent SEAA Annual Convention in New Orleans. Shown also are Butch Johnson (L) and Roger Knight         SEAA Thanks Our Generous Convention Sponsors & Exhibitors - back to top SEAA appreciates the numerous companies, shown below, that generously stepped forward to sponsor various aspects or purchase exhibit space during the SEAA Convention & Trade Show in New Orleans. Please be sure to express your appreciation when you see them. SPONSORS American Steel & Precast Erectors Ashley Sling, Inc. ASTM International Basden Steel Corporation Buckner Companies CMC South Carolina Steel Construction Insurance Agency, Inc. Contract Erectors, Inc. Cooper Steel CRC Insurance Services DAS, Inc. Deem Steel Erectors, LLC FabArc Steel Supply, Inc. G.W.Y., Inc. Gardner Watson Decking, Inc. General Equipment & Supply Hanes Supply, Inc. Indusco Group John Metcalfe Company Kollman & Saucier, PA LeJeune Bolt Company L.R. Willson & Sons, Inc. Lincoln Electric LPR Construction Company M&D Drafting, Ltd. Metrolina Steel Erectors, Inc. NISD Nucor - Vulcraft Group Peterson Beckner Industries, Inc. Phoenix Steel Erectors, Inc. Quinlan Enterprises Rose Steel, Inc. S & R Enterprises, LLC Schulz Iron Works, Inc. SEAA-MAC Shawmut Equipment Co., Inc. Steel Dynamics Steel Performance, Inc. Steel Service Corporation SteelFab of SC SteelFab of Virgina, Inc./SteelFab, Inc. Stone Bridge Iron & Steel, Inc. Suburban Steel Erectors, Inc. Tekla, Inc. Tennessee Galvanizing, Inc. Trimax Steel United Rentals V & M Erectors, Inc. Williams Steel Erection Company, Inc. EXHIBITORS AISC Bluearc Stud Welding Design Data Eastern Pneumatics & Hydraulics, Inc. Freedom Tools, LLC G.W.Y., Inc. General Equipment & Supply H&E Equipment Services, Inc. Hanes Supply Hercules Bolt Company HiPower Systems, Inc. Hilti, Inc. IMPACT Indusco Group LeJeune Bolt Company Lift Management Insurance Lincoln Electric M & P Specialty Insurance NACB NCCCO NCCER NISD Nucor - Vulcraft Group Parker MFG LLC Preferred Safety Products, Inc. Red-D-Arc Welderentals SEAA Simpson Strong-Tie Steel Erection Bid Wizard Steel Joist Institute Tekla, Inc. Tennessee Galvanizing, Inc. The SEAA Connector Trystar United Rentals

LAWS & REGULATIONS

SEAA Represented at Cranes Stakeholder Meeting in Washington, DC - back to top   On Wednesday, April 3, 2013, Bob Beckner represented SEAA at a Cranes Stakeholder Meeting in Washington, DC. OSHA scheduled this meeting to gather additional information and opinions of individuals and organizations before finalizing the new Crane Standard, a standard that will affect each and every contractor involved in the utilization of cranes. Back in 2004, SEAA was involved with input in the new standard through the Cranes & Derricks Advisory Committee (C-DAC). The final proposed OSHA document is not in agreement with several recommendations made by C-DAC. SEAA solicited members’ feedback in March so that Bob could speak on the association's behalf. (See Bob’s recap in a separate article in this issue.) Although the topics listed below are not everything discussed, they are the major items of the proposed standard that we as an organization needed to address. 1) Certifying By Type and Capacity: Although C-DAC suggested the wording to OSHA, OSHA added emphasis on certifying by capacity, an interpretation that C-DAC never intended. C-DAC focused on crane type (i.e. fixed cab controls, swing cab controls). OSHA is now interpreting that to mean an operator certified on a crane of capacity X can only operate that crane and one of lower capacity, not one of higher capacity. This will result in many more certifications being required by operators and a much increased cost to the employer. 2) Certification versus Qualification: The new rule states that an employee who is certified is deemed "qualified" thus equating certification to qualification; however, the NCCCO has always maintained that certification is only one component of qualification. 3) Disenfranchisement of Existing Certifications: OSHA is now stating that all operators must be certified under the new rule by November 14, 2014, otherwise they will not be considered certified. This will mean that all those certified under the current regulation will have their certifications voided and be subject to additional costs to be in compliance. Report: OSHA Stakeholders Meeting on Construction Cranes Standard - back to top By Bob Beckner, Senior Vice President/Area Manager, Peterson Beckner The OSHA Stakeholders Meetings on Construction Cranes Standard were held at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, DC and were moderated by Jim Maddux, Director of the Directorate of Construction. I attended the April 3rd, 9:00 am-12 pm meeting as an observer and the 1:30 pm- 4:30 pm meeting as a participant and representative of the SEAA. The meetings were conducted in an open forum, and OSHA made it clear that the purpose was information gathering only and nothing more. OSHA representatives did take notes but did not record the sessions. The following people represented other stakeholder groups at the meeting: * Labor (L) - Operating Engineers, United Mine Workers, Teamsters * Business Owners (BO) – Large and small companies including General Contractors, Subcontractors, Crane Rental Providers, Safety Professionals * Crane Certification Agencies (CCA) – NCCCO, NCCER OSHA separated each meeting into two discussions, with the first part discussing Operator/Qualification and the second part discussing Type and Capacity Requirement for Operator Certification. My observations from both meetings were the overall majority of Business Owner and Labor representatives were opposed to certification as a qualification for an operator’s competency to operate a crane. Numerous times the BO representatives stated it was their responsibility to choose the most qualified operator for their equipment and it should not be based on a certification test alone as to whether that person is qualified to operate the equipment. Regarding Certification for Type and Capacity, once again BO representatives voiced a strong opinion against numerous categories of certification by crane type and/or capacity. Most BO representatives stressed that the costs placed on BO’s would be expensive and cumbersome to manage. On behalf of SEAA, I stated our association represents steel erectors of all sizes, non-union and union, with a larger percentage of our members being small, family-owned businesses. Thus, the cost and management of additional certifications would impose a financial and administrative burden on our steel erector members, making it difficult for many to comply with the added regulations. After the meeting, I talked to both Jim Maddux and Dean McKenzie and thanked them for the participation in our convention “Roundtable” video conference. Further, I thanked them for their openness with SEAA and stated that we welcome further dialogue in the future. They expressed that they, too, would like to continue the dialogue in the future.

INDUSTRY

ASPE Earns Highest AISC Certification - back to top ASPE, a family business founded in 1982 by Ray Cilley (C), is now run by sons Joshua Cilley, President (L) and Mark Cilley, Vice President (R) American Steel & Precast Erectors recently earned certification at the highest level of Steel Erector Certification offered by AISC (American Institute of Steel Construction). ASPE is currently the only contractor in North America qualified to the highest level of certification available to Steel and Precast Concrete Erectors by the AISC, the PCI (Precast / Prestressed Concrete Institute) and the CWB (Canadian Welding Bureau). American Steel recently completed its first International Project, 351 Water Street in St. John’s, Newfoundland and works all over New England, New York and as far south as the DC area. ASPE also earned the 2012 Project of the Year Award from SEAA (Steel Erectors Association of America) for the Keene Pedestrian Bridge. New Product Enhances Project Estimating Capability - back to top A new software product called Steel Erection Bid Wizard can save time and make job estimating much easier. This steel erection estimating program has 304 steel erection tasks with formulas attached to each one. When you enter the piece count, linear footage or square footage of any task into this estimating program, you get an immediate price that includes labor, crane, welder, fuel and equipment cost. These costs are all based on costs that you are currently running that you have entered into the e stimating program. The program uses calculations based on many years of data on how long it takes a crew of professional ironworkers to perform each of the 304 steel erection tasks included in Steel Erection Bid Wizard. The product developer Vince Hughes, explains, “I have been a steel erector for 28 years, running up to 160 ironworkers and doing between $8 to 15 million in business annually. In March, 2012 we made the HARD decision to get out of the game and we sold our company. Over the years I had developed an estimating program so, after selling our company, I decided to package it and put it out to the steel erection community. This industry is in my blood so this was a way to keep myself connected to it.” To ensure that the software meets customers’ needs, Hughes has modified the software to make it more flexible, explaining, “If for some reason you find that the hours assigned to each task are not correct for you and your company, you can edit the assigned hours for each task to suit your need so it truly becomes your personal estimating program.” Hughes designed the product to make it possible for an injured ironworker on light duty to be able to do takeoffs and input the information into the Steel Erection Bid Wizard, using these steps: For the initial set-up, enter wages, fringes, tax burden, worker’s comp average, general liability, subsistence, percentage of mark up where the estimating program will save it. Enter cost for forklifts (all different sizes), scissor-lifts (all different sizes), boom-lifts (all different sizes), rates for different sized cranes, average daily fuel cost, cost of freight for equipment, such as forklifts or boom lifts but not crane move ins and outs that varies by crane size and is entered in a separate place in the software on a job-by-job basis) Do your detailed takeoff ( how many beams, columns, joists, braces frames, braces, moment connections, ledger angles, stairs, rails, nelson studs, square footage of deck, etc.) and enter the information into the program . NOTE: Steel Erection Bid Wizardcan be used whether you are still doing old school takeoffs or if you are doing them digitally. Enter the square footage and crew size for the size of project you just took off. The Steel Erection Bid Wizard i mmediately calculates the project price based on your wages and equipment cost. Then the Steel Erection Bid Wizard inputs the numbers onto another sheet that will have whatever your company’s standard language and exclusions are, which can be edited to suit your company. This form can be used to enter the general contractor information and email your steel erection bid or print and fax it. This estimating program will accommodate any alternates a project may have. A demo video and more information are available at http://steelestimatorsdream.com/. LeJeune Bolt Company Opens Western Division - back to top LeJeune Bolt Company recently announced the opening of its newly formed Western Division. Located in Chino, CA, the operation will serve California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and New Mexico with the expert service that customers throughout the United States have come to expect. The new 16,000 sq. ft. warehouse will allow LeJeune to supply same day and next day service for its full range of fasteners and tools to steel fabricators, erectors, and contractors in the western United States. The company’s expert staff has already begun to impact the local market with their signature level of service and responsiveness since opening February 1st. LeJeune Bolt Company's Western Division is located at 3655 Placentia Court, Chino, CA 91710 and can be reached at 909-529-7577. LeJeune Bolt Company, headquartered in Burnsville, MN, is an international distributor of structural grade fastening systems, installation tools, and related fasteners for the commercial steel construction, bridge building, and transportation markets. Lejeune’s products include Structural Bolts, Anchor Bolts and Threaded Rod, Weld Studs and Equipment, Industrial/OEM Fasteners, and Installation Tools and Equipment. More information is available on the company’s website.

TRAINING & EDUCATION

The Steel Conference in April to Offer Wide Array of Technology Sessions - back to top This year’s steel conference will take place at America’s Center Convention Complex in St. Louis April 17-19, 2013. For the second consecutive year, NASCC: The Steel Conference provides a glimpse into the future of technology in steel construction with the Technology in Steel Construction Conference (TSCC). This special track features nine informative sessions that focus on advanced technology use throughout the steel construction industry, from various topics on building information modeling (BIM) to interoperability. TSCC sessions are part of the more than 100 top-notch educational sessions being offered. Admittance to all TSCC sessions is included with conference registration. To register or view an advance program, visit www.aisc.org/nascc . SEAA will participate in the conference with an exhibition booth with Executive Director Tom Underhill on hand to answer questions and solicit new members for SEAA. Here’s a look at this year’s TSCC sessions for steel design and construction professionals: T1: Leveraging Technology to Improve Project Communication (Wednesday, 3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.) – How do you convey information clearly and succinctly and ensure it is understood by others? How do you know you are interpreting the information you receive correctly? This session, aimed at all roles within the structural steel industry, will discuss how to use the technology you already have, or have easily accessible, to improve communication within the project team and your own organization. Various technologies will be examined, from tools for building and reviewing BIM models and drawings, to web-based software designed to accommodate virtual meetings, to free tools to help you share files and stay mobile. T2: IFC - Interoperability for Construction? A Practical Take for the Steel Industry (Wednesday, 4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.) – IFC does not stand for Interoperability for Construction; but it could! It’s actually an acronym for building SMART’s Industry Foundation Classes, an industry-wide open standard that is gaining traction in the construction industry, as it offers a promise unmatched by previous standards: that a single standard can be used across various trades and professions in the industry. This session will explain why AISC adopted IFC at the core of its interoperability strategy and examine the nuances of IFC files, dispelling some myths and perceptions along the way. In addition, the session will take a look at the progress being made toward actual IFC exchanges in the structural steel industry. T3: Risk and Model Hand-Offs (Thursday, 8 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.) – In this session, you’ll learn how to address risk and model hand-offs and the challenges of working with design and construction models. The discussion will also consider the new AIA BIM Protocol Exhibit 202 that defines the Level of Detail (LOD) in models on a scale of 100 to 500. These LOD concepts will then be demonstrated with case studies on projects in three different phases: design, construction and facilities management (FM). T4: Next Generation Approval: Using BIM for the Shop Drawing Review and Approval Process (Thursday, 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.) – BIM models hold tremendous potential, yet they are often underused beyond the visualization and coordination stages. This session will introduce you to three pioneering companies that are taking models to the next level by using them in the review process in concert with, or even in lieu of, traditional shop drawings. Speakers will discuss various methodologies and benefits they’ve experienced using model review. T5: Bridging the Gap from Design to Fabrication (Thursday, 1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.) – Do you still use traditional PDF drawings? You may be running the risk of inefficiencies and opportunities for mistakes. In the new and evolving world of BIM, more designers are creating 3D models that contain an immense amount of information that can be easily accessed by steel detailers, who have the opportunity to incorporate lean processes in their workflow -- benefiting the bottom line for the entire project team. In this session, you’ll hear about the steel detailing challenges, successes and lessons learned from a major healthcare project related to the structural design model and project team coordination, and how to apply these to your own projects. T6: The True Benefit of BIM for the Structural Engineer and the Pivotal Role They Play in the BIM Process (Thursday, 3 p.m. – 4 p.m.) – Do you typically use software packages for your own domain and find that it can sometimes be a bottleneck in the BIM process? Structural engineers and designers will often use their own BIM models for design, but, for most projects, the construction documents will be produced as drawings for the steel detailer/fabricator, who then interprets the drawings for building their own BIM models for fabrication purposes. This session will examine and discuss various topics related to improving workflow both within the structural engineering office and as it pertains to sharing models with steel detailers. T7: What Does it Mean to Be a BIM Coordinator? (Thursday, 4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.) – This session will delve into the role and requirements of a 3D/4D BIM coordinator and provide objectives from the perspectives of a steel detailer and general contractor. The purposes and goals of a BIM Contract will be reviewed, as well as the expectations of each project stakeholder. The session will also examine the different BIM platforms each party uses and the benefits of identifying discrepancies earlier in the design and detailing process. T8: Steel Procurement in the 21st Century: Current Best Practices and Future Possibilities (Friday, 8 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.) – In today’s brave new technological world, paper, faxes and basic spreadsheets still dominate the world of steel procurement. This session will offer practical ways to take advantage of the technology you already own, or have easily accessible, to improve the procurement process, which will be investigated in four primary areas: Inventory availability; Request for Quotation (RFQ); order placement; and order status/delivery. It will also discuss promising future initiatives and opportunities in this area. T9: Laser Scanning and Steel Construction (Friday, 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.) – In this session you’ll gain a solid foundation in using laser scanning for your projects, including how to budget and specify laser scanning work. The presentation will also provide practical examples of how laser scanning is adding value, accelerating schedules, and improving quality and safety for steel projects. More information on this year’s TSCC sessions at The Steel Conference can be found in the Advance Program (pages 29-31). For more information about the conference, visit www.aisc.org/nascc . Crane and Rigging Conference and Industrial Crane and Hoist Conference to Address OSHA Crane Regulation - back to top With the Cranes and Derricks in Construction standard requiring U.S. operators to be certified by November, 2014, Maximum Capacity Media’s Crane and Rigging Conference and Industrial Crane and Hoist Conference will focus on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s crane operator certification requirements. The jointly held crane safety and management conferences will take place May 29-30 at the Indianapolis Marriott North in Indianapolis, Ind. The operator qualification requirements are part of the Cranes and Derricks in Construction standard that governs crane safety. The standard is the product of a negotiated rulemaking process that began in the summer of 2003 and culminated in the publication of the final rule on Aug. 9, 2010. Discussions on crane operator certification requirements are heating up as the deadline for compliance draws near. Specifically, the industry is buzzing about the OSHA’s requirement to certify operators based on the type and capacity of the crane. In fact, OSHA has opened the door on these crane safety topics and has scheduled two informal stakeholder meetings in April to solicit comments on crane operator certification requirements in the Cranes and Derricks in Construction standard. The agency seeks information from the public on the usefulness of certifying operators for different capacities of cranes, and the risks of allowing an operator to operate all capacities of cranes within a specific type. OSHA will hold separate meetings on April 2 and 3 at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C. There is more to crane safety compliance than operator certification. At the Crane and Rigging Conference and Industrial Crane and Hoist Conference, industry professionals will also learn about OSHA’s new designations for personnel, such as lift directors, site supervisors, riggers, and signalpersons; hazards related to crane operation and how to assess them; and the crane technology and design advancements to meet current crane standards. These crane safety presentation topics include the following: Practical Applications of the OSHA Crane Regulations for Safety and Risk Managers Mark Steinhofer, Account Manager of Site Operations, Safety Management Group Lift Planning for Heavy Lifts Jim Yates, SVP of Engineering and Technical Services, Barnhart Crane & Rigging  Leading Causes of Crane Accidents: Final Data from Haag Engineering’s Crane Accident Study Jim Wiethorn, Principal Engineer and Chairman of Haag Engineering How U.S. Certifications Are Helping Fill Canada’s Labor Shortage Debbie Dickenson, Executive Director , Crane Institute Certification Fraser Cocks, Executive Director, BC Association for Crane Safety  Overhead Cranes and Hoists—Operator Issues and Requirements Frank DiMeglio, Technical Trainer & Inspector, NACB Bringing Mobile Learning to the Jobsite Keith Anderson, Chief Rigging Engineer and Rigging Group Manager, Bechtel Equipment Operations Paul Drexler, Account Manager, Bechtel Equipment Operations Complete Crane Communication John Egnatz, 30-year veteran operator Additionally, vendors from a variety of professional organizations, including Event Partner North American Crane Bureau, will be available to answer questions about complying with the upcoming OSHA crane regulation and overall crane safety. To view the complete agenda and register for the Crane and Rigging Conference and the Industrial Crane and Hoist Conference, visit www.craneandriggingconference.com/crc-ichc.

SAFETY

Tractel Introduces a Helmet with a Complete View - back to top The Tractel TR2000 safety helmet Tractel has introduced the TR2000 safety helmet to solve the problem of restricted upward views caused by visors when working at height. Made with molded ABS lightweight fiber, the helmet satisfies EN397 and EN50365 standards and, therefore, is suitable for general industry use as well as electrical installation. Manufactured in Switzerland to the highest standards, the helmet has been fully tested in Germany. It is available in three colors and can be ordered with custom logos. Accessories such as tinted or clear integrated visor, mounted ear defenders, in-ear defenders and headlamp mounting clips are optional. The TR2000 is fully adjustable with a four-point chin strap and ratchet adjustment and includes replaceable sweatband and ventilation. “Typically, safety helmets can also be uncomfortable and do not hold securely on the head which can prove hazardous in the event of a fall. The TR2000 provides a solution to both of these issues,” said a company spokesman.