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July 2013Click any article link:
Join other SEAA members and supporters for a face-to-face meeting with OSHA representatives at our SEAA Road Show followed by the 2nd Annual George R. Pocock Memorial Golf Tournament. George Pocock, who passed away in 2011, was a board member and a long-time organizer of SEAA golf events and a great friend to SEAA for over 15 years. SEAA-MAC is the sponsoring organization. Both events take place Monday, September 9, 2013 at the Heritage Hunt Golf & Country Club, Gainesville, VA. The OSHA Road Show begins at 9:30 AM followed by lunch and the Shot Gun Start at12:30 PM Click here to register online. Click here for a printable registration form. Who is SEAA-MAC?The SEAA-MAC is professional association of contractors committed to enhancing the performance of our members, representing their interests, and building a better climate for construction. As much fun as business, it’s a chance to let go a little and do something for our industry, making it is a great opportunity for construction firms in the Mid-Atlantic and surroundings areas to make connections and support a good cause. Tournament DetailsThe Golfer’s Package is ($125 per person) and includes 18 holes, cart, lunch, refreshments on the course, and the post-tournament reception, prizes and awards. The format for the tournament will remain the same as the previous year: Shot Gun start with Scramble Format. A kick-off breakfast will be available at 8:30 AM with the OSHA Road Show from 9:30 AM until 11:00 AM (see details on Road Show below). Golf registration and lunch begin at 11:00 AM. Contests occurring with the tournament are Closest to the Pin, Longest Drive, and prizes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Place Teams. Join us afterwards at the Clubhouse for prizes, awards, and networking. Register now for your spot in the tournament! OSHA Road Show InformationJoin us for face-to-face meeting with OSHA and get your questions answered in person. * Find out the latest on GHS - Global Harmonized System - What is it? Why is it necessary? What is the scope? * Updates on the Crane Certification – Does the operator of a forklift need to have a crane operator certification? Who Should Attend the Tournament and Road Show?General Contractor: Are you a contractor whose work is predominantly done directly for owners? Subcontractor: Are you a specialty contractor? Associates: Are you a supplier or service provider to the construction industry? This premiere event can provide your company with great industry connections. Contact SEAA-MAC at 571-248-6890 – golf@phoenixerectors.com, for more info. Register now for your spot in the tournament!! Course Information
Heritage Hunt Golf & Country Club Directions:
Member Spotlight: Stud Welding Associates, Inc. - back to top
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Since its inception in Elyria (Cleveland), Ohio in 1982, Stud Welding Associates, Inc. has grown to become one of the largest manufacturers and distributors or stud welding products in the U.S.
The company’s product line includes all types of studs, accessories and equipment while providing service to all makes and models. The company also provides technical assistance, application development, and certification programs.
Products manufactured by Stud Welding Associates comply with all required industry standards such as American Welding Society ANSI / AWS D1.1 Welding Code, British Standards 5950 and 5400, and Canadian Welding Bureau CSA W59 to name just a few. Standard stud products manufactured by Stud Welding Associates are manufactured from ASTM A 108 or ASTMA-496 mild steel or 18/8 stainless steel grades. Other material grades are available upon request.
Strict adherence to quality control procedures registered to ISO 9001 standards ensures customers receive quality products. Furthermore, Stud Welding Associates has complete traceability to mill material test reports and provides its customers with certification of each heat number purchased.
The company maintains a full range of weld studs, stud welding systems, accessories, and rental equipment in stock at the Elyria manufacturing facility as well as at company warehouses across the United States. To provide the best technical support, through a direct sales force and distributor customers, Stud Welding Associates has brought together a resource group of over 40 professionals representing over 600 years of experience in the stud welding industry.
More information is available atwww.studwelding.com.
Featured Product: Hilti HIT-HY 200 Adhesive Anchor System - back to top 
Hilti has launched the most revolutionary adhesive anchor system to date--Hilti HIT-HY 200 Adhesive Anchor System. Inadequately cleaning holes during installation can reduce the performance of conventional adhesive anchor systems significantly. Hilti Safe Set™ Technology eliminates this factor almost entirely and improves reliability and productivity because no manual hole cleaning is required to obtain optimum performance. However, training is advised for crews using these products.
For holes that clean themselves use the new Hilti TE-CD and TE-YD Hollow Drill Bits in conjunction with the Hilti VC 20/40 vacuum. Dust is removed by the Hilti VC 20/40 Vacuum System while drilling is in progress for faster drilling and a virtually dustless working environment. No more cleaning after drilling means higher productivity and less cleaning errors. This new method of installation is only allowed with one adhesive in the market- Hilti HIT-HY 200.
No cleaning required -The new Hilti HIT-Z, zero cleaning rod with its cone-shaped helix works as a torque-controlled anchor. This means that because of their shape, HIT-Z Anchor Rods, when used with HIT-HY 200, the unique shape of the HIT-Z Anchor Rod allows it to be installed in a standard (hammer drilled, dry or water saturated concrete, above 41 ° F/5°C) uncleaned hole. The benefits are clear: fewer steps, less equipment and extremely high reliability in anchoring applications.
The traditional blow-brush-blow method is also an option. The current industry standard installation method uses compressed air and a wire brush to clean the drill hole. Like all Hilti adhesive anchors, HIT-HY 200 can be installed using the traditional blow-brush-blow method. Because HIT –HY 200 requires only two blows of compressed air, two brushes and two more blows of compressed air (2x2x2) when using the traditional method, it is still faster to install than other adhesives on the market that require at least a 4x4x4. The blow-brush-blow cleaning technique maximizes the application range for the HIT-HY 200.
Available in two versions with the same load performance: HIT-HY 200-R for “regular” working times and HIT-HY 200-A for “accelerated” working times allows contractors to choose the perfect adhesive for the application and jobsite conditions.
Hilti HIT-HY 200 Adhesive Anchor System installed with the Hollow drill bit method, HIT-Z or standard hole cleaning is approved by ICC-ES in the ESR 3187 for use in all seismic zones and uncracked and cracked concrete .
About Hilti, Inc.
Hilti is a world-leading manufacturer and supplier of quality, innovative and specialized tools and fastening systems for the professional user. With more than 1,300 highly trained Hilti account managers and engineers throughout North America and an additional 1,000 Hilti employees nationwide, Hilti expertise covers the areas of powder actuated fastening, drilling and demolition, diamond coring and cutting, measuring, firestopping, screw fastening, adhesive and mechanical anchoring, and strut and hanger systems.
For more information on the Hilti HIT-HY 200 Adhesive Anchor System, please contact Hilti Customer Service. From the U.S., call Hilti, Inc., at 1-800-879-8000 or visit the HY200 info page www.us.hilti.com/HY200; from Canada, call Hilti (Canada) Corporation at 1-800-363-4458 or visit www.ca.hilti.com/HY200.
SEAA Member United Rentals Assists After Tornado - back to top
 Aerial work platforms, telehandlers, power and HVAC equipment were supplied by United Rentals to assist in the cleanup following the tornado that ripped through Moore, OK. |
The massive tornado that struck Moore, Oklahoma destroyed blocks of homes, leaving thousands homeless, and at least 24 people dead.
“With a disaster of this scope, we expect all of our capabilities to be involved in the cleanup and rebuilding efforts - this includes our aerial, trench safety and tool units, as well as our government service specialists,” said David Stewart, director, Customer Care Center, United Rentals.
“We have approximately 70 employees who work in five United Rentals locations in or near the area where the tornado hit. They are currently all involved in the recovery efforts, supported by many other people within our company, including our Emergency Response Team,” he added.
United brought in additional employees from outside the immediate vicinity to assist with ongoing operations, which allowed its employees who were most impacted to focus on stabilizing their own situations.
“At least two of our employees had their homes completely destroyed, although thankfully no one was hurt, and another dozen or so had damage to their homes,” Stewart said. “In addition, we have deployed the United Rentals Emergency Response Unit (ERU) to help the community and assist our customers who are involved in the recovery efforts.”
The ERU is a high-tech, mobile command center that gives the rental company a self-powered base of operations at a disaster site. The unit had previously been located in West Texas where it was assisting with cleanup efforts following the fertilizer plant explosion.
United had immediate requests in Moore, OK for temporary lighting solutions to ensure that first responders could continue to work through the night. Then the company brought in earth- and debris-moving equipment, including front-end loaders, skid steers and other equipment. It also provided temporary power and climate control equipment to assist in the cleanup and the infrastructure re-establishment.
United Rental’s Emergency Response Process
According to Stewart, United Rentals has a specific process that clicks into place once emergency response protocol has been launched.
“With Moore, for example, members of our regional and district leadership, our corporate emergency response team and our senior leadership held a call to review the protocol within two hours of the tornado’s strike,” Stewart said. “Our first order of business in any disaster is always to account for our employees and their families. In this case, we learned that while everyone was safe, 10 employees were in immediate need of housing. We were able to secure hotel rooms for them that same night, and we’re working on longer-term solutions.”
After United’s people are accounted for, the next step is to evaluate whether any of its locations have been impacted. The company then assesses what people in the community will likely need in terms of equipment and supplies.
“With the Moore tornado, we had trucks rolling within hours, carrying additional fleet to supplement the equipment at our area branches,” Stewart said. Many times, in situations like the Moore tornado or Hurricane Sandy, equipment rental companies often work side by side with first responders – and, oftentimes – “competitors.”
“It’s the nature of our business – and it’s a source of pride in our industry that we’re in a position to help,” Stewart said regarding working with other rental outfits. “Because of our scale, United Rentals is in a unique position to provide support by drawing on fleet from across the country if necessary,” Stewart said. “We will do everything in our power to help this community get back on its feet.”
Welcome to New SEAA Members - back to top
North Coast Iron Corp
Anacortes, WA
360-755-3060
The Buffalo Iron Corporation
Buffalo, NY
716-481-8730
Bouchard Steel Erectors LLC
North Bennington, VT
802-753-7250
Garner Brothers Company
Rome, GA
706-234-6334
INDUSTRY |
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Skilled Labor: An Increasingly Scarce Resource - back to top
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During the past six years, the U.S. construction industry shed more than 1.8 million jobs. Construction unemployment reached its peak (27.1 percent) in February 2010, even though the broader economy had been out of the recession for nearly a year. By February 2013, the unemployment rate fell to 15.7 percent—lower than previous years, but still well above historic norms and U.S. economy-wide averages.
The decline can be attributed to the industry’s ability to retain workers during recessions and then rehire them afterward. When referring to this cyclical economic phenomenon, the NCCER concludes that industry recovery and labor recovery are two different things. Although the industry historically has survived economic ups and downs, firms often cannot bring back lost workers who secured employment in other industries.
At the same time, pent-up demand for construction—particularly infrastructure—has been building. The nation’s bridges, highways, water systems, sewer systems, stormwater management systems, dams and levees continue to falter. Technological shifts also are contributing to pent-up construction demand, as office buildings, hotels and other structures increasingly need to be retrofitted to improve performance.
Looking ahead, capital markets will heal, job creation will accelerate and the down cycle in construction will reverse. Much of this already is occurring, with residential construction starts rising during the last several quarters and a handful of nonresidential construction segments, including power, manufacturing, commercial and office, showing signs of life.
The Next Construction Crisis
With activity picking up, a recent construction labor market survey conducted by the Maryland Center for Construction Education and Innovation (MCCEI) confirms the next crisis for construction will not be from a lack of demand, but rather from a lack of skilled craft professionals and construction supervisors.
A revolution in the way construction services are delivered compounds the emerging skills gap. According to the MCCEI survey, 55 percent of respondents indicated that BIM, mobile computing, GPS and other technological advancements represent the most important ways construction will be delivered during the next decade.
Additionally, the Construction Labor Market Analyzer’s 20/20 Foresight Report for the fourth quarter of 2012 projected a nationwide shortage of nearly two million workers. There are about five million current U.S. nonresidential construction workers, with cyclical demand expected to peak at 6.7 million in 2016, according to the report.
To put the shortage in perspective, total employment during the current decade is expected to rise 14.3 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. During the same period, demand will rise 49 percent for reinforcing iron and rebar workers; 42 percent for glaziers; 40 percent for brickmasons and blockmasons; 37 percent for stonemasons and 36 percent for pile-driver operators.
Regional Variances
Much of the industry’s expansion continues to be in energy- and natural resource-intensive areas. Construction employment in North Dakota increased 9 percent in the past two years—more than in any other state. Other rapidly expanding states for construction employment include Alaska (7.2 percent), Louisiana (5.9 percent), Wyoming (5.1 percent) and Texas (5 percent).
States with elevated levels of industrial project volume, such as Louisiana, will experience the highest level of labor demand. Those states likely will drain the qualified and skilled workers from other parts of the United States, which implies that skillsets and shortages likely will migrate across the country over time. Contractors in construction-rich states such as Texas and Louisiana will be in a better position to aggressively recruit talent because they will be able to offer more generous compensation and relocation packages.
Anirban Basu is chief economist for Associated Builders and Contractors. For more information, visit www.abc.org .
New York’s Freedom Tower Topped Off with Spire - back to top
New York City’s skyline added a new skyscraper when One World Trade Center was topped out May 10 with building’s spire crowning the building known as Freedom Tower. The building now rises to a height of 1,776 feet. The Freedom Tower was erected on the site of the World Trade Center Twin Towers that were destroyed during the September 11th attacks in 2001.
Hoisted to the top of the building on May 3, the final section of the spire weighs more than 700 tons. The rigging of the final section included an American flag waving in the wind, a patriotic gesture that pleased hundreds of onsite witnesses to this historic event.
The same Favelle Favco tower crane that has been on the job for more than six years lifted the spire to the top of the building and then hoisted it to its final position on the building’s crown. The 408-foot spire will serve as a broadcast antenna and communications center for the building.
The building’s final height of 1,776 feet signifies the year in which the Declaration of Independence was signed. Freedom Tower will be the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, according to the Port Authority of New York.
Steel Deck Institute New Manual on Roof Deck Design - back to top
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The First Edition of the SDI Roof Deck Design Manual (RDDM) continues the efforts of the Steel Deck Institute to provide uniform industry standards for the engineering, design, manufacture and field usage of steel decks. This manual is now available at http://www.sdi.org/ .
SC&RA Offers Free Assembly/Disassembly Guides to Members- back to top
SC&RA has developed two guides for assembling and disassembling of mobile and tower cranes. These free nine-page guides provide a comprehensive list of tasks and delineate specific responsibilities for the controlling entity, crane owner, crane user, assembly/disassembly director, site supervisor, lift director, and crane operator.
SC&RA member companies can download PDF files of the guides from the “Members Only” section of the association’s website, www.scranet.org , and print as many as needed.
Additionally, SC&RA developed carbonless copy versions of the two-part forms found in sample page format in the assembly/disassembly guides. Both versions are available to SC&RA members in sets of 25 for $12.
LAWS & REGULATIONS |
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OSHA Announces Intent to Extend Compliance Date for Crane Operator Certification Requirements - back to top
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OSHA’s announced proposal to extend the compliance date for the crane operator certification requirement has drawn mixed reactions from the industry.
During the meeting of the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH) on May 23 and 24, Graham Brent, executive director of the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO), asked why testing by capacity is needed.
“Although it is regrettable that it has taken OSHA so long to recognize that the industry has serious problems with the agency's stance on issues such as certifying by capacity and the meaning of certification, it is a vindication of the efforts of concerned industry stakeholders over the past 18 months to raise awareness on these matters that OSHA has, finally, taken notice,” Brent said. “We strongly urge OSHA to pursue the second phase of this initiative—the development of proposed rulemaking—with all haste.”
"An extension of the deadline, already unpopular with many sectors of industry—is worthless without immediate and substantive action to solicit industry comments that will result in a resolution accurately reflecting the intent of the industry group—C-DAC—that OSHA itself assembled to develop this rule," Brent continued.
Members of the original committee established by OSHA (the Cranes and Derricks Advisory Committee or C-DAC committee) have repeatedly said it was not their intent to require operators to be certified by capacity in the way OSHA has since viewed it, according to Brent. Testimony from industry representatives at OSHA’s Stakeholder Meetings in April overwhelmingly confirmed the lack of support for OSHA’s position on this issue, he continued.
“NCCCO has stayed faithful to the wishes of industry and preserved its certification programs in the format that, over the last 17 years, has been proven to save lives and reduce accidents,” Brent said. He noted that CCO certification was “fully compliant” with the C-DAC committee's intent to provide an effective means of ensuring crane operators are certified.
“All CCO certifications comply with the current OSHA federal law,” Brent said, “which, following OSHA's announcement, will remain in place for at least the next four years. NCCCO stands, now as always, behind the 130,000 certifications it has issued since 1996," he added. “CCO-certified operators can rest assured that their certifications are, and will remain, valid.”
Since then, the NCCCO has issued a ‘Top Ten’ list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and answers on the certification by capacity subject, now available at http://www.nccco.org/RuleReopeningFAQ.html .
This includes information on what employers and operators need to consider in the meantime, including recertification and state licensing.
Meanwhile, Debbie Dickinson, executive director of Crane Institute Certification (CIC), said: "The proposed extension to 2017 is likely to pass and OSHA is expected to take the regulation back to negotiated rulemaking. During this time, OSHA will address questions raised regarding certification/qualification and add more language on employer responsibilities. The public can expect separate rulemaking as a result."
“Certification by different capacity levels, as CIC's tests are structured, is a good indication of an individual's skill and knowledge and distinguishes his or her abilities to employers," she continued. "Our mission is saving lives. Certification by different levels of type and capacity gives operators a meaningful credential and gives employers worthwhile information about an operator's knowledge, skill and abilities."
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Update from SEAA Training Committee - back to top
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The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) is dedicated to providing a variety of steel-related, continuing education opportunities. Whether the seminar is brought to a city near you, to your company, or to your laptop, there are several options to match your needs.
AISC’s In-Person Seminar series offers a variety of steel topics that are presented in many cities across the United States. These seminars can also be presented at your company or organization by top professionals and professors in the structural engineering field.
If you cannot attend a seminar, AISC offers live, interactive webinars, which are ideal for staying current on relevant industry subjects while participating from your office and receiving CEUs/PDHs for attendance. AISC also provides recorded webinars and articles with CEUs/PDHs available to participants taking quizzes at the end of each learning session.
As of January 2013, AISC offers a new education program called Night School. The webinars will be a curriculum of courses studying structural steel design and construction topics. Learn more at http://www.aisc.org/content.aspx?id=32578.
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