Take 5 Vol. XXIV, No. 3
| May 2011
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CHUCK PETTINGER OF PREDICTIVE SOLUTIONS ADDRESSES MCAG APRIL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
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The April membership meeting of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Georgia featured a presentation by Chuck Pettinger of Predictive Solutions.
During his introduction of Pettinger, MCAG president John McKenney noted that 70 percent of accidents involve employees with 15 or more years with a company. He also noted that most injuries come from bad decisions made through good intentions.
McKenney also observed that the future of the industry is in safety and in developing a safety culture. He noted that LU 72 is a great partner in becoming injury free, and he added that safety can be one way to differentiate being a union contractor.
 
From left: MCAG President John McKenney, McKenney's, Inc., and speaker Chuck Pettinger of Predictive Solutions.
McKenney then turned the podium over to Chuck Pettinger. In his remarks, Pettinger emphasized the importance of building a lasting safety culture within your company. The goal, he said, is to make workplace injuries as uncommon as someone not buckling up.
According to Pettinger, several factors drive the development of a safety culture. These include appropriate corporate core values, a shift in emphasis from accountability to responsibility, and motivation from inside out. He also noted the differences between performance management and a safety culture, underlining the importance of having a company's management team be totally engaged in safety.
Pettinger noted that by reducing the number of times employees are put at risk, you are also reducing the likelihood of an accident. He reminded those present to make changes before a situation becomes dangerous, pointing out that failure to evaluate risk before a task is performed may actually turn out to be more time consuming in the end.
A large crowd attended the meeting, which focused on developing a safety culture in your organization.
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2011 NCPWB TECHNICAL COMMITTEE MEETS
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The NCPWB Technical Committee met in late April in Santa Fe, New Mexico to discuss a number of key areas of significant importance to the industry.
MCAG was represented at the meeting by Buddy Harvard, Specialty Mechanical Services and Chapter 23 president; Stinson Batchelor, K & B Mechanical Contractors, NCPWB trustee and Chapter 23 technical director; Gary Fowler, MCAG executive; and Vickie Barger, Chapter 23 program administrator. Local Union 72 was represented by George Head, business manager, and Jeff Housworth, pipefitter business agent. Mechanical Trades Institute was represented by Lance Streetman, executive director, and Cajun Seeger, weld director.
Above, from left: Panelists for the panel discussion included Nick Nikpourfard, executive director of NCPWB; Bob Durr, Jr., NCPWB chairman of the Technical Committee of Durr Mechanical Construction, Inc.; Bob Silvia, Process Engineers & Constructors and NCPWB chairman of the Board of Trustees; and Walt Sperko, of Sperko Engineering Services and NCPWB consultant. Below, from left: Mac Lynch, William F. Lynch Company, Inc., and MCAA president elect; Bob Silvia, Process Engineers & Constructors and NCPWB Chairman of the Board of Trustees; and Gary Fowler, MCAG executive.
Above from left: Phil Martin, technical director for UA; Randy Gandy, technical specialist, UA; and Cajun Seeger, welding director, LU 72. Below from left: Vickie Barger, program administrator Chapter 23; Bob Durr, Jr., NCPWB chairman of the Technical Committee; and Bob Durr, Sr., chairman emeritus of the NCPWB Board of Trustees of Durr Mechanical Construction Inc. Bottom, from left: Mac Lynch, William F. Lynch Company, Inc., and MCAA president elect, and Buddy Harvard, Specialty Mechanical Services Inc. and Chapter 23 president.
Here's a look at some of the highlights of the meeting.
UA Update
A number of key issues were discussed, including the visual acceptance of substandard weld test coupons. Steps to address this situation were discussed. Also discussed was the UA's recently instituted "two-strike" policy, which addresses welders who fail a UA or contractor's weld test two consecutive times, or who are terminated for cause for weld quality two consecutive times, or any combination of those. Bill Hite noted, "Whoever controls the welders will control the work." Several new programs have been started by the UA to address welder training, welder recruitment, welder retention and welder quality. The UA has introduced course matrices for increased welder training, and students under accelerated programs have to complete tests in various test positions. Site-specific welder evaluation training programs were also discussed as a way to offer owners and contractors the assurance they need that the welding will be done in full compliance with their requirements.  
Above left, from left: Stinson Batchelor, K&B Mechanical Contractors, Inc., NCPWB trustee and Chapter 23 technical director; and Bob Durr, Jr., of Durr Mechanical Construction, Inc., NCPWB chairman of the technical committee. Above right, from left: Phil Martin, technical director for UA, and George Head, LU 72 business manager. Below left, from left: Buddy Harvard, Specialty Mechanical Services, Inc., and Chapter 23 president, and Nick Nikpourfard, executive director of NCPWB. Below right, from left: Randy Gandy, technical specialist, UA, and Jeff Housworth, LU 72 pipefitter agent.   Above, from left: Lance Streetman, LU 72 JATT executive director, and Phil Martin, technical director for UA. Below, from left: Timothy Gilligan, UA Local 537 technical coordinator; Randy Ward, UA special representative; and Lance Streetman, LU 72 JATT executive director. A number of NCPWB chapter issues were also addressed. Round-table discussion topics included maintaining currency when individuals are unemployed or are working at training centers; promotion of NCPWB to service and plumbing contractors; best practices from chapters regarding operation, record keeping, etc.; finding membership opportunities; capturing every welder's records from test events, and dealing with welders who cannot weld. Special presentations focused on Weiler Abrasive Products and on Harris Filler Metal. A number of general topics were also discussed, including the NFPA 54 National Fuel Gas Code; AWS prequalified welding procedure specifications; brazing continuity; the revised joint UA/NCPWB welder and brazer policy; and utilization of the National Welder Database. The meeting also included a chapter operations seminar as well as the 2011 NCPWB board meeting. |
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SHANE STRICKLAND AND LANCE McCRAVY APPOINTED TO STATE OF GEORGIA PLUMBING LICENSING BOARD
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 Congratulations to Shane Strickland, LU 72 and MCAG Joint Apprenticeship and Training Trust Technical Director, and to Lance McCravy, LU 72 Special Representative, for their appointment by Georgia Governor Nathan Deal to the State of Georgia Plumbing Licensing Board. In the photo (left to right) are Shane Strickland; George Head, LU 72 Business Manager; and Lance McCravy. |
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CAJUN SEEGER AND VICKIE BARGER RECOGNIZED FOR ONGOING CONTRIBUTIONS TO TECHNICAL COMMITTEE
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 Cajun Seeger and Vickie Barger have been recognized for their ongoing contributions to the industry and participation in the Technical Committee. Cajun Seeger, thrid from right, received his first award for his contributions to the industry and participation in the Technical Committee meetings for the last five consecutive years. Vickie Barger, fourth from left, received her fifth five consecutive years award. |
MCAG JUNE MEETING TO FEATURE JOHN YALE
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The June meeting of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Georgia, scheduled for June 7 at the Georgian Club, will feature a presentation by John Yale.
Yale, who will discuss "Standard of Excellence: Taking the Next Steps," resides in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Our speaker graduated from the UA Local 469 apprenticeship program as a Steamfitter in 1970. He was a partner with J.B. Rodgers Mechanical Contractors, in Phoenix, Ariz.,from 1980-1998, and from 1998-2005 he was CEO/President of TriMega-Joint Venture between Kinetics and Air Products and Chemicals.
He is a past chairman of the MCAA Education Committee.
Presently, Yale assists the UA's ITF program by presenting the United Association Standard of Excellence and how to implement it. At the June meeting, he will be speaking on LU 72's commitment to assisting contractors in having the best workplace ethics.
The meeting will begin at 11 a.m. at the Georgian Club, located at 100 Galleria Parkway, Suite 1700, in Atlanta. |
REMINDER!
PROJECT MANAGER'S WORKSHOP REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS MAY 10 | |
Just a reminder that the deadline for registering for the Project Manager's Workshop is May 10.
The workshop will be held May 17 at the Holiday Inn Select Atlanta Perimeter-Dunwoody, at 4386 Chamblee Dunwoody Road off I-285 at Exit 30.
Workshop presenter Tom Williams, P.E., will look at "Six Habits of the Highly Profitable Project Manager." The program is designed for company principals, top executives, foremen and key project management staff.
There will be no MIC Management Retreat this year, so plan to take advantage of this one-day workshop to obtain continuing education and professional development hours. To register, contact the MCAG offices.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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MIC Project Manager Seminar - May 17
MCAG Membership Meeting -- Georgian Club
- June 7 - Speaker, John Yale speaking on "Implementation of UA Standard for Excellence"
NCPWB Georgia/Florida Chapter 23 Board Meeting - June 24, 2011.
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MEMBERSHIP LISTING |
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Mechanical Contractors Association of Georgia Inc.
Mechanical Industries Council
Georgia/Florida National Certified Pipe Welding Bureau
# A Accurate Plumbing Company
A & R Mechanical Enterprises, LLC
ARS Mechanical, LLC
# + Action Elec. & Mech. Contractors
Air Duct & Mech. Component Cleaning
AirCond Corporation
Amason Mechanical Services, Inc.
American HVAC
# Art Plumbing Company Augusta Chiller Services # + B & W Mechanical Contractors
Blue Chip Air, Inc.
Boling Heating & Cooling, Inc.
Brantley Services
Building Environ. Systems Services + C & M Piping Solutions Certified Air Conditioning Company
Clark Plumbing Company
# + Cleveland Mechanical Services
Crescent Mechanical Systems, Inc.
# DNS Consolidated
The Dickerson Group, Inc.
Dixie Electrical & Mechanical
Contractors of Macon, Inc.
# + Emcon Services
Enerfab, Inc.
Engineered Technical Services, Inc.
Excelco Industrial Services, Inc.
+ F & S Mechanical and Plumbing Service
# 1st Mechanical Services
# Fletcher Mechanical, Inc.
# Alan Foster Plumbing, Inc.
# Frazier Service Company, Inc. # Galgon HVAC & Mechanical Service
# Greenco of Augusta, Inc.
HVAC Control Services, Inc.
HVAC Service, Inc.
# Paul W. Heard & Company
# Honeywell, Incorporated
# + Inglett & Stubbs, Inc.
# Johnson Controls, Inc.
# + K & B Mechanical Contractors L & C Mechanical
# Linc Mechanical Services
Lord Plumbing, Inc.
M & S Specialty Welding
# + MCI Enterprises, Inc.
MDI Services, LLC
MLS Concrete Drilling & Sawing
# + Mallory & Evans, Inc. # Mallory & Evans Service Company
# + Mann Mechanical Company # + Maxair, Inc.
McAbee Construction
# + McKenney's, Inc.
Mechanical & Plumbing Solutions, Inc.
# + Mechanical Associates, Inc.
Mechanical Services, Inc.
Merritt & Sons Plumbing, Inc.
C. R. Meyer and Sons Company Morrison Heating & Air Conditioning
# + Muns Welding & Mechanical, Inc. NAX Enterprises, LLC
PAR Mechanical & Plumbing
P.I.E., Inc.
# Padgett Group
Panola Enterprises, Inc.
# Patton Mechanical Payne Williams, Inc.
# + Peachtree Mechanical, Inc.
# + Player and Company
Popham Mechanical Contractors
Prestige Mechanical Contractors
R & R Refrigeration
RDH Mechanical Contractors
REI - Ragan Enterprises, Inc.
RTS Water Solutions
Ragan Mechanical Contractors, Inc.
Rome Mechanical Shriver Mechanical
Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
Dale Sims Heating & A/C Service
# + Specialty Mechanical Services, Inc.
Standridge Plumbing # Stallworth Mechanical Contractors Standridge Plumbing Company
System Controls & Services
TA Services
# Tenant Mechanical, Inc.
# + J. S. Thomas Mechanical, LLC
# J. S. Thomas Service, Inc. Trans Logic Corporation
Viking Industrial, Inc.
# + W. B. Wallis & Company
Welding Services, Inc. WeldTech Services Corporation A. L. Williams Heating & Plumbing
# + Willis Mechanical, Inc.
# Also Members of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Georgia, Inc.
+ Also Members of the National Certified Pipe Welding Bureau
Gary P. Fowler 4500 Hugh Howell Road Suite 250 Tucker, Georgia 30084 770.934.1427 (FAX 770.934.1429) www.mcageorgia.org
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