MCAA National Update for December 8, 2014

This Week

How are You Rewarding Your Key Employees this Year?

MCAA/MSCA Dues Unchanged for 2015

MCAA/CNA Safety Awards Are Now Two Programs

Two New MCAA Student Chapters Make 50

Safety Directors' Pre-Conference Courses...are a "Go" - Sign Up Now

Give the Gift of Safety to Your Employees Who Work with Electricity

MCA of New Jersey Contributes to MCERF

How are You Rewarding Your Key Employees this Year?

The end of the year is near, the time to think about rewards and bonuses for your key employees who have contributed substantially to your company's success. Consider registering them for MCAA 2015 (March 8-12, Wailea, Maui, HI). Beautiful rooms are still available with wonderful views at two convention hotels. The Andaz, Wailea's newest resort gem, offers a memorable tropical experience with beautiful, luxurious accommodations, the best beach in the area, a three-level infinity pool, superb restaurant cuisine and lush, serene surroundings. The Marriott Wailea Beach Resort & Spa, a favorite of MCAA members, is well known for its contemporary rooms offering the ultimate in comfort and featuring the latest high-tech amenities and the best views on Wailea; many of the rooms are just steps from the beach. Express your appreciation to one or more of your well-deserving employees with a Maui memory and being part of MCAA 2015, our industry's best convention ever. The availability of rooms at these two resorts is limited, so don't delay making your employees' dream possible. To register, go to http://www.mcaa.org/mcaa2015. And, if you have questions, please contact Taj Homayouni at thomayouni@mcaa.org or call 800-556-3653.

MCAA/MSCA Dues Unchanged for 2015

The hourly rate for MCAA and MSCA dues will remain at 7 cents per manhour. Minimum and maximum dues will continue to be $840 and $17,500. Dues reporting forms will be sent in time for you to report your January 2015 hours. Please mail your dues payments to MCAA, Department 0749, Washington, DC 20073-0749. For more information, please contact Vickie Mallow at vmallow@mcaa.org.

MCAA/CNA Safety Awards Are Now Two Programs

This year, the MCAA/CNA Safety Awards will become two distinct programs - the MCAA/CNA Safety Excellence Awards and the MCAA Safety Certificates of Commendation Program. The MCAA/CNA Safety Excellence Awards - the most prestigious safety awards program in the mechanical construction and service industry - is now accepting electronic applications at www.mcaa.org/safetyawards, and the deadline for completed applications is January 6, 2015. Awards are based on each participating company's safety performance in 2014, and all MCAA/MSCA members are eligible to compete. Participating companies submit an application that includes a brief description of the company and its safety program, a statement about why the company deserves a top safety award and a brief description of an innovative safety initiative implemented by the company in 2014. The winners will be announced at the Annual Awards of Excellence Ceremony during MCAA 2015 in Wailea, Maui, HI. The MCAA Safety Certificates of Commendation Program opens on January 15, 2015; go to the link above for an annual report form. Every company that submits a completed report form will receive a confidential benchmarking report that compares their company's occupational injury incidence rates with the aggregate rates of the other participants in the same size category and with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics industry averages for the mechanical construction industry. Members that qualify for a certificate of commendation will receive it in April. Reports are due to MCAA by March 31, 2015. Please contact Pete Chaney with questions at pchaney@mcaa.org.

Two New MCAA Student Chapters Make 50

During MCAA 2015 in Maui, HI, MCAA members will have lots to celebrate in America's 50th state, including the establishment of two new student chapters at Western Illinois University (Macomb, IL) and the University of Missouri-Columbia (Columbia, MO). The two new chapters will bring the total MCAA student chapters to 50. The Western Illinois University Construction Management Association has been forming for more than a year. Members and staff of the Eastern Iowa/Western Illinois Mechanical Contractors Association, the chapter's local association sponsor, met with faculty and students several times during the year to discuss the organization, benefits and the process of becoming an MCAA student chapter. Prof. William Suter is the chapter's faculty advisor and Brad Uher is the president. The Eastern Missouri Mechanical Contractors Association is the sponsor of the new MCAA student chapter at the University of Missouri-Columbia (a.k.a. "Mizzou") - the University of Missouri-Columbia Chapter of the Mechanical Contractors Association of America. Members and staff of that local association have been working on this project for several months. Jonathan Calhoun is the chapter's president and Malcolm Sweet of Air Masters, Inc. (Fenton, MO) is the advisor. Charters will be presented to representatives of the two chapters at the Awards of Excellence Ceremony.

Safety Directors' Pre-Conference Courses are a "Go" - Sign Up Now

Those attending the Annual Safety Directors' Conference in San Antonio, TX (January 27-29, 2015) voted "yes" for four courses that offer training in first aid and CPR procedures. Two courses provide training to instructors in those procedures and the other two will instruct those who will render the services. The First Aid Instructor and CPR/AED Instructor courses will take place on January 26 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on January 27 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The First Aid and CPR/AED courses will take place on January 27, from 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Both sets of courses will take place at the same location as the conference. To sign up for a course, please contact Beth Miller at bmiller@mcaa.org or call 800-556-3653.

Give the Gift of Safety to Your Employees Who Work with Electricity

A great gift for your employees who work with electricity is to register them for one of the NFPA 70E Qualified-Level Arc Flash Safety Training Webinars. The webinar will help your service technicians or other employees who work with or around electrical equipment safe from hazards and possible injuries. The webinar content is specifically designed for employees who are potentially exposed to live conductors of 50 volts of electricity or more during their workday, and especially mechanical service technicians who work on units that generate up to 480 volts. They will learn safe work practices that will prevent incidents, injuries and worse. The next webinars will take place on December 18, 2014 at 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Eastern time. Presented by the Hilgeman Group, the session covers all applicable OSHA and NFPA requirements, best practices, NFPA's most recent changes to the 70E requirements and provides participants with real-world accident information to reinforce the training. Contact the Hilgeman Group (ahilgeman@frontier.com) to register.

MCA of New Jersey Contributes to MCERF

The Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation (MCERF) recently received a $12,500 contribution from the MCA of New Jersey, raising its total to $265,000. And, the association designated $2,500 to MCERF Scholarships. The MCERF Board of Trustees is very grateful for the generous donation - especially the scholarship funding - which will help the Foundation continue its education and research program that help our industry grow and thrive. Find out more about MCERF programs and how you can help by visiting www.mcerf.org or contacting Dennis Langley at dlangley@mcaa.org.

The MCAA National Update is is a weekly publication of the
Mechanical Contractors Association of America
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Questions? Contact Ann Mattheis, Editor, Phone: 301-869-5800; Fax: 301-990-9690