Our Customers
Spring is in full bloom as you read this (and as I write it, with 65 degree temperatures in February). Hopefully, the phones are starting to ring and work is beginning to pick up for us all. If you recall my last letter, you know I will be elaborating on the second leg of our mission statement at Cornerstone Foundations… serving and bringing lasting benefit…
“To our customers… Exceeding expectations through quality workmanship and service.”
The message rings loud and clear across the business landscape… the customer is king. Marketing experts quote Ralph Waldo Emerson as saying, ”the customer is the immediate jewel of our souls.” And most are familiar with Sam Walton’s premise, “There is only one boss. The customer.” All expressions of capitalism exist to meet the needs of the customer. The construction industry is surely not exempt from this driving force. But wait a minute; could there be more?
One cannot escape the enviable success of Apple, Inc. these days. Jockeying with Exxon-Mobil as the most valuable corporation, being a darling of design and product performance and achieving record sales during such tough economic times; we assume they must know a thing or two about what the customer wants. For example, the recently deceased CEO, Steve Jobs, was willing to respond to emails from complaining customers, (equally willing to provide frank responses). At product launches, he was a hybrid of super salesman, company evangelist and enthusiastic user of the newest products. While he clearly connected with his customer, his underlying premise is immensely intriguing. He said, “A lot of times people don’t know what they want until you show it to them.”
Understanding our need to be led and be popular, he capitalized on it to build, and profit from, a great line of products. But his biography shows a different, and simpler, motivation. That of a man wanting to build a product that he would enjoy using himself. He said, “ We didn’t build the Mac for anybody else. We built it for ourselves… We just wanted to build the best thing we could build.” So, while Apple offers simple yet innovative products that are reliable and intuitive to use (even if you are over 50…), there is an underlying motivation that sounds very much like the “Golden Rule”. If they designed a product that they loved; then there was a good chance their customers would feel the same.
From our early days as a company, the Apple approach of serving the customer through innovative and useful products has been our hallmark. As a mason, I used to think out loud that there had to be a better product to build a basement with. I discovered solid concrete walls and a business was born. Yet it was more than a great, well built, product; I was driven to offer services that made the builders’ life easier. Like offering a complete foundation package (new to our area), or just being willing to clean up our own trash. Or becoming a local expert in using insulating systems for removable forms. These things were possible thanks to bright and talented employees as well as CFA membership, which gave us access to industry leaders and the latest innovative tools and equipment.
There is another side to this story of course. No matter how much you try, some customers just cannot be pleased. At what point do you have to stop “giving in” to unreasonable demands and just walk away? Early in business, I was inclined to fight for what I saw was right, and I burned a number of bridges in the process. Somewhere along the way, I realized that King Solomon was right when he wrote,
“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches; and loving favor rather gold.” (Proverbs 22:1). Even Jobs understood this perspective of success. He said, “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed saying we’ve done something wonderful… that matters to me.”
We are talking about more than just offering great service; but rather, treating the customer the way you would want to be treated. It takes great wisdom and patience knowing how and when to apply these principles.
In closing, I’d like to offer a clarification as well as a caution. Emerson’s quote above was part of an 1844 address commemorating the emancipation of slaves in the British West Indies. The context reveals his view that a misplaced emphasis on the customer being first had led to the justification and continuation of slavery. While he was advocating for a change of perspective, the quote originated almost two centuries earlier and leaves us with a different understanding of where to place our focus.
Good name in man and woman, dear my lord, Is the immediate jewel of their souls: Who steals my purse steals trash; ‘tis something, nothing; ‘Twas mine, ‘tis his, and has been slave to thousands; But he that filches from me my good name Robs me of that which not enriches him And makes me poor indeed. William Shakespeare, Othello Tim Parrish, CFA President, Cornerstone Foundations tim@cfpours.comConcrete Reinforcing Steel Institute Recommends Return to Inch-Pound
At their recent meeting on November 9, the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI) Board of Directors urged all CRSI producer members to revert to an inch-pound bar marking system for all sizes and grades of deformed reinforcing steel products. CRSI members produce more than 90% of domestic reinforcing steel.
The intention of this resolution is for all new rollings of reinforcing steel products to be marked with inch-pound bar markings no later than January 1st, 2014.
Providing a 25-month phase in period should permit producer members sufficient time to re-tool finish roll inventory to the inch-pound marking system as rolls need to be replaced, significantly reducing or eliminating the need to unnecessarily cut new rolls to meet the resolution.
As the ASTM specifications for reinforcing steel products permit reinforcing bars to be marked in either soft metric, or inch-pound markings, existing inventory of soft metric bars can continue to be sold alongside inch-pound marked bars during and after the January 1st, 2014, phase-in target.
The intention of this resolution is to reduce confusion and the chance of errors or delays from the construction supply chain. CRSI members are strongly encouraged to revert to the inch-pound marking system for steel reinforcing bars as soon as practical to minimize any additional confusion to the supply chain of steel reinforcing bars.
This change is the result of several actions. The Federal Highway Administration no longer mandates metrification of federally funded road and bridge construction projects and all state Departments of Transportation no longer require materials to be specified and sourced in metric sizes/quantities. Additionally, a large majority of the non-governmental construction community never adopted metric measurements in their plans and specifications. The American Concrete Institute (ACI), through their Technical Activities Committee (TAC), has strongly encouraged CRSI members to mark reinforcing bars with traditional inch-pound size designations.
ACI is the standards body within the United States responsible for developing the concrete building code. The concrete building code and other ACI documents reference the inch-pound size as the primary designation.
“It made logical sense for the industry to begin the process to move away from soft metric markings,” said Robert Risser, CRSI President. “None of our private or government customers are using metric plans or specifications any longer. The phase-in period will allow industry members to make the change over at minimal additional expense. CRSI is now in the process of making the appropriate changes to our manuals and literature.”
Fall Protection Systems in Residential Construction:FORMWORK SCAFFOLD BRACKETS – A Feasibility Study
Dear CFA Members-
In the wake of last year’s decision by OSHA to rescind the rule allowing residential contractors to walk atop concrete walls, I know that many of you have searched for a feasible way to be OSHA compliant and most have found nothing. Could that be because walking atop formwork is the safest way to accomplish the job? I think so.
Last year at the World of Concrete, I searched the aisles for a viable, out-of-the-box solution to address my fall protection dilemma. Finding nothing new, I elected to make a sizable investment in formwork scaffold brackets and certified planks, not just because I wanted to protect myself from hefty OSHA fines, but also because I wanted to protect my workers. For years, I had been concerned about worker safety while walking atop formwork, but felt helpless to change the way things had always been done. Naively, I believed the latest change in OSHA regulations was an opportunity to improve safety for my crews without me having to be the “bad guy”. Unfortunately, that could not have been farther from the truth.
We began utilizing formwork scaffolding for all of our residential work in March 2011, three and a half months before we were required to do so because I didn’t want to change our procedures mid-season. By the first week of June, just shy of when the new regulation was to take effect, I realized there was no way we would ever be OSHA compliant, using this system, as the fixed unit system could not be configured to accommodate the complexity and individuality we were seeing in residential foundations. Furthermore, it had become obvious to me that the workplace was not safer. In fact, I was certain that the number of expensive, back-related worker comp claims would surely increase, if we continued with this system since we had already observed increases in worker fatigue…but what to do?
They say, “timing is everything”, and it was right at that time that I had the fortunate luck of receiving, yet another e-mail from my insurance company, reminding me of the June 16 deadline for implementation of conventional fall protection. Like numerous other emails I had already received, this one had multiple links for additional resources and information, including a link to Appendix E, where I found a sample Alternate Fall Protection Plan (AFPP). I had known that AFPP’s were an option, but only if you could prove infeasibility, not related to financial hardship. Up to this point, I had not even taken the time to investigate Appendix E because I hadn’t believed there was a possible way to prove infeasibility of the formwork scaffold system. However, feeling frustrated and doubting my ability to successfully implement the scaffold system, and knowing there wasn’t anything else out there, I clicked the link to view the sample plan, written by and for the pre-cast concrete industry. I remember thinking to myself, “Let’s just see what makes PCI so special that they don’t have to use conventional fall protection.”
As I read through the PCI AFPP, I discovered that it wasn’t that they were so special but rather they made sensible arguments. In fact, many of the infeasibility arguments they presented as justifications for using an AFPP were arguably relevant to the removable concrete form (RCF) industry, and it was at that moment I realized the CFA had a LOT of work to do.
Immediately, I contacted Jim Baty, and rattling at a hundred miles per hour, told him that I, like many others, believed the use of formwork scaffold systems had been limited, due to financial reasons, but that wasn’t true. “We haven’t been using scaffold systems, because they don’t work to make the job-site safer, and I have proof that this is the case.” With Jim’s editorial assistance, I set out to fashion a feasibility study to document Michel Concrete’s experience with formwork scaffold systems, so that other CFA companies would have access to the same information, without having the same expense, frustration, and exposure to additional work comp claims.
I am pleased to announce, that within this issue of Concrete Facts, the Michel scaffold feasibility study is finally published and available to everyone for use as a resource in developing their own company specific AFPP. I hope you will find it to be a useful tool, and I look forward to working with anyone who needs further assistance.
Working together to improve the industry is what it is all about. I am a proud member of the CFA.
Mary J Wilson President (217) 698-9800 office (217) 793-6212 fax (217) 971-0920 cell Note to Reader: The feasibility study originally published in Concrete Facts has not been included with this online article. That study along with many other resources for fall protection are now available to CFA members only in an Alternate Fall Protection Plan kit. Members may purchase this kit for download with a $150 donation to the CFA Education and Research Fund. For more information contact Jim Baty at CFA Headquarters.OSHA Videos Focus On How To Protect Construction Workers
Two- to four-minute videos (English and Spanish versions) cover falls, workers struck by vehicles, sprain and strain injuries, trenching and excavation hazards, and carbon monoxide poisoning
Created: November 14, 2011
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration released 13 educational videos
http://www.osha.gov/dts/vtools/construction.htmlabout potential hazards in the construction industry. The educational videos are easy to understand, short (two to four minutes long) segments and geared to employers and workers.
Each year, nearly 800 construction workers die on the job; one in every five workplace fatalities occurs within the construction industry. The videos are based on real-life incidents and include detailed depictions of hazards and the safety measures that would have prevented these injuries and fatalities.
“I urge anyone who works in the construction industry or operates a construction business to watch the videos. Share them with your coworkers and friends in the construction industry; organize screenings for your workers; and post them to your web pages,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Health and Safety Dr. David Michaels. “Every step we take to educate workers about their rights and the safety measures employers must take to protect workers in construction helps us avoid preventable injuries and the tragic loss of life.”
These videos cover falls in construction, workers who are struck by vehicles and heavy equipment, sprain and strain injuries, trenching and excavation hazards, and carbon monoxide poisoning. These videos are written for workers and employers, including workers with limited English proficiency.
Most of the videos are two to four minutes in length, and all but one are animated. Each video is available in English and Spanish for Web viewing or downloading. All video scripts are also available online in English and Spanish. The videos are located at:
http://www.osha.gov/dts/vtools/construction.html
Spanish-language videos are available at:
http://www.osha.gov/dts/vtools/construction_sp.html
After selecting a video from this page, users may choose to watch the video online, download the videos for future screenings, or view the videos on the U.S. Department of Labor’s YouTube channel. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov
Why I Remain A Member!
The CFA has been a volunteer choice for our business and my family for 25 years. We’ve been involved as directors on the CFA Board, we’ve been to countless events like the Summer Convention and we put a lot of effort into being a CFA member. For years, we’ve not been shy in stating that we get far more back from being a member than what we put in.
You cannot always place a price on the value of a network. In fact, I’d say it is impossible to place a price tag on networking until it directly benefits or impacts your business. Well, this week we experienced a benefit of the CFA that not only has placed a price on the value of our CFA membership, it has paid for our membership for the next 20 years.
On August 15, 2011 we received a surprise inspection from OSHA on one of our project sites. We had been at the recent CFA Summer Convention and had heard of the pending changes to fall protection and were, in fact, putting energy into developing a corporate position on fall protection and related regulations. Still, the inspection came and we were suddenly presented with citations totaling $17,500. A date was set for our informal conference with the OSHA office and we immediately went to work. By contacting the CFA, we were offered a teleconference with the CFA OSHA Regulation Task Force that includes Mary Wilson of Michel Concrete in Springfield, IL and Lance Jordan of Stephens and Smith from Lincoln, NE as well as CFA Staff Jim Baty. During this teleconference, we reviewed each citation, the regulations impacting the decision and the position that we could/should take as a company. The guidance we received at that time gave us confidence that we could enter into the informal conference armed with knowledge of the regulations and how to make objections to the citations issued.
We were rewarded for our effort in preparation and our ability to access the expertise of the CFA resulting in a total of $3,920 for the violations we were cited for. Three of the citations were deleted and the other two were substantially reduced. In our informal settlement agreement with OSHA we were allowed to make payments on our penalties without interest, the first payment becoming due in March of 2012. This was very helpful, so we could get through the slow winters months without having an additional expense.
Were it not for the knowledge of this Task Force and the willingness to help us prepare for this conference, I am confident the outcome would have been much different and far more damaging to operation. This is not to say that we should not have been responsible for infractions to the regulatory requirements, but rather we can demonstrate the knowledge and fair application of the regulations to our business operation and to show compliance in ways that may not be inherently obvious. Thank you CFA, Mary, Lance and Jim.
CFA membership has never been a doubt for us at ABI Corporation but now it is something we feel is a cornerstone for the foundation of our business. It is a must in this ever-changing world of regulation, competition and risk.
To find out more about the teleconference opportunities with this Task Force, contact Jim Baty, CFA Technical Director at jbaty@cfawalls.org or 866-232-9255.
Dan Bromley
Dan Bromley, President of ABI Corp, Lee’s Summit, Missouri
IT’S ABOUT THAT TIME… What are you waiting for?
We’re turning the calendar in less than a month by the time you read this and all indicators point to two things; 1) the market is turning as quickly as a super liner stuck in icefilled waters and 2) companies are trying to find new ways to resource ideas and test possibilities.
It is also true that as a foundation company, you are working more hours with fewer staff and crewmembers and many of you are out there for the first time in years adding your hard labor to the effort. Therefore, the last thing you need to deal with is a higher volume of messages and notes to read through when you do find a minute to absorb information that may be beneficial to your growth, or perhaps survival. Social this, social that; email this, spam that. But that is precisely what you must do, you must find a way to climb into the age of digital networking for one very important reason; it reacts and responds to your time schedule and yours alone.
The truth is, there are more options and opportunities for you to become absorbed in divvying your time out to an ever-increasing of connections and networks than you can even hope to put your mind around. Therefore, why not place your trust in the network you have an established appreciation and respect for, the CFA to guide you and get you set up?
Over the past two years I have been laying the groundwork for members of the CFA to become involved in a vital network that connects you to your peers when it is convenient for you, when it offers an meaningful opportunity to you or when you have a burning issue that you’d like others to help you address. This network is LinkedIn. Pull out your copy of Concrete Facts Vol. 16-2, 16-4 or 18-3 and you will find both evidence of the practical opportunity in this invitation as well as a guide to getting involved.
Over the past few months, this has become even more important with companies just like you influenced by or leery of the changing landscape of OSHA regulation and concrete codes. Yet, despite the reality of this concern, there are only 31 individuals from the CFA taking advantage of the connection to the private network and discussion group “CFA Members” (figure 1).
Figure 1 At time of printing, 31 people have joined the private CFA
Members group at LinkedIn. Where are you?
His struggle has reminded us that we need to be here to make it real for you…and by real I mean real EASY. So, here goes.
Step 1: Follow the following link: http://www.linkedin.com (fig 2.).
Figure 2
Step 2: Enter your first name, last name and your email address as well as a complying password. This is all you need…
Figure 3 Google’s Gmail is one of the easiest and quickest free email account
systems. If you don’t have an email address, get one here or choose
another free and easy one that you can access regularly. You need a private
business email address these days to really begin being effective with your
customers.
STOP…I know at least one of you just made the comment “but I don’t have an email address”. This is not the first time we’ve heard the comment and it won’t be the last. The solution is easy. If you don’t have an email address, get a free one right now by opening another browser window or tab and typing in http://www.gmail.com (fig 3.) and following a similar set of instructions after you click the red “Create an Account” button in the upper right corner. This email address is web-based only, doesn’t require any other program on your computer and can be accessed from anywhere you are at any given time with that simple address, mobile or other device included. There are many great free email account options for you but let’s face it, Google is growing the fastest and is likely the most reliable. If you want to know things like how to access your email, and anything else of interest, call me. I’m here for you. Returning to Step 1, you should be ready now to set up your free LinkedIn account.
Step 3: Once you have entered the free account information, you are going to be taken to a screen that starts your profile (fig 4.).
Figure 4
Figure 5
Some quick information is all that is needed at first so that you can be identified to an industry and a region. After this, you can skip the step that helps you search for contacts (fig 5.). You will then receive an email from LinkedIn to the email address you have set up. Find that email and follow the directions to confirm the network’s ability to communicate with you and then your profile is created.
Figure 6
The next screen you see is a login screen followed by a welcome screen (fig 6.). This screen will begin pre-selecting people you may know based on your initial set-up responses like industry and region.
Again, you can skip this step for speed as you’ll have constant chances to find people you may know. Skip the next two steps that ask you to share your profile and upgrade your account. We’re keeping this simple.
Finally, you should arrive at the screen that you will now see every time you login (fig 7.). This is where we will now work to get you connected to our discussion groups. Remember that the idea here is to connect you to the CFA networks that allow you to communicate on your time schedule and on the topics that interest you. So, here we go.
Figure 7
Step 4: In the upper right corner of the screen will be a search box. It will say “People” but you can click here and pull it down to select “Groups”. Then, you will enter “CFA Members” in this search box to find and request to join the private group exclusive to your membership in this association.
Once you have hit the “return” or “enter” key or click the magnifying glass to conduct the search, you will have a screen that returns the results of your search (fig 8.). You will see the yellow button with “join Subgroup” under the description of our group. This will send a request to me as the administrator to verify your active membership and approve your connection to this group.
Figure 8
Additionally, I suggest that you repeat this step for “Concrete Foundations” which is our public group for the world to join. You may also have noticed on your screen (fig 8.) that “Concrete Foundations” shows up under other groups that people have explored based on your request for CFA members. This is an easy way to join that group as well. It does not require approval from me to join the public group. That’s all it takes to join LinkedIn and join our groups.
The next issue we will take a look at this group in greater detail and the discussion process. However, keep this simple idea in mind, keep your comments brief, encouraging your idea but not posting your entire thought. This is a place for broadening the discussion not providing a dissertation. You can communicate directly to people using other means if you want to send a larger dialogue. Happy discussion-ing!
A SUSTAINING VISION: YOU AND OUR ASSOCIATION
Most of us are familiar with the name Andrew Carnegie, the industrial giant and shrewd investor from over a century ago. We’ve heard he was a man who both acquired and then gave away enormous amounts of wealth and who said, “The man who dies rich thus dies disgraced.” Less known is how Carnegie was driven to pass on his secrets of success to generations to come by funding and mentoring 20 years of research that led to the writing of Napolean Hill‘s classic, “How To Think and Grow Rich”. Though plenty evidence of his selfish ambition exists, he clearly was an individual driven by a vision to leave the world in a better place than it was in when he entered it.
In the new economy we find ourselves in, the need for a sustaining vision is crucial to the survival of our companies. In 2007, our management team worked hard to get our core values defined and it resulted in a mission statement…
“Building solid concrete walls to serve and bring lasting benefit to the lives of our fellow employees, customers and community.”
It revealed our one key value with three areas of focus. We visualized them as a three legged stool…. all the legs need to be solidly in place or we end up flat on the ground! With the three remaining president’s letters I am privileged to write, I plan to share on each of those areas.
“To our employees… Training to develop a proprietor mentality.”
The question was how do we bring lasting benefit to an employee’s life? Was it best to “simply give them a fish, or teach them how to fish?” Business is really just an extension of the family, and as owners we desire to pass on the “family business” to the next generation. That means identifying those “sons and daughters” who are faithful in the little things and gradually entrusting them with more areas of responsibility. It means fostering those owner traits like optimism, enthusiasm, risk taking and self discipline. For example, an owner has to see beyond today’s job, thinking and planning ahead. An owner resists taking no as an answer but rather is creative in finding solutions when roadblocks appear. These are some of the many qualities we strove to recognize and develop in our employees’.
There is a caveat however. In many ways, this truly is a secret, available for all but not before one is ready. As Hill states in the preface, “It has not been directly named, for it seems to work more successfully when it is merely uncovered and left in sight, where those who are ready, and searching for it, may pick it up.”
So I encourage us all to model these traits ourselves, throwing in some patience when our expectations are not met. Let’s recognize and raise up those future owners who will soon lead our businesses and our industry.
Tim Parrish, CFA President, Cornerstone Foundations tim@cfpours.comInsurance Captive – Yes, You Need To Know
I last wrote about the CFA Insurance Captive in this forum a little over a year ago so its time to get on the pulpit yet again. If this were a normal business climate, the captive would have been in operation for nearly a year. We need approximately $3 million premiums to meet the threshold for the underwriter and reinsurers. Three years ago the same group of contractors who have currently committed would have been at least $5 million. Because business is down, insurance premiums are lower. Instead of $5 million we are currently at around $2.5 million so we still are seeking a few good, forward-thinking contractors who want to get in on the ground floor. It’s not too late.
Why am I stating my case yet again? Quite simply, in my 19 years as director of this association there has never been a member benefit (you have to be a member to participate) that will have as much impact on your business operations and which will return several times over (ten, twenty, thirty times or more), annually, the cost of membership when the captive and risk management aspects are developed. It typically takes around 3 years to build the reserve pool and develop the risk management portion of the program but in the interim you will have better coverage with fewer exclusions and a dedicated support team with the interests of your industry at heart. You will be collecting and sharing data about risks and occurrences that happen in your businesses. There is nothing else like it in our industry (with the possible exception of the CSDA program on which ours is based).
This is a foreign concept to most of you. It is not a group buying effort. We tried those in the past and they did not work. I have sat through at least a dozen presentations explaining the program and I learn more about it each and every time. You need to take the first step. You owe it to yourself and to your company to take a serious look at this program.
Those who have committed will gladly share their impressions of the program and the management team and the consultants are willing to schedule one-on-one presentations and answer sessions to deal with any concerns, misconceptions, or other misgivings you might have. All questions are answered honestly and straight-forward with no obfuscation (look it up).
The initial meeting of those who expressed interest to serve as trustees for the effort met recently in Chicago. We also set a tentative due date for, as Jay Odice our consultant calls it, “birthing the captive”. That date is April of 2012. Underwriters and reinsurers are ready, the team is ready, we simply need to get to our base premium level.
If there is sufficient interest, we will set-up an information webinar in the next 2-3 weeks. No obligations, no travel, just an opportunity to ask questions and take part in a CFA initiated member benefit that could save you tens of thousands of dollars. Call the CFA if you are interested in the program or the webinar.
- Contact Jim Baty, jbaty@cfawalls.org or 866-232-9255, to obtain a copy of our 50-min self-moderated PowerPoint presentation covering this program.
- Watch the presentation at your leisure.
- Watch for upcoming announcements for a Q&A teleconference.
- Stop by our WOC booth and discuss the program with our manager, Tom Hall.
- Submit your loss history and get involved (does not require completion of any steps above).
CFA Announces Availability of Alternate Fall Protection Plan for Members
Member companies now have access to a model or draft alternate fall protection plan conforming to the requirements of OSHA 1926.502(k). This document details the recommended plan for companies delivering concrete foundations for projects identified as “residential construction” by OSHA’s recently implemented STD 03-11-002.
“The Alternate Fall Protection Plan is a collaborative effort of CFA staff and key CFA member contractors with a passion for providing solutions not just for their company but for the greater good of all companies in the network,” states Ed Sauter, CFA Executive Director. “The sole purpose for this draft plan is to pass along the efforts of a few to benefit the many, a trademark of many similar efforts by CFA members.”
Over the course of about six months, CFA members have been consumed by the looming implementation of the latest OSHA standard for fall protection. This standard is a dramatic change of policy over recent years, no longer exempting those in the residential construction industry from fall protection measures. Still, there are problems with the application of STD 03-11-002 to our industry. The first is that given the change of definition for “residential concrete”, many of the projects that professional wall contractors become involved in are not classified under this form of direction.The second major problem is found in the ignorance this standard has for below grade foundation construction.
It is due in large part to this ignorance of process and critical issues that has led CFA members to contribute tireless energy and exhaustive efforts attempting to identify conventional fall protection measures that can be applied to or adapted to the formwork and concrete placement process for concrete foundation walls. In the end, each method of conventional fall protection was found to present substantially greater hazard to workers than the traditional method of working along the top of wall condition.
“In Region VII, here in Nebraska, we’ve been part of a concerted effort to determine an effective resolution of the requirements for STD 03-11-002 and thus far we’ve seen little recognition for the issues on foundation construction,” states Lance Jordan, Vice President for Stephens & Smith Construction and former CFA Board member. “We’ve developed a plan for applying scaffolding solutions and developed an alternative fall protection plan that institutes a safety monitor. Comparing the two we’ve found the ergonomic challenges alone experienced in the scaffolding solution present greater risk to our workforce. This is why we are working with senators, OSHA inspectors and other entities to help recognize the value of this alternative fall protection approach.”
An alternate fall protection plan is a measure of providing safety for workers in compliance with OSHA 1926.502(k). The CFA’s draft plan details the necessary training, documentation, certification and implementation of the process to identify how a contractor can provide compliance with the OSHA standard within their more familiar process that maintains and even improves the current safety performance of the foundation industry. “We’ve been surveying our members for the past five years on work-related job accidents,” states Dan Bromley of ABI Corporation in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, current Past President for the CFA.
“We’ve found in nearly 50,000 basement foundations poured in the last five years by the most recent survey, only 23 accidents occurred where a worker fell from a wall. Of those accidents, only 10 of those resulted in lost work time and only 3 resulted in hospitalization with zero resulting in longterm disability or death. Our goal is to continue building on these safety results by committing more to training and certifying of the workforce to do the work required for quality concrete foundations.”
Mary Wilson of Michel Concrete in Springfield, Illinois and a current CFA Board Member was instrumental in developing the supporting documentation for the refuting evidence on applying conventional fall protection measures. “From March to June, 2010 we completed a feasibility study on the application of scaffold systems to removable foundation systems to determine the length of exposure to work hazards.
Through this study, we determined that there is an equivalent time exposure during the installation of scaffold systems to that of the wall construction itself. We also then determined that our workforce was exposed to increased hazards with the scaffold systems in place; the quality of the wall construction was more difficult to maintain and the installation of the scaffold systems introduced new work-related fatigue issues that were not present during our traditional process. Once we completed this study and looked at the other conventional systems out there, we turned to the CFA to begin work on a plan that would maintain our current skill set and knowledge base but apply it to our workers in a more formalized process with even greater goals for success”
The CFA AFPP is considered a performance-based solution to providing fall protection. As such, the CFA is implementing a training program for its members to understand the details of this alternative measure and assisting them in preparing to achieve greater safety performance through this implementation of the draft as their own AFPP. A series of webinars is planned for this fall to allow members to get to know the background for the new OSHA standard, the development of the AFPP and the critical steps necessary to implement the plan in their company.
If you would like more information, please contact Jim Baty at the CFA. Phone 319-895-6940 or jbaty@cfawalls.org.
The CFA is a voluntary, nonprofit association that brings together concrete contractors and professionals nationwide to improve the quality of cast-in-place concrete walls and foundations. The CFA provides promotional materials, educational seminars, and networking opportunities to its members and the industry. CFA also works on behalf of its members and the entire industry to develop support and influence code bodies. For more information about CFA, please visit www.cfawalls.org or call 866-CFA-WALL (232-9255).
CFA Summer Convention 2011 – If You Weren’t There, Boy Did You Miss It!
Okay, so it is now the end of summer and the start of the fall construction season rush to winter. Somewhere along the way, there are two types of companies in the CFA that may be looking at this transition differently.
What defines the difference may very well be whether or not you were able to make it to Virginia this summer to network, learn and grow your plans with your CFA peers.
We know there are many hurdles that companies face when considering attendance to this one event each year.
Yet, each year we are inspired by the number of responses that come to us in the weeks that follow Convention, reflecting on just how significant the time spent with peers has already become.
To this end, we want to give you some highlights of the 2011 CFA Annual Convention and to encourage you now to set aside time to make sure you are with us in 2012.
It is certainly an economic challenge but one that has virtually no risk given the proven rewards already identified by so many others.
Networking
Perhaps you’ve heard this component of CFA events and the importance that it carries in the value of your membership. Hearing it is one thing, experiencing it is a completely different story. Convention is THE #1 place for you to develop connections that will carry through the duration of your career. In fact, the schedule at a CFA Summer Convention is built first around the networking and then filled in with the education…it’s that important.
Summer Convention – Virginia kicked off Thursday night atop the mountain at the Adventure Center. Here, those in attendance enjoyed a great meal of traditional barbeque while overlooking the ski slopes and the zip line framed by the tree-filled mountainsides and an ever-changing canopy of light clouds and sun. The evening quickly turned to a variety of challenge and fun with the young and the young of mind taking on the zip line, the tube run and even a mechanical bull. Many more activities were thrown in for good measure as you see here.
Networking at CFA Convention does not stop at the opening event. Once Friday morning’s education comes, all in attendance are immersed in an intensive time of networking we like to call “Speed Networking”, our form of speed dating. During consecutive 2-minute intervals, each person is asked to share briefly about themselves, their company and perhaps a tidbit of interest. This is a time meant to get to know somewhere around 15 people a little better than you knew them before, as a reminder of when you last met them or if we are doing our job correctly, an entirely new person and someone you will seek to reconnect with during a break or a time later in the weekend. This has become one of the featured sessions during our Convention and breaks down a lot of the barriers of attending and getting to know people you can begin counting on immediately.
Education
If networking is the number one focus for the CFA Convention, the education that is offered has to be a strong #2. In the history of this meeting/convention, education has always carried a strong focus. Members have learned about new technology, identified new business practices and come to understand codes and standards more closely. This year was no different and in some ways offered refreshing surprises and confident conformations. The keynotes of the event were a return of highly rated professional and an upcoming rock star of a presenter.
David Whitlock has been a presenter at more than one CFA Convention and again brought his impassioned and powerful approach to employment law. LUZIRS was his focus and in short, he gave each attendee every reason why you have to be careful who you hire and how you terminate employees. His road map for success was very beneficial, extremely sensible and instantly implantable. For those that find difficulty, he remains a constant and accessible resource for your employment needs. A video of his presentation is available for active CFA members by contacting CFA headquarters through jbaty@cfawalls.org or 866-232-9255.
Doug Herbert, of Herbert Construction, stepped up this year to give a presentation on inexpensive ways to market your company and make a difference to your potential customers. This energy- filled and information-packed presentation lasted only an hour but contained more than a halfday worth of tidbits, tricks and hot ideas that have been implemented by his company already with tremendous results. From newsletters to email, construction signs to cheap advertisements, Doug unveiled a wealth of savvy marketing knowledge that even the most experienced marketing experts in our business had not yet thought considered.
The education rolled on and covered some very hot topics in the CFA, namely the insurance captive and the pending regulation enforcement for fall protection by OSHA. On top of all this, networking and education combined in the form of round table discussions offering some great industry thoughts by national associates as well as an opportunity to discuss the insurance captive with our management consultant, Tom Hall. Each day’s education line-up was thought to be among the finest produced by this event and something that more than tipped the scales for each company returning in the future.
Technology
What would a CFA Convention be without product technology? For that matter, what would the CFA be without product technology? ! is year’s event was proudly sponsored The Bilco Company, Schwing America, Concrete Contractor magazine, Irving Equipment, Epro Services and CIFA USA.
They provided the leadership for another great display and networking opportunity with the finest technology offered throughout this association. A wealth of products both new and well known were present for attendees to chew on while they continued enjoying Wintergreen.
Our thanks and yours to should be given to the sponsors as well as to the commitment for attendance from the following companies:
Certainteed Corporation Cosella-Dorken Products Cranes & Equipment DryDog Barriers GMX Inc. Rod Chomper Stego Industries Terry Asphalt Materials Thermomass Tremco Barrier Solutions Wall Ties & Forms Western FormsThrough their confidence and interest in this event, attendees took away great new ideas and inspiration from products perhaps not thought of in awhile.
Award Recognition
Convention is also a time to recognize the achievements for some of the finest concrete work completed throughout the previous year as well as for the commitment to our industry.
The individual recognition given to Mike Hancock as Contractor of the Year and Terry Lavy as this year’s Bob Sawyer Memorial Award recipient were both emotional and heartfelt in the respect they have more than earned. Truly, the chance to applaud the efforts of this year’s project award winners and to express the pride of this association was an opportunity that could not be missed.
Congratulations and award plaques were offered to:
River City Foundations Ekedal Concrete, Inc. Basement Contractors, Inc. Herbert Construction Co. MPW Construction Services Biltmore Insulated Concrete, Inc.With that, the 2011 Summer Convention was drawn to a close.
It was an intense three days of networking, education and industry challenge. Those that made it found they weren’t alone; perhaps were doing better than some; and could do even more to reach beyond current situations and positions.
Above all, those that set aside the hurdles and made it to this year’s Convention affirmed it among the best decisions they’ve made recently and have already circled the calendar to be with us next year at the Grand Traverse Resort, Traverse City, Michigan for the 2012 CFA Annual Summer Convention.
