Marketing Corner: Building Your New Marketing Program

Q&A WITH NORTHERN CONCRETE Leveraging digital media and relationships may be about as far from your mindset as a concrete contractor as is venturing into new market such as high-rise core construction. The complex world of Google, Yahoo, facebook, LinkedIn, twitter, instagram, Pinterest and a host of others has for many turned competent and savvy […]

OSHA Whistleblower Investigations

Employers need to make sure their policies and practices do not violate the law by Jim Rogers, jimrogers@asu.edu   As contractors, we are all aware of OSHA and its role in protecting the health and safety of our workforce. Many contractors send their personnel to receive training related to record keeping requirements and job site regulations; however, one area that is often […]

Code Corner: Impact of Codes

WHAT IMPACT ARE THE CURRENT CODES, REGULATIONS , AND STANDARDS HAVING ON YOUR COMPANY? The latest information on regulations, codes and standards that we have been tracking and working with has been prepared for your reference. What impact are these having on your company? What will be the largest hurdles in your implementation and preparation […]

The Greatest Gathering

An opportunity awaits you this summer (yes summer will arrive). It is the greatest gathering in the world of your peers in the residential foundation industry. Perhaps the hardest thing to visualize is the impact traveling to a convention can have on your daily business and we have certainly fielded that response numerous times. Yet, hundreds of times we […]

The CFA Young…The CFA Experienced

Dear CFA Friends, I am glad to see old man winter give way to spring! Spring is my favorite season because it brings optimism and new energy, which is critical for our businesses. My father and mentor, Buck Bartley, always says, “Make your changes in the winter so they are ready come spring.” The change of seasons reminds […]

Proposed rule issued to extend compliance date for crane operator certification requirements

OSHA has issued a proposed rule to extend the compliance date for the crane operator certification requirement by three years, to Nov. 10, 2017. The proposal would also extend the phase-in requirement for employers to ensure that their operators are qualified to operate the equipment. OSHA issued a final standard on requirements for cranes and […]

The Time Has Come

Letter from the Executive Director Those who regularly receive this magazine know I have written several times about the formation of an insurance captive for CFA members. Over the past months the insurance market, as well as efforts to start this captive, have taken significant turns – one for the worse, one for the better. […]

Tired of Breaking Even?

Letter from your president, Jim Bartley Dear Friends, Our long, tough recession has had one of two effects on most concrete foundation contractors. Either we went broke, or mastered the art of breaking even. If you are reading this, my guess is you are a fine-tuned, break-even machine! I know I am. Now that we […]

Casting Foundation Concrete in Cold Weather

Expanded from Q&A Article seen in Concrete Contractor magazine. by James R. Baty II, CFA Managing Director   The Concrete Foundations Association explains how commonly and effectively residential concrete foundations are constructed during the winter.   Question: Our foundations scheduled for installation these next few months will be affected by projected temperatures in the mid […]

Oil on Rebar

by JAMES R. BATY II As published by Concrete Contractor Magazine. Created: August 21, 2013 The Concrete Foundations Association explains the code reference and common misconceptions regarding oil on rebar for residential concrete. Question: On several of our most recent residential projects, the inspector in our area has been complicating our pour schedule when finding form oil over-sprayed […]