Masonry Magazine July 2005 Page. 46
News
News continued from page 42
North Carolina Mason Contractors Association (NCMCA) members joined with the Carolinas Concrete Masonry Association, Brick SouthEast and The N.C. Masonry Instructors Association to provide materials, equipment, volunteers and judges for the contest.
For more information on the NCMCA, please visit www.ncmca.com.
Virginia
The Virginia Masonry Association is working diligently to educate decision-makers on the superiority of non-combustible construction. This effort will focus primarily on the use of non-combustible concrete masonry construction in multi-family residential housing such as nursing homes, assisted living facilities and dormitories.
The Virginia Masonry Association is working in conjunction with the Fire Safety Construction Advisory Council and, due to the importance of this major undertaking, the association wishes to involve other masonry associations in the effort.
For more information on the Virginia Masonry Association or its efforts, please contact Marcia Meighan, Executive Director, at (804) 377-2080 or visit www.virginiamasonry.org.
Wyoming
Reported by the Casper Star-Tribune, "School building costs skyrocket," May 3, 2005:
If construction costs keep going up, the state may have to turn to a standardized design for new public schools, the director of the state School Facilities Commission said Monday...
"The problem is we're seeing prices over $200 per square foot. We have to be careful because we're not sure the Legislature would be willing to spend that much," [James "Bubba" Shivler] says
Spurred by the Supreme Court ruling, Wyoming has embarked upon a string of school construction projects that is expected to cost about $1.1 billion. The ruling placed the burden of school construction on the state, instead of local school districts, and that change resulted in creation of the School Facilities Commission.
While local school boards still have influence over the design of new schools, the state commission must approve those plans. That oversight has resulted in considerable conflict between local boards and the commission, with some complaining that the state is moving toward a "cookie-cutter" school design that fails to take into account individual community needs and desires...
The architects and contractors who attended the presentation told of the difficulty in finding enough trades people to work on Wyoming's school construction projects. One said the state has only four masonry contractors, and one is tied up with prison construction projects.
NCMCA Annual Convention
The North Carolina Masonry Contractors Association (NCMCA) annual convention was held April 30, 2005. The four-day event brought NCMCA members together for business meetings, golf, educational seminars, group tours, fellowship and entertainment in historic New Bern on the North Carolina coast.
From left to right, NCMCA President Darks Burton, Freddie McMahan and Betty McMahan.
Convention speakers included David Biggs of Ryan-Biggs Associates and Ann S. Wolter, former Executive Director of the Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute (RMMI). Biggs, whose visit was sponsored by Adams Products Company, presented "Masonry Aspects of the World Trade Center Disaster," based on his
Overhand Bricklaying Exemption Citation Thrown Out
In Arizona, a contractor was recently cited for failure to have fall protection on both sides of the wall when employees were pouring grout in to reinforce it. In this particular situation, Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) compliance officials argued that grouting does not fall within the context of "construction" of the wall and was therefore NOT covered under the overhand bricklaying exemption. Fortunately for all mason contractors this citation was contested, and the Administrative Law Judge threw the case out.
Prior to the hearing on this citation, MCAA brought several issues to OSHA's attention. First and foremost, MCAA told agency officials that if contractors were required to have scaffolding on both sides of the wall, there would be no way to brace the wall. In addition,
Marian J. Marshall
Director of Government Affairs,
Mason Contractors Association
of America
MCAA asked OSHA staff if there was no scaffolding, would employers be required to tie employees off for fall protection? But more importantly, we simply did not understand how grouting could not be considered part of the "construction" process.
Arizona is a state-plan state; its interpretation of the standard is that grouting is included in the overhand bricklaying exemption. Obviously, the Administrative Law Judge agreed with Arizona's interpretation.
MCAA will draft a letter to OSHA requesting an interpretation of the over-hand bricklaying exemption as it pertains to grouting. Once that interpretation is provided, OSHA will publish it on its web site so all compliance officers will be required to refer to it, and any possible future confusion about this important issue will be eliminated.