NRMCA e-news

National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

Annual Labor and Employment Regulation Webinar Scheduled for Next Week
The OES Committee will conduct a Webinar to update the ready mixed concrete industry about recent critical federal employment and labor law changes on Wednesday, May 18. Conducted by labor attorney Jeff Thompson, a partner with Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP, this Webinar will focus on four topics: 
  • An overview of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) new rule requiring employers and legal consultants to report any management arrangement to persuade employees directly, or indirectly, regarding the right to organize or collectively bargain. 
  • Additionally, Mr. Thompson will provide an update on union organizing following last year’s National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) finalized rule geared toward speeding up the time frame of union organizing elections.
  • Mr. Thompson will also cover NLRB‘s 2015 decision about joint-employment, where companies can now be held responsible for labor violations committed by their contractors.
  • Finally, Mr. Thompson will discuss proposed DOL changes to overtime regulations. 
The Webinar is free to NRMCA members.  Click here to for more information and to register.
 
Government Affairs
NRMCA Advocacy News Roundup Updated Through May 6

Media articles on Congress, transportation infrastructure, regulation, taxes and other subjects, each of which relate to the ready mixed concrete industry, are updated each week by NRMCA's Government Affairs staff. To access the most recent compilation of articles for May 2 - 6, 2016, please click here.

If you would like to receive this weekly updated link in a separate e-mail, or if you have questions or comments about the roundup, contact NRMCA’s Jill Landry at jlandry@nrmca.org.

 
OES
Spring OES Committee Meeting Marks Changes to Environmental Awards, Leadership
Last week, the NRMCA Operations, Environmental and Safety (OES) Committee held its annual spring meeting in Chicago that included meetings held by the Operations Task Group, Human Resources (HR) Task Group, Safety Task Group and Environmental Task Group, culminating with a full OES Committee meeting. While the task groups and the full committee completed discussions and work on numerous issues, one item of note came out of the Environmental Task Group. The task group, and subsequently the full OES Committee, changed the format for the NRMCA Environmental Excellence Awards program. The new direction moving forward will include a more environmental operations/compliance picture-oriented focus with minimal text, versus the focus from years past that centered on lengthy descriptions of ready mixed concrete plant environmental management systems. The new entry forms will be made available on NRMCA’s Web site in the coming weeks (click here to view the updated entry form and entry requirements).

Also talking place were changes to the task groups and full committee leadership roles. The following chairmen and vice chairmen each began new terms of two years: full OES Committee Chairman Tim Kauzlick (CEMEX); full OES Committee Vice Chairman Dave Williams (Chaney Enterprises); Operations Task Group Chairman Kim Sarver (Pete Lien & Sons, Inc.); Operations Task Group Vice Chairman Jamie Nelms (Chandler Concrete Co., Inc.); Environmental Task Group Chairman Joel Nickel (LafargeHolcim); Safety Task Group Chairman Dale Kotzea (GCC Ready Mix); Safety Task Group Vice Chairman Mike Kuhns (Arps Red-E-Mix, Inc.); HR Task Group Chairman Chip Wildman (Concrete Supply Co.); HR Task Group Vice Chair Vicki Tyminski (Carroll Concrete Co.) and, lastly, the new NRMCA Executive Committee liaison is Adam Manatt (Manatt’s Inc.).

For more information, contact Gary Mullings at gmullings@nrmca.org or Kevin Walgenbach at kwalgenbach@nrmca.org.
 
Plant Manager Certification Class Set for June in Denver and December in Anaheim
Plant managers serve a vital function, with responsibilities that affect issues from regulatory compliance to product quality, safety and profitability. NRMCA’s certification program helps you make sure that they are up to speed on product knowledge, plant safety, environmental regulations, plant operations and ready mixed concrete industry business principles. This course establishes basic industry standards, measured through certification.

Please note that batchmen are required to pass exams by the Army Corps of Engineers for federally awarded projects BEFORE work commences. These classes typically sell out - don’t wait.
 
•June 28 - July 1, Denver
•December 13 - 16, Anaheim, CA
 
Click here for more information, registration options and staff contact.
 
Engineering
Concrete in Practice Series Offers Number of Updated Topics, Content
Topics in the popular Concrete in Practice (CIP) series have been revised to update the content. Revisions are developed by the NRMCA Research Engineering and Standards Committee. The following topics have been updated: 
  • CIP 8 – Discrepancies in Yield
  • CIP 16 – Flexural Strength of Concrete
  • CIP 17 – Flowable Fill
  • CIP 31 – Ordering Ready Mixed Concrete
  • CIP 33 – High Strength Concrete
  • CIP 36 – Structural Lightweight Concrete
CIPs are brief technical topics developed for customers of ready mixed companies and address testing, best practices, special ready mixed concrete products and troubleshooting topics. CIPs can be viewed and purchased here.
 
For more information, contact Colin Lobo at clobo@nrmca.org.
 
FHWA Schedules May Webinars on Concrete Pavement Technology

The Federal Highway Administration has scheduled three free Webinars in May to be delivered by the Concrete Pavement Technology Center. They are:

 Wednesday, May 11, from noon to 1:30 p.m. Central time: Materials-Related Concrete Pavement Distresses. Click here to register and for more information.

  • Thursday, May 19, from 10 a.m. to noon Central time: Aggregates (Gradation Fundamentals). Click here to register and for more information.
  • Tuesday, May 31, from noon to 1:30 p.m. Central time: Aggregates (Gradation Fundamentals). Click here to register and for more information.
For more information, you may also contact Samuel S. Tyson, PE, at sam.tyson@dot.gov.

 

 
Calendar
A Look Ahead
*Please note that e-mail and direct links to each event listed below can be accessed from NRMCA's Web site.

May 15 - 18, Washington, DC
International Concrete Sustainability & Self-Compacting Concrete Conference
Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101
 
May 17, Free Webinar
Pervious Concrete Maintenance Guidelines
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
May 18, Free Webinar
Are you aware how the labor employment workplace recently changed and its possible impact on your company?
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
May 26, Richmond, BC
North West ConcreteWorks 2016
Email: Tamara Waugh, 240.485.1132
 
May 26, Webinar
Seven Things You Can Do To Place More Concrete in Buildings
Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101
 
June 6 - 8, Silver Spring, MD
Concrete Durability Course
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
June 28 - July 1, Centennial, CO
Plant Manager Certification Course
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
June 23, Webinar
Seven Things You Can Do To Place More Concrete in Buildings
Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101
 
June 28, Ronkonkoma, NY
Building Green With Concrete
Email: Tien Peng, 206-913-8535
 
June 30, Fairfax, VA
Building Green With Concrete
Email: Tien Peng, 206-913-8535 
 
September 18 - 20, Nashville, TN
NRMCA's ConcreteWorks 2016
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
October 4 - 7, Silver Spring, MD
CCSP Module I: Concrete 101
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
October 11, Webinar
Recruiting & Hiring Top Performing Ready Mix Sales Reps
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
November 7-11, Silver Spring, MD
Annual "Short Course"
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

December 6, Webinar 
Sales Performance Assessments and Reviews... for Ready Mix Sales Managers
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
December 13-16, Anaheim, CA
Plant Manager Certification Course
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
Sustainability
Architects Trade Group Publishes White Paper on Risks with Material Transparency
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has released a white paper on materials transparency and risk. Titled Materials transparency & risk for architects: An introduction to advancing professional ethics while managing professional liability risks, this white paper is an effort to equip the architectural profession with guidance on an issue of critical importance to the profession, its suppliers and clients. The white paper provides guidance for an architect when selecting products based on environmental or health impact disclosure, which includes:

• The need for sharing the potential health and environmental impacts relating to materials products with all stakeholders in the design, construction and occupancy process;
• Materials transparency presents opportunities for architects through competitive advantage, thought leadership, design innovation, and environmental and human health leadership; and
• The need for effectively evaluating and mitigating risk when advocating for materials transparency and sharing composition information.

NRMCA has delivered great insight into transparency market trends and useful tools for its members. Whether through its successful Environmental Product Declaration program or the recently released Material Ingredient Reporting Guidance, NRMCA is continuously identifying ways to provide value and prepare its members.

For more information, contact James Bogdan at jbogdan@nrmca.org or 412-420-4138.
 
Products & Services
May Internet Special Highlights Guides on Job Descriptions, Disabled Mixer Protocols
The NRMCA May Internet Spotlight, which will be good through Tuesday, June 7, is the Guide to Preparing RMC Job Descriptions CD-Rom. This CD includes over 500 sample job descriptions submitted by some of the leading concrete firms in the country. Also included on the CD are guidelines for writing job descriptions and a post offer screen manual. The purpose of the post offer screen is to determine if the applicant can safely perform the physical demands of the job or if reasonable accommodations can be given following ADA guidelines. These job descriptions can be easily downloaded and customized for your company's use.
 
Order online today and receive 20% off the regular member single set price of $99, so the Internet Special is $79.20, plus shipping. Please use discount code ISMAY16, to receive your discount.

The second Internet Spotlight for May, also good through June 7, is the driver training DVD Road Call. This 14-minute video lesson demonstrates the proper, safe and legal procedures to follow in the event of a mixer truck being disabled along a roadway.
 
Order online today and receive 20% off the regular member single set price of $70, making the Internet Special $56, plus shipping. Please use discount code ISMAY16, to receive your discount.
 
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Silver Spring, MD, 20910
Phone: 301-587-1400 Toll Free: 888-84 NRMCA (846-7622)
Email: info@nrmca.org