A Golf Outing Honoring Veterans 6/21/12

Annual Golf Outing June 21, 2012 10 AM Shotgun Start

Register online for this event.

Golf Course: The Highlands of Elgin
Sign up now to sponsor the 2012 RCEC/GC/YBC Golf Outing!

Golf Registration $150.00
Includes, continental breakfast, driving range, cart, lunch, steak dinner
Events of the day include:

Parachute jump with American flag at reception.
Singing of the National Anthem.
Announcement of veteran receiving home.
Retired NFL players will be with us.

Please let us know if you are a veteran, we want to celebrate all our heroes!

Golf Outing - download USPS/Fax registration Form and
Sponsorship Form.

Register by phone: 630-512-0552

Using Respirators When Not Required

Respirators are an effective method of protection against designated hazards when properly selected and worn. Respirator use is encouraged, even when exposures are below the exposure limit, to provide an additional level of comfort and protection for workers. However, if a respirator is used improperly or not kept clean, the respirator itself can become a hazard to the worker. Sometimes, workers may wear respirators to avoid exposures to hazards, even if the amount of hazardous substance does not exceed the limits set by OSHA standards. If your employer provides respirators for your voluntary use, or if you provide your own respirator, you need to take certain precautions to be sure that the respirator itself does not present a hazard. 
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This information is provided by the Construction Safety Council

Health Hazards in Construction

The toxic action of a health hazard can be divided into acute (short-term) effects and chronic (long-term) effects.

Acute Health Effects

Acute health effects are quickly seen, usually after exposures to fairly high levels or concentrations of hazardous substances. For example, fiberglass can immediately cause itchiness and skin irritation; an extremely loud noise can result in temporary or even permanent hearing loss.

A lethal concentration of carbon monoxide, CO (1200 ppm) is considered to be Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH); a worker exposed to this acute amount of CO can lose consciousness and die.

Lethal Concentration (LC) - An indication of the lethality of a given substance or type of radiation.

LC50 - Is the concentration of a material, which causes the death of 50% (one half) of a group of test animals. The LC50 is one way to measure the short-term poisoning potential (acute toxicity) of a material.

Chronic Health Effects

Chronic effects usually develop slowly. For example, if you breathe small amounts of asbestos fibers, you won’t even notice them. There are no acute effects. But if you inhale asbestos month after month, year after year, you greatly increase your chances of getting asbestos disease, such as lung cancer. This is a chronic effect.

Other examples of chronic health effects include hearing loss and cumulative trauma disorders; these are examples of physical health hazards.

Chronic Health Effects and Long-Term Disability

Most health effects experienced in construction are typically chronic; this makes it difficult to associate where the exposure occurred. For example, a worker in their later years presents with a chronic health effect. The exposures that may have caused the damage could have occurred very early in his working life
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This information is provided by the Construction Safety Council.

CRITICAL Cypress Creek-Update HB3636 Immediate Action Requested

We have received the following urgent communication from Louie Giordano, Executive Vice President of IMSCA (Illinois Mechanical Specialty Contractors Association)

Rep. Chapin Rose officially signed HB 3636 over to Rep. Kelly Burke on Tuesday.  Also on Tuesday, our bill was sent to the House Rules Committee, and that committee assigned our bill to the House Judiciary Committee this morning.  This important legislation is finally moving.

At this time, we need assistance reaching out to members of the House Judiciary Committee.  It would be extremely helpful to us if associations who have members in these districts could please ask your members to call these elected officials to let them know how important this bill is to the construction industry, and ask them to vote “yes” when the bill is heard in committee.  HB 3636 is scheduled to be heard in committee on Tuesday, May 15 at 2:30PM, so  it’s important we start sending the message to the House Judiciary members now.  Here is a list of the House Judiciary members, along with their phone numbers and where their districts are located:

Chair- Elaine Nektritz 217-558-1004 (D-Northbrook) Email:  enekritz@repnekritz.org
John Bradley 217-782-1051 (D-Marion) Email: repjohnbradley@mychoice.net
Jil Tracy 217-782-8096 (R-Quincy) Email: jiltracy@jiltracy.com
Mike Connelly 217-782-8028 (R-Lisle) Email: repconnelly48@gmail.com
Dwight Kay 217-782-8018 (R-Edwardsville) Email: dwightkay112@gmail.com
Lou Lang 217-782-1252 (D-Skokie) Email: langli@ilga.gov
Sid Mathias 217-782-1664 (R-Buffalo Grove) Email: repmathias@hotmail.com
Andre Thapedi 217-782-1702 (D-Chicago) Email: rep32district@gmail.com
Art Turner 217-782-8116 (D-Chicago) Email: arthur@ilga.gov
Ann Williams 217-782-2458 (D-Chicago) Email: staterepann@gmail.com
Mike Zakewski 217-782-5280 (D-Riverside) Email: michaelz@ilga.gov

For more information contact,

Louie Giordano
Jessica Gray
IMSCA
201 West Pine Street
Springfield IL 62704
217.523.4361 Office
217.891.3675 Cell
217.523.1791 Fax

RCEC Health and Benefit Plan

Employee benefits, primarily health insurance is the number one concern we hear from our members and prospective members. With the ever rising costs of health insurance, RCEC's Board of Directors felt we needed to explore options for a health plan we could provide. We approached Assurance Agency and ask them for their guidance and expertise on a number of employee benefit plan options for non-union employees of our members and affiliates. One plan could potentially provide Blue Cross! Blue Shield PPO network with attractive benefits and rates as low as $455 individual, $930 family.

We have had several discussions on this matter, over the past year, and agree that our next step is to reach out to you for your input and interest. In order for us to move towards implementation, we are hoping for a strong show of support and request the following information from individual and affiliated members:

                Copy of employee census

                    Copy of current benefits

                    Copy of latest billing statement

If there is sufficient interest, RCEC and Assurance will sponsor a meeting or webinar to discuss available options. While there is some uncertainty about the status of parts of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), one thing is certain- options for small groups are limited and costs will continue to rise unless we create some buying power and come together as a group.

I encourage you to provide the data requested by Monday, May 28, 2012. You can email your information to ckirin@rcec.comcastbiz.net or fax to 630-812-0442. If you have any further questions, please feel free to call me at 630-512-0552. We will report back to you after May 28th

Thank you for your time and consideration.

ACCESS & EGRESS FOR EXCAVATIONS

A competent person must design all structural ramps. Structural ramps used for access or egress of equipment must be designed by a competent person qualified in structural design.

A stairway, ladder, ramp or other safe means of egress must be located in trench excavations that are 4 feet (1.22 m) or more in depth so as to require no more than 25 feet (7.62 m) of lateral travel for employees.

Ramps must be:
-Connected together to prevent displacement;
-Uniform thickness;
-Cleats on the bottom to prevent tripping, and;
-Designed to prevent slipping.

Ladder Safety:
-Job-made ladders must be constructed according to ANSI A14.4 – Safety Requirements for Job-Made Ladders.
-Ladders are to be used with caution around electrical lines, especially metal ladders, use only non-conductive ladders.
-Secure ladders to prevent displacement.
-Ladders extend 3-feet above excavation (shield).

The decision to choose a ramp, stair system or ladder for accessing and regressing from an excavation or trench depends largely on the allowable slope or angle that the sides (or ends) are cut back.

For example, in stable rock or with trench shields (boxes), where the sides are nearly vertical (between 75° and 90°), a ladder would be appropriate; ladders must never be used at angles less than 60°. Between 30° and 50° from the horizontal, use a stair system (job-made wood type or earth benched). Less than 20° from horizontal, a ramp can be safely used (unassisted) while maintaining an upright position.
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