Sheet Metal Journal Fall 2014

FALL2014

sheetmetaljournal.com

Hexavalent Chromium Solar Hot Water for Commercial Applications Crosstown Metal Industries at Vancouver Aquarium The Human Element Behind Workplace Safety LEED 4 Brings Changes

Publications Mail Agreement # 40719512

Official Journal of Record for SMACNA-BC

PROMOTING

GROWTH AND STABILITY IN OUR INDUSTRY

Formed in 1969, the British Columbia Sheet Metal Association (SMACNA-BC) was the first international chapter of the Sheet Metal & Air-conditioning Contractors National Association (SMACNA). Founded in 1934, SMACNA traces its history to the National Association of Sheet Metal Contractors established in 1910, and has 2,300 members worldwide.

SMACNA-BC is a member-driven association representing unionized sheet metal contractors in the Mainland of BC, and suppliers to our industry. It promotes the growth and stability of the members and industry.

OUR MANDATE • To improve the financial stability and business conditions of the sheet metal industry, and to develop and promote methods to improve managerial proficiency • To improve quality, efficiency and productivity of this industry, and to implement high standards of work • To establish and maintain high ethical standards of conduct between members of the Association, and between members and owners, architects, engineers, other contractors, and the public • To study and help in the development and enforcement of governmental codes and regulations, and such legislation as may be necessary for the best interest of the public and the sheet metal industry • To promote harmony in labour relations • To exchange technical, professional, and educational information with other contractor associations in the sheet metal industry and its allied trades in Canada and other countries • To affiliate as a Chapter with the Sheet Metal & Air-conditioning Contractors National Association, Inc.

BC Sheet Metal Association (SMACNA-BC) Executive Director: Bruce Sychuk 315-15225 104th Ave. Surrey, BC. V3R 6Y8 Phone: (604) 585-4641 • Fax: (604) 584-9304 E-mail: smacnabc@smacna-bc.org • www.smacna-bc.org

in this issue... www.sheetmetaljournal.com GROUP PUBLISHER

Fall 2014

08

Lara Perraton lperraton@pointonemedia.com

EDITOR

Jessica Kirby jessica.kirby@pointonemedia.com

CONTRIBUTORS Mark Breslin Andrew Delmonico Alex Gibbs Norm Grusnick Mike Postiglione Bruce Sychuk

Hexavalent Chromium

An old chemical brings new health risks to welders and industrial process workers.

COVER PHOTO Courtesy of Norm Grusnick

ADVERTISING SALES

Christina Tranberg 877.755.2762 ctranberg@pointonemedia.com

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GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Lara Perraton 877.755.2762 lperraton@pointonemedia.com PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY Point One Media Inc.

Solar Hot Water for Commercial Applications

Sheet Metal Journal P.O. Box 11, Station A Nanaimo, BC V9R 5K4 Toll-free: 877.755.2762 www.sheetmetaljournal.com While information contained in this publication has been compiled from sources deemed to be reliable, the publisher may not be held liable for omissions or errors.

Financial benefit is still a factor in commercial solar installations.

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Contents ©2014 by Point One Media Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or duplicated without prior written permission from the publisher.

Printed in Canada.

Postage paid at Simcoe, ON. Return postage guaranteed. Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement #40719512.

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Circulation Department Sheet Metal Journal P.O. Box 11, Station A Nanaimo, BC V9R 5K4 email: circulations@pointonemedia.com

Official Journal of Record for SMACNA - BC Find Sheet Metal Journal on Twitter and Facebook

Project Spotlight: Crosstown Metal Industries, Inc.

Crosstown Metal Industries, Inc. takes on 100,000 square feet of work at Vancouver Aquarium.

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS

04 07 07 16 17 18

• • • • • •

SMACNA-BC Update Blast from the Past SMACNA-BC Events Feature Focus Technical Updates Building Science

19 20 21 22 23

• Global Metal • Engineer's Desk • Contractor Advice • It's the Law • Advertiser Index

In the Next Issue: Construction Outlook • New Technology • Architectural Sheet Metal

www.sheetmetaljournal.com • Fall 2014

3

SMACNA-BC UPDATE SUMMER AND FALL CHANGES AT SMACNA-BC It is the Fall edition of Sheet Metal Journal; what the heck happen to summer? It seemed to fly by. And what a great summer we had here in BC. In all my years (and there is getting to be a lot of them, but I guess getting old beats the alternative) I don’t recall that many consecutive days of sunshine, ever. I didn't take a real vacation this year, just an extended stay up in Coldstream in the Okanagan.

I would like to take this opportunity to recap a few of the highlights of late. Beginning of June, I was honoured with the duty of chairing the Council of Chapter Representative’s Meeting held in San Francisco. For those who are not familiar with a Council Meeting, this is where, twice a year, all of the SMACNA Chapters are invited to send their Chapter Councilor and Chapter Executive to meet, network, and discuss formalized agenda items and reports. But more importantly, away from the formal meeting they compare programs and ideas with other chapters throughout the US and Canada.

I personally find a lot of this information very useful because, if there are new issues coming down the tube from the US, give it a couple of weeks and they will inevitably surface in our area. Though the Council is mostly for Chapter information sharing, it is also a body that may make recommendations to the National Board of Directors for their information or action. The Chapter Councilor for SMACNA-BC is none other than SMACNA-BC president Dan Mauro of Spectrum Sheet Metal, Ltd. Later in June, the SMACNA-BC Golf Committee participated in the annual Association Challenge golf tournament. This is a tournament where association golf committee members have a little Ryder Cup format golf tourney. The associations involved are MCA Vancouver, MCA North Island, MCA Fraser Valley, Vancouver Regional Contractors Association, and SMACNA-BC. The winning association gets bragging rights and the opportunity to co-ordinate the event next year.

I must say that finally SMACNA-BC didn’t win—it gets a little embarrassing over the years. (In our wisdom this year, since most SMACNA-BC people sub to MCA contractors, we decided to play customer golf and let MCA Vancouver win.)

It wasn’t all bad. It was a great June day and we played at Vancouver Golf Club.

In July, I travelled with Canadian Representative on the SMACNA National Board of Directors, Mark Halvorsen and his lovely wife Debbie, to the national board meeting in Telluride, Colorado. I was there to present the report of the Chapter Council meeting held in San Francisco. I was truly honoured and humbled being in the presence of the SMACNA Board of Directors—truly a group of dedicated professionals.

The hotel was lovely; however, with the temperature in the

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Sheet Metal Journal

by / Bruce Sychuk Executive Director, SMACNA-BC

high 80 degrees F and at 9,500 feet above sea level—there were bottles of oxygen for sale in the rooms—air-conditioning would have been great.

July 31: SMACNA-BC administrative assistant, Michelle Rodford goes on maternity leave.

August 1: Replacement administrative assistant Rocky (Roxanne) Sychuk starts work in the SMACNA-BC office.

August 14: Administrative assistant Michelle Rodford gives birth to Connor John Rodford, 8 lbs. 6 oz. Congratulations to my daughter Michelle, and a big welcome to my beautiful grandson, Connor.

September brought the usual Board of Directors and Joint Conference Board meetings as well as SMACNA-BC's 31st Annual Golf Classic at Northview GC. Great day, great time had by all.

The SMACNA-BC Project Management Skills Academy was a very intense and extensive two-day program.

Presenter Stephane A. McShane, Associate Director, Maxim Consulting Group, LLC, led the 32 participants through workshops and presentations focusing on, but not limited to, performance awareness, project planning and scheduling from pre-construction to closeout, job cost management and principles, earned value, and cash flow. The second day was equally intense with effective communication, contract administration, customer relationship, and defining project leadership differing from project management. Stephane did an exceptional job in delivering this information and the evaluation forms received from the attendees were absolute proof. I’d like to thank the Training Board Trustees and Training Co-ordinator Jud Martell for assistance in coordinating the program and providing us with a first class facility in which to host it.

SMACNA-BC / ASHRAE BC Joint Dinner Meeting at the Vancouver Aquarium

On September 17 SMACNA-BC and ASHRAE BC toured the recently upgraded Vancouver Aquarium. Logistically, this could not be a sit-down, regular type dinner meeting; however,

SMACNA-BC UPDATE with the backdrop of sharks and fish that sharks don’t eat, our presenters really did a fantastic job. Our presenters were Don Keenan, Fire Protection Specialist for Morgan Thermal Ceramics, and Goran Ostojic and his team from Integral Group.

British Columbia Sheet Metal Association (SMACNA-BC) Providing products and information related to the Sheet Metal Industry, including technical manuals and guidelines.

The unmatched technical and managerial expertise of SMACNA-BC Contractors is enhanced by the talent and skills of the workforce they employ. SMACNA-BC Contractors employ only Red Seal Certified Sheet Metal Journeymen and Registered Apprentices.

Don gave a powerful presentation on fire-rated duct wrap products. Goran and his team spoke on the Vancouver Aquarium's upgrade, which involved many challenges. The team has created a unique building with many engineering highlights. A tour of the mechanical rooms followed the presentations. Those who didn’t tour enjoyed endless hors d’oeuvres and were able to meander throughout the aquarium exhibits.

In Memoriam

Ronald John Mikkelson We lost another great one. One of the original founders of SMACNA-BC and SMACNA-BC Life Member Ronald John Mikkelson, formerly of M & M Sheet Metal, and SMACNABC president from 1969 to 1970, passed away September 30, at the age of 94. He will be sorely missed by his family and many friends and associates. Ron was one of the pioneers of SMACNA-BC, and he was a wonderful friend and mentor to so many. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ron’s family.

Edward F. Freigang It is with great sadness SMACNA­BC informs its members of Edward F. Freigang's passing on October 29, 2014. Ed was a larger than life individual who was a member of the Sheet Metal Workers International Association and Local 280 for almost 60 years.

During that time, he was a foreman on many projects, taught apprentices, was a full­time organizer for the building trades, a business representative, and was the business manager / financial secretary treasurer until his retirement in 1997.

Following his retirement, Ed also served on the Appeal Board for the Jurisdictional Assignment Plan for the construction industry in BC. The family has arranged for a celebration of life to be held on Sunday, December 21, 2014 at 2 p.m. At the Sapperton Pensioners Hall located at 318 Keary Street, New West Minster, BC.

CONTRACTOR MEMBERS 101 Industries Ltd. Admiral Roofing Ltd. Agvale Industries Ltd. Airtek Pneumatics Ltd. All Valley Metals Ltd. Alliance Metal Fabricators Ltd. Allied Blower & Sheet Metal Ltd. Ames Metal Fabricators 82 Ltd. Apollo Sheet Metal Ltd. Austin Metal Fabricators L.P. The Blue Collar Group Bry-Mac Mechanical Ltd. CC Industries Ltd. Cascade Metal Design Ltd. Century Plumbing & Heating Ltd. City Sheet Metal Ltd. Crosstown Metal Industries Ltd. Downtown Custom Metal Works Ltd. Duncan’s Ltd. ECCO Supply Equity Plumbing & Heating Ltd. Haakon Industries Canada Ltd.

Harbourview Sheet Metal Ltd. Horizon Cladding Ltd. Horizon Metal Systems Inc. KD Engineering Co. Keith Plumbing & Heating Co. Ltd. M&T Air Conditioning Ltd. Main Sheet Metal Works Ltd. Northwest Sheet Metal Ltd. Pacific Rim Industrial Insulation Ltd. Paramount Sheet Metal Ltd. Piedmont Sheet Metal (1997) Ltd. Quest Metal Works Ltd. R.H. Jones & Son Mechanical Ltd. Ridge Sheet Metal C.P. Smith Sheet Metal Works Ltd. Spectrum Sheet Metal Ltd. Summit Sheet Metal Ltd. Tri-Metal Fabricators Viaduct Sheet Metal Ltd. Vicwest Delta Western Mechanical Services (1977) Ltd. York Sheet Metal Ltd.

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS Access Metal Products Ltd. Air System Supplies Bailey West Processing Inc. BGE Service & Supply Ltd. Control Solutions Ltd. Crossroads C&I Distributors DDK Ventilation Products Ltd. E.H. Price Sales Ltd. Engineered Air Envirotech Air Inc. ETP Energy Technology Products Ltd. (a div. of IPC, Inc.) Frost Insulation Supplies Inc.

Gripple Inc. Intercon Insurance Services Ltd. Jardine, Lloyd, Thompson Canada Inc. Maxam Metal Products Modern Tool (BC) Ltd. Multicam Western Canada Nu-West Construction Products Pacaire HVAC Supplies Ltd. Progressive Air Products Ltd. Raven Hydronic Supply Ltd. Samuel, Son & Co., Ltd. Winroc-SPI Wm. P. Somerville 1996 Ltd.

BC Sheet Metal Association (SMACNA-BC) Executive Director: Bruce Sychuk 315-15225 104th Ave. Surrey, BC V3R 6Y8 Phone: (604) 585-4641 Fax: (604) 584-9304 E-mail: smacnabc@smacna-bc.org

www.sheetmetaljournal.com • Fall 2014

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SMACNA NEWS October: SMACNA 71st National Convention, San Antonio, Texas

The SMACNA-BC contingent headed down to San Antonio for yet another great SMACNA National Convention. There were great programs and there was steak. The entertainment was first class (Billy Gardel & Leann Rimes), and there was more steak. There was great golf, the greatest people to visit and network with from all over the US, and finally, there was even more steak. The hotel and the other food group were very good as well.

Craig and Sharon Benson, Paramount Sheet Metal. Photo: SMCANA-BC.

Vice-President, and Chapter Councilor. He has served as a SMACNA-BC/SMWIA Local 280 Health Benefits Fund Trustee and SMACNA-BC/SMWIA Local 280 Sheet Metal Industry Training Board Trustee. He has also served on the SMACNA-BC Negotiating Committee, Nominating Committee, Partnership Committee, and as an Alternate Councilor to the Council of Chapter Representatives.

Mark & Debbie Halvorsen of Viaduct Sheet Metal Ltd.

At the convention, Mark & Debbie Halvorsen of Viaduct Sheet Metal Ltd. expressed deep sadness as Mark’s four-year term on the SMACNA National Board of Directors came to an end.

Mark & Debbie will truly miss all of the wonderful people on the Board of Directors who started out as co-workers and ended up as true friends.

On behalf of the entire SMACNA-BC I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mark for all of his hard work and efforts, and for the professionalism he demonstrated while representing SMACNA-BC and the rest of the Canadian SMACNA Chapters. Thank you!

Copy of original SMACNA press release:

Craig Benson of British Columbia Elected to SMACNA Board of Directors

Craig Benson, owner of Paramount Sheet Metal, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada, was elected to the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) Board of Directors. His four-year term began October 16 at the close of SMACNA’s 71st Annual Convention.

Benson is eager to serve on SMACNA’s Board of Directors, seeking solutions to industry issues and concerns.

He has served on SMACNA’s Duct Cleaning Task Force as well as on the ITI Apprentice Contest Committee and the National Joint Apprentice and Training Committee.

Long involved in the industry, Benson has served on the Board of Directors of the British Columbia Sheet Metal Association (SMACNA-BC) and as its chapter President,

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Sheet Metal Journal

He attended Pacific Vocational Institute in Burnaby, B.C., and entered the sheet metal industry in 1976 working as a material man. Paramount Sheet Metal has been a member of SMACNA since 1986 and does commercial HVAC work. #### You can only put so much in a press release and, trust me, they just scraped the surface of Craig’s involvement and true dedication to SMACNA-BC and the sheet metal industry in BC. The entire SMACNA-BC membership offers congratulations to Craig and his lovely wife Sharon.

Angelo Paris appointed to SMACNA-BC Board of Directors

It is with great pleasure that I announce on behalf of the SMACNA-BC Board of Directors, Angelo Paris of Apollo Sheet Metal Ltd, Coquitlam, BC, has been appointed to the position of Director. Angelo will be completing the term recently vacated by Director Craig Benson. Congratulations on your appointment and we really look forward to working with you.

October SMACNA-BC Membership Dinner meeting

A very enthusiastic group enjoyed our guest speakers, Ed Hebscher and Jim Wohlford, who support the Canadian product line for Gripple Inc. Gripple provides improvement on the now-antiquated “clamp and rod” method. The company's approach to hanging HVAC services is up to six times quicker, saving on time and labour costs, and allows suspension of ductwork from any angle while maintaining unyielding support once in place.

Until next time …



BLAST FROM THE PAST ART HISTORY AT SMACNA-BC

This charming painting on display at the SMACNA-BC office was done in 1970

by Paula Daum, daughter of Paul Daum, one of the Association's founders. She completed the painting of her father's sheet metal shop—Tacey Sheet Metal— when she was very young. The painting was passed on to the SMACNA-BC office when Paul passed away in 2008.

From the Summer issue (photo shown right): We published a photo of the 1978 graduating sheet metal class and received this note about one of the photo's subjects: In reference to page 25 of the summer issue of the Sheet Metal Journal - I happen to know one of the men very well. Fourth from the left in the front row is my dad, Robert (Bob) Strelaeff. He is the owner of Robertson Sheet Metal Ltd in Victoria. He started RSM in 1992 and now we have a father daughter partnership and run the business together. Although he no longer works the tools, he has been in the industry for the past 40 years.

Very cool to see him in the magazine!

Sincerely, Teresa Barz Robertson Sheet Metal Ltd.

Friday, November 28

Painting by Paula Daum, 1970. Photo: SMCANA-BC.

Blast from the Past, Summer 2014 Sheet Metal Journal

Thanks for writing in, Teresa! If anyone else would like to take a peek and try to identify someone in the photo, please see the Summer issue of Sheet Metal Journal in print or online at:

<http://sheetmetaljournal.com/guestcolumn/blast-past-class-78> Email us your identifications at jessica.kirby@ pointonemedia.com.

SMACNA-BC CALENDAR OF EVENTS

SMACNA-BC Annual Christmas Party, Pan Pacific Hotel, Vancouver, BC

December 2 SMWIA Local Union No. 280 / SMACNA-BC Joint Conference Board Meeting, Surrey, BC

December 26 Boxing Day

January 25-27 Chapter Executive’s Institute, Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs, CO

February 11

December 7-9

Family Day

Council of Chapter Representatives Meeting, Key West, FL

April 30 - May 3, 2015

December 16

SMACNA-BC 46th Annual Convention & AGM, Delta Grand Okanagan Resort and Conference Centre, Kelowna, BC

SMACNA-BC Board of Directors Meeting

December 25 Christmas Day www.sheetmetaljournal.com • Fall 2014

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Photo courtesy of Caratik.us.

T

he construction industry has no shortage of hazards, obvious and underlying. Airborne pollutants are a constant concern with comprehensive, evolving safety measures developed to mitigate the effects of things like silica and asbestos. Now there's a new game in town that has a serious impact on workers in industrial environments, including those welding stainless steelâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;hexavalent chromium.

Except, it's not exactly a new game, but one rearing its head in new capacities. First identified as a carcinogen in the 1940s, the substance has, over the last five years, prompted legislative and regulatory upgrades to address its presence in industrial manufacturing and the related health issues stemming from over exposure to its compounds.

Hexavalent chromium is a toxic form of the element chromium, the compounds of which are human-made and widely used in industrial applications like dye, ink, and plastic pigments; anti-corrosion agents in paints, primers, and coatings; chrome plating, ferro-chromium ore smelting, and as an impurity in Portland cement. Most important to the metal working industry is the presence of hexavalent chromium in fumes from welding stainless steel or nonferrous chromium alloys.

Exposure to the substance can cause irritation or damage to the eyes and skin with highly concentrated contact, irritation

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Sheet Metal Journal

HEXAVALENT CHROMIUM Old chemical, new risks by / Jessica Kirby

Employees welding and hot-working stainless steel, high chrome alloys, and chrome-coated metal can be at risk SPECIALISTS IN COATED AND UNCOATED SHEET METAL

or damage to the respiratory tract if breathed at high levels, and lung cancer if airborne hexavalent chromium is breathed at higher levels.

Workers tend to inhale airborne hexavalent as a dust, fume, or mist while producing chromate pigments and powders, chromic acid, chromium catalysts, dyes, and coatings, or working near electroplating. Employees welding and hot-working stainless steel, high chrome alloys, and chrome-coated metal can be at risk, as are those applying and removing chromate-containing paints and other surface coatings.

Low level inhalation, even for long periods, doesn't cause respiratory tract irritation in most people. Breathing high levels can lead to a range of symptoms including runny nose, sneezing, coughing, itching, a burning sensation, and, in cases of prolonged exposure, sores, nosebleeds, and holes in the septumâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the wall separating the nasal passages.

Some employees develop allergies to hexavalent chromium,

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hexavalent chromium

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which means inhaling the compounds results in asthma-like symptoms like wheezing and shortness of breath.

Hexavalent chromium can also affect the skin, resulting in an allergic response called allergic contact dermatitis, which occurs from handling liquids or solids containing the compounds including certain solutions, coatings, and cements Once a worker becomes allergic, with even brief contact, he or she experiences swelling and a red, itchy rash that becomes crusty and thickened with prolonged exposure.

Direct skim contact can also cause a non-allergic skin irritation leading to chrome ulcersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;small, crusted skin sores with a rounded border that are slow to heal and leave scars.

In BC, WorkSafeBC has similar guidelines aimed at protecting workers from hexavalent chromium, which is as much a problem in industrial and welding applications as it is in the US. In BC an added hazard lies in the mining industry, where the compounds are produced as a byproduct of several processes. The use of mining waste water to inject into fracking operations is also a going concern as the water contains, among other contaminants, hexavalent chromium.

BC's exposure limits for the substance are as follows: Occupational Exposure Limits Cr VI compound

OEL (mg/m3)

insoluble Cr VI compoundz

0.01

calcium chromate

0.001

water-soluble Cr VI compounds tert-butyl chromate

chromite ore processing lead chromate, as Cr strontium chromate zinc chromates

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Sheet Metal Journal

0.025; 0.1 [c]

0.1 [c, sk] 0.05

0.012

0.0005 0.01

CAREX Canada, surveyor of environmental and occupational exposures for cancer prevention, said lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer in Canada (behind breast cancer) and the leading cause of cancer mortality, resulting in 27% of all cancer deaths.

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A report by the organization outlining priority occupational carcinogens lists diesel exhaust, silica, asbestos, nickel compounds, and hexavalent chromium as the top five carcinogen exposures for Canadian workers.

CAREX Canada’s said approximately 104, 000 Canadians are occupationally exposed to hexavalent chromium and 87 per cent of those are occurring at low exposures. That said, many workers are indeed exposed to moderate and high levels of hexavalent chromium in fabricating metal products, machinery, and transportation machinery manufacturing.

In Canada, workers in automotive maintenance and repair, and printing and support activities experience the highest number of exposures, while those in sawmills, wood preservation, commercial / industrial machine repair, and structural metal manufacturing follow close behind. But in terms of occupation, the groups with the largest number of exposures to hexavalent chromium are welders exposed during welding stainless steel, machinists, and automotive technicians.

In 2006, the US, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, part of the Department of Labor, enacted the final Hexavalent Chromium Cr(VI) Standard, which limits eight-hour, time-weighted average hexavalent chromium exposure in the workplace to 5 micrograms or less per cubic meter of air. Employers are required to perform periodic monitoring at least every six months if the initial monitoring shows employee exposure at or above the action level.

Workplaces should also make available the appropriate personal protection clothing and equipment, and implement good personal hygiene and housekeeping practices to prevent exposure. Employee rotation can not be used as a method to achieve compliance with the exposure limit.

American employers are also required to provide workers with medical examinations within 30 days of assignment, annually, anytime they are exposed in an emergency situation, or if they experience signs or symptoms of adverse health effects associated with hexavalent chromium. Workers who are exposed at or above the action level for 30 days or more per year are also entitled to a medical exam, as are all exposed workers at the time of termination.

For more information about hexavalent chromium in BC workplaces, please visit www.worksafebc.com. 

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www.sheetmetaljournal.com • Fall 2014

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Photo courtesy of Majestic Son & Sons.

Solar Hot Water

for Commercial Applications Canada

is lucky to have a large supply of energy resources at its disposal.

Compared to a lot of the world our energy is relatively inexpensive and is well distributed. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s look at a quick comparison: in 2013 the electricity rates in Denmark were around 40 cents / kWh and Germany was close behind at 36 cents / kWh. France had the lowest rates of the EU at around 20 cents / kWh. Compare that to Canada and the US, which can average around 10 cents / kWh, depending on your local area and usage1.

This makes it fairly obvious that energy conservation in North America is not nearly as financially important as it is elsewhere. This helps explain the relatively slow adoption of solar technology, since the savings from renewable energy projects do not have the same return on investment as they do elsewhere. Recently, the solar industry in BC was driven largely by government

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Sheet Metal Journal

grants that were available through the EcoEnergy program and through Solar BC. The grants brought down the cost of initial installation and there were a few years where many installations were completed.

Although the grants are almost entirely gone, solar is still a viable energy solution. First, there are two primary types of solar systems that we need to differentiate: solar photovoltaic and solar hot water. Photovoltaic cells produce electricity, but solar hot water uses a collector that transfers heat energy directly into water. Solar hot water transfers heat energy directly from one medium to another, which means it has an efficiency of over 80 per cent, compared to photovoltaic cells that typically have an efficiency of less than 20 per cent. Because of this, solar hot water makes a bit more financial sense, assuming the demand for hot water is in near proximity to the collectors.

Domestic hot water is the most common application for solar because it has a consistent daily load and uses the most affordable equipment. Domestic hot water could be used for shower water, commercial dish washers, laundry services, or washing stations. The most common commercial applications for large volumes of domestic hot water are fitness centers, restaurants, shower water, hotels, and apartment buildings.

Applications that require heating of corrosive liquids require the use of titanium or cupro-nickel heat exchangers, which can reduce the financial benefits of a project. One such example is a titanium flat plate heat exchanger for up

Photo courtesy of Albert Herring.

something to consider when choosing between glazed flat plate collectors and evacuated tube collectors because flat plate collectors will stagnate at a much lower temperature than evacuated tube (350 degrees F vs 600 degrees F).

by / Alex Gibbs, Mechanical Engineer, RSL

With a properly designed system, the payback period of an installation is roughly between 12 and 18 years depending on the individual application. All the systems have a life expectancy of 25 years or more, so they tend to have a positive net present value when you look at very modest inflations in utility rates (3 per cent per

annum) and usually have an IRR over 8 per cent. This calculation also takes into account standard historical interest rates, annual maintenance, and an annual equipment discount rate. Most systems have an energy monitoring function built into their controller that lets you know exactly how much energy is being produced by the solar hot water system and verifies the energy savings. But as with most things in life, it will have the most financial benefit if it’s designed and installed correctly.  1

IEA Key World Energy Statistics 2013 www.iea.org/publications, page 44.

to 32 collectors that retails at $15,000.

Because costs can be controlled more easily on domestic hot water, projects at commercial pools typically stick with heating domestic hot water using solar instead of pool water.

Solar hot water systems are designed to create enough heat for 60 to 80 per cent of your annual hot water needs. This is because the largest that a system is sized for is 100 per cent of your hot water during the summer months, but this means it will only produce enough heat reduce your hot water heating energy by 40 to 60 per cent in the winter months. This is because one of the primary concerns in solar design is over-heating in the summer. While it’s okay for systems to occasionally stagnate, it’s not good if they are stagnating for long periods of time day after day. Excessive stagnation times reduce the life expectancy of equipment and increase the maintenance frequency of replacing glycol. This is also

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Crosstown Metal Industries, Inc. takes on 100,000 square feet of work at Vancouver Aquarium.

HVAC Contractor: Crosstown Metal Industries, Inc. Prime Mechanical Contractor: Alpha Mechanical Contracting, Ltd. Architect: MCM Partnership Architects Mechanical Consultant: Integral Group

V

ancouver Aquarium is undergoing a phased, $100-million expansion and renovation that began in 2013 and will wrap up in 2017, if it remains on schedule. As the first phase completes, the iconic building located in Vancouver's Stanley Park boasts a new iridescent exterior cladding and a renovated entry way; a new, two-level Teck Connections Gallery, and two new exhibit areas. The completed phase one, with a $45 million budget, adds 5,110 square meters to the existing building, bring the total area to 29,733 square meters.

Crosstown Metal Industries' scope of work on the project included the supply and installation of all galvanized and welded stainless steel ductwork, grilles, registers, diffusers, VAV boxes, fire dampers, silencers, thermal and acoustic insulation, and the air and water balancing over a 100,000-square-foot area. The company partnered with AarcWest Insulation, EH Price Ltd, Ecco Manufacturing, and KD Engineering to achieve completion.

The field team of four to eight workers, depending on the stage, was led by sheet metal foreman, Peter Lazar, and Don Springford acted as project manager.

A key challenge was completing the expansive work while the adjacent facility was still open and operating throughout construction.

“One of the challenges of Vancouver Aquarium Revitalization Phase 1B was the fact that our work area was right in the middle

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Sheet Metal Journal

By / Jessica Kirby Photos by Norm Grusnick

of the busiest tourist attraction in Vancouver,” said Springford.

“While construction manager PCL required constant vigilance from a safety aspect with regard to the public and our own work, scheduling and deliveries were difficult due to so many people using such a small space at the same time.”

PCL met the challenge by maintaining a disciplined site with a consistent demand for safety from each contractor, added Springford.

Once the project was out of the ground and the roof was completed, there was a push to get the interior work completed as quickly as possible.

“The mechanical design of our scope was complex, with tiers

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www.eccosupply.ca of different services running to common shafts throughout the facility,” said Springford. “Meeting the code requirements for fire separation required a carefully planned sequence. We had to work closely with the consultants in order to meet the scheduling demands of the project.”

The project was noteworthy as it featured some exhibit areas that maintained tricky and humid conditions for the building's mechanical systems. Crosstown's field team achieved results in these areas using PVC-coated steel and phenolic closed cell insulation to satisfy the requirement for humidity resistant materials.

“The relative humidity of the LSS Arctic Canada and back of house exhibit areas on Level 3 will approach 100% at times, so we needed to ensure that the ductwork was adequately protected to handle the conditions,” said SPringford. “PVC coated steel ensures that the space will perform as designed and meet the client’s expectations.”

Crosstown's scope of work commenced January 31, 2013 and substantial completion took place at the end of May, 2014. 

Quality Through Craftsmanship

101

Industries Ltd. Incorporated in 1968

Serving the Commercial, Industrial, and Residential Sectors in Kitimat, Terrace, and Area

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877.632.6859 • www.101industries.com www.sheetmetaljournal.com • Fall 2014

15

FEATURE focus

IMPROVE THE SPEED, ACCURACY, AND EFFICIENCY OF HVAC ESTIMATING By / Mike Postiglione

Estimating is the lifeblood of the HVAC and mechanical contracting business. A steady stream of booked projects is crucial to a company’s success and sustainability. And in this day and age, a powerful, accurate, and most importantly, easyto-use estimating software is a vital tool for today’s estimator.

FastEST, Inc., is excited to have released its latest and greatest version of its plumbing and piping estimating software— FastDUCT® 14.

FastDUCT® 14 is a complete overhaul of FastEST, Inc.'s original sheet metal and HVAC ductwork estimating software, FastDUCT®. Programmed in the .NET framework, the newest version of FastDUCT® calculates faster, is graphically sleeker, and is packed with new features to make your estimating process smoother and more efficient. The .NET programming also results in an extremely smooth takeoff experience over a local network or VPN, even with FastDUCT® 14’s highquality program graphics.

As always, at the heart of the FastDUCT® estimating experience is the On-Screen Digitizer, where, as you mark your digital plans on the screen, a complete count of your

Easy-to-use and accurate mechanical estimating software that can help improve both the speed and efficiency of your estimating process, and your company’s bottom line

materials and labour is also being added to your takeoff list.

Various improvements to the award-winning On-Screen Digitizer make it more efficient and helpful than ever. One example is the on-screen Copy-Paste function, where you can easily select a group of takeoff items (a classroom ductwork run-out, for example), and quickly copy and paste the same markings and takeoff for the other classrooms, saving you the extra takeoff time. When takeoff is complete, a user can quickly calculate a full report, detailing all of the material and labour associated with the respective bid.

A full quantified list of duct and fittings is also generated, so you can send that to your shop for fabrication, or perhaps to your local fabricator for a price quote. Also included in the Reports area is a quantified count of all additional materials taken off, including hanger straps, flexible duct, and other accessories.

We invite you to find out more about FastDUCT® 14, one of the most affordable and easy-to-use HVAC estimating software products in the marketplace today. Visit the website at http:// www.fastest-inc.com. There, you can watch a video of the newest FastDUCT® program in action. You can also contact FastEST, Inc. at 800-828-7108, or email sales@fastest-inc. com. 

Are you working on an interesting or challenging project?

Tell us about it. www.fastest-inc.com 800.828.7108

16

Sheet Metal Journal

Contact our editor, Jessica Kirby, at 250.816.3671 or email jessica.kirby@pointonemedia.com

TECHNICAL UPDATES SMACNA ON THE EDGE OF INNOVATION

Add New Hoisting and Rigging Plan to Your Safety Library

SMACNA Air Duct Leakage App

A written Hoisting and Rigging model program is the newest addition to the popular SMACNA Guide to Safety and Health Policies, Procedures and Model Programs. You can use the new Hoisting and Rigging plan as a stand-alone document for typical hoisting processes or add it to an existing crane operations plan.

This simple to use but effective application is provided by the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA). This tool allows engineers, architects, designers, and contractors to easily and accurately estimate the leakage of air from ductwork. It also allows a quick and easy way to determine the pass/fail mark for properly specified Duct Air Leakage Tests (DALT).

Users can combine multiple sections of ductwork that vary by size and shape to calculate a total allowable leakage. The application uses the method outlined in SMACNA's HVAC Air Duct Leakage Manual, and provides suggested leakage classes from SMACNA's latest edition of the manual. The method used is compliant with ASHRAE 90.1, IECC, IGCC Version 2, IMC, and the UMC. The free download is available to members through the iTunes and Google Play stores.

Duct Construction App

SMACNA's Duct Construction app provides SMACNAcompliant options for rectangular duct with dimensions from 1 inch to 120 inches for applications from negative to positive 10-inch water gage.

The scenarios for the app are limited to joint lengths of 4, 5, and 6 feet. The transverse connections are limited to T1 (flat drive), T5 (flat slip), T10, 11, and 12 (standing slips) and T25 a or b (TDC/TDF). Where appropriate the app will also provide options for intermediate reinforcement. The full range of reinforcement spacing options is 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 1/2, and 2 feet.

In most cases the app will provide options for internal reinforcements and external reinforcements. Internal options are limited to EMT conduit tie rods and external reinforcements are limited to angles. Enough information is provided so users can choose other options from SMACNA's Standard.

The output of the app is a written description of the duct as well as a graphic representation. Users can view the report on-screen or email it.

The app is intended to be used in conjunction with SMACNA's HVAC Duct Construction Standard.

The free download is available to members through the iTunes and Google Play stores.

SMACNA will soon release its Rectangular Industrial Duct Construction app—a web-only, free-to-members application that should be ready by the end of November. Check SMACNA.org for details.

The Guide is a definitive resource of policies, procedures, and model written programs that SMACNA members can download and edit to fit with their existing company safety program. The model programs in the Guide—SMACNA Guide to Safety and Health Policies, Procedures and Model Programs—are versatile enough to develop a written, comprehensive, company-wide safety and health program. Or use them to prepare and submit a client-required, site-specific program in the proposal stage. SMACNA members may also find these plans helpful if they are required to comply with third-party evaluators, or by the owner or general contractor.

View and download the Guide under “Model Policies” on SMACNA’s Safety and Health webpage.

For more information on the new hoisting and rigging plan and the Guide to Safety and Health Policies, contact smacnabc.org or (604) 585-4641. 

MEETING THE LABOUR NEEDS OF OUR INDUSTRY

BY DELIVERING QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL SHEET METAL WORKERS TRAINING C E N T R E S O C I E T Y The Sheet Metal Workers Training Centre Society’s mission is to provide the highest quality of training and upgrading to sheet metal apprentices and journeypersons in the Province of British Coumbia by delivering the highest standards of instruction and utilizing the most up-to-date teaching methods.

For more information Tel 604.882.7680 Fax 778.298.0656 or Email registrar@smwtcs.ca Check us out on the web at www.smwtcs.ca 19077 - 95A Ave. Surrey, BC CANADA V4N 4P3 www.sheetmetaljournal.com • Fall 2014

17

BUILDING SCIENCE AIR-CLEANING EXTERIORS Weather protection, aesthetic beauty, element resistance—a solid exterior offers many things, but improved air quality?

Photo courtesy of Nemesi & Partners.

Italian architecture firm Nemesi & Partners has unveiled a revolutionary facade material that purifies smog, creating a cleaner environment inside the building. The firm expects to officially reveal its plans to adorn the Palazzo Italia with the specialty material at as part of Milan 2015.

The installment is an appropriate fit for Milan 2015's theme: Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life. The six-month exhibition showcases sustainable, technological, and thematic noncommercial innovations.

Both aesthetically beautiful and pragmatic, the facade, made of a specialty cement, will cover the pavillion in a sweeping configuration meant to resemble a petrified forest. When exposed to the sun, the material captures pollutants from the air, transforming them into benign salts.

The facade stretches nearly 10,000 square feet. Eighty per cent of it is made from recycled material and the overall construction requires approximately 2,200 tons of the specialty cement. The remaining square footage of the pavillion's exterior will receive a custom roof that generates solar power in the daylight hours.

Nemesi & Partners representatives say the project is “inspired by a natural architecture in which the branched weave of the external 'skin' of the building generates alternations of light and shadows and solids and voids, creating a scenario that refers to works of Land Art." Once Milan 2015 concludes, the Palazzo Italia will remain a permanent installation. The Expo runs from May to October, 2015. The 2015 event will host more than 130 participants over 184, covering one million square meters. It is expected to welcome 20 million visitors.

The pigment itself remains unchanged, which means the modules can keep purifying the air for as long as a decade, or until their coating wears off. The clean air enters the building and surrounds it, and the facade also filters sunlight, reducing air-conditioning requirements.

The installation at the hospital is expect to neutralize the nitrogen oxides emissions of 1,000 vehicles per day.

This is Elegant Embellishment’s first full-scale installation, but the Berlin firm hopes the material will eventually cover more buildings, highways, and other structures in highpollutant areas.

Saving the World?

Meanwhile in Mexico

As air purifying technologies develop, experts agree what while smog-eating facade technology won't save the atmosphere alone, they are part of a bigger solution to a growing problem.

Part of the country's health infrastructure commitment, the 2,500-square-meter facade was designed by Berlinbased Elegant Embellishments and constructed from the firm’s 3D Prosolve 370e modules.

In China, outdoor air pollution in 2010 contributed to more than 1.2 million premature deaths. Although the statistics are improving over previous years, the US State of the Air report from 2013 says nearly 4 in 10 Americans live in areas with unhealthy levels of either ozone or particle pollution. In 1992, Mexico City reported only eight days with good air quality, but in 2013, the number had risen to 248. 

The Manuel Gea González Hospital in Mexico City has installed already installed a decorative, white facade made from a similar material.

These modules are coated with a special pigment that, when hit by ambient daylight, breaks pollutants down into less harmful compounds like carbon dioxide and water.

18

Sheet Metal Journal

GLOBAL METAL NATURAL REFRIGERANTS MAKE COMMERCIAL SENSE, CARRIER STUDY SAYS

COLOGNE, Germany – Almost two-thirds of large supermarkets surveyed in northern and western European countries now use natural refrigerants in their stores, according to a new report issued by Carrier Commercial Refrigeration in Europe.

The research finds that this trend is being driven by industrywide sustainability policies that are outpacing EU legislation.

The study, developed in partnership with market development company shecco, seeks to provide a clear picture of the key drivers for and against the adoption of sustainable refrigeration and refrigerant options, and the effects of legislation.

respondents who already use natural refrigerants had chosen CO2 for their centralized system, versus 17 per cent who opted for a hydrocarbon (HC) system.

Natural Refrigerant Systems

More than 40 percent of the average supermarket’s total energy consumption is from refrigeration. As a result, the use of energy-efficient and low-global warming potential refrigerants was rated by far as the most important environmental feature to increase a store’s energy efficiency—with a score of 4.3 out of 5.

Surveyed retailers also agreed that natural refrigerants can outperform traditional HFC systems in terms of efficiency and performance, suggesting respondents believe the technology makes business sense regardless of any incentives.

The study of mostly large food retailers in Germany, France, Denmark, Norway, and the United Kingdom found 65 per cent of respondents had begun to implement natural refrigerant technology in their stores. Fuelled by a combination of market and policy influences and technology advances, the shift to natural refrigerants has strengthened the position of many retailers relative to the newly revised European Union F-gas Regulation, which imposes a phase-down scheme and restrictions on use of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants.

Christoph Brouwers, director, integrated systems, Carrier Commercial Refrigeration, Europe said the company has installed more than 880 systems running natural refrigerants over the past ten years.

“This research reflects the shift we’ve observed across the industry over the past two years,” said Thierry Jomard, president, Carrier Commercial Refrigeration, Europe. “What we’re seeing today is an intersection point between legislation and increased acceptance of how natural refrigerant technologies can contribute to the overarching goals of carbon footprint reduction and increased energy efficiency.”

And although initial capital cost and investment remain higher than traditional HFC solutions, the data suggest a relatively small gap.

Environmental Leadership

According to the study, one of the key drivers behind the switch to natural refrigerants is retailers’ growing awareness of the link between carbon footprint reduction and business success. Survey respondents across all territories in the study rated carbon footprint reduction as “important.”

“Retailers increasingly recognize that natural refrigerants represent a future-proof investment in terms of legislative compliance,” said Jomard. “We’re seeing evidence now of early adopters looking even further ahead toward more holistic thinking about combining heating and cooling, using integrated system solutions to optimize overall energy management.”

CO2 Now Standard Option

Among the natural refrigerant options favored by the study’s food retailers is CO2, which is emerging as the standard option for centralized systems. Eighty-three percent of the

The study’s food retailers also said that natural refrigerants have achieved parity with HFCs, based on return on investment and lifecycle costs. They reported an average technology investment cycle of 14 years.

Natural Future?

A key challenge for the future will be to make the technology readily accessible to smaller convenience stores and food retailers in vicinities where warmer temperatures reduce the effectiveness of CO2 systems.

The switch to natural refrigerants is also proving to be the catalyst for more holistic thinking about combining refrigeration with heating and cooling, using integrated system solutions to optimize overall energy management.

Carrier's CO2OLtec Integral solution enables food retailers to save up to 35 per cent on energy costs while cutting their carbon footprint by up to 58 per cent.

For additional information, visit www.carrier-refrigeration. com or follow Carrier on Twitter: @CarrierGreen.

Please download a copy of the Natural Refrigerants in Europe report at http://files.carrier.com/carrier/en/ contentimages/Natural-Refrigerants-Report.pdf. 

www.sheetmetaljournal.com • Fall 2014

19

ENGINEER'S DESK LEED V4 CHANGES & UPDATES

Last fall, the USGBC rolled out the latest version of the LEED rating system, call LEED v4. There are some significant changes in LEED v4 from the credit categories to the specific credits themselves.

First, the credit categories were changed a little. Two new categories were created: Integrative Process and Location & Transportation. Many of the Location & Transportation credits came from the Sustainable Sites section of the previous version of LEED. The Water Efficiency section did not change much, but did get a couple of new credits and prerequisites.

Many of the credits that pertained to grilles, registers, and diffusers were eliminated or combined with other credits to form new credits. The Materials and Resources section was changed the most of all sections. Only the Storage and Collection of Recyclables prerequisite and the Construction Waste Management credit were not changed much.

For instance, the most common questions with respect to LEED is weather GRD products meet the requirements of the Recycled Content and Regional Materials credits. These two credits are replaced with Building Product Disclosure and Optimization â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sourcing of Raw Materials.

Building Product Disclosure and Optimization credits are designed to encourage the use of products and materials

Business Manager & F.S.T. Assistant Business Manager

James Paquette Dan Burroughs

Business Representative

Greg Mooney

Business Representative

Ken Elworthy

6188 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5J 1H5 Phone 604-430-3388 or 1-800-242-8645 Fax: 604-431-1864 Email: agents@smw280.org 20

Sheet Metal Journal

by / Norm Grusnick

for which lifecycle information is available such as steel and aluminum metal products. The Environmental Product Declaration covers the old Regional Material credit, but must instead of defining regional as a 500-mile radius, it uses a 100mile radius. The Sourcing of Raw Materials covers the old Recycled Content credit. This new credit requires that 25% of the building products are made from recyclable products.

Several credits in the Indoor Environmental Quality section were combined into new credits. There is now a new credit called Low Emitting Interiors. The new credit is more specific about the paints and adhesives and sealers applied in the field as opposed the products that are manufactured in factories under more stringent control.

A new credit for Acoustic Performance has been added to the Indoor Environmental Quality section, as well. This credit states that room noise levels from building mechanical systems must be within the sound level ranges shown in 2011 ASHRAE Handbook, HVAC Applications, Chapter 48: Table 1, or local code equivalent. It also has a requirement for sound isolation, reverberation time and reverberant noise buildup, masking, and sound reinforcement systems. There are additional acoustic requirements for school and healthcare facilities. For schools, it states that the background noise level must be 35dBA or less from HVAC systems in classrooms.

The Controllability of Systems â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Thermal Comfort design credits and Thermal Comfort have been combined and the Comfort Verification credit eliminated. To achieve the new combined credits a building must be designed to ASHRAE Standard 55-2010 and provide 50% of the occupants with individual comfort control. Underfloor systems and VAV diffusers are still a good way to achieve the individual comfort control portion of this credit.

The Energy and Atmosphere section is still the section with the most possible points, primarily due to the Optimize Energy Performance credit. The previous version of LEED had a prerequisite of meeting ASHRAE 90.1-2007. This has been updated to require a minimum energy performance based on ASHRAE 90.1-2010. The Optimize Energy Performance

Continued on page 23

CONTRACTOR ADVICE LIFE, DEATH, AND THE HUMAN ELEMENT Of all the things I do in my professional career, this is my least favourite: the phone rings, and like so many times before – more times than I can remember – a contractor is on the other end of the line. Even before he spills the details, I can tell by the tone of his voice that something is very wrong.

I don’t know how it all started, really, but as the CEO of a large California contractors’ association for the past twentyseven years, I have turned into the reluctant go-to guy whenever there is a serious accident, injury, or fatality on one of my members’ jobs. I am one of the first to be consulted.

It’s a ringside seat to something you never want to see or experience, but over time, you build up a kind of resistance; you form some tough emotional scar tissue. As a result, I have developed a keen sense of what should be done at that exact moment. I have learned how to set the proper emotional tone—how to help manage the shock, anxiety, and grief the contractor is feeling while, at the same time, take whatever urgent, pragmatic actions are necessary. Also, I have gained insight into the true benefits of safe construction operations and, sadly, what can happen when those high standards aren’t met. So, based on my experience, I would like to share a few strategies for safer operations in our industry.

What I want to emphasize in this article is the recognition of the human element—people’s feelings and their impact on safety. Feelings drive behaviour. Feelings help form values. Feelings create person-to-person understanding and behavioural norms. There’s no debate about it: most behaviour is driven by emotion and feelings. Logic and reason play a significant role, but if you want the most reliable motivator of behaviour, look at feelings and emotion. Bearing this fact in mind, a safety culture must be more than the sum total of the policies, rules, training, consequences, incentives, and reports. An effective safety culture must stimulate positive feelings that will drive positive behaviour.

What kinds of feelings and emotions might drive an effective safety culture? As a contractor, how about communicating the following to your crews: • Everyone is sincerely cared about by their employer—not just as workers, but as people. They hear it, see it, and feel it. In an environment that fosters this value system, workers are going to be more likely to emulate similar behaviours for and with each other.

• Caring for one another is communicated (and demonstrated) from the owner of the company all the way down the supervisory chain of command. Foremen and other front-line supervisors are expected to take safety to a personal place with their crews. It is not just enforcing

by / Mark Breslin

the company line; it is emphasizing care, empathy, loyalty, and support. The culture message is simple: care about the other guy even if you don’t like him. Peer-to-peer safety accountability can also be driven by loyalty to one another, an ethos based on empathy and not disciplinary consequence. Cops, military, and others who work in harm’s way most often have the “got your back” mindset.

It needs to be the same within our industry as well.

• A true understanding of the human cost of failure. These feelings can be sadness, regret, apprehension, and even fear.

Reckless, short-sighted, or stupid jobsite behaviours need to be balanced against the consequences. In a macho, maledominated industry, risk-taking behaviours often do not take into account the terrible ripple effect of a bad compromise.

I taught safety courses for around ten years. In all my classes I would ask those who had seen a bad accident on the job to raise their hands. Over 50% of those in the class had that experience. I would then ask them to share what they saw, how they felt, and if it changed them.

Hearing them speak form the heart riveted the class. This was the most powerful part of any of the course content, and the part that I believe changed behaviours more than anything else I said.

All of these are examples of what is often missing from the safety message. Workers in our industry are absolutely barraged with information, training, and reinforcement of safety as a priority. They will hear the messages thousands of times in their careers. But quantity alone does not get it done; the content and the delivery have to reach the person at a level where it leaves an imprint. And in an industry like ours, where focusing on “feelings” is generally categorized as a weakness, it can be a challenge for owners, managers, and foremen to consider this powerful and effective strategy.

One of my contractor clients has, in my view, mastered this.

His firm has worked six million man-hours without a lost time injury. I simply could not believe it. As I dug deeper, past the training and policies and safety director’s capabilities, I

Continued on page 23

www.sheetmetaljournal.com • Fall 2014

21

IT'S THE LAW THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

When submitting a proposal for a multi-phase project, the scope of the engagement must be clearly set out for each phase.

As this recent case from the BC Supreme Court suggests, a binding contract may not be created until all parties have explicitly agreed to the terms of the proposal, including the scope of the project.

Facts

MW Pacific Construction Ltd. (the “Contractor”) was retained by the Abbotsford Grower’s Co-Operative Union (the “CoOp”) to act as a project manager for the design and, potentially, for the construction of a fruit freezing, processing, and storage facility (the “Project”).

In this case, the Contractor provided the Co-Op a management proposal (the “Proposal”) outlining the scope of services it intended to provide for the Project. The Proposal originally included a scope of engagement for both Phase 1 (consultant selection and design development) and Phase 2 (construction tendering, contract award, and construction) of the Project.

The Co-Op’s board later asked the Contractor to revise the Proposal to allow for a step-by-step implementation of the Project that separated Phase 1 from Phase 2. Following subsequent revisions, the Contractor submitted a final version

SMWIA Local Union No. 280 /SMACNA-BC Partnership

by /Andrew Delmonico Kuhn & Company

of the Proposal to the Co-Op’s board that distinctly separated Phase 1 from Phase 2, allowing approval of one phase at a time. This finalized version of the Proposal was formally approved by the Co-Op’s board and signed by both the Contractor and the Co-Op. A dispute arose between the parties when the Co-Op later issued requests for bids on Phase 2. The Contractor sued for breach of contract on the basis that it had received assurances it would be awarded Phase 2, despite the fact that the Proposal had formally separated each of these phases of construction.

Issue

What was the scope of the Contractor’s engagement under the Proposal?

Court Decision

The Contractor argued that a binding contract had been entered into between the parties based on the earlier version of the Proposal that had awarded it both phases of the Project.

The court rejected this assertion. Rather than a binding contract, this version of the Proposal was found to simply be a document prepared by the Contractor in the hope of garnering business. It did not give rise to any legal obligations on the part of the Co-op. The court found that even if the Proposal constituted an offer to contract on the part of the Contractor, the Co-Op’s recommendation to proceed with the Project was not, in itself, a clear acceptance of this offer.

In this specific case, it was only once the Proposal had been signed by both parties that a valid and binding contract was entered into. The Court held that the Contractor was aware when it signed the final version of the Proposal that the CoOp had only approved Phase 1 of the Project and that Phase 2 would require additional board approval. This supported the Co-op’s argument that the Contractor had only been formally awarded Phase 1 of the Project.

Labour & Management “Embracing the Challenge” - B. Flaherty, Cornell University, Syracuse, N.Y.

22

Sheet Metal Journal

Lessons Learned

Make sure when entering into a contract for a multi-phase construction project that the scope of engagement is clearly

Continued on page 23

ADVERTISER INDEX ENGINEER'S DESK

Continued from page 20

credit is now also based on ASHRAE 90.1-2010. You can achieve up to 20 points for improving the building’s energy usage from 6% to 50%.

LEED v4 was a dramatically updated version of LEED. Possibly as a response to criticisms that LEED buildings were not performing as designed, LEED v4 has more performance based focus than previous versions requiring energy monitoring and reporting. It also has a stronger focus on building materials used. 

CONTRACTOR ADVICE

Continued from page 21

discovered a common theme among every person I talked to.

That they did it because they cared and because the company had driven that message home for years. They cared about the company. The company cared about them. They cared about each other. And they were really proud of it. They would call a guy out if he was out of line and not even think about it. They would create and sustain accountability—because they felt it was important.

In short, safety is not an end objective. It is a byproduct of the environment shaped by the shared values of the workers.

It is not about binders, OSHA citations, policies, training programs, or risk management policies. All these are means by which we collectively attempt to shape behaviours. To create a safe, positive, and mutually accountable workplace, an employer should harness the power of the human element.

Make it personal by focusing not only on the head, but also on the heart. Convince people to be open to the idea of “being a brother's or sister’s keeper” or having someone’s back with no compromises allowed. Building success in any venture or organization requires creating a shared belief system. Tapping

into the human element at a personal level is one powerful way to do it.  Mark is noted as the number one speaker in the US on construction leadership, strategy, and labour-management relations. He is also the author of five best-selling books that have created profound and positive change across the industry. He has spoken to and inspired more than 300,000 people during his career. Please view his latest book The Five Minute Foreman or his collection of five at www.breslin.biz.

IT'S THE LAW

Continued from page 22

set out for each phase. While there are clear benefits to being awarded a multi-phase project without having to go through a competitive bidding process for each stage, this must be clearly agreed to by all parties.  This article was written by Andrew Delmonico, a lawyer with the law firm of Kuhn LLP. This article is only intended as a guide and cannot cover every situation. It is important to get legal advice for specific situations. If you have any questions or comments about this case or other construction law matters, please contact us at 604.864.8877.

We'd like to take this opportunity to thank our advertisers, subscribers, and the SMACNA-BC Executive and Board of Directors for making Sheet Metal Journal such a success.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! ~ Lara, Christina, and Jessica

advertiser index advertiser

page

phone

101 Industries Ltd.

15

877.632.6859

www.101industries.com

Air System Supplies

10

778.758.5851

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Cascadia Metals

09

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Crossroads C&I Distributors

13

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ECCO Supply

15

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FastEst Inc.

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Frost Insulation

11

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Sheet Metal Workers Training Centre Society

website

17

604.882.7680

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20, 22

604.430.3388

www.smw280.org

SMACNA-BC

IFC, 05, 22

604.585.4641

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Winroc / SPI

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Sheet Metal Workers Int’l Local 280

www.sheetmetaljournal.com • Fall 2014

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Get Ready for 2015 The 2015 Media Guide for Canada’s only niche publication dedicated to the sheet metal industry is here.

Watch for Sheet Metal Journal’s new face in 2015, as it features a different industry sector in each issue, and new column articles including Global Metal, Building Science, Innovations, On the Market, and a revamped Technical section.

Stretch your dollars with new advertising packages, which include both print and digital promotion and opportunities for cross-promotion in Point One Media’s other trade magazines where applicable.

1U5IDE 2ME0 DIA G

So what are you waiting for? Contact Christina Tranberg at 1.877.755.2762 or ctranberg@ pointonemedia.com for a copy of the Media Guide.

The Sheet Metal Journal Team: Point One Media Inc. PO Box 11 Station A Nanaimo, BC V9R 5K4

Christina Tranberg Account Manager 1.877.755.2762 • 250.667.0401 ctranberg@pointonemedia.com

Lara Perraton Publisher 1.877.755.2762 • 250.714.4973 lperraton@pointonemedia.com

Jessica Kirby Editor 250.816.3671 jessica.kirby@pointonemedia.com