Certifying employees benefits them and their companies
Certification establishes formal recognition of the experience and education of metal construction field employees. Employees who become certified demonstrate the knowledge essential to being a professional in the metal construction industry and prove a commitment to a higher standard of practice. They show a high level of ability and knowledge of the construction process management. Certified workers not only raise the level of professionalism within the metal construction industry, they give an added level of assurance to owners and the public that construction projects are being managed safely, efficiently and ethically.
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Getting certified
There are many different certification subjects available and many different organizations available to provide them to metal construction employees. “We get the majority of our training through the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Metal Building Contractors and Erectors Association (MBCEA),” says Art Hance, president of Hance Construction Inc., Washington, N.J. “The courses are tailored to our industry and our chapter subsidizes the training for members making them much more affordable. The MBCEA is really changing the landscape of training in our industry with development of our apprenticeship program and the variety of courses offered by the individual chapters. We see a difference in the quality and productivity in crews who have a higher level of industry specific certification.”
Hance sees the most common certifications for his field employees as being:
• OSHA 30 hour
• CPR
• Man Lift Operation
• Forklift Operation • Crane Signaling
• Rigging 1
• MBCEA apprenticeship certification
“We like the crews we associate with to at least have the 10 hour Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) certification, 30 hour of course is better, which some municipalities are now requiring,” says Shannon Dodge, field operations/project manager at Paramount Metal Systems, Little Rock, Ark. “When having to install roof systems with extended warranties, we then require that crew to have been through the specific manufacturers certification program. In case they have not or we feel the need additional overseeing, we will send our field operations rep, who carries certifications from six different manufacturers.”
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Bellaire, Ohio-based East Coast Metal Systems (ECMS) also has its metal construction field employees gain certifications through the OSHA 30-hour Construction Outreach Training course. It familiarizes employees with occupational hazards, and various proactive and reactive steps to take in potentially harmful circumstances.
“This certification also aids in equipment operation training so that field employees can practice safety in all aspects of a job,” says John Trifonoff, ECMS general manager. “It can be completed at an employee’s leisure due to the convenient accessibility provided by the Internet. In today’s fastpaced world, it is important for any key industry player to remain up-to-date on the latest technologies and methods for accomplishing set goals and objectives. The online test is very interactive and leaves no room for inadequate completion, so it is also extremely effective and reliable.”
ECMS also coordinates its efforts through local unions that provide various International Training Institute (ITI) -accredited certifications like welding, various job specifications, leadership, layout, sheet metal, soldering and computer-aided drafting (CAD).
At Eastampton, N.J.-based Thomas Phoenix International Inc., all employees receive the basic training certifications: OSHA 10 hour, Fall Protection, ANSI MSDS, Rough Terrain Forklift Safety, Aerial Work Platform Safety, First Aid, CPR, Signal Person and Rigging I. Once an employee enters its apprentice program they go on to complete the following training: Welder Certification, Rigging II, OSHA 30 hour and other industry-related and manufacturer-specific training.
Also, “The MBI Quality Craftsman DVD series tests and certifies our employees online,” says Thomas Phoenix Vice President Eric T. Kay. “It is a very efficient way of doing the certification as it allows us to train and test the employee in-house at our convenience. All of our training courses, along with each employee’s training status, is tracked on a training management program. Each course is entered with a frequency requirement. A training status report is checked on a regular basis and re-certification, when required, is a must.”
Association certification
Rosemont, Ill.-based National Roofing Contractors Association’s (NRCA) ProForeman certificate program offers current and future field managers opportunities to hone their skills and knowledge in five critical areas: general education, roofing technology, construction/business practices, management and communication, and safety. Completing the program demonstrates discipline and persistence on the part of the employee. The designation also demonstrates a company’s commitment to training and professionalism.
“Having well-trained employees, whether certified or not, aids companies in a number of ways,” says Amy Staska, associate executive director of education at NRCA. “Trained employees have better skills, more knowledge and usually are more likely to understand rationale for work practices, as opposed to simply having memorized series of steps.”
Certificate and certification programs have a few added benefits to typical training programs. “First, they typically are more robust in scope than standard training programs, which often address single topics in discreet chunks,” says Staska. “Second, all employees receive training, but not all employees are chosen to participate in higher-level certificate or certification programs, so they often are motivators for employees who realize their employers are investing extra time and energy in them. Both of these factors can lead to higher quality of work overall as well as employee retention. Some certifications are necessary to comply with government regulations, such as OSHA-required forklift-operator certification, or requirements such as manufacturer-certified installers or insurance companies requiring NRCA/MRCA CERTA torchapplicator certification.”
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Staska contends that while certification is important, recertification is critical. “It shouldn’t come as a surprise that peoples’ knowledge and skills both can evaporate with time, either through carelessness or lack of use. Also, bodies of knowledge and best practices can change over time. Recertification requires certified parties to periodically demonstrate their current knowledge or skills in order to retain their certifications. Though this can be accomplished through a variety of means, the end result it to satisfy certifying bodies that participants are up-to-date and accomplished to hold their certificates.”
Industry recognized
The National Center for Construction Education and Research
(NCCER) is an Alachua, Fla.-based education foundation whose credentials are recognized
throughout the construction and maintenance industries. NCCER offers craft training curricula in more than 60 craft areas and has developed more than 70 craft assessments. NCCER’s curricula and assessments are commonly used in industrial and commercial construction, and craft professionals who complete training and/or assessments earn an industry-recognized credential that can be easily verified using NCCER’s secure database called the Automated National Registry (ANR).
As it relates to contractors or craft professionals involved in metal construction, NCCER has a three-level ironworking curriculum, which includes training on the erection and installation of pre-engineered systems.
A 2007 study by the Construction Industry Institute
(CII) titled “Construction Industry Craft Training in the United States and Canada” found that craft workers who achieve the NCCER “certified plus” designation receive an average of $2/hour more than uncertified workers in the same field. A second study completed in 2011 by The Harvard Graduate School of Education titled “Pathways to Prosperity” concluded that 27 percent of people with post-secondary licenses or certificates-credentials short of an associate’s degree-earn more than the average bachelor’s degree recipient.”
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Beware of the “bare minimum”
As I travel the United States visiting our chapters and members, the one most common thing I see among successful metal building contractors is the depth of their certified training. They realize that this factor alone can be the difference between winning or losing a contract, sometimes even overshadowing the price factor. The corps of engineers, most state officials, OSHA and very large general contractors are starting to enforce the rule on basic training requirements, such as rough terrain forklift, aerial work platform, rigging one, signal person and basic first aid.
I have also noticed that over the last dozen years, the majority of contractor erectors have stepped up to the plate. However, a lot of the job supers, suppliers, salesmen and local inspectors don’t seem to realize that they can’t just go up and look at the roof without certified lift-and-fall protection training. The bottom line is: successful erectors, contractors, salesmen and suppliers have embraced this training and certification, and it shows. Others just do the bare minimum and if they don’t change, that’s what they will always have: “the bare minimum.”
Gary T. Smith, president of Metal Buildings Contractor & Erectors Association and chairman of Metal Building Institute’s apprenticeship committee.
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Why certification works Metal Construction News asked five companies to describe their employee certification.
Certification keeps our employees up-to-date with all safety protocols. It also teaches them proper operation techniques of construction equipment. It greatly reduces the amount of recordable safety incidents. Our company wants to keep our employees and company as up-to-date as possible with certifications being that rules and regulations constantly change. Laurel Dolinger, service representative, Rose Metal Systems Inc., Carlisle, Pa.
Our workers must pass a vertical/overhead stick welding test. Also, they must be properly trained in operating an oxygen cutting torch. It’s required to inspect the welds on our joists. Being certified promotes safety of our employees at work and at home. Certification keep us from outsourcing our work to outside vendors and keeps Nucor’s reputation of safety at the highest standards.
Irving W. Larry Jr., design engineer, Nucor- Vulcraft Group, Fort Payne, Ala.
We consider certification to be invaluable. It not only increases business and lowers insurance rates, it educates employees and adds to their resumes-something that encourages loyalty to the company. We find that certification in a variety of areas helps employees not only broaden their skill set, but gain self-confidence. They learn to problem solve more efficiently, eventually learning to foresee problems before they occur.
Craig Jewett, president, Jewett Construction Co. Inc./ Jewett Metal Buildings & Steel Erectors, Raymond, N.H.
Certification allows us much more flexibility when scheduling crews and helps us deliver the highest level of quality. Recertification is very important because new rules and regulations are changing every year. Many companies worry, “What if you pay to train your employees and they leave?” The real concern you should have is what if we don’t train them and they stay. Ryan Grouws, project manager/director of safety, CHG Building Systems Inc., Renton, Wash.
Certified employees are able to be more adaptive to a given situation and are better equipped to handle their responsibilities, which reflect well on the company and employee. Preparedness for any situation is an important factor in the advantages of certification, which directly relates to applicable knowledge of industry safety standards and operational protocols and procedures.
Jeremy Dvorcek, safety manager, East Coast Metal Systems, Bellaire, Ohio