RAMCA News

Thursday, September 13th
Short Pump Hilton
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

A national firm with a local presence has been tapped to oversee construction of the massive data center being built in eastern Henrico for Facebook. DPR Construction has been chosen as the general contractor for the nearly 1 million-square-foot facility, which involves a $1 billion investment for the social media giant, at 5900 Elko Road in the White Oak Technology Park.

Facebook said work is underway on the site and DPR is accepting bids from subcontractors. A $220 million building permit was filed with the county Nov. 1 by DPR, calling for the construction of industrial buildings. To date, Facebook said, DPR has award-ed subcontracting gigs to three metro Richmond companies on the project: Rockville, Virginia-based Liesfeld Contractor Inc. for site work, ColonialWebb for mechanical work and Miller Electric for electrical work. Other subcontractors selected include Kansas-based Schufff Steel, Pennsylvania-based Lighthouse Electric Co. and Sterling-based Rosendin.

The first phase will consist of an H-shaped complex of two single-story, connected buildings. Documents on file with the county show three future buildings totaling 1.5 million additional square feet; however, a timeline for construction of the additional phases has not been released.

The Timmons Group has recently obtained its prequalification for right-of-way (ROW) acquisition services through the Virginia Department of Transportation. Less that a dozen firms in Virginia are prequalified for ROW acquisition. VDOT requires that ROW consulting firms be prequalified before providing these services on VDOT-administered construction projects.

In 2017 Timmons Group focused on expanding their ROW and easement acquisition capabilities. In addition to ROW services Timmons also expanded its infrastructure team to include bridge and structure design. These additions and expansions will help meet with the increased demands for infrastructure across the Commonwealth.

Congratulations to Allan Myers as the company was named by ENR MidAtlantic, a leading publication in the engineering and construction industry, as its 2017 Contractor of the Year. A key factor in ENR’s selection of Allan Myers is its “Home Safe Tonight” safety culture. Allan Myers boasts a 0.76 OSHA Recordable rate which is four times below the national average. Allan Myers safety campaign focuses on sending all of their workers home safely every night.

Allan Myers is a family-owned business that believes in contributing to the community and developing future industry leaders as it’s core values and along with their emphasis on safety, attribute to their success and recent record growth. About three-quarters of their business is transportation related with significant increase in recent years in the number of asphalt plants they operate. Congratulations to everyone at Allan Myers!

RAMCA is pleased to welcome these new members to the ever-growing and impressive roster of the association. Please take a moment to welcome their representatives to RAMCA when you see them at an upcoming RAMCA event. Green “New Member” ribbons on name badges identify new members at events throughout their first year.

We could almost write a weekly update with all the exciting news out of our partners at the Goochland CTE! RAMCA has partici-pated in the 1st quarter of 2018 in the CTE Advisory Council, the Career Fair with over 600 middle/high school aged students (RAMCA companies were 14 of 75 represented!), Business Roundtable with community leaders, and serving as student mentors. Several seniors in the Heavy Equipment Operator program have already been hired by RAMCA companies upon graduation.

Goochland recently announced the expansion of their 2 year Heavy Equipment Operator program into a 4-year Academy for Architecture and Construction. Since the below proposed course sequence, Goochland announced they will include Diesel Mechanics classes. They are also expanding to take students from Powhatan, and there is a wait-list for this program. Several RAMCA member companies have been instrumental in helping Goochland to develop these programs for which the administration is extremely grateful! Our continued partnership will help to create that pipeline of qualified employees all our members seek.

Goochland's CTE Academies allow students to experience high school education focused around specific career fields in aGoochland's CTE Academies allow students to experience high school education focused around specific career fields in ahands-on, problem-based learning environment. In each Academy, students learn alongside peers with similar careerinterests by taking core academic classes infused with authentic, Academy-specific application, along with specialized CTEcourses. Students will hove the opportunity toward the conclusion of each Academy to participate in a field-basedinternship or capstone apprenticeship. Goochland High School's CTE Academies allow students to exceed graduationrequirements, all the while preparing them for success after high school: work, college, oil that lies ahead.

Program Considerations/Requirements

Students in the AAC will have the opportunity to:

• Learn and apply architectural and construction skills in the math and science classroom
• Gain leadership, entrepreneurship, and business ethics skills
• Benefit from priority scheduling for CTE courses
• Develop peer-to-peer relationships through a cohort model
• Acquire multiple industry certifications
• Spend a portion of their senior year working in the industry while earning high school credit
• Earn an Academy cord of distinction upon graduation

Proposed Course Sequence

The Goochland County High School Gymnasium was bustling with activity the morning of February 13th, 2018. Fourteen (of 75 total booths) RAMCA member companies set up booths and displays to present to over 600 middle and high school students. Our members talked about their companies and the career opportunities for these future career-minded students! The Goochland administration continues to be wowed by RAMCA members participa-tion. As we look to the future and long-term planning, these partnerships are key to spread awareness of the fantastic career opportunities right here in Central Virginia. These students are being trained to graduate from high school both career and college ready. More exciting updates to follow! Please enjoy the pictures!

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Control of Silica Dust in Construction

Heavy Equipment and Utility Vehicles Used Durin Demolition Activities

Download FactSheet (PDF)

OVERVIEW:

Crystalline silica is a common mineral found in the earth's crust. Materials like sand, stone, concrete, and mortar contain crystalline silica. It is also used to make products such as glass, pottery, ceramics, bricks, and artificial stone.

Respirable crystalline silica – very small particles at least 100 times smaller than ordinary sand you might find on beaches and playgrounds – is created when cutting, sawing, grinding, drilling, and crushing stone, rock, concrete, brick, block, and mortar. Activities such as abrasive blasting with sand; sawing brick or concrete; sanding or drilling into concrete walls; grinding mortar; manufacturing brick, concrete blocks, stone countertops, or ceramic products; and cutting or crushing stone result in worker exposures to respirable crystalline silica dust. Industrial sand used in certain operations, such as foundry work and hydraulic fracturing (fracking), is also a source of respirable crystalline silica exposure. About 2.3 million people in the U.S. are exposed to silica at work.

Workers who inhale these very small crystalline silica particles are at increased risk of developing serious silica-related diseases, including:

• Silicosis, an incurable lung disease that can lead to disability and death;
• Lung cancer;
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); and
• Kidney disease.

COMPLYING WITH THE CONSTRUCTION STANDARD:

OSHA's Respirable Crystalline Silica standard for construction requires employers to limit worker exposures to respirable crystalline silica and to take other steps to protect workers.

The standard provides flexible alternatives, which OSHA expects will be especially useful for small employers. Employers can either use the control methods laid out in Table 1 of the construction standard, or they can measure workers' exposure to silica and independently decide which dust controls work best to limit exposures to the PEL in their workplaces.

Regardless of which exposure control method is used, all construction employers covered by the standard are required to:

• Establish and implement a written exposure control plan that identifies tasks that involve exposure and methods used to protect workers, including procedures to restrict access to work areas where high exposures may occur.
• Designate a competent person to implement the written exposure control plan.
• Restrict housekeeping practices that expose workers to silica where feasible alternatives are available.
• Offer medical exams-including chest X-rays and lung function tests-every three years for workers who are required by the standard to wear a respirator for 30 or more days per year.
• Train workers on work operations that result in silica exposure and ways to limit exposure.
• Keep records of exposure measurements, objective data, and medical exams.

Construction employers must comply with all requirements of the standard by September 23, 2017, except requirements for laboratory evaluation of exposure samples, which begin on June 23, 2018. See pages 16-17 for the OSHA Fact Sheets for the Control of Silica Dust in Construction.

RICHMOND AREA MUNICIPAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION - Final 2018 Report

Procurement

Senator Dick Black (R-Loudoun) and Senator Barbara Favola (D-Arlington) have both filed legislation to raises the minimum project cost requiring the use of value engineering from $5 million to $15 million. The bill exempts projects that are de-signed utilizing (i) a design-build contract or (ii) the Public-Private Transportation Act of 1995 from the value engineering requirements. RAMCA supports these bills as raising the threshold ensures that value engineering is used in projects where it is most appropriate. The bills were combined in the Senate Transportation Committee, and after passing the Sen-ate with an amendment that made it apply to projects with an estimated cost of more than $10 million, it was amended again in the House General Laws Committee to move that figure back up to $15 million with VUHCC’s support. SB 125 passed the House of Delegates 100-0, and the amended bill was agreed to by the Senate 40-0. Governor Northam signed the bill into law on March 9th.

Senator Jeremy McPike (D-Prince William) has filed Senate Bill 651, which expands the requirement under the Virginia Public Procurement Act that any state agency's goals for participation by small businesses include a minimum of three percent participation by service disabled veteran businesses from when such agencies are contracting only for information technology goods and services to when such agencies are contracting for any goods and services. RAMCA opposes this bill. This bill passed the Senate 38-0, but failed to report in the House General Laws Committee Subcommittee #4 on a 3-3 vote. The sponsor was able to have the bill reassigned to House General Laws Subcommittee #1 where it passed unani-mously and then passed the full House General Laws Committee 22-0. The bill has been amended to apply to executive branch agencies, instead of state agencies, as originally drafted. The amended bill has passed both the House and Senate unanimously.

Benefits and Wages

After initially failing to report in the House General Laws Committee, House Bill 375 by Delegate Glenn Davis (R-Virginia Beach) was brought back up for consideration. This bill prohibits local governing bodies from establishing provisions relat-ed to procurement of goods, professional services, or construction that would require a wage floor or any other employee benefit or compensation above what is otherwise required by state or federal law to be provided by a contractor to one or more of the contractor's employees as part of a contract with the locality. RAMCA supports this legislation, and spoke in support of the bill in the House General Laws Committee Subcommittee #4. It passed the House of Delegates on a 51-48 party line vote, passed the Senate General Laws Committee 8-7, and then passed the Senate 21-19. It is expected that Governor Northam will veto the bill, as Governor McAuliffe did in 2017.

Liens

Delegate Barry Knight (R-Virginia Beach) sponsored House Bill 823, which provides that a general contractor may not waive or diminish his lien rights in a contract in advance of furnishing any labor, services, or materials. RAMCA supports the bill. It passed the House of Delegates 98-0, and passed the Senate 38-0. The Senate companion, Senate Bill 319 by Senator Frank Ruff (R-Mecklenburg), passed the Senate 39-0, and recently passed the House Courts of Justice Committee 17-0, and then passed the House of Delegates 100-0. Senate Bill 319 has been signed into law by Governor Northam.

General Business Issues

Senator Bryce Reeves (R-Spotsylvania) filed Senate Bill 478 which provides that a contract entered into by a person under-taking work without a valid Virginia contractor's license is unenforceable by such person. However, the bill also prohibits assertion of lack of licensure or certification as a defense to any action or suit if the unlicensed contractor gives substantial performance within the terms of the contract in good faith and without actual knowledge that a license or certificate was required. RAMCA supports this legislation. A substitute bill was offered that states a construction contract entered into by a person undertaking work without a valid Virginia contractor's license shall not be enforceable by the unlicensed contrac-tor undertaking the work unless the unlicensed contractor (i) gives substantial performance within the terms of the con-tract in good faith and (ii) did not have actual knowledge that a license or certificate was required by this chapter to per-form the work for which he seeks to recover payment. After passing the Senate General Laws Committee and full Senate unanimously, it passed the House General Laws Subcommittee #2 and full House General Laws Committee unanimously. The amended bill has passed both the House and Senate unanimously.

WHEREAS, the underground utility infrastructure in Virginia provides for vital services to the citizens and businesses of the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, these underground utility lines are placed at the risk of damage every time someone digs in close proximity to the facilities; and

WHEREAS, each year, the Commonwealth and country’s underground utility infrastructure is jeopardized by unintentional damage caused by those who fail to call 811 to have underground lines located prior to digging; and

WHEREAS, the potential consequences of failing to call 811 include possible service interruption, damage to the environment, personal injury, and even death; and

WHEREAS, Virginians can call 811 from anywhere in the country and are encouraged to do so a few days prior to digging so that the local utility companies can mark the approximate location of buried lines with flags or paint, in order to prevent damage to vital utilities; and 

WHEREAS, the Virginia State Corporation Commission and Virginia 811, working with all stakeholders , have developed a public education campaign using the “Dig with C.A.R.E., Keep Virginia Safe” message to increase awareness regarding safe digging practices; and 

WHEREAS, the “Dig with C.A.R.E., Keep Virginia Safe” message was designed to encourage those who excavate to call 811, allow the required time for marking the underground utility lines, respect the marks and excavate carefully;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Ralph S. Northam, do hereby recognize April 2018 as SAFE DIGGING MONTH in our COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.

Sincere Appreciation to our March Meeting Sponsors

Social Hour Sponsors

Dinner Sponsor

2018 March Meeting—Photos

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• March Meeting 2018e
  

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On Thursday, February 8th, a small but distinguished group of RAM-CA members made an inaugural visit to the General Assembly to meet with Delegates and Senators from districts encompassing either our businesses or our residences. With just a few weeks notice this group put together a schedule of office visits that included 7 Central Virginia Senators and 7 Delegates. As many of our member companies are located in the same districts, some representatives were visited by multiple RAMCA members that morning.On Thursday, February 8th, a small but distinguished group of RAM-CA members made an inaugural visit to the General Assembly to meet with Delegates and Senators from districts encompassing either our businesses or our residences. With just a few weeks notice this group put together a schedule of office visits that included 7 Central Virginia Senators and 7 Delegates. As many of our member companies are located in the same districts, some representatives were visited by multiple RAMCA members that morning.

What a 2017 RAMCA had! I could not be more pleased or excited about the results of the first year as your Executive Director. One of the biggest undertakings was building a completely new website. Not only does the website now allow you to register and pay online (only if you choose, checks are still welcome) but it is has mobile and tablet friendly views so you can register anytime, anywhere. The site also allows Meredyth and I to do updates and create the events which is a cost savings to the association. The second big initiative of 2017 was to build RAMCA’s training programs. Please see Meredyth’s report for details. Training will continue to be a big focus for RAMCA as it provides great value to our members as well as non-members in the Central Virginia area and beyond.

In 2017 we saw terrific growth in our membership, a trend that has continued into the first quarter of 2018. See our Members in the News for details and be sure to be on the look out at our next events for the green “New Member” ribbons on the name badges. Introduce yourself and make all our new members feel welcome. Growth seems to have been a theme in 2017 as RAMCA saw record attendance at all our events. RAMCA also had a record year for sponsorships. We cannot thank all of our member companies enough for your support throughout the year. Whether you sponsor one event, multiple, or at the Diamond (new!), Platinum or Gold Club level, we are appreciative of every single sponsorship. Not only do they contribute to the overall financial health of RAMCA but they allow us to plan events at great venues, with great food, entertainment, and other touches that make the events memorable.

As we continue into 2018 you will see changes and additions as you, our members, let us know what you’d like to get out of the organization. We are working hard to collaborate with industry partners throughout Central Virginia. We will continue to support the Goochland Career and Technical Education program, work on introducing county and state funded apprenticeship programs, participate in additional business leadership roundtables which gives RAMCA a platform to communicate our members’ hiring needs, add new training initiatives and develop and grow our relationships with our delegates, senators, and the leaders in our municipalities.

Meredyth and I are here to serve you. Never hesitate to communicate to us anything you’d like to see for RAMCA. Your feedback and input is valued. We hope to see all of you at our next event on May 3rd, 2018. RAMCA with hold the 53rd Installation of Officers and Legislator’s Night.

Best,
Vanessa

I’ve had such a wonderful first full year with RAMCA! I have enjoyed working with Vanessa, getting to know many of the members better and I appreciate how welcome everyone has made me feel. Before I started, Vanessa told me how much she enjoyed working with all the mem-bers and after a year I absolutely understand how she feels!

Much of my focus has been on assisting with the planning and execution of RAMCA’s almost monthly events. From golf to dinner meetings to the Installation of Officers and Legislators Night, we continue to look for ways to change the format of the events or simply change a venue to keep things new and interesting. Working with members on the social and golf committees has been a great source of new ideas. Committees are open to anyone, please contact me to be added to the committee list. The Golf, Social and Membership Committees all recently met to work on the upcoming events. See details on pages 11-13 for all the second quarter events as well as some information about the new “Associate Showcase” being planned for September 13th.

My other priority is the growth of the RAMCA Training Programs. For several years, RAMCA only offered a First Aid and CPR class once a year. In January of 2017, RAMCA began offering monthly Erosion and Sediment Control Contractors Certification classes to RAMCA members and non-members alike. In 2018 we have added Basic, Intermediate and Advanced (as needed) Work Zone Safety with flagger certification. See the chart below for the classes we have scheduled. We will add more Work Zone Safety classes quarterly. If your company would ever like a private class (8 attendee minimum) either at your location or at one of RAMCA’s training locations, please contact me and we can set one up that works for your schedule. Be sure everyone on your team has all the necessary certifications before the big busy season is under-way!

Hope to see you at the next event!
Meredyth

On Thursday, January 11, over 70 RAMCA members gathered in the Tree Bar Room at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery to catch up after the holidays. Great beers along with a new venue made for a fun night for all who attended. Thank you very much to our “Buy a Round” sponsor, RJ Smith Companies!

• Blue Ribbons with Vanessa
  
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Recently, the Henrico County Board of Supervisors heard an update on upcoming public works projects. The projects are coming from a mix of state, local and federal funding. Here’s a look at some of them:

On May 18th, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued the final version of a much‐anticipated rule to expand overtime eligibility. This new rule will take effect December 1, 2016 and, based on DOL estimates, will expand overtime eligibility to more than 4.2 million additional workers. The new rule focuses primarily on updating the salary and compensation levels needed for executive, administrative, and professional workers to be exempt. In particular, the final rule: (1) increases the salary threshold for the standard White Collar Exemptions (from $23,660 to $47,476), and the Highly Compensated Employee Exemption (HCE) (from $100,000 to $134,004); and (2) establishes a process for updating the thresholds automatically every three years, beginning on January 1, 2020. Employers may include non‐discretionary bonuses, incentive pay, and commissions in calculating whether an employee meets the salary threshold‐up to ten percent of the threshold ($4,747). The incentive must be paid on a quarterly or more frequent basis to be used for this purpose.

PHOTO: Ryan Glasgow ‐ Labor & Employment Partner ‐ Hunton & Williams, LLP

Guest speaker was labor lawyer Ryan Glasgow with the Hunton Williams law firm who presented a thorough explanation of the new rule, and answered many questions from the membership as to its applica􀀁on. Copies of his handout from that mee􀀁ng are available by contacting the RAMCA office.

The State Corporaon Commission (which oversees enforcement of the Virginia's underground damage prevention laws) and at least one large gas company are interested in pursuing increases in civil penalties currently assessed against excavators for cutting or damaging underground utility lines in the hope that doing so will further reduce damages, particularly those caused by repeat and egregious offenders. The SCC is particularly concerned about gas damages associated with horizontal directional drilling and RAMCA shares those concerns, but RAMCA staff has informed the SCC that excavators are currently not in favor of such an approach and suggested that the SCC meet with all stakeholders to explore the current options for enforcement as well as discuss expanding those options to include new ways to address the problems created by these few bad actors. Efforts are ongoing to reach some consensus about how to proceed and RAMCA will keep the membership informed as this matter evolves.