Newsletter: October 2012 VSRA Newsletter

CHANGED DATE FOR OCTOBER GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

For the month of October only, the General Membership Luncheon meeting has been MOVED from the 3rd Tuesday of the month to the 4th Tuesday on October 23, 2012 at the Portsmouth Renaissance Hotel, 425 Water Street, at 12 noon.  Please mark your calendars to reflect this change.

Our guest speaker for the October 23 meeting will be Ms. Robin Dunbar, Director of Education, Elizabeth River Project, who will provide a valuable update on the organization’s progress and recognize the service of VSRA member companies. 

The website for the Elizabeth River Project is www.elizabethriver.org.

VADM Richard W. Hunt, USN

SEPTEMBER GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

The September General Membership meeting was held in coordination with the American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE) Fleet Maintenance and Modernization Symposium (FMMS) 2012 at the Virginia Beach Convention Center.  The keynote speaker was VADM Richard W. Hunt, USN, Director, Navy Staff.

He discussed where the ships are homeported today and the plan to move ships to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia in the next few years.  They are shifting towards a 40% east coast/60% west coast homeporting.  The strategy is to have ships closer to the mission, but this redeployment will create challenges in the ship repair industry. 

With almost one-half of the ships in the fleet deployed at any time, it is critical that ship repair availabilities complete on time.  When they extend, it throws the deployment and training schedule into chaos.  The second important point is we have to make readiness affordable.  Maintenance was fully funded in 2013.  However, if we do not execute the maintenance budget effectively and efficiently, the maintenance budget could be in jeopardy in future years. 

VADM Hunt was very pleased that we have more ships under construction this year (30 ships) than we have had in many years.  The admiral thanked everyone in the industry and asked them to continue to innovate and find ways to be more efficient.

VSRA 17th Annual Safety & Health Seminar

The 17th Annual Safety & Health Seminar, sponsored by the Safety Committee, was once again a higly attended and well received event.

William W. Crow

VSRA Welcomes New President...

On September 18, 2012 the Virginia Ship Repair Association welcomed new President William W. “Bill” Crow to take over the helm of the organization. Mr. Crow is a 30 year veteran of the Navy, with extensive experience in the maintenance and modernization arena. Among his assignments in sea going billets were Engineering Officer of USS Briscoe (DD-977), Executive Officer of USS Peterson (DD-969), Commanding Officer of USS Austin (LPD-4), and Training and Readiness Assistant Chief of Staff for Commander Amphibious Group Two. Ashore, he served as Staff Material Officer for Destroyer Squadron’s Ten and Two, Chief Staff Officer to the Commandant, Naval District Washington, COMOPTEVFOR Surface Warfare Director, Executive Officer of Naval Station Norfolk, Commanding Officer of Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, and was the first Commanding Officer of Joint Expeditionary Base, Little Creek-Fort Story.

Upon retirement from the Navy in 2010, Bill transitioned into the private sector as a Senior Naval Consultant for McKean Defense Group reviewing Navy maintenance and modernization policy and providing recommendations to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

He began his leadership of VSRA by opening the 17th Annual Safety & Health Seminar on September 26, 2012 with a message of growth and vision for the ship repairers who keep our naval defense moving forward into new technologies and capabilities. His commitment to expanding the reach of our industry in Hampton Roads to national and international concerns will add to the pride and strength behind the fleet that our ship repair workforce provides.

Read his full bio here.

NEW MEMBER COMPANIES

At the September meeting, the Board of Directors voted to add five new member companies.  This brings our total membership to 229.  The new members are Allstate Leasing Fleet Management; American Scaffold; Colfax Corporation East Coast Repair Center; Peterson Industrial Scaffolding, Inc. and W.W. Enroughty & Son, Inc.  Please take some time to view their websites.

ALLSTATE LEASING FLEET MANAGEMENT

Allstate Leasing was founded in 1969 with the intent of fulfilling the transportation needs of business concerns and professionals. They have grown to become the largest family of dealerships and service centers in the Mid-Atlantic region, offering a wide variety of services to our corporate and consumer customers.  Some of the services they offer for your convenience include corporate fleet and individual consumer leases from 12-60 months long, short term corporate mini-leases from 3-9 months long, fleet vehicle maintenance and management plans, service management & tracking, vehicle purchase & disposal plans, and equipment/capital financing programs. Their fleet maintenance and management program has met with such success that many of our clients think of Allstate Leasing as their own corporate Fleet Administrator. Vehicle maintenance services are performed in the Company-operated service centers and through an established network of national vendors.

Please visit their website at www.allstateleasing.com

AMERICAN SCAFFOLD

American Scaffold specializes in ship repair work and has in place the proven expertise and capacity to dispatch multiple crews to different ships and multiple work locations simultaneously. American has committed to an investment in equipment and a stable staff of field personnel.  American takes an integrated approach to each task by utilizing advanced planning, equipment selection, logistic evaluation, pre-work meetings, crew briefing, constant internal and customer communications, safety inspections, quality control check point logs, customer satisfaction surveys and post completion evaluation of performance with an emphasis on process improvement.

Please visit their website at www.americanscaffold.com

COLFAX CORPORATION, EAST COAST REPAIR CENTER

Colfax Corporation, East Coast Repair Center, accomplishes the overhaul and repair of Colfax Corporation pumps, valves and electronic components used on U.S. Navy vessels.  The Colfax East Coast Repair Center is capable of servicing all Colfax equipment, including Warren Pumps, IMO Pumps, Portland Valves and Fairmount Automation.  Colfax is the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for this equipment.

Please visit their website at www.cofaxcorp.com

PETERSON INDUSTRIAL SCAFFOLDING, INC.

Peterson Scaffolding is the exclusive labor force for PERI scaffolding projects in the domestic United States. From bidding and estimating to engineering and installation, Peterson Scaffolding can get your project off the ground with a safe and effective system that is world-renowned.  Peterson Scaffolding has many flexible solutions to make your project successful. If you require design as well as supervision of the erection and dismantle, their team can fill that need from start to finish. In addition, the PERI-UP system can be rented or purchased for your own use. They provide routine maintenance on all of their products to ensure the safety and quality that you would expect. When your project requires access scaffolding, overhead protection or shoring - Peterson Scaffolding will meet your needs.

Please visit their website at www.petersonscaffolding.com

W.W. ENROUGHTY & SON, INC.

W.W. Enroughty Son, Inc. is a family-owned business, which has catered to the industrial and commercial painting market for over 35 years. They specialize in everything from traditional paint systems, surface preparation for steel and concrete, wall covering and high performance coatings.  They are qualified in various abrasive blasting techniques. They are SSPC QP1 and QS1 Certified.  They have a SSPC QP3 paint shop.

Please visit their website at www.enroughty.com

Mini Seminars - Hosted by the Contracts Committee

Issues for Subcontractors Seminar—Speaker(s):  Kevin Cosgrove

October 17, 2012 Location: Troutman Sanders 222 Central Park Ave #2000, Virginia Beach

Most businesses performing government contract work are employed as subcontractors.  This seminar will cover issues specific to performing subcontract work on government contracts.

New online courses! Nomenclature & Compartment Location!

Try it out today! Nomenclature and Compartment Location are available NOW! Contact VSRA for a FREE trail code. All courses available in DVD format as well for classroom use. http://otraining.virginiashiprepair.org

Workers' Comp Formula Getting An Overhaul

If your professional responsibilities include wearing the “workers’ compensation hat”, then you’re likely aware of the importance of your company’s Experience Modification Rate (EMR).  An EMR is a multiplier applied to an employer’s workers’ compensation premium based on that employer’s past claims history.  Simply put, it compares the claims “experience” of an employer to others that are both in the same industry and similar size.  Employers with fewer claims than their peers receive a credit EMR of less than 1.0 and receive a reduction in premium.  Those with less favorable experience or more claims than their peers are assigned a debit EMR of greater than 1.0 and receive an increase in their workers’ comp premium.  This is a vital piece of an employer’s insurance program, because its financial impact can be drastic.  In 2013, that effect is going to be magnified.

The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) is changing the way it calculates EMRs beginning January 1, 2013 (April 1, 2013 in Virginia).  The underlying reason for the change is the average workers’ comp claim has tripled in cost over the last twenty years.  This has effectively caused EMRs to become less responsive to individual employers’ claims histories.  Therefore the NCCI is making this change to more accurately reflect each employer’s individual loss/claims experience.  Generally speaking, the end result of this change will be a reduced multiplier and premium for employers currently with credit EMRs.  On the flip side, those currently with debit EMRs will see further increases and higher premiums.  The good news is employers will have greater control over their workers’ compensation insurance costs and will be rewarded for their efforts to reduce claims. 

The NCCI splits claims into two categories, primary and excess.  The first $5,000 of any claim is called the primary loss and represents incident frequency.  Anything over $5,000 is called the excess loss and represents claim severity.  All primary losses are used in the EMR calculation, but the excess losses are significantly reduced and have a lesser impact.  The system is designed to punish employers for having a higher than average frequency of claims.  In 2013, the “split point” at which a claim changes from primary to excess is increasing to $10,000, which means more claim dollars will be making it into the calculation and may result in higher EMRs.  In 2014, the “split point” will be increased to $13,500 and then the NCCI will continue making annual modifications to the EMR formula that will be indexed to cover increasing medical costs.  That being said, employers should put an emphasis on understanding exactly how this change will impact them.  There needs to be a proactive, knowledgeable approach to managing a workers’ compensation program, particularly the EMR.  A team strategy that includes the support of management, a true culture of safety, an effective return to work program, the services of an occupational health specialist, and the technical capability of a specialized insurance broker is a great place to begin.

We recommend working with an appropriately-certified occupational medical facility that specializes and understands how to manage your workers’ comp cases.  There are so many options that can be offered to help reduce claims costs and return workers back to work.  Cost-effective solutions in both medical care and prevention coupled with minimizing workplace injuries is certainly the goal in creating a healthy, safe and productive work environment.  Prevent and reduce the possibilities for injuries by implementing programs that include a pre-employment testing protocol for job types that have historical incidents or injuries that have resulted in lost days off as well as drug and alcohol testing.  Post-offer physical screening tests can determine the ability to perform essential job functions such as those that involve repetitive movement and heavy lifting.  Many companies are also implementing wellness plans to reduce risk factors such as obesity and chronic disease.  Wellness programs, which may include nutritional seminars, vaccinations and health screenings, can significantly lower absenteeism and the frequency and severity of claims.  All are contributing factors to lowering the cost of workers’ compensation.  The health and wellness of your business starts with the health and wellness of your workers.  Stay tuned for more on EMRs as we plan for our seminar on October 24.  For more information on how the EMR will affect your workers’ comp premiums call Ken Yavoich, CIC, CRIS, Vice President, Brown & Brown Flagship at 757- 628-3209.

Caroline Taylor is an RN and President of Taylor Made Diagnostics, a leader in providing occupational medical services in Hampton Roads.  TMD is located at the Gateway at SoNo, 801 Poindexter Street, Suite 218 in Chesapeake, Va. 23324, 757-494-1688, www.tmdoccmed.com.  Ms. Taylor is a 2011 Inside Business “Women in Business Achievement Award” honoree. 

Committee Updates

Committee participation is a VSRA member benefit. Our committees work on important projects in topic areas such as Security, Safety and Contracts. In addition, they report on relevant issues, regulatory trends and provide opportunities to network. We encourage all members to attend committees that can help them have a positive impact on thier business.

Upcoming VSRA Training

 NBPI Prep

Date/Time: October 3-5, 2012 (8:00am-3:30pm)

Member Price $320                Non Member: $425

Preparing your students for the NBPI course saves your company time and money. The VSRA NBPI Prep course focuses on the areas students have the most difficulty in learning and passing on the Inspector exam. These areas are math, Standard Items 009-32 and applicable portions of 009-04, proper use of instruments and specific complex coatings documentation. Students will receive a copy of all materials in class, however they are HIGHLY encouraged to pre-read the applicable Standard Items prior to class to maximize their learning experience.

Senior Supervisor Leadership & Managment

Date/Time: October 18-19, 2012 (8:00am-4:00pm)

Member Price: $325.00          Non Member: $465

Supervisors are a critical link between the work on the ground and the planning that goes into production. Supervisors will also learn about labor market trends, their own leadership and management strengths and how to effect change on the waterfront. Training also focuses on leadership demands, behavioral management, tracking professional goals and developing stronger workers through career development and goal setting. Issues relating to generational differences and similarities is a key element of learning how to leverage four generations of workers to work together using complimentary skill sets. The course delivers 16 plus hours of lecture, video, hands-on activities, The Kouzes & Posner Leadership Challenge System and text based assignments.

Course will cover

-Leadership & Management Styles -Generational Leadership (*a most popular topic)

-Communication Strategies -Goal Setting & Career Development -Labor Market Trends

-Encouraging & Developing Positive Behaviors -Avoiding Supervisor Pitfalls

NAVSEA Basic Paint Inspector Certification Course

Date/Time: October 22-26, 2012 (7:00am-5:00pm)

Member Price $795                     Non Member: $925

VSRA is one of the few organizations authorized to instruct this very specialized course.  NBPI prepares Inspectors specifically for work on Naval vessels and includes a heavy concentration of Standard Items 009-32/04. VSRA has the highest pass rates in the country. This is partially because we also offer a Prep course focusing on instrument usage, math, and Standard Items 009-32/04 and partially because our Instructors do an excellent job of making sure students fully understand the content. In addition, our Instructors have decades of Navy coatings and QA specific experience.

NAVSEA Cableway Certification

Date/Time: October 22-26, 2012 (8:00am-4:30pm)

Member Price: $975.00               Non Member: $1,100.00

The Cableway program is a week long course providing NAVSEA Cableway Training and Inspector Certification made available by AMSEC and is the only  endorsed   certification course available. Focal areas include safety and knowledge needed for inspecting cableways plus identification and corrective action procedures for Category 1 & 2 discrepancies to include:

• Removal of Dead-end Cables
• Repair of Wire ways
• Fire Zone Insufficiencies
• Watertight Issues

Completion earns card endorsement and authorization to Inspect, Install and Repair: Stuffing Tubes, Equip. Penetration, MCP’s, Hangers, Banding, Chafing, Cable Pulling, Planning Cable Routes, Dead Ending Cables, Cable Jacket Repair, Splicing and Testing Cables, Conduct Inspections.

Emergency First Response

Date/Time: October 31, 2012 (7:30am-4:00pm)

Member Price: $135             Non Member: $175

This certification is a step beyond Red Cross certification and is more oriented to industrial environments. This one day course provides comprehensive instruction in CPR and First Aid, as well as Automated External Defibrillator (AED) use, emergency oxygen administration and conscious choking management skills. Plus! Blood Borne Pathogen Training!

Emergency First Response Refresher

Date/Time: November 1, 2012 (7:30am-11:30am)

Member Price: $100         Non Member: $175

This is a 1/2 day refresher from 7:30am to 11:30am for those who were certified in 2010, and their certification will expire in 2012. The EFR course meets OSHA Guidelines 29 CFR 1920.151 compliance standards for workplace safety.

OSHA 10-Hour Maritime #7615

Date/Time: November 14-15, 2012

Member Price: $195     Non Member: $260

The OSHA 10-hour course awards the 10-hour certification card and meets all of the mandated regulations for Maritime Industry (OSHA Code of Federal Regulations 29 CFR 1915) course 7615 in a format that specifically addresses the challenges and  environmental conditions specific to shipyards.   In addition, ship yard specific      regulations and issues are covered in depth. Instructors are authorized by OSHA   endorsed certification programs.  The completion card is valid for 5 years at which time the course must be repeated. Our instructors are OSHA accepted certified to   conduct this class and grant the award of certification cards. Cards are issued through the Instructor’s certifying body. All books, material and certification costs are covered in the course fee.