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The annual Conaway Conference will be March 3 & 4, 2020 at the Hyatt Regency Columbus located at 350 N High St., Columbus, OH. The conference will provide a forum to review the previous construction season, provide valuable information for the upcoming year, and a networking opportunity.
March 3rd - Day 1 of the conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency Columbus. The format and sessions will be similar to last year’s Conaway Conference. Registration and Continental Breakfast are tentatively scheduled for 8:00-9:00 with sessions ending at 4:50. Day 1 Registration is $150 (breaks and buffet lunch included).
March 4th - Day 2 of the conference will also be held at the Hyatt Regency Columbus. Day 2 is targeted toward ODOT and contractor leadership personnel. Registration is tentatively scheduled for 8:00-8:30 with sessions ending at noon. Day 2 Registration is $65.
Conference Agenda
Conference Registration Link
Hotel reservations can be made at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Columbus where the contract hotel block is.
Hotel Reservation Link - Hyatt Online Booking Reservation Group Code: OCAS Phone: (614) 463-1234
The agenda and other information will be shared once it is finalized. There will be CPD hours for both days of this training.
Sponsorship Opportunity - An annual collaborative effort between OCA and ODOT. We bring together over 600 people to attend sessions led by ODOT staff, OCA experts and other professionals. This is THE partnership conference to learn and network. Sponsors will have their company names and logos in the program (if received by Feb. 11), on the introductory screen before the opening session and the individual sessions. Great exposure for $500.
To learn how to get your spot, contact David Rule, Director of Member Events at (614) 488-0724.
ODOT’s Projected Program – 2020-2023
It looks like ODOT will have a strong program over the next few years – recently the Division of Planning forwarded the anticipated spending levels for its major categories of project types:
* $ are in Millions
For more information, contact Chris Engle
Trench Safety Grant (TSG) Program Available in Ohio
The Ohio BWC is offering $2million in trenching safety grants. The program is available only to Ohio employers who perform trenching and excavating to purchase shoring and shielding equipment.
BWC uses the Trench Safety Grant (TSG) Program to partner with Ohio employers to substantially reduce or eliminate injuries associated with trenching operations. This grant is only available for a short time, and applications must be received by Dec. 1, 2020. The TSG does not fund equipment purchases for technical rescue operations. The program is available to eligible Ohio employers who wish to purchase the following qualified/allowed items:
• Shoring: aluminum, hydraulic, or other types of supports to prevent soil movement and cave-ins.
• Shielding: trench boxes or other types of supports to protect against soil cave-ins.
As part of the Safety Grant programming, the TSG Program is available only to Ohio employers that perform trench and excavating. Review the complete program policy at http://ow.ly/fLtS30qfBvQ. Eligible employers may receive up to $12,000 for the duration of the TSG Program. To be eligible, you must meet the following criteria at the time of application.
1. The employer must be a company that performs work in trenches. The employer must provide information on the application clearly describing their trench work. This grant will not fund equipment purchased for technical rescue operations.
2. Be a state-fund private or public employer taxing district.
3. Have active Ohio workers' compensation coverage and maintain continuous active coverage while participating in the program.
4. Not have more than 40 days of cumulative lapses in workers' compensation coverage within the prior 12 months.
5. Be current with respect to all payments due BWC as defined in Ohio Administrative Code 4123-17-14.
6. Have been in existence for at least two years.
7. Have reported payroll for at least one full policy year.
8. Timely report actual payroll for the preceding policy year and pay any premium due upon reconciliation of estimated premium and actual premium. We'll deem an employer to have met this requirement if we receive the payroll true-up report and any associated premium before the expiration of any grace period. See the Payroll true-up page for additional information.
Unless otherwise specified here, all application requirements, eligibility, participation criteria, reporting and procedures stated for the Safety Intervention Grants Program apply to applicants and participants of the TSG Program. To learn more about trench safety go to: Trenchsafetyohio.com
FMCSA Reporting Rule for Employers Effective January 6, 2020
On January 4, 2017 the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) amended the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations to establish requirements for the Commercial Driver's License Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse), a database under the Agency's administration that will contain information about violations of FMCSA's drug and alcohol testing program for the holders of commercial driver's licenses (CDLs). This rule was mandated by the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). It is intended to improve roadway safety by identifying commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers who have committed drug and alcohol violations that render them ineligible to operate a CMV. The compliance date was established as January 6, 2020 and caught many by surprise because it took effect more than three years after implementation of the rule itself.
The Clearinghouse Rule
The Clearinghouse rule requires FMCSA-regulated employers, medical review officers (MROs), substance abuse professionals (SAPs), consortia/third-party administrators (C/TPAs), and other service agents to report to the Clearinghouse information related to violations of the drug and alcohol regulations in 49 Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 40 and 382 by current and prospective employees.
The Clearinghouse also requires the following:
• Employers are required to query the Clearinghouse for current and prospective employees' drug and alcohol violations before permitting those employees to operate a CMV on public roads.
• Employers are required to annually query the Clearinghouse for each driver they currently employ.
The Clearinghouse website includes a user-friendly “Learning Center” where you can find out more information about the rule and what you must do to comply. Click on the following link: FMCSA Clearinghouse Learning Center
Also available on the site are presentation slides from FMCSA’s instructional webinar for employers and CDL holders. This is also a useful compliance tool. Click on the following link for the presentation: FMCSA Instructional Webinar
For Employers
If you have any questions about the new rules, or need assistance, please contact Mark Potnick in the OCA office.
ODOT Seeks Input on Item 611
January 2020 marks the seventh year of implementation of CMS 611. CMS 611 was implemented to encourage industry innovation while reducing risk to the Department. Since implementation, the specification has received numerous updates and modifications.
Below is an online survey that ODOT put together as a means of industry feedback. The Office of Hydraulics has issued this to the conduit manufacturing industry already. The survey works best with Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. ODOT would like to have the survey completed by February 29th.
We appreciate any assistance you may be able to provide!
https://odot.formstack.com/forms/odot_cms_611_survey
ODOT Updates Claims Database
ODOT’s Division of Construction Management recently announced that the Claims Database on their website has been updated and condensed. The database now provides one page which is searchable by claim number, year, district, location, contractor, and issue(s). To access the Claims Database, click here.
FASB Pension Disclosure Assistance -2019 Tax Year
OCA’s union collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), require signatory contractors to contribute money into multi-employer pension plans on behalf of their union employees. The plans provide benefits to union employees who may work for many employers during their careers, thereby enabling them to accrue benefits in a single retirement plan.
The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), which sets accounting rules for U.S. companies, issued standards several years ago, requiring disclosures from employers participating in multi-employer pension plans (Accounting Standards Update 2011-09). The standards require contractors to report certain information on their financial statements for all multi-employer pension plans in which they participate.
OCA compiles a summary spreadsheet to assist contractor members with the required financial disclosures. Click on the following link for the 2019 OCA FASB Summary. (Download Spreadsheet) Employers remain solely responsible for the financial disclosures and will also need to determine the amount of their own contributions made to each plan and to all plans in the aggregate.
The spreadsheet can also be accessed on OCA’s website at www.ohiocontractors.org.
If you have any questions, please contact Mark Potnick in the OCA office at 614-488-0724.
BWC Safety Grant Application Deadline for Fiscal Year 2020 Funds is March 31, 2020
Safety Grants are available to purchase safety equipment, promote health and wellness, implement drug-free workplaces, minimize firefighters' exposure to dangerous environmental elements and to assist people that work with developmentally disabled children and adults.
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The Latest Workforce Development News from I Build America - Ohio
I Build America
Ohio is a resource available to OCA members to support workforce development efforts. New content and materials designed to attract the next generation of our workforce are added weekly, and it is all available completely free of charge to you.
Check out the latest from I Build America - Ohio:
• Get to Know I Build America - Ohio
• Speaking to students? Check out our Student Resources.
• A career in construction offers a bright future. Share the video now.
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Safety Training at OCA – Utility Damage Prevention
During OCA’s 2019 Winter Conference, our safety breakout session addressed the importance of avoiding unsafe and costly utility damages on your job sites. Contractors must train their crews at the point of service so that they know the requirements of Ohio’s Damage Prevention Laws, and how to properly plan and operate to avoid underground utility damage.
OCA has a strong presence on Ohio’s Underground Technical Committee (UTC) who works with the Public Utilities Commission (PUCO) to enforce Ohio’s underground damage prevention laws. The UTC and PUCO are experiencing more and more violations by both excavators and utility owners for not following the law. Fines and/or corrective action plans are being ordered as a result.
OCA is again offering its highly rated training course on utility damage prevention in 2020. This course is designed to give contractors’ field personnel the tools and knowledge necessary to avoid dangerous and costly run ins with underground utilities. Your crews will not only learn their own obligations under the law, but also learn what utility owners must do to comply with Ohio’s damage prevention laws.
Three half-day sessions are scheduled at OCA’s Columbus office on February 19, March 11 and March 25. The courses meet OSHA requirements for Competent Person Training. Click on the following link for additional course and registration information. (Registration Form).
Online Registration:
February 19, 2020
March 11, 2020
March 25,2020
Act Today For Your Community's Economic Development Future
Open to all local elected officials, candidates, board members, volunteers, and local development professionals. Learn and be empowered to guide your community's future locally. This training takes place from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm at on the following date and location.
March 26: Zane State College (EPIC Center), 9900 Brick Church Rd., Cambridge, OH
Quick Links to On-line OCA Resources
• Current Ohio Contractor Magazine
• Safety Resources
• Labor & Employment Information
• OCA President's Commentary
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