IC July 2009 Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) news
23 July 2009
The Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) news originally appeared in the July 2009 issue of International Cranes and Specialized Transport magazine.
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Golden Achievement Award goes to George Bragg
George Bragg, long-time president of Bragg Crane Service, Long Beach, California, has been named the posthumous recipient of the SC&RA Golden Achievement Award. He passed away on 28 March.
This coveted award pays tribute to the individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the specialized carriers and rigging industry. Because of the award's significance, the association does not issue it every year.
"George Bragg has made countless industry contributions throughout the country and abroad. His contributions to SC&RA are extensive," said Randy Goddard, SC&RA chairman. "The winner has been known as a tough negotiator, a stickler to details, and a very successful individual in his business and, more importantly, with his family, friends and colleagues. No matter what he did or where he went in
business or life, he earned and commanded respect and treated all those who know him with the same degree of courtesy and respect."
George Bragg was active in the crane & rigging and specialized transportation industry for over 40 years. He rose through the ranks at SC&RA from chair of the Crane & Rigging Group to become chairman for 1990-91. In recent years, he had been active on the association's board of directors, the Insurance Committee and the EN13000 Task Force. Mr. Bragg was also a very active leader with the Southern California Crane Owner's Association and a very active contributor to his home community in Santa Anna.
Accepting the Award was his son Scott Bragg, a member of SC&RA's board of directors. He was joined by George's wife, Marilynn, son Chris and daughter Suzanne.
2009 Financial & Risk Management Forum
To help members navigate through today's turbulent economy, SC&RA will hold its 2009 Financial & Risk Management Forum at the Omni William Penn in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US on 19-20 August.
A highlight of the forum will be a full-day session facilitated by Mike Whitlock, Tannian Consulting. He will combine the elements of critical financial management with strategic planning, incorporating the most significant findings of SC&RA's 2009 Financial Benchmarking Study. Whitlock has worked with SC&RA on several previous financial benchmarking studies.
Nearly 40 SC&RA members participated in this year's study, which provides a snapshot of the unique specialized transport, crane rental and rigging industries. By comparing their companies to others of similar size and type, participants will gain new insights on how to manage their businesses for improved performance and a stronger future.
The first day of the forum will include six sessions on topics of interest to the industries' chief executive officers, chief financial officers and other key executives. The program includes:
- Developments and Trends in Transportation Litigation-John Pion, partner, Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote
- Stimulus Plan for Infrastructure Investment: WHEN are funds available? WHAT should you expect? HOW do you manage inherent risk associated with the plan? - Kevin Cunningham, executive vice president, NBIS Construction & Insurance services, Inc
- Capital Strategies- Harry Fry, president, Harry Fry & Associates
- Finding the Keys to the DOT Files: Often Overlooked Fundamentals and What You Should Know to Avoid Costly Fines - Jeff McGeary, executive vice president, and Randy Adams, loss Control manager, Allied Insurance Brokers
- Succession Planning and Asset Protection- Walter R. Bashaw II, managing partner, Sherrard, German & Kelly, P.C., and Richard E. Spence, CPA, Principal, Hill, Barth & King, LLC
- Increasing Cash Flow Using 1031 Like-Kind Exchange (LKE) - Scott Davis, vice president, Accruit Company
For additional information on the sessions, registration and hotel, go to www.scranet.org/events and click on the ‘Financial & Risk Management Forum' link.
SC&RA Crane & Rigging Workshop set for September
More than 400 attendees from around the world are expected at the Crane & Rigging Workshop to be held by the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association, 17-19 September, at The Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US. As always, the focus will be on safety and other topics of interest to SC&RA members throughout the world.
Representatives from 11 nations participated in last year's workshop in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which SC&RA sponsored in cooperation with the Crane Rental Association of Canada. Countries represented included Canada, China, Denmark, England, Germany, Kuwait, Italy, Mexico, Puerto Rico, United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Workshop sessions, summarized below in order of appearance, will feature some of the industry's top professionals.
* Remember Charlie-In this moving opening session presentation, Charles T. Morecraft will trace his journey from death's door following a refinery explosion to his position as a leading advocate on following safety procedures precisely.
* Sign of the Times: Is Your Signal Person Qualified?-Larry DeMark, Sr., Equipment Learning Solutions, LLC, will explain the elements required by new requirements in ASME B30.5-2004, including training that specifically addresses hand and voice signals, crane limitations, and operating characteristics.
* 2009 Rigging Jobs of the Year-Eduardo Ascione, Fagioli, will summarize a three-year project that involved moving, lifting and installing more than 400 modules with weights up to 4,000 US tons for the first offshore liquefied natural gas regasification project. Peter Fitton, Process Group, Inc., will cover the rigging and removal of a ball mill weighing over 920,000 pounds. And Christopher Brown, Bechtel Equipment Operations, will discuss the installation of four feed-water pumps at Wisconsin's Oak Creek power plant.
* Alternative Lifting Methods: Not Just Cranes Anymore-David Duerr, P.E., 2DM Associates, Inc., will examine alternative lifting devices such as air hoists, telescopic hydraulic gantry systems and tower lifting systems.
* S.T.A.R.T. a Safety Culture-Terry Young, Construction Safety Experts, Inc., will focus on accountability and accident reduction techniques supervisors and employees can implement to create a safety culture.
* Industry Updates-Joel Oliva, NCCCO, will provide an update on current and future programs under development, and Doug Ball, SC&RA, will highlight existing state permitting rules and their impact on the movement of mobile cranes on public roads.
* Weather Alert: The Impact of Inclement Weather on Your Jobsite-Speaker to be announced. This session will address common oversights in preparing for inclement weather which could cause damage to your equipment and create a hazardous working environment for employees.
Additionally, Workshop registration will include meetings of the SC&RA Crane & Rigging Group's Safety Education & Training Committee, Labor Committee, and Governing Committee; an exhibit center that features products and services from 46 companies, a complimentary hot buffet lunch, and a grand prize drawing; and receptions, continental breakfasts, and refreshment breaks.
Opposite the committee meetings will be a session, From Soup to Nuts: The How To of CCO Testing, presented by Graham Brent and Joel Oliva, the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCO), and Dr. Anthony Mitchell, International Assessment Institute. They will discuss how companies can become more involved in testing developed by NCCCO.
The workshop will conclude with a tour of the Manitowoc Cranes facility on Saturday, September 19, 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. Lunch will be provided. All workshop attendees are invited to travel by chartered bus to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, for an in-depth tour of the crawler crane factory, a demonstration of their industry-leading telematics tool, CraneSTAR, and a special presentation of Manitowoc's largest and most innovative crane yet, the 31000.
