Newsletter: August 2012 Newsletter

We will NOT have a General Membership meeting in August.  The 26th Annual VSRF Golf Tournament on August 14^h will replace the General Membership Meeting.  Details on the golf tournament can be found further down in this newsletter and are on the VSRA website, www.virginishiprepair.org.

The September 18^th General Membership meeting will be held in conjunction with the Fleet Maintenance and Modernization Symposium 2012 at the VIRGINIA BEACH CONVENTION CENTER.  The CONFIRMED speaker is Admiral Jonathan Greenert, USN, Chief of Naval Operations.  The September 18^th meeting WILL NOT be held at the Renaissance Hotel.  Sean Stackley, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, is invited to speak Wednesday, September 19.

Our guest speaker for the July 17^th meeting was Bill Clifford, VSRA Board Member from BAE Systems, who briefed the membership on the impact of sequestration and U.S. Navy homeport changes on the ship repair community. 

The Navy’s plan is to remove fourteen ships and eight patrol craft (PCs) from the Hampton Roads region over the next five years.  While some ships will be moved to other ports, others will be decommissioned.   As a result, the number of ships in Norfolk will be reduced from 48 to 34, excluding the PCs, and the number of sailors will be reduced by approximately 5,300.  This is a larger loss of sailors than the removal of a carrier. 

The reduced number of Norfolk-based ships is projected to result in a loss of $450-500 million to the ship repair industry and approximately 650 ship repair jobs.  These job losses will begin toward the end of 2012.  Unfortunately, these net losses do not include the almost certain losses our industry will experience as a result of sequestration.

Sequestration was a compromise bill signed into law in August 2011.  It mandates $1.2 trillion dollars in budget cuts and/or tax increases.  Fifty percent of the $1.2 trillion dollar cuts are mandated to come out of the Department of Defense budget, on top of the $500 billion in cuts already on the table.  The automatic cuts begin in January 2013.  Studies show the impact of sequestration on the Commonwealth of Virginia is a loss of 122,000 jobs over ten years.

At the July meeting, the Board of Directors approved three new member companies.  The new member companies are Clean Harbors Environmental Services; “Sky” Enterprises, Inc. and Argonaut Enterprises VB LLC.  This brings our membership total to 233 companies.

Clean Harbors Environmental Services the leading provider of environmental, energy and industrial services and the largest hazardous waste disposal company in North America, Clean Harbors provides a broad range of hazardous and non-hazardous waste recycling, treatment and disposal, laboratory chemical packing and household hazardous waste management services.  They also perform specialty services, such as high-pressure and chemical cleaning, catalyst handling, pigging and decoking, and industrial lodging.  They provide emergency response and disaster recovery services throughout the U.S.

Please visit their website at www.cleanharbors.com

“Sky” Enterprises, Inc. is a ship repair subcontractor located in Portsmouth.   

Argonaut Enterprises VB LLC is focused on training, quality, and safety in the marine industry. 

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

The highly successful Safety Orientation on-line program led to members requesting more courses they can use to train workers in ship yard specific topics. As we listened and learned more, VSRA found that the value to members was in two areas: 1.) consistency of course content for the region and 2.) the flexibility of using that material in either a classroom or on-line format. As an initial step we are launching to entry-level courses in Nomenclature and Compartment Location that will be available this summer. We believe these will be not only valuable for new workers, but for students in technical schools that are looking to work in ship repair. As a follow on step, In order to determine where VSRA should place its resources and prioritizing efforts, the Safety Committee ran a survey to estimate demand and interest. The top choices were very consistently rated by the 78 responding companies: Hazard Communication, Overview of Confined Spaces Issues, WAF and Introduction to Standard Items. Although we don't have release dates for these new developments, any member company is welcome to join the content review committees. Please contact Michelle Tomaszewski at MTomaszewski@VirginiaShipRepair.org for more information.

Claims & Protest Seminar—Speaker(s): Daniel Weckstein & Terence Murphy

September 27, 2012  Location: Kaufman & Canoles 150 W. Main St. #2100, Norfolk

With Government contracting funds declining, there has been increase in bid protests issues over recent years, which now, more than ever, are a necessary part of doing business with the Government.  The seminar will cover protest decisions during the last year with an update on current protest issues. The claims and dispute section of the course deals with the types of claims that arise under ship repair and other government contracts. We will consider how to avoid claims, types of claims that arise, and administrative, litigative, and alternative disputes resolutions procedures for resolving such claims.

Most businesses performing government contract work are employed as subcontractors.  This seminar will cover issues specific to performing subcontract work on government contracts.  Some of the areas that will be covered are:

*Which Federal Regulations must be flowed down to subcontracts? *Which Federal Regulations may be flowed down? *What due diligence should be performed by subcontractors during the bidding process? *What notices of problems or other issues must subcontractors supply to their prime contractors? *How can subcontractors enforce their rights against prime contractors or the Government? *Dealing with indemnity issues. * Doing business with state and local government entities.”

November 8, 2012 Location: Troutman Sanders 222 Central Park Ave #2000, Virginia Beach

Mike Gardner and Jeff Estes will present a comprehensive overview of the legal and accounting issues government contractors must address in order to successfully comply with federal contracting regulations.  We will be addressing such topics as:

General update on FAR 31-Cost Principles - General update on CAS - DCAA hot button items (Incurred cost submissions, adequate accounting system audits) - General update on business systems rule and DCAA’s revised audit guidance - General update on SBA & DOL regulations which incorporates accounting data.

 For more information contact Bahar Davis 757-233-7034 or BDavis@VirginiaShipRepair.org

Carl Taylor of Crofton Diving was award the 2nd Quarter Safety Suggestion award at our July General Membership meeting.

His safety suggestion is as follows:

Problem: Air hose bottles were not capped at the end of the day to keep dirt and debris out.

Solution: Since there are no commercially available caps for the end of Oxygen and Breathing air, a cap was fabricated out of a fitting that used to attach the hose to the bottle, the fitting was then capped with a plug, and a hole was drilled in the plug and a piece of wire was secured to the cap and secured to the other end of the hose. Since there is a loop in the wire from the hose to the cap, the hose can be hung to the closed bottle, and is secured from dirt and debris and is readily available for use in a moment’s notice.

To maintain cleanliness in our high pressure hoses from the K bottles to the Amcommands, supporting our divers breathing and in the oxygen hoses in our new in water decompression amcommands I suggest we use off the shelf nuts available, from any welding supply company, to act as solid mechanical cleanliness blanks, which can be installed with a short section of stainless steel wire rope, to prevent loss, to the hoses we now use.

Cleanliness in the oxygen hoses is a must to prevent accidental combustion of the system when in use, cleanliness of the air hoses will prevent regulator failure form foreign material entering the hoses while not attached to a bottle and clogging the small built in filter within the regulator. Failure of this type has occurred on several occasions causing a restricted breathing air flow to the diver, but no serious incidents to date.

Mark your calendars for the 26th Annual VSRF Golf Tournament on Tuesday, August 14, 2012 at Bayville Golf Club.   All 144 Golfer Slots are FULL - Sponsorships are still available.  For information on a waiting list, please contact Leigh Kennedy at (757)215-2550 or e-mail:  lkennedy@earl-ind.com

Please click here for more information & the opportunity to sponsor.

When: Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Place: Bayville Golf Club, 4137 First Court Rd., Virginia Beach, VA 23455, www.bayvillegolfclub.com
Time: Registration: 10am to 12:30pm……Lunch Begins: 11am…..Tee Time: 12:30pm

Join us at the beautiful and challenging Bayville Golf Club in Virginia Beach, a short distance just off Shore Drive at the site of a spacious 268-acre former dairy farm, open to capricious winds and salt air of the nearby Chesapeake Bay.

All proceeds benefit the Virginia Ship Repair Foundation, an IRS 501(c)(3) Education Foundation, and donations are tax deductible. YOUR foundation focuses on the ship repair future workforce and incumbent training. This event is the organization’s principal way to raise funds for this important industry work.

Please click here for more information & the opporutunity to sponsor.

Theme:  Safety Begins with You! “Make it Personal”

VSRA hosts a Safety & Health seminar each year for the benefit of its members and employees.  This event is sponsored by the Safety Committee.  This is a dynamic day of presentations, activities and networking for employees who ensure their personal safety and those around them.

Online registration has now launched for the VSRA 17^th Annual Safety & Health Seminar scheduled for Wednesday, September 26, 2012.

Please click here for more information & to register.  Early Bird registration continues through September 14, 2012 - after that date fees go up.  Seating is limited, so reserve your seats today. 

This seminar provides both an opportunity for employees to earn professional training credit hours, as well as network with their peers in the region. The seminars are highly rated by attendees, and the content is developed by committee leaders from the industry, which strengthens the link between the subject matter covered and the needs of our member companies to have well-versed employees in the Safety arena.

Seminar Attendees will receive a Certificate of Participation. ABIH has previously awarded CM credit for this event.  The current event contains 8 Training hours which can be claimed for CM credit

The sweltering days of August may not seem like the most ideal time to be thinking about flu season, but believe it or not cost conscious companies are already planning to prevent the fallout from an influenza outbreak and taking stock of opportunities to make sure their work force will perform optimally when the virus hits this year.  There’s a good reason for taking action to prepare now for the fall and flu season and planning is absolutely essential in communicating and executing prevention programs that will protect the health of your business. 

 First gauge the needs of your company and review the success of previous efforts to prevent outbreaks of the flu.  Carefully review the percentage of your workforce that took sick leave in previous years and have a clear understanding of how much it costs your company in productivity and profits when the flu strikes.  Set a goal for improving those statistics and develop a prevention plan that will fit your budget and your workforce needs.  Our credo is based on the philosophy that there is no one-size-fits-all plan.  Every business is unique when you consider size, industries, operations and schedules.  That said, there is one commonality no matter how small or large your company that will determine the success of your goal and that is commitment from management to make the plan work.  Communicating that commitment to the entire workforce is equally important.  Putting a plan into place can take months depending on the size of your company, which is why we recommend getting started now especially if there is no plan at all.

 Develop a message that explains why it is important for employees to participate and that flu prevention is not just about productivity and the smooth operation of your company emphasizing that maintaining good health is for their own (and their family’s) benefit.  As part of your plan, consider providing ample opportunity for workers to be vaccinated.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends an annual flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against the flu…and that the vaccines should begin as soon as they are available.  What many businesses don’t know is that the vaccine is available now with certain providers so the summer months aren’t too early to be gearing up for prevention at all.  One of the most effective means of getting your workforce vaccinated is by making it accessible at your place of business.  Hosting a clinic is always an excellent idea and can really get workers engaged in wellness activities that center on getting vaccinated. 

 Make the clinic simple by scheduling a day where employees can participate or get really creative and design contests and incentives to build up to the big day where they may be rewarded and will feel good about being a part of your company’s goals.  Be sure to choose a location that is convenient, comfortable and where vaccinations can be privately administered by a licensed nurse.  Get managers involved and let them lead by example drawing attention to their own commitment to staying healthy.  Budgets vary and cost is always a consideration, but many companies find that they have the most coverage when vaccinations are offered at no or a low cost to employees.  Create a “Vaccination Pledge” that encourages employees to go the extra step of including family members.  Opening up clinics to family members may also add incentive and what a valuable opportunity it is to make good health and prevention a family day for employees. 

 Use communication tools already in place to promote the clinic and provide a continuous stream of information focused on other prevention methods using tips, posters and other visual materials.  Add articles to spice up your newsletters and post reminders that reinforce prevention tips (See our own tip sheet under “Taylor Made Toolbox” at tmdoccmed.com/newsletters) such as washing hands frequently with soap and water, covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze (and stay at least six feet away from other people), and avoiding contact with people who are sick.    

 And as always, it is truly best not to wait until the last minute to put a flu vaccination plan into place.  We have worked with so many companies over the years that have come to realize—out of experience—just how important it is to prepare and be a part of minimizing flu outbreaks in the workplace and throughout the community.  The CDC estimates that the flu costs employers and businesses approximately $10.4 billion in direct costs for hospitalizations and outpatient visits for adults.  Remember, these viruses can be unpredictable as they change every year and can result in a new kind of flu. Prepare now for a payoff that puts the health and well-being of your workforce and your business first during one of our challenging healthcare seasons. 

 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. 

Communications Committee

The Communications Committee met on July 19, 2012 to review the August Newsletter. The committee invites anyone interested in participating to join them at the next meeting. The committee meets the Thursday following the General Membership Luncheon meeting at 9:00 a.m. at QED Systems, Inc. at 4646 N. Witchduck Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23455. The next meeting will be on August 23, 2012.

Contracts Committee

The Contracts Committee met on July 5, 2012. The Contracts Committee is setting their schedule for the 2012 seminar series. The Schedule is as follows:
August 9th: Standards of Conduct which will be led by Pat O’Donnell and Bill Dozier

Sept 25th: Protests and Claims which will be led by Dan Weckstein and Terry Murphy

Oct 17th: Subcontractor issues and hot topics which will be led by Kevin Cosgrove

Nov 8th: Government Contracting Alphabet Soup – ORCA to FAPIIS which will be led by Jeff Estes and Mike Gardner.

The Contracts Committee meets the 1st Thursday of every month at the Norfolk offices of Troutman Sanders, Sixteenth Floor, 150 West Main Street, Norfolk, Virginia. The next committee meeting will be on August 2, 2012.

Environmental Committee

The Environmental Committee met on July 12, 2012. Topics discussed were recent oil spills and associated fines, shipyard NPDES Permits, new antifoulant paint formulations and pending regulations for ship diesel engine emissions. In addition, we hosted a guest speaker from the USCG who provided insight in the Area Contingency Plan and upcoming events. The committee meets the second Thursday of the odd numbered months at 10:00 a.m. in the United Coatings Corp. Training Room, 650 Chautauqua Avenue, Portsmouth, VA 23707. The next meeting will be on September 13, 2012.

Human Resources Committee

The Human Resources Committee did not meet in July. The next regularly scheduled committee meeting will be at the Norfolk offices of Wilcox & Savage – 22nd Floor, 440 Monticello Avenue, Suite 2200, Norfolk, Virginia, at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, August 1, 2012. The program will be on “Dress and Grooming in the Workplace--the Legalities”, with our own Chairman, Chris Abel as the guest speaker. Looking ahead to the September 5, 2012 Human Resources Committee meeting, Cher Wynkoop, an employment benefits attorney, will talk about what the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) means for our member companies, now that the Supreme Court has ruled it Constitutional.

Quality Assurance Committee

The Quality Assurance Committee did not meet in July.  The committee meets the 2^nd Tuesday of the month at 10:30 a.m. at Q.E.D. Systems, Inc., 4646 North Witchduck Road in Virginia Beach. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be on Tuesday, August 14, 2012.

Safety Committee

The Safety Committee met on Thursday, July 12, 2012.  Mr. Steve Winiecki of Galson Laboratories was the guest speaker who discussed Industrial Hygiene Sampling.  The 2012 17th Annual Safety & Health Seminar is scheduled for September 26, 2012 at the Ted Constant Convention Center at ODU. This year’s theme is “Safety Begins with You – Make it Personal.”  Online registration has begun on the VSRA website.   Members are encouraged to register early to reserve their seating since there is a maximum attendance of "200" participants. Sponsors for the Safety & Health Seminar are still needed.  The 2nd Quarter Safety Suggestion Winner, Carl Taylor, Crofton Diving, was announced.  The 2012 SSRAC meeting is cancelled.  The committee meets the second Thursday of the month at 9:00 a.m. in the United Coatings Corp. Training Room, 650 Chautauqua Avenue, Portsmouth, VA 23707. The next meeting is on August 9, 2012.

Security Committee

The Security Committee met on July 10, 2012.  Guests were: Mrs. Gina Dara, from Regional Security Office and Ms. Erin Sheil from Eid Passport (RAPIDGate).  The primary focus continues to be RapidGate.  Annual renewal for RapidGate is approaching this Industry/Region.  Beginning August 21, 2012, RapidGate will be implementing Phase 3 & 4 of the Program.  As a Pilot, 5 of the government installations will begin scanning of ALL credentials (CAC, RapidGate, Military Retiree and Dependent IDs).  The committee meets the second Tuesday of the month at 10:00 a.m. in the United Coatings Corp. Training Room, 650 Chautauqua Avenue, Portsmouth, VA 23707. The next meeting is on August 14, 2012, and will be led by Neil Burns from Marine Hydraulics International, Inc.

Worker’s Comp Committee

The Worker’s Comp Committee did not meet in July.  The committee meets the second Thursday of the even numbered months at 10:00 a.m. in the United Coatings Corp. Training Room, 650 Chautauqua Avenue, Portsmouth, VA 23707. The next meeting is on August 9, 2012.


VSRF

The Virginia Ship Repair Foundation met on July 11, 2012.  Our partnership with Norfolk Technical Center was reviewed and both sides are pleased with the progress being made to illuminate career possibilities in the Marine Trades.  The 26th Annual VSRF Golf Tournament is scheduled for Tuesday, August 14, 2012 at Bayville Golf Club in Virginia Beach.  All 144 golfer slots are filled.  There are still sponsorships available.  You will find a link for Online Sponsorship Registration on the VSRA website.  The online Nomenclature training course is now live on the website.  The Foundation Board voted to make the online Job Board free to all members.

OSHA 5400

Date/Time: August 21-24, 2012 (8:00am-4:30pm)

Member Price: $800.00                Non Member: $950.00

Brought to us by West Virginia University, this course is designed for personnel in the private sector interested in teaching the 10 and 30 hour maritime safety and health outreach program to their employees and other interested groups. Special emphasis is placed on those topics that are required in the 10 and 30 hour programs as well as on those that are the most hazardous, using OSHA standards as a guide. Course participants are briefed on effective instructional approaches and the effective use of visual aids and handouts. This course allows the student to become a trainer in the Outreach Program and to conduct 10 and 30 hour maritime classes in Shipyard Employment with Shipyard specific topics and exemplars; and to issue cards to participants after verifying course completion.2.6 CEU’s.

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.

Standard Items FY13

Date/Time: September 24-25, 2012 (7:30am-3:30pm)

Member Price $295.00                      Non Member $375.00

Knowledge of Standard Items directly affects the efficiency and profitability of your company. This course is specifically designed to build knowledge of Standard Items, how they are developed, how to source and reference them and why they are so critical to Naval Ship Repair work. Special attention is paid to frequently citied, misunderstood and change items. The Instructor tailors EVERY class for the field of work students of that class are in and special emphasis is paid to those topic areas.

OSHA 10-Hour Maritime #7615

Date/Time: September 7-8, 2012

Member Price $195.00          Non Member $260.00

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.

Blueprint Reading & Technical Drawing

Date/Time: September 11-14, 2012 (7:30am-3:30pm)

Member Price $475.00            Non Member $550.00

This course is designed for rising welders, pipefitters, ship-fitters, electricians and workers who need a working knowledge of blueprint technology, symbols and design features specific to ships.

 The course provides 28 hours of instruction with take-home activities, quizzes and a final exam. Attendees will receive critical drawing analysis experience, as well as hands-on blueprint activities.

 NBPI Prep

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

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.

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.