Category Archives: Global

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An Introduction to Insulation Finishes

Categories And Definitions of Weather
Barriers, Vapor Retarders, and Finishes

As we begin our new
column—Insulation Finishes—we wanted to start by explaining the categories and
product
characteristics of weather barriers, vapor retarders, and finishes that we will
be examining each month.
This month’s column will look at Metal Rolls and Sheets.

Most mechanical
insulation systems require a covering or finish material. The primary reason is
to protect the insulation from damage: weather, mechanical abuse, water vapor
condensation, chemical attack, and fire are all potential sources of damage.
Additionally, appearance coverings are utilized to provide the desired
aesthetics. Depending on the location and application, various terms have been
used to describe these functions:

  • Appearance
    Coverings     are materials
    used over insulation systems to provide the desired color or appearance.

  • Condensate
    Barriers     (sometimes
    called moisture retarders) are materials, normally used as an inner lining for
    metal weather barriers, which will bar the condensate that tends to form on the
    inner surface of the metal jacket from coming into contact with the metal
    portion of the jacket.

  • Hygienic
    Coverings     are materials
    used to provide a smooth, cleanable surface for use in food processing,
    beverage, or pharmaceutical facilities.

  • Mechanical Abuse
    Coverings     are materials
    that protect the insulation from damage by personnel, machinery, etc.

  • Vapor Retarders are materials that retard the passage
    of water vapor into the insulation.

  • Weather
    Barriers     are materials that, when installed on the outer surface of thermal
    insulation, protect the insulation from various weather threats such as rain,
    snow, sleet, dew, wind, solar radiation, atmospheric contamination, and
    mechanical damage.

These functions are
performed by a number of different materials or material systems. In many
cases, a single material can provide multiple functions (for example, a
metallic jacketing can often serve as protection from both the weather and from
mechanical abuse).

There is some
inconsistency in the nomenclature used for these materials. The terms
jacketing, lagging, and facings are sometimes used interchangeably to describe
the outer covering of an insulation system.

Adding to the
confusion, the term vapor retarder has evolved. Historically, the term vapor
barrier was used, but this has been generally replaced with the term vapor
retarder in recognition of the fact that an absolute barrier to water vapor
flow is difficult if not impossible to achieve. There is also movement toward
the use of the term vapor diffusion retarder (VDR) to generically describe
these materials.

Physical
Properties of Weather Barriers,
Vapor Retarders, and Finishes

Depending on the
application, weather barriers, vapor retarders, and finishes are subject to
certain
requirements that must be considered when selecting a system:

Internal Mechanical
Forces—Expansion and
contraction of the pipe or vessel must be considered because the resulting
forces are transferred to the external surface of the weather barrier. An
ability to slide, elongate, or contract must be accommodated.

External Mechanical
Forces—If a pipe,
vessel, or a specific area thereof is subject to mechanical abuse (e.g.
tools being dropped, abrasion from wind-driven sand, or personnel walking on
the system) then these
need to be considered in the design. This may impact the insulation type used,
as well as the weather barrier jacketing type.

Chemical Resistance—Some industrial environments may have
airborne or spilled corrosive agents that  accumulate on the weather barrier and
cause chemical attack of the pipe or vessel jacketing. Elements that
create corrosive issues must be well understood and accounted for. If designing
insulation for a coastal facility, make sure to account for chloride attack.

Galvanic
Corrosion—If a system is using one metal in contact with a different metal, there
is a potential for galvanic corrosion. Similarly, water can act as an
electrolyte and galvanic corrosion can occur due to the different potential of
the pipe and vessel, and the metal jacketing.

Insulation
Corrosivity—Some
insulation materials can cause metal jacket corrosion, and other insulation
materials can chemically attack some polymer films. Both of these situations
shorten service life.

Thermal Degradation—Hot systems are typically designed so
that the surface temperature of the insulation and
jacketing material do not exceed 140°F. The long-term effect of 140°F on the
jacketing material must be considered. Additionally, there may be solar
radiation load and perhaps parallel heat loss from an adjacent pipe. This is a
critical design consideration, particularly if a non-metal jacket is being considered.

Installation and
Application Logistics—It is quite common for an insulation contractor to install more
insulation in a day than can be protected with jacket. If it rains, the exposed
portion of insulation gets saturated, and the next day, the jacket is installed
over the wet insulation. This creates an obvious potential corrosion issue
before the installation is operational. If this occurs, it must be corrected
immediately. It should also be understood that the size, shape, and adjacent
space available to work may dictate the type of weather barrier specified. It
is possible that constraints dictate that a less-than-desirable weather barrier
option must be utilized. If this is the case, the maintenance schedule must recognize
and plan for accommodating this option.

Maintainability—The importance of a maintenance and
inspection plan in achieving the service life expected of
the design cannot be overemphasized.

The physical properties of importance to
jacketings and facings are
summarized below:

Water Vapor
Permeance is defined
by ASTM C168 as the time rate of water vapor transmission through unit area of
flat material or construction induced by unit vapor pressure difference between
2 specific surfaces, under specified temperature and humidity conditions. Water
vapor permeance is measured in IP system in units of perm. For facing
materials, water vapor permeance is commonly expressed in units of perms. In
below-ambient applications, it is important to minimize the rate of water vapor
flow to the cold surface. This is normally accomplished by using vapor
retarders with low permeance, insulation materials with low permeability, or
both in combination. In above-ambient applications, it is often desirable to
have a “breather” facing that allows water vapor to escape without condensing. In
either case, it is important to know the permeance of the facing materials.
ASTM Test Method E96 is used to measure the water vapor transmission properties
of insulation materials.

Emittance of a surface is the ratio of the
radiant flux emitted by a specimen to that emitted by a blackbody at the same
temperature. For personnel protection and condensation control applications, a
high emittance is desirable. For minimizing heat flow, a lower emittance
surface is generally desirable.

Surface Burning
Characteristics are
generally determined by ASTM Standard Test Method E84, which measures the
relative burning behavior of materials by observing the horizontal flame spread
along the specimen surface. Flame spread and smoke developed index are reported.
However, there is not necessarily a relationship between
these 2 measurements. Many other fire tests are also used to characterize these
materials. For example, textile products utilize ASTM D6413 (Standard Test
Method for Flame Resistance of Textiles) and NFPA 701 (Standard Methods of Fire
Tests for Flame Propagation of Textiles and Films).

Tensile Strength of facings and jacketing materials
is a measure of the damage resistance of the facing. For facing materials,
tensile strength is typically measured per ASTM D828 or D882 with results
reported in units of lbs/in of width. ASTM D828 is designed for paper, while
ASTM D882 is designed for thin plastic sheeting. For woven fabrics, ASTM D5035
is the predominate test. Some specifications require testing in both machine
direction and cross machine direction.

Dimensional
Stability at
elevated temperatures is measured in percentages using ASTM Standard Test
Method D1204. Specimens are exposed to temperatures of 150°F for 24 hours.

Fungi Resistance of insulation facing materials is
typically evaluated using ASTM C1338, which
calls for inoculating specimens with 5 different strains of fungi spores
and then incubating them at 86°F, 95% relative humidity (rh) for
28 days. The growth is then evaluated relative to a comparative material to assess
the fungi resistance of the sample.

Thermal Integrity of the facing materials must match
the application requirement. Flexible vapor-retarder facings are generally
evaluated per ASTM C1263, which subjects specimens to temperature extremes of
-20°F to +150°F, bends the specimens around a 1 in. OD mandrel, and then
evaluates for any cracking or delamination.

Bursting Strength is a measure of the force required
to rupture the facing in psi. It is measured in accordance with ASTM D774 (up
to 200 psi) or ASTM D3786 (up to 500 psi).

NIA Sites > Insulation Outlook Magazine > Global

Using Transitional Duty to Return Employees to Work After an Injury

As employers, we all
strive to avoid work-related injuries to our employees. We do this because we
do not want to see any of our employees injured, but also because of the costs
associated with work-related injuries. Work-related injuries that lead to lost
time usually result in an increase in our experience modification rate, which
ultimately affects our workers’ compensation insurance premium. These premium
increases can cost a company tens of thousands of dollars each year for several
years after the industrial injury. In many cases, the cost of the claim and the
reserves set by the insurance carrier stay with the employer several years
after the date of injury; and, in some cases, even longer.

Of
course, the surest way to avoid these costs is to prevent on-the-job injuries
and the lost time from such injuries. As much as we would all like this to
happen, many employers may face issues stemming from on-the-job injuries, even
with preventative measures, safety tools, and proper training. If an injury
occurs, employers are likely to experience a lost time workers’ compensation
claim.

After
an employee suffers an on-the-job injury, an employer’s first concern is to get
that individual the proper treatment so that the employee can begin the healing
process as soon as possible. In most cases, you want to see that the employee
has sufficient time to rest and recover after receiving whatever treatment is
necessary. A wise employer begins planning for the employee’s return to work
almost as soon as he or she is aware of the nature of the employee’s injuries
and the prognosis for recovery.

One
of the best methods for keeping your workers’ compensation costs under control
is to minimize the cost of lost time benefits paid to the injured worker while
recovering. To this end, many employers strive to get the employee back to work
in at least a transitional duty capacity as soon as the employee is ready and
is able to do so from a medical perspective. To return an employee to work in a
light-duty capacity requires the cooperation of several different entities that
touch upon the employee’s workers’ compensation claim. The most critical of
these are the employee and his/her desire to return to work; the company, and
its desire to bring back the injured worker as soon as possible; and the
employee’s physician of record (POR) and his or her willingness to release the
patient to some form of transitional duty.

Several
different scenarios can play out with regard to an employee returning to work
in a transitional duty capacity. The first one that we will examine involves an
employee who wants to return to work, an employer that is able to provide
transitional duty, and a POR who sees the value in getting the employee back to
work as soon as he/she is able. Most employers see the value of returning an
employee to work as soon as possible because doing so will enable the employee
to return to the regular workforce more quickly and will reduce the employer’s
exposure in workers’ compensation. Because most, if not all, transitional duty
scenarios may require the employer or its representative to work with the POR,
a Health Insurance Portability and Accountablity Act (HIPAA) compliant signed
medical release should be obtained from the employee directly or through his or
her  representative. Also, the employer must be mindful of any restrictions in
communicating with the employee directly if the employee is represented by an
attorney. In this scenario, there are still several concerns.


  • The physician must provide realistic restrictions for the employee in
    transitional duty. The employer will recognize that not all available jobs meet
    the restrictions. It is important that the employer only bring the employee
    back to transitional duty if it has a job that meets the physician’s
    restrictions. The employee and the restrictions should be reviewed periodically
    by the physician. As the employee continues to improve, the restrictions should
    be adjusted and, it is hoped, relaxed on a regular basis. As this occurs, the
    employee can be moved into more demanding jobs.


  • The position the employer provides the employee must fall within the
    restrictions placed upon the employee by the POR.


  • The employer needs to, whenever possible, provide a real job for the
    employee. Having the employee sit in a windowless room with a table and a clock
    on the wall, counting paper clips, will not help the employee and will not
    hasten his/her return to regular duty. In fact, this type of “transitional
    duty” may create other significant morale problems with the employee and the
    rest of the employer’s workforce and should be avoided.


  • The employer must ensure that the employee’s immediate supervisor and
    all other supervisory personnel who may interact with that employee understand
    that any work assigned while the employee is working in transitional duty must
    be within the current restrictions provided by the physician of record.


  • The employer must be careful of a transitional duty employee who lobbies
    the doctor to release him/her from restrictions after only a brief period of
    time. It benefits no one for the employee to be returned to his/her former
    position of employment before being physically ready to do so. This situation
    can lead to re-injury, aggravation of the existing injury, or a new injury—all
    of which are harmful to both the employee and the employer.


  • If the employer suspects the situation described above is occurring, the
    employer should consider reminding the treating physician of the employee’s
    earlier restrictions and/or seeking an independent medical evaluation of the
    employee (a second opinion) to determine whether the employee’s physical
    condition justifies a complete release from all restrictions.

Another
potential scenario is one in which an injured worker is reluctant or completely
unwilling to return to transitional duty, and a physician who wants (or is
willing) to work with the employee to keep him/her off work. This type of
situation may proceed along the lines outlined in the first scenario; however,
the employer will need to be much more careful and may need to take additional
steps to establish a job for the employee within the work restrictions
established by the physician. In this scenario, the treating doctor is most likely
accepting the employee’s subjective complaints. Thus, the treating physician
continues to keep the employee on full restriction and is unwilling to consider
transitional duty.  The employer may have to seek a second opinion to establish
restrictions under which the employee can work in transitional duty. If this
occurs, the employer may even have to go before the state Industrial Commission
or Industrial Review Board to obtain an order directing the employee to accept
the transitional duty position.

In
such a situation, an employer wishing to return the claimant to work usually
has 2 options. If the employer has a release signed by the employee, the
employer can contact the employee’s POR and inquire if the employee is able to
perform any restricted duty. If this communication is permissible under state
law, the employer will want to inform the treating physician that there is
transitional duty available and that the employer is interested in knowing what
restrictions the physician recommends for the injured worker. It is usually a
good idea for the employer to refrain from providing job descriptions to the
POR until the initial set of restrictions has been received.

If
the POR provides a list of restrictions for the employee, the employer should
review those restrictions, select an appropriate job, and ask the physician if
that job is acceptable.

 If
the treating physician is unwilling to provide restrictions for the employee,
the employer may need to schedule an independent medical evaluation of the employee
(a second opinion) to see how a third-party doctor feels about the employee’s
condition and whether that doctor is willing to place established restrictions
on the employee’s ability to return to work. Depending on the state in which
the employer is located, the workers’ compensation program may or may not cover
the employee’s injury. Even if a third-party physician provides workable
restrictions for the employee, the employer may have to go before the
Industrial Commission, or another organization that administers the state’s
workers’ compensation program, to get its approval for transitional duty. This
route should be taken cautiously, as there can be some risks with a scenario in
which the employer appears to be forcing an employee back into the workforce in
transitional duty. These risks include:


  • The employee complains that the supervisors are working him/her outside
    the restrictions provided by either the treating POR or by the third-party
    physician.


  • The employee sees this as an opportunity to feign a new injury or claim
    aggravation of the existing work-related injury to get back on temporary total
    disability and back into more regular medical care.


  • The employee files a complaint
    with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration relating to the original
    injury or for a different reason.


  • The employee’s attitude and work ethic creates a morale issue for other
    employees who are continuing to work because of the injured worker’s refusal to
    fulfill the requirements of the transitional duty job. Frequently, this places
    an additional workload on other, non-injured employees and can lead to
    frustration, conflict, and an excessively volatile work environment that may
    disrupt operations.

In
this situation, the employer needs to ensure that all supervisory employees
understand the absolute necessity of not permitting the employee to do anything
that exceeds the restrictions placed upon him/her by the POR or by a
third-party examining physician.

There
are some basic considerations for any employer returning or trying to return an
employee to a transitional duty position. First, the transitional position
should be real work, not a “make work” type of job. Employers should remember
that transitional duty is not an opportunity to punish the employee for getting
hurt on the job. A meaningless job may affect the injured employee’s morale,
and that could spill over to other employees. In addition, depending on where
the employer is located, the state may not consider it to be assigning real
transitional duty; if petitioned by the employee, the state may return the
employee back to total disability. Transitional duty always should be viewed as
a means to get the employee back into the workforce in an expeditious manner,
and as a way to aid recovery by allowing the employee to slowly get
re-accustomed to handling the physical requirements of his/her regular job.

Second, employers must consistently stick with the
restrictions placed upon the employee by the examining physician, whether that
is the POR or
a third-party physician used by employer to determine work restrictions for the
employee. By failing to adhere to those restrictions, permitting supervisors to
work the employee outside the restrictions, employers may find themselves with
a brand new injury, a reoccurrence of the earlier injury, or an aggravation of
the former injury—any one of which can result in a renewed period of temporary
total disability and possibly even additional significant medical care and
treatment.

Third,
when an employer is, in effect, forcing an injured employee to return to
transitional duty, the employer may be placing that employee in a situation
that can be used by the employee to reinjure himself/herself in an effort to
get back on total disability or even to file a new claim—which obviously
defeats the purpose of transitional duty.

Finally, when contemplating using transitional duty,
employers should be sure they understand their obligations under the Americans
with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and their state’s
workers’ compensation laws.

Transitional duty offers an opportunity to reduce the
impact of work-related injuries on your workers’ compensation premium and
potentially allows an employee to return to work more quickly. However, it must
be handled with special care and diligence to ensure your employees’ and your
company’s interests are protected. Handled properly, it is a valuable tool that
enables employers to reduce the cost of workers’ compensation claims and
benefit their employees.

SIDEBAR

An experience modification rate (EMR)
is a number used by insurance companies to assess the past cost of a business’s
employee injuries and its rate of risk for future injuries. A lower EMR will
lead to lower workers’ compensation insurance premiums, while a higher EMR will
lead to more expensive premiums. EMRs are calculated through a formula
established by the National Council on Compensation Insurance and take into
account the type of business it is evaluating, as well as each business’s
history with employee injuries. Frequently, one of the most significant
components to this calculation is the amount of lost time benefits paid to
injured workers.

NIA Sites > Insulation Outlook Magazine > Global

The 3 Ms of Recruiting Millennials—Change Your Recruitment Habits To Grab Today’s Top Young Workers

Having trouble finding and hiring candidates with
the right skill set? You may want to consider broadening your scope to include
younger prospects. This huge—and hugely promising—demographic could hold the
key to your company’s short- and long-term success.

The often-maligned Millennial
generation (born 1977 to 1998) will inevitably become members and even leaders
of your organization. By 2014, half of all employees in the world will be
people born after 1980—who tend to have advanced educations and are eager to
keep learning—so it is crucial to start attracting this new talent. However,
you will most likely have to make some changes to your recruitment strategies
to ensure you attract the best candidates.

To entice the cream of the Millennial crop to your organization, you need
to:

  • Have
    “magnets” in place that appeal specifically to this generation;

  • Target
    your message to speak to their needs and wants; and

  • Use
    unique channels or media to broadcast your message.

Magnetize Your Organization To Attract Millennials

Depending on the state of your organization,
attracting and retaining top Millennial talent may require a reboot of the
culture to incorporate the traits this generation values most. Keep in mind
that these candidates will be hot commodities, so your efforts will be
worthwhile; the more top talent you bring in from universities and colleges,
the more vital, forward thinking, and change embracing your organization will
become.

What should
your Millennial magnets be? Consider what this generation values most in an
employer to figure out how you can fulfill those values.

Variety of Work and Fast Pace

Variety of tasks
and responsibilities goes hand in hand with Millennials’ love of being
challenged. They are attracted to jobs where the types of work are constantly
changing, requiring them to learn as they go, maintain a fast pace, and adapt.
For example, one Millennial said he was attracted to a position because “the
job promised doing something different every day, with plenty of learning
opportunities.” Once he started working, he was happy to find that “the
environment is challenging and definitely not boring!” Take a look at your job
descriptions—is this quality something you offer? If not, how can you
reorganize a position or department to add variety to everyone’s work schedule?

Learning Opportunities

Yes, Millennials love to continue learning—but
there is a mercenary factor in this value: the generation is eager to gain new
responsibilities and move up the ladder quickly. Millennials cite “opportunity
to advance” as one of the main things that attract them. Millennials seek
employers with leaders who can guide them through steady advancement
opportunities. Mentoring programs, professional development, and tuition
reimbursement are some add-ons that can help you attract good candidates—as is
the ability to move up the ladder within your organization.

Friendly Culture and Team Approach

Millennials want to commit to their
jobs, and that means committing to an employer with a “fun” and welcoming
culture. Millennials pay attention even while interviewing, and will look for
hints of a work environment that is open and comfortable; where people are
genuine, passionate, and authentic. Some Millennials appreciate a laid-back
culture, where people know when to work hard and when to play. Can you add an
element of warmth and fun to your organization, with special events, rewards,
and open communication?

Perhaps because they grew up
heavily involved in sports and other team activities, Millennials tend to prefer
team environments and a “flat” hierarchy. One interviewee told me, “A company
that is very team-oriented is appealing, [with] the option to go to anyone for
help or with an idea—talking to a VP or even the President.”

Being Appreciated

Millennials may
be the new kids on the block, but they want respect. They want to be of value
to an employer, and they want that value acknowledged. One Millennial expressed
it this way: “I appreciate the investment they made in me—the time, energy, and
money to train me. They have invested so much in me that I am 100% invested in
them.” With management buy-in, it should be relatively easy to create this magnet through a thoughtful
orientation process and ongoing employee communications.

Work-Life Balance

Perhaps even more than older generations (who have
learned the hard way), Millennials expect a healthy balance between giving
their all at work and enjoying time off for their personal lives. One
Millennial working in an industrial occupation explained, “Although my
education is in psychology and research, I was looking for something with a
more family-friendly environment and the opportunity for work-life balance. My
employer is a very family-friendly company.” Flex time, telecommuting, and
reasonable amounts of vacation or paid time off are all magnets.

Remember that you must be
prepared to follow through on the magnets you work to create. Your biggest
challenge may turn out to be keeping those hard-won new hires and avoiding high
turnover rates. Those in the Millennial generation are not afraid to walk away
from a job they see as unfulfilling, and the first 90 days of employment are
particularly tenuous. To hang onto Millennials, keep those magnets in place and
deliver what you promise, or you will have to go back to the drawing board!

Rethink Your Messaging

Study Millennial magnets, select the ones that best
apply to your organization, and structure concise messages incorporating those
benefits. It is important to note that they are benefits. Studies show that
Millennials value certain “soft” benefits, such as a loose policy on using
social media at work and opportunities for work-life balance, over salary and
retirement packages. Take time to incorporate messaging that shows openness to
these types of benefits (as appropriate) in your job listings, Careers web
page, individual position descriptions, and interview conversations.

EXAMPLE: In job descriptions, be clear in outlining
the variety of projects and responsibilities. For open positions, you might translate this into looking for
candidates who are “flexible and fast on their feet,” “good team players,” and
“open to change”— all appealing phrases to Millennials.

Using your messages, draft an internal “Millennial mission statement” for
your recruitment efforts and share it with all recruiters, marketing staff, and
other involved employees so that your messaging to this age group is on target
and consistent. (See “The Integral Role of the Talent Scout.”) This mission
statement should directly address one or more of the Millennial magnets: your
organization offers a variety of work/responsibilities, a fast pace, ongoing
learning opportunities, a friendly culture, team-based work arrangements, good
work-life balance, etc. The big sell should be what Millennial candidates can
contribute, how they can impact the company, and what they might learn while
there. Sell Millennials on why they should come on board; what their career
progression will be; and, most importantly, how they will make an impact on not
just the company, but the world.

Choose Your Media

The available
channels you use to attract younger candidates include a variety of on-site
recruiting options at colleges and universities, as well as multiple online
avenues.

Millennials care about reputation. Job candidates of this generation
prefer interviewing with companies they are familiar with and have formed a
good opinion of. A long-term approach to introducing your organization to them
will go far in helping your recruitment efforts pay off.

Today’s young job candidates
are making career choices early. To recruit the best and brightest, you should
start courting these candidates well before they graduate. Increasing your
presence at job fairs and on-campus recruiting events is crucial. You can
streamline your involvement by identifying specific colleges or vocational
schools around the country that offer the programs that best prepare your
future workforce and concentrate on those. Send employees or recruiters to talk
to instructors and students about upcoming opportunities to start generating
interest in the future workforce. Also, encourage employee involvement in their
alumni associations so that students can make the connection with what you do
and what types of employees you hire.

When recruiting on campus, put your Millennial employees to work. This
generation is peer influenced and will respond to seeing recruiters or current
employees in their own age group.

To be truly proactive, consider identifying promising students in their
freshman and sophomore years of college or trade school, or in their final
years of high school or vocational schools, and provide them with summer
internships until they graduate. They are more likely to take a permanent job
at an organization they already know. You can even form partnerships with
select high schools, technical schools, and community colleges. (Placing
employee teachers at technical schools or community colleges is an ideal way to
scope out future talent.) You can also consider how to appeal to Millennials’
strong sense of social responsibility.

EXAMPLE: One well-known company hosts an
annual, all-expenses-paid volunteer outing over spring break, where selected
college students work alongside company employees on charitable projects such
as repairing homes or helping with tax return preparation. Consider doing
something on a smaller scale—inviting students to join employees for a Habitat
for Humanity day or an afternoon at the local food bank.

It is obvious that this
generation relies on the Internet for information and communication, so make
sure your online presence is not only comprehensive and up to date, but
relevant and interesting. Update your Careers page to keep it fresh and
exciting; and consider adding a separate page just for your target audience,
with information specific to college students and recent grads. This microsite
should be continually updated and can feature case studies, photos, and
day-in-the-life videos along with solid content presented in a fun,
interesting, and interactive way. Remember that this generation is extremely
Internet savvy, so make it easy for candidates to apply online!

Members of older generations
may cringe at the amount of personal information Millennials share online, but
they expect the same of potential employers. Beef up your website (or
recruitment microsite) with information about organizational values and
culture, text or video profiles of some of your current employees, and details
of any benefits (hard or soft) that support your mission statement.

It is vital that you find ways to be unique and creative with your
social media presence. Get Millennials’ attention, offer them information of
value (such as job-seeking tips for your industry, or a salary survey), and
show them videos that help them understand what it is like to work in your
field. Start a blog that will get their attention, and comment on relevant
LinkedIn groups and message boards. Every post, Tweet, status update, and
comment should keep your Millennial mission statement in mind and show that you
are a desirable employer.

Part of your online presence should demonstrate that you are an
approachable organization and are willing and able to form one-on-one
relationships. Millennials expect to build relationships with all individuals
in their lives—from their grade school classmates to famous stars like Justin
Timberlake—and that should include a specific representative within your
organization. For example, if you use a dedicated Twitter account for
recruitment, make it a more personal connection by naming who your followers
are interacting with—show that there is a real person behind your corporation.

Recruiting the very best
Millennial candidates possible is essential to your organization’s future. By
following these 3 Ms of recruiting, you can find the top talent who will add to
and advance your business’s interests.

SIDEBAR

The Integral Role of the Talent Scout

The key to the 3 Ms of
recruiting Millennials is the people doing the recruiting. Consider how great
an impact that scout/interviewer has on the candidates: This is their first
impression of your company—their opinion and desire to work for you are going
to stem from these meetings.

Your Human Resources
team, outside recruiters, and managers who interview must be able to identify
the magnets and “talk the talk” when it comes to your messages. It is a fact
that job candidates assess you as a boss within the first 3 minutes of the
interview. Here is how to make those minutes—and the rest of the
interview—count.

Top-notch talent
scouts can mix old-school interviewing with fresh, cutting-edge practices. In
traditional talent scouting, the recruiter talks about your organization’s open
positions in ways that appeal to each generation and adjusts his or her
interviewing approaches for each new candidate being recruited. A skilled
talent scout has the ability and knowledge to:

  • Put talent
    first—they know how to sell recruits on your company and the job;

  • Promote your
    company’s culture and values to others;

  • Look beneath the
    surface to identify talents needed on a team or project;

  • Attract diverse
    candidates with qualities that complement current competencies and
    perspectives;

  • Create a realistic
    job description with a short list of the most critical competencies;

  • Interview for
    talent—they do not consider only education and experience, but look at
    emotional intelligence competencies such as social skills, drive, and empathy;

  • Initiate a frank
    discussion about job activities, performance expectations, work team, working
    conditions, rules and policies, work culture, manager’s style, and the
    company’s financial stability;

  • Resist finding
    clones of themselves—they seek diversity, variety, and balance;

  • Double-check their
    opinions by asking others for their opinion of candidates;

  • Make an offer to the
    candidate based on the best qualifications for the job and the best fit with
    the company’s culture; and

  • Hire for fit—both
    job fit and cultural fit.

Have your recruiters
use the tried-and-true tactics, but consider mixing in some novel approaches to
hiring, particularly if you are interviewing Millennials. Here are some
examples.

  • Go
    beyond the traditional first interview questions. There
    is so much information available online that both parties have likely
    prequalified each other before meeting. If so,
    the first meeting can skip some of the traditional questions and become more of
    a continuing conversation about
    what you already know about each other. Enlightened interviewers know that
    building personal and professional networks (including online) is a sign of a
    high-performing professional.

  • Try an online job
    interview instead of the traditional phone interview. Video interviewing can help
    hiring managers speak with a wide array of candidates and learn more about each
    prospective new hire before he or she visits the office.

  • Assign
    a trial project. This tactic may work better than an interview: Next time you
    are hiring, consider giving top candidates a constrained project to execute.
    Ask them to redesign a social media campaign, document a tricky bit of
    software, edit a sales presentation, or produce a webinar. Look at the results
    and decide which candidates were able to deliver real value. Be aware that you
    may need to pay them for their time.

  • Toss out the “cookie
    cutter” interview questions (beginning with “Where do you see yourself in 5
    years?”). Instead, ask for the candidate’s perspective on real-time
    organizational challenges or trends in your industry. That answer is far more
    likely to give you meaningful insight into the candidate’s knowledge, thought
    process, and personality; and can help you make a smarter hire for your team.
    Similarly, ask questions aimed to uncover work ethic and qualities that no
    degree can teach—like tenacity, persistence, and on-your-feet thinking.

NIA Sites > Insulation Outlook Magazine > Global

Pre-Work Start-Up Safety Checklist for Contractors

Regardless of size, safety should be a key
component of every job, and contractors should make safety planning a priority
when they are creating their bids. The cost of having a safe job site should be
considered and made part of the bid; and if the contractor gets the job, it
should be treated as an integral part of the project. When contractors visit
job sites to obtain project information, they should also be evaluating safety
concerns to outline what is needed to finish the job safely and in compliance
with all applicable codes, standards, etc.

When assessing a job site, it is important to keep in mind what you need
to accomplish and anything you may need on site when you start the job. Once
you have a contract, it is time to make decisions about the things you need to
have before you begin work.

The following is a starter list of points to consider before beginning
any project (or workday):

  1. Identify
    the employees who are going to make up the project crew. Confirm that each
    employee has received the necessary safety training to
    perform the job safely. This includes the use of any personal protective
    equipment (PPE), hazard recognition, and steps to take if they perceive a
    potential hazard exposure.

  2. Confirm
    that your Safety Director, Consultant, or the individual responsible for safety
    has a site safety plan for this project. This should include a job hazard
    assessment.

  3. Confirm that if any exposure assessments are
    required, they have been or will be completed on the first day. If the exposure
    assessment is being performed on the first day, ensure that all employees are
    being protected at the level required by the Occupational Safety and Health
    Administration (OSHA) until the results of the exposure assessment are known    .

  4. Keep
    a copy of your company safety program on the job site, along with a copy of
    your company’s hazard communication program.

  5. Ensure that sufficient PPE is on site for all
    employees.

  6. Make
    sure that all PPE on site has been inspected, is in good condition, and is safe
    to use.

  7. Whenever possible, assign a well-trained, competent
    person to work at the site. Alternatively, schedule this person to visit the
    job site several times a day to perform necessary safety walk-around
    inspections and ensure that all employees are working in compliance with all
    company safety rules. Remember that some OSHA standards have requirements
    beyond the basic guidelines for a competent person that apply to the areas
    covered by those standards.

  8. Be certain that management on the job site knows
    how to respond to a visit from a federal or state OSHA representative, how to
    conduct an accident investigation, and how to perform regular safety audits.

  9. Secure
    someone to determine the predicted heat index for the day, or—in the case of
    cold work—the projected low temperature, and arrange appropriate safeguards for
    either situation.

  10. If
    scaffolding is to be used on the project, ensure that it is designed and
    erected by qualified and competent persons.

  11. Be certain that any ladders on the job site erected
    by your employees or to be used by your employees are properly put up and tied
    off, and that the ingress and egress points to the ladders are guarded
    from displacement.

  12. Have a procedure in place to identify damaged or
    unsafe equipment, tag it, and remove it from the worksite until properly
    repaired. This procedure should include employees trained to identify damaged
    and/or unsafe equipment.

Upon arriving at the job site,
the contractor should also check safety compliance by confirming that the job
site is completely prepared for work in regard to safety standards. In addition
to following all state and federal regulations, contractors should:

  1. Address
    all fall protection issues. These include, but are not limited to, ensuring
    that warning lines or guardrails are properly erected (where appropriate),
    personal fall-arrest equipment is in place, and adequate anchors are in place
    for the personal fall-arrest equipment. It is also important to make sure that
    employees are wearing their personal fall-arrest equipment correctly.

  2. If scaffolding is going to be used, ensure that it
    is properly erected. This includes, but is not limited to, barricading areas
    under scaffolds to prevent anyone from passing or working below employees who
    are on the scaffold. Additionally, make sure all guardrails and toe boards are
    in place for any scaffold work areas more than 10 feet above the ground.

  3. Be sure that all employees are wearing proper personal
    respiratory protective equipment if an initial exposure assessment is being
    performed or if it is deemed necessary by the completed exposure assessment.

  4. Walk
    the site and ensure that all floor holes, holes in walls, and open-sided floors
    are either covered correctly or guarded.

  5. Check
    the use of electricity on the job site. Use ground fault circle interrupters
    (GFCIs) wherever necessary, and verify that all electrical cords are undamaged
    and have 3-pronged plugs in place.

  6. Properly
    label all containers of hazardous materials on site and ensure that copies of
    all safety data sheets are readily available to all employees on the site, and
    all employees have been trained to read the safety data sheets and the labels
    on all hazardous materials.

  7. Determine if any other contractor’s employees or
    the customer’s employees will be on the site; this may create hazards for your
    employees. If this is the case, take all steps necessary to protect
    your employees and other personnel from potential hazards.

  8. Provide
    sufficient cool, potable water on site for all of your employees if you will be
    working in a high-heat environment. In addition, make sure cooling-off areas
    are available and are located in relative close proximity to where your
    employees will be working.

  9. Ensure
    that any powered equipment that you may have on site has been inspected for
    safety issues before any employees are permitted to operate it, and all
    necessary safety inspection forms have been properly completed. Also, make sure
    that any employees on site who may be tasked to operate such equipment have
    been properly trained and that training documentation is on file.

  10. Confirm
    that all employees on site have been properly trained in all aspects of safety,
    including, but not limited to, hazard recognition. 

This list is not intended to
cover all points for safety consideration on every job site, but it is meant to
share basic safety guidelines. Every job site is unique and will present
different safety concerns, which is why a job safety analysis is essential to
identify all of the safety issues on each job site. Please also check state and
federal guidelines and laws, as well as with your own safety experts, to ensure
each job site is compliant and safe for your personnel.

NIA Sites > Insulation Outlook Magazine > Global

New Study Demonstrates that Safety Programs Improve Business Outcomes

In 2012, the
Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the construction industry has the
second-highest rate of fatal work injuries in the U.S., demonstrating the need
to make safety programs a priority. Now a new SmartMarket Report, published by
McGraw Hill Construction in partnership with ClickSafety, CPWR and United
Rentals, reveals that investing in safety practices is not only a way to
address this grim statistic, but that these investments also can yield
significant business returns. Large construction companies—those with 500 or more employees—have recognized these benefits and have broad
safety programs; but small firms, especially those with fewer than 50
employees, still need to increase their commitment to a fully inclusive and
widely observed safety program. In addition, trends and tools such as building
information modeling (BIM), mobile tools, and prefabrication are helping to
increase job site safety.

Strong Business Benefits

Given the
relatively low cost involved in implementing a strong safety program across an
organization, the return on investment (ROI) is striking. Of the contractors
surveyed, 71% report reductions in reportable injuries, and these reductions
have strong productivity and reduced liability implications. In fact, the
results of reduced injuries are evident in the positive benefits respondents
attribute to safety programs, including a positive impact on project ROI,
schedule, and budget. The size of these impacts is also notable:


  • 49% report a decrease in project schedule by 1 week or more


  • 73% report a decrease in project budget by 1% or more, with 24% finding
    a decrease of greater than 5%


  • 73% see a 1% or more increase in project ROI, and 20% find an increase
    of greater than 5%

Given the many options that are
now available for safety training and implementation, including online training
classes, the study clearly demonstrates that investing in a safety program is a
business imperative.

Gap in Adoption Between Small and Large Firms

The research also reveals that, currently, far more
large construction companies are reaping these benefits than smaller ones.
While nearly all construction companies with 500 or more employees (92%) report
that they have fully inclusive and widely observed safety programs, less than
half (48%) of construction companies with fewer than 50 employees report the
same. Given the prevalence of smaller firms in the U.S., with a 10-employee
average nationwide, this represents an important gap that the industry needs to
fill.

Rising Trends Help Improve Safety

In 2012, McGraw Hill Construction reported that 71%
of architects, engineers, and contractors use BIM on at least some of their
projects, a dramatic growth from only 28% 5 years earlier. The demonstrates
that the rise of BIM should also help improve job site safety. Of the
respondents who use BIM, 43% find that BIM has a positive impact on safety; and
throughout the study, a higher percentage of BIM users report employing safety
practices and achieving the benefits offered by increased safety. The ability to
identify potential site hazards before construction begins is the BIM function
most widely recognized as impacting safety, although a quarter of the
respondents also consider clash detection to have positive safety impacts.

BIM is not the only emerging trend
with safety implications. The increased use of prefabrication/modularization is
also noted to have a positive impact on safety by half of the respondents who
use this approach. The key factors identified in the research that contribute
to increased safety are the ability to do complex
assembly at the ground level or off site and the need for fewer workers on site
working on different aspects of the building on projects that employ
prefabrication.

Perhaps the most surprising
finding, though, is that respondents overwhelmingly find that their mobile
tools, such as smartphones and tablets, have a positive impact on safety.
Approximately 80% report that smartphones and iPads increase safety. This
finding demonstrates that the importance of strong communication between the
office and the site, the ability to accurately document and visualize site
conditions, and the ability to deliver safety training remotely all are seen as
positive factors.

Figure 1
Figure 2
NIA Sites > Insulation Outlook Magazine > Global

Exploring Insulation Materials: Poured-In-Place and Reflective Insulations

Poured-In-Place

Granular
poured-in-place insulation for underground piping, ducts, and tanks is
available. These are granular materials generally made from engineered blends
of inorganic materials or calcium carbonate and require no mixing or curing.
The hydrophobic materials provide thermal insulation, corrosion protection, and
load-bearing properties. Product is sold by the cubic foot and is available in
a variety of packaging options. The material is installed around underground
pipes, ducts, or tanks before backfilling. Currently, no ASTM standard material
specifications have been developed for these products.

Reflective Insulations

Reflective insulations
are defined by ASTM as insulation depending for its performance upon reduction
of radiant heat transfer across air spaces by use of one or more surfaces of
high reflectance and low emittance. Reflective insulations utilize
low-emittance foil (usually aluminum) or foil-coated facings to reduce the
amount of radiant heat flux occurring at the surface.

While reflective
insulations obey the same laws of physics as any insulation system, they are
typically relatively thin (usually less than ½”). Thus, they present little
resistance to conduction heat transfer through the material.
They operate primarily by reducing the radiant heat flux to and from the surface
of the insulation. Reflective foils are often used as facing on other, more
conventional insulations to provide additional thermal resistance. The
Reflective Insulation Manufacturers Association (www.rima.net) is a source
of additional technical information on reflective insulation products.

ASTM C667 Standard Specification for
Prefabricated Reflective Insulation Systems for Equipment and Pipe Operating at
Temperatures Above Ambient Air covers prefabricated, multi-layer reflective
insulation systems for equipment and piping.

NIA Sites > Insulation Outlook Magazine > Global

Unique Problems Insulation Contractors Face with Commercial Facilities

Commercial buildings can pose a variety of issues
for insulation contractors. Commercial jobs include office buildings, hotels,
schools, hospitals, retirement centers, condominiums, government buildings, and
supermarkets, among others. Of these, hospitals and schools seem to offer the
greatest opportunities in today’s construction market. Examples of mechanical
applications requiring insulation on these projects include: low-pressure
steam/condensate, hot water, cold water, and air-conditioning lines; heating
hot water, supply and return chilled water, and refrigerant lines; and supply
and return outside air and exhaust air systems.

Commercial building projects
typically differ from industrial projects in the following characteristics:

  • Insulation thicknesses must conform to local building codes;

  • Narrower temperature range (+40°F to +300°F);

  • Smaller scope and pipe size;

  • Generally shorter time frame from bid to installation, and from
    installation start to completion;

  • Generally new construction or additions—not maintenance work; and

  • Minimal maintenance can be expected after the installation is completed.

The 3 biggest issues the
insulation contractor faces on commercial jobs are:

  1. Making
    sure the building is enclosed (i.e., the roof is installed and the building is
    water tight) before insulation installation starts. This may not always be
    feasible since the insulation contractor does not control this.

  2. Ensuring
    the design engineer and other trades (pipe/duct mechanical contractors) provide
    clearance between pipes and walls for the insulation thickness specified.

  3. Working
    with the schedules of the other mechanical and plumbing contractors.

When specifying the best insulation for these applications, the design
engineer/contractor first looks at performance compliance, which would include
meeting all state and local building code requirements. The insulation
materials must be able to withstand the temperatures and environmental
conditions of the particular application. Different regions of the
country—e.g., north versus south, or inland versus coastal areas—may require
different materials for the same application because of the different environmental
conditions, such as higher humidity in southern and coastal areas. This is
particularly true for below-ambient systems, such as chilled water, where both
surface condensation (sometimes called casual or intermittent condensation) and
condensation within the insulation area (which can be caused by an inadequate
moisture vapor seal on all joints, longitudinal seams, fittings, hangers, and
termination points) constitute a key concern. These must be addressed in the
design parameters. When the building envelope is not dried-in, it is important
that the engineer specifies insulation materials with low water-absorption
characteristics and insulation systems with a low water-vapor permeability.

After reviewing the insulation
materials, one may find that there are 2 or 3 that meet the performance
criteria needed. Thus, the next step in the selection process is to select the
most cost-effective material, which is often decided by which product is most
easily installed or will last the longest with little or no maintenance.

This article will address the
unique circumstances of commercial buildings that will determine performance
and cost effectiveness.

Note that the building owner
needs to differentiate between lowest first-cost materials and lowest
life-cycle cost materials, since these are often not the same. Then, they must
convey their requirements to the specifying engineer.

On hot systems, the following
materials are often specified and installed:

  • Low-pressure steam and condensate—fiberglass with all-service jacketing
    (ASJ)

  • Hot water—fiberglass with ASJ (hot water is sometimes subcontracted out
    by the plumbing contractor to an insulation subcontractor). In addition,
    closed-cell insulations are sometimes used when the mechanical engineer does
    not want to mix materials on domestic hot- and cold-water applications.

For hot applications,
fiberglass with ASJ has the benefits of performance, ease of installation, and
cost effectiveness.

For below-ambient systems—i.e.,
cold or chilled water—design engineers routinely select closed-cell insulation
materials with an inherent low water vapor permeability value, particularly in
unconditioned spaces, because of their concern over condensation control and
long-term thermal performance. This group of materials would include cellular
glass, elastomeric foam, phenolic foam, polyolefin, polystyrene, and
polyisocyanurate (PIR) foam insulations. Fiberglass continues to be specified
and successfully used on below ambient systems in continuously conditioned
spaces such as occupied offices, where humidity is low and there is less vapor
drive, typically in the northern regions. For unconditioned spaces, it is
recommended that fiberglass with ASJ be covered with a continuously sealed
polyvinyl chloride (PVC) jacket.

Another consideration to take
into account is environmental fluctuations during use in a particular space.
For instance, a conditioned convention center hall may experience major
variations in ambient conditions during loading or unloading, when the shipping
doors are wide open. The proper insulation for this type of condition must be
selected or the building’s systems may face problems. A similar situation can
occur when the convention center is not in use and the HVAC system is turned
off, causing a significant rise in indoor conditions.

In Figure 1 the author shows
some types of insulation materials listed by application. Not all insulation
materials are listed, however; readers should research what is best for their
individual project.

Performance issues unique to below-ambient
systems in commercial buildings that would factor into the material selection
process may include:

  • Susceptibility of mold growth on enclosed piping (behind walls). This is particularly a problem with paper-faced vapor
    retarders in unconditioned spaces. The concern over mold issues in this type of
    application may lead to more expensive and more labor-intensive insulation
    systems being used to reduce potential future problems.

  • Susceptibility of vapor barrier damage in pipe chases where material must
    be applied and slid through penetrations. This would limit maintenance after
    installation. Some insulation materials require the specification of a robust
    jacket capable of withstanding abuse; PVC jacket is sometimes used for this
    reason. Multi-layer (low perm) jackets with easy-to-seal seams that resist
    abuse may be used where maintenance of the system will be limited or
    non-existent.

  • Temperature and humidity not regulated
    uniformly throughout the building may require the use of greater insulation thickness
    to prevent condensation in some parts of the building (e.g., back room or
    ceiling areas).

  • Prevention of water vapor
    condensation/intrusion within the insulation and on the metal pipe and
    equipment surfaces, requiring that all insulation systems be completely sealed
    against water vapor intrusion. In this case, only insulation systems capable of
    being continuously sealed should be selected. An often misleading concept is
    that all jacketing provides a moisture/moisture vapor barrier. Metal jacketing,
    such as aluminum, only provides a moisture vapor barrier if all seams and any
    penetrations (e.g., rivet holes) are caulked; therefore, metal jacketing is
    intended to be protective and not as a vapor retarder material. Additionally,
    PVC jacketing will only be effective as the water vapor transmission barrier of
    the seams. Flexible laminate jacketing, some with a zero permeance rating, must
    be continuously sealed, usually with a compatible, zero permeance, pressure
    sensitive tape.  Rewettable fiberglass cloth provides abuse protection only and
    is not a vapor retarder barrier. For below-ambient systems, the insulation
    beneath the jacketing should provide a moisture vapor barrier on its own.

Installation issues unique to
below-ambient systems in commercial buildings may include:

  • Insulation being installed prior to the building being enclosed. This is
    a quite common, but counterproductive, practice. Closed-cell foam materials are
    capable of withstanding intermittent moisture or high-humidity conditions that
    may be present during the construction of the building, but this is often not
    factored into the engineering design specification. Closed-cell foam insulation
    products are sometimes specified or used for this reason, such as in hotels
    (duct risers).

  • The need for a flexible insulation material for installation around and
    through walls, including air-conditioning lines, chilled water run-outs, etc.
    Note: Air-conditioning lines are typically completed by the
    mechanical/equipment installer.

    ?
    The need to meet a compressed
    installation time schedule. Installation products with adhesive, pre-applied,
    pre-fabricated fittings, or insulation with pre-applied jacketing, are often
    used to shorten the installation time. These products may also reduce the risk
    of failures at the seams and joints of the insulation or the jacketing. Seams,
    joints, jacketing, or adhesives applied in factory-controlled conditions may
    perform better than those applied in the field under varying environmental
    conditions.

  • Ability of the insulation to be slid on the copper pipe in long sections
    (20 inches) to eliminate butt joints and speed installation time, often a
    concern in supermarkets. Note: Supermarkets are generally done by the
    refrigeration contractor.

  • Burial applications that require a load-bearing capacity as well as
    being water tight.

  • Extreme high-humidity applications may require low water-vapor
    transmission insulation and an additional ?low permeance, continuously sealed?
    jacket to prevent long-term water-vapor penetration.

  • Prevention of pipe and equipment
    corrosion, sometimes called corrosion under insulation or CUI, in cold storage
    applications (using ammonia systems) should receive extra care. Polystyrene and
    PIR jacketed sealed with a low permeance vapor retarder have a long history of
    use.

As seen in the examples, there are many reasons an insulation system is
selected for a particular application. Performance parameters should always be
the highest priority, with other factors also coming into play (cost of
material, installation technique, installation ease/time, durability of the
material over time, etc.). Lastly, experienced contractors become familiar with
installing specific materials on certain types of systems. Insulation and
accessory manufacturers are continually trying to refine their products for
better performance and ease of installation. They understand that one insulation
material or one insulation system will not work best for all applications,
which results in niche products for specific applications. Commercial
applications tend to be more diverse and open to variation in design than
industrial applications. Design engineers and insulation contractors should
always be attentive to new products and processes if they want to stay
competitive and provide the best materials for an application.

Figure 1
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The ICC, Building Codes, and the Insulation Industry

The International Code Council (ICC) is a 50,000-member U.S. association dedicated to public safety. ICC members include state, county, and municipal code enforcement and fire officials, architects, engineers, builders, contractors, elected officials, manufacturers, and others in the construction industry.

The ICC mission focuses on providing the highest quality codes, standards, products, and services for all concerned with safety and performance in the built environment. The council is dedicated to developing model codes and standards to construct safe, sustainable, affordable, and resilient structures.

The United States has the highest standard of building safety in the world, which can be attributed to the more than 200 years of collective experience shared by the ICC and its predecessor organizations (Building Officials and Code  Administrators, International Conference of Building Officials, and Southern Building Code Congress International).

The model codes known as the International Codes, or I-Codes, were developed by ICC members to provide basic safeguards for people at home, at school, and in the workplace. The I-Codes are a complete set of comprehensive, coordinated building safety, fire prevention, and energy-efficient model codes that support the construction industry’s need for one set of codes without regional limitations. All 50 states and the District of Columbia have adopted the I-Codes at the state or jurisdictional level. Federal agencies including the Architect of the Capitol, General Services Administration, National Park Service, Department of State, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs also enforce the I-Codes. The Department of Defense references the International Building Code (IBC) for constructing military facilities, including those that house U.S. troops around the world and at home. Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands enforce one or more of the I-Codes. The ICC supports code compliance and adoptions with a range of services including training, professional certification, code opinions, and plan review. The ICC Evaluation Service (ICC-ES) is a subsidiary of the ICC that provides a comprehensive scope of technical evaluations for code-compliant building materials. Based on its years of experience in evaluating building products, affiliation with the ICC, and the fact that it was created exclusively by building officials, ICC-ES is a widely accepted and trusted source within the regulatory community. The ICC-ES Evaluation Report Program includes technical evaluations of building products, components, methods, and materials, and provides evidence that building products and systems meet code requirements. ICC ES has approximately 1,400 evaluation reports.

The International Accreditation Service (IAS), another ICC subsidiary, has provided accreditation services to diverse industries since 1975. IAS accredits testing laboratories, inspection agencies, product certification agencies, and other related organizations. IAS offers many accreditations supporting the insulation industry. Examples include IAS’ accreditation of laboratories for thermal insulation testing standards, agencies for inspection of manufacturing of foam plastic insulation, and certification agencies for the listing of insulation products.

The Need for Construction Codes

The regulation of building construction in the United States dates back to the 1700s, but it was not until the 1871 Chicago Fire killed 250 people and destroyed 17,000 buildings that building safety came to the forefront in the United States. In 1875, Chicago enacted a building code and a fire prevention ordinance, starting a trend that slowly spread across the country. By the early 1900s, special interest groups, such as the insurance industry, joined others with similar concerns to develop a model code. This first model building code gained widespread popularity among legislative authorities. It provided an accessible source of comprehensive technical requirements without the difficulties and expense of investigation, research, and drafting of individual local codes. Today, most jurisdictions in the United States have adopted and enforce building safety and fire prevention codes. The combination of good codes and proper code administration is the reason for the U.S. record of constructing buildings that resist natural disasters relatively well in comparison with other nations that can suffer terrible devastation and loss of life due to the absence of codes and code compliance checks performed by properly trained and certified building officials.

Based on building science and technical knowledge, the purpose of a building code is to establish minimum requirements necessary to provide safety, guard public health, and reduce property losses. Model building codes provide protection from man-made and natural disasters. Proper design and construction practices, in concert with a code administration program that ensures compliance, actually keep construction costs down by establishing uniformity in the construction industry. This uniformity allows building and materials manufacturers to do business on a larger scale—statewide, regionally, nationally, or internationally.

Code Development

The commitment to building safety begins with a private-public partnership where codes are developed by private-sector associations such as the ICC, but the authority to adopt and implement the codes belongs to federal, state, and local authorities. This is a unique system and very different from other countries where the government may write and impose rules and regulations with little—if any—public input.

The U.S. standardization system is very diverse. It is based on a market-driven, sector-based focus that comes from participants who represent government, the construction industry, and public- and private-sector interests. Volunteers who participate in the ICC code development process represent federal, state, and local governments; the private sector—such as architects, engineers, labor, homebuilders, contractors, building owners and managers, energy advocates; and others. Most importantly, the process—including the ICC’s governmental consensus process—is guided by principles outlined in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-119, and in Public Law 104-113, the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act, including:

  • Transparency: Information is accessible to all parties
  • Openness: All affected interests can participate
  • Consensus: Decisions are reached through consensus among those affected
  • Due Process: All views are considered and appeals are possible
  • Appeals Process: Is open and guided by due process

The ICC’s governmental consensus process includes open forums of debate. This cooperative process represents all interests and ensures responsiveness and compatibility between the private sector and regulatory needs.

There are 8 steps to the development of the I-Codes:

  • Code changes are submitted by any interested person.
  • Code changes are posted prior to a public hearing.
  • Public committee action hearings allow anyone to attend, testify, and participate. There is no cost to attend or participate. The hearings are available on webcast.
  • Committee action hearing results are posted prior to the public comment hearing.
  • Public comments are sought on committee action hearing results, allowing an opportunity to consider specific support for or objections to the results of the public hearing.
  • Public comments are posted for consideration.
  • At public comment hearings, ICC governmental member voting representatives and honorary members dedicated to public safety cast votes of final determination on all code changes. This allows no proprietary interests to influence the outcome.
  • New editions of the codes are published every 3 years.

To increase participation in the code development process (cdp), the ICC expects to conduct tests of an online voting process, which is the next step in the development of cdpACCESS, ICC’s initiative to create the code development process of the future. The cdpACCESS initiative seeks to allow remote voting and encompasses several components, including submitting code changes and public comments, and exchanging ideas and thoughts with colleagues and others with an interest in building safety. Ultimately, cdpACCESS will allow participation in all phases from a computer or tablet, regardless of the voter’s location.

Code Adoptions and the Role of Stakeholders

State or local governments are not obligated to adopt model building safety or fire prevention codes, and may write their own code or portions of a code. A model code has no legal standing until it is adopted as law by a government entity (state legislature, state agency, county board, city council, etc.). When adopted as law, all owners of property within the boundaries of the adopting jurisdiction are required to comply with the referred codes. Because codes are updated, existing structures usually are required to meet the code that was enforced when the property was built. The primary application of a building code is to regulate new construction. Building codes usually only apply to an existing building if the building undergoes reconstruction, rehabilitation, or alteration, or if the occupancy of the existing building changes to a new occupancy as defined by the building code.

Most jurisdictions have a system in place for review of the codes, adoption, and proper administration that follows a 3-year cycle. This period of time coincides with the national model code cycle. Codes and standards are developed and revised on a regular 3-year basis. This regular and timely process of updating the codes is critical to ensure that new research, technology, and safety practices can be incorporated into the codes.

Manufacturers and fabricators invest resources in research and in the development of new products and technologies. By supporting the adoption of current codes, the insulation industry and members of the National Insulation Association ensure the latest insulation technologies and products get into the marketplace on a timely basis, and ensure installations are done in a way that is safe and effective. Code updates include replacing provisions with those that are more cost effective. It is not illegal to install new advancements without having updated codes, just a lot harder and possibly more costly. The insulation industry is an example where codes have played a role in getting new materials introduced in the marketplace, such as spray foam insulation products, structural insulated panels, insulated concrete forms, and low-VOC insulation materials. In many cases, these new products have been developed in response to increased demand for energy-efficient buildings, as reflected in the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). The IECC has played a tremendous role in the insulation industry, driving both demand and innovation.

New findings and research into the role indoor air quality plays in public safety are spurring discussions in code arenas that impact the insulation industry. This is not only reflected in the International Green Construction Code (IgCC), but in base codes like the International Mechanical Code and the International Residential Code (IRC), where proposals seeking to change the use of insulation in plenums have been debated. In the International Plumbing Code, the requirements for pipe insulation have recently been revised, and firestopping requirements continue to evolve.

One of the newest members of the I-Code family is the aforementioned IgCC, which was developed in partnership with ASHRAE, ASTM, the U.S. Green Building Council, the American Institute of Architects, and with the input of industry professionals. The IgCC provides model code language to establish baseline regulations for new and existing buildings related to energy conservation, water efficiency, building owner responsibilities, site impacts, building waste, materials, and other considerations. The IgCC provides a natural complement for voluntary rating systems that extend beyond the IgCC’s baseline, such as LEED, for cutting-edge applications of green building design. Similar to other model codes, the IgCC is written in enforceable language and is coordinated with the other I-Codes. Currently, it is in use or has been adopted in 10 states, with a few jurisdictions reviewing it for adoption possibly later this year or in early 2014. As with all the model codes, the ICC and its subsidiaries provide a robust infrastructure to support the administration of the IgCC, including training, certification, commissioning guidelines, commentaries, handbooks, study companions, and more.

Another important reason to keep codes current is the correlation and harmonization between the codes and the referenced standards. In a 2003 article, Mark Johnson, Executive Vice President and Director of Business Development for ICC, wrote about this subject: ?The building industry is extremely competitive, where manufacturers of materials and innovative new products compete head-to-head with each other for a share of construction spending. In this fast-paced entrepreneurial environment, standards help to assure that the quality of building products and materials do not degenerate to unsafe levels as a result of competitive pressures to reduce costs and streamline operations. Through the development and publication of quality standards, a level playing field is established, which helps to ensure not only quality, but fair competition. Building standards establish the minimum level of safety required, and reflect the level
of risk society is willing to bear.?

Building standards adopted by reference in the I-Codes can be broken down into 4 basic categories: material, installation, testing, and design standards.

  • Material standards specify the physical properties of a material or manufactured product and establish quality requirements.
  • Installation standards regulate the proper installation and placement of building components or systems.
  • Testing standards encompass structural unit and system tests, durability tests, and fire tests.
  • Design standards define the methods of design and specify the accepted design procedures, engineering formulas, and calculation methods.

It is not only industry that benefits from current codes. The safety of firefighters and emergency responders is included in the scope of the model codes.

If a business owner wishes to install a proven new technology, installers and builders have access to the information needed to install. Insulation fabricators, manufacturers, contractors, and installers are important stakeholders in the development of the codes, as well as in the adoption and implementation. Participation in the code development is vital to ensure the codes reflect and meet the needs of the insulation industry.

For all the reasons listed above, it is important for industry to voice its support at the state and local level for the adoption of current codes.

ICC’s Governmental Members

Governmental members are code officials dedicated to safeguarding the health, safety, and welfare of the public. They are charged with the enforcement of state or local building codes. Their professional responsibilities include receiving applications; issuing permits for new construction; reviewing building plans, building lots, and site conditions for compliance with the building, fire, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical codes; reviewing/performing building inspections; and keeping official records and inspection reports.

The education requirements to become a code official vary from state to state but may include technical school, vocational college, or a university degree. Comprehending and interpreting technical and legal documents like codes and standards requires knowledge about architecture, legal aspects of code administration, construction technology, drafting, blueprint reading, science, and mathematics.

ICC High School Technical Training Program

The ICC is a major supporter and proponent of technical and vocational training. It recognizes the building trades as a crucial component of the building community. Two years ago, the ICC endorsed and expanded a program for technical high schools based on a pilot program started in 2009 at Harford Technical High School in Bel Air, Maryland. The instructors referenced the IRC as the students progressed through the construction of their projects. The ICC supports and encourages technical high schools to offer young people entering the workforce hands-on construction experience paired with tools and knowledge about the codes. With solid code knowledge, students may transition into the field of inspections or any other construction discipline.

The ICC established a Certificate of Achievement to recognize a technical high school student’s successful completion of all program elements and passing a 30-question test pertaining to a specific trade: building, electrical, plumbing, or HVAC. Students have the opportunity to achieve 1 or all 4 Certificates of Achievement. Students who receive all 4 certificates may transition to the ICC’s National Certification Program for code professionals. Many employers require inspectors to have experience in the construction industry, complete an apprenticeship program,have studied engineering or architecture, or have an Associate’s degree from a community college in construction technology, blueprint reading, or building inspection. The ICC certifications enhance a candidate’s chances for better paying, higher responsibility jobs.

The program provides benefits for all. By partnering with technical high schools, the ICC seeks to create an advanced workforce knowledgeable in codes, and the students of the technical programs receive the self-assurance and confidence one gains from an extensive education. Most importantly, the general public benefits by having personnel who properly enforce the codes and ensure that the places where we live, work, and play are safe for all to enjoy.

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NIA Sites > Insulation Outlook Magazine > Global

Skilled Labor: An Increasingly Scarce Resource

During the past
6 years, the U.S. construction industry shed more than 1.8 million jobs.
Construction unemployment reached its peak (27.1%) in February 2010, even though the broader
economy had been out of the recession for nearly a year. By February 2013, the
unemployment rate fell to 15.7%—lower than in previous years, but still well
above historic norms and U.S.
economy-wide averages.

The decline can be attributed
to the industry’s ability to retain workers during recessions and then rehire
them afterward. When referring to this
cyclical economic phenomenon, the National Center for Construction Education
and Research (NCCER) concluded that industry recovery and labor recovery are 2
different things. Although the industry historically has survived economic ups
and downs, firms often cannot bring back lost workers who secured employment in
other industries.

At the same time, pent-up demand for construction—particularly
infrastructure—has been building. The nation’s bridges, highways, water
systems, sewer systems, storm water
management systems, dams, and levies
continue to falter. Technological shifts also are contributing to pent-up
construction demand, as office buildings, hotels, and other structures
increasingly need to be retrofitted to improve performance.

Looking ahead, capital markets will heal, job creation will accelerate,
and the down cycle in construction will reverse. Much of this already is occurring, with residential construction starts rising during the last several quarters
and a handful of nonresidential construction segments, including power,
manufacturing, commercial, and office, showing signs of life.

The Next Construction Crisis

With activity picking up, a recent construction labor market survey conducted by the Maryland Center for Construction Education and
Innovation (MCCEI) confirms the next crisis for construction will not be from a
lack of demand, but from a lack of skilled craft professionals and construction
supervisors.

A revolution in the way
construction services are delivered compounds the emerging skills gap.
According to the MCCEI survey, 55% of respondents indicated that building
information modeling (BIM), mobile computing, Global Positioning System (GPS),
and other technological advancements represent the most important ways
construction will be delivered during the next decade.

Additionally, the Construction
Labor Market Analyzer’s 20/20 Foresight Report for the fourth quarter of 2012
projected a nationwide shortage of nearly 2 million workers. There are
approximately 5 million current U.S. nonresidential construction workers, with
cyclical demand expected to peak at 6.7 million in 2016, according to the
report.

To put the shortage in
perspective, total employment during the current decade is expected to rise
14.3%, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. During the same period,
demand will rise 49% for reinforcing iron and rebar workers, 42% for glaziers,
40% for brick masons and block masons, 37% for stone masons, and 36% for
pile-driver operators.

Regional Variances

Much of the
industry’s expansion continues to be in energy- and natural resource-intensive
areas. Construction employment in North Dakota increased 9% in the past 2
years—more than in any other state. Other rapidly expanding states for
construction employment include Alaska (7.2%), Louisiana (5.9%), Wyoming
(5.1%), and Texas (5%).

States with elevated levels of industrial project volume, such as
Louisiana, will experience the highest level of labor demand. Those states
likely will drain the qualified and skilled workers from other parts of the
United States, which implies that skill sets and shortages likely will migrate
across the country over time. Contractors in construction-rich states such as
Texas and Louisiana will be in a better position to aggressively recruit talent
because they will be able to offer more generous compensation and relocation
packages.

NIA Sites > Insulation Outlook Magazine > Global

Mechanical Insulation Simple Calculators: A Guide to the Temperature Drop for Air in an Insulated Duct or Fluid in an Insulated Pipe Calculators

This article continues our series featuring the
?Simple Calculators? from the Mechanical Insulation Design Guide (MIDG). The
calculators are part of the Mechanical Insulation Education & Awareness
Campaign (MIC), which was started by the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s)
Advanced Manufacturing Office to improve the energy efficiency of the U.S. industrial and commercial sectors. The
National Insulation Association (NIA) and its Alliance partners
collaborated with the DOE to design, implement, and execute the MIC.

The MIC seeks to increase
awareness of the energy efficiency, emission reduction, economic stimulus
potential, and other benefits of mechanical insulation. An integral component
of the MIC was the development of the Simple Calculators. The calculators,
listed on the left, provide users with instantaneous information on a variety
of mechanical insulation applications in the industrial/manufacturing and
commercial markets.

  • Condensation Control—Horizontal Piping

  • Energy Loss, Emission Reduction, Surface
    Temperature, and Annual Return

  • Financial Returns

  • Estimate Time to Freezing for Water
    in an Insulated Pipe

  • Personnel Protection for Horizontal Piping

  • Temperature Drop for Air in an Insulated Duct or Fluid in an Insulated
    Pipe

The calculators are online as
part of the National Institute of Building Sciences’ MIDG, www.wbdg.org/midg.
You can also access them through a link on NIA’s website: www.insulation.org.
The calculators are fast, free, and functional tools that make it easy to
discover energy savings, financial returns, and other information for the
design of mechanical insulation systems for above- or below-ambient applications.

Insulation systems are often
designed to minimize variation of temperatures in processes. This article will
provide an overview and guide to use the Temperature Drop for Air in an
Insulated Duct or Fluid in an Insulated Pipe Calculators.

Temperature Drop Calculator for Air Ducts

This calculator estimates the temperature drop (or
rise) of air flowing in a duct (Reference: 2009 ASHRAE HoF, Chapter 4, Equation
48, page 4.21). The calculator requires data for 6 input variables. Results are
updated as each input variable is entered. Input information may generally be
obtained from design documents or field measurements. The impact of duct leakage
is not taken into consideration.

Following are the instructions
and additional information for each input variable. Note that the default
values for each input are highlighted in a box after each prompt.

  • Line 1.
    Enter the temperature of the air entering the duct, °F: 120

    The default value is 120°F; however, you should
    enter the actual initial temperature in degrees Fahrenheit for the air entering
    the duct.

  • Line 2.
    Enter the ambient temperature (the average temperature of the air surrounding
    the duct), °F: 75

    The default
    value is 75°F; however, you should enter the average ambient temperature in
    degrees Fahrenheit for the area surrounding the duct.

  • Line 3.
    Enter the flow rate of the air carried by the duct in cubic feet per minute
    (cfm): 500

    The default
    value shown is 500 cfm; however, you should enter the expected/designed flow
    rate.

  • Line 4.
    Enter the length of the duct run in feet: 50

    The default
    value is 50 feet; however, you should enter the actual length of the duct run
    in question.

  • Line 5.
    Enter the perimeter of the duct in inches: 48

    The default
    value is 48 inches; however, you should enter the perimeter of the duct in
    question.

  • Line 6.
    Enter the R-value of the selected duct insulation, ft: 6

    Enter the
    R-value of the selected duct insulation. Available R-values will vary,
    depending on the insulation products selected. If it is not known, it is
    suggested you consult the respective manufacturer data sheet.

Based upon the information
variables provided, the Results section displays the temperature drop (°F) and
the temperature of the air leaving the duct. In this example, the results were
2.4°F and 117.6°F, respectively.

Temperature Drop Calculator for Hydronic Piping

This calculator estimates the temperature drop (or
rise) of water flowing in a pipe. The calculator requires data for 9 input
variables. Results are updated as each input variable is entered. Input
information may generally be obtained from design documents or field
measurements.

Following are the instructions
and additional information for each input variable. Again, default values
appear in bold, underlined text after each prompt.

  • Line 1.
    Enter the temperature of the water entering the pipe, °F: 35

    The default
    value is 35°F; however, you should enter the actual temperature for the water
    entering the pipe (in degrees Fahrenheit).

  • Line 2.
    Enter the ambient air temperature (the temperature of the air surrounding the
    pipe), °F: 75

    The default
    value is 75°F; however, you should enter the average ambient temperature,
    (temperature in degrees Fahrenheit for the area surrounding the pipe).

  • Line 3.
    Enter the wind speed of the ambient air in miles per hour (mph): 15

    The default
    value is 15 mph. You should enter expected wind speed. If unknown, it is
    suggested you use 1 mph for indoor and 8 mph for outdoor applications.

  • Line 4.
    Enter the flow rate of the water carried by the pipe in gallons per minute
    (gpm): 40

    Note:
    The calculator does not screen for reasonable flow velocities; hydronic piping
    is normally sized for flow velocities between 5 and 12 feet/second.

    The default
    value is 40; however, you should enter the expected or designed flow rate in
    gpm.

  • Line 5.
    Enter the length of the piping run in feet: 100

    The default
    value is 100 feet; however, you should enter the actual length of the pipe run
    in question.

  • Line 6.
    Select the nominal pipe size (NPS) in inches: 2

    The default
    value is an NPS of 2 inches; however, by using the drop-down box you can select
    any pipe size from ½ inch to 24 inches.

  • Line 7.
    Select the nominal thickness of insulation in inches: 1

    The default
    thickness is 1 inch; however, you should use the drop-down box to select the
    desired thickness, from 0 to 4 inches (in half- or quarter-inch increments).

  • Line 8.
    Select an insulation material: Fiberglass
    (to 850°F)

    Note: The
    calculator does not screen for material temperature limitations.

    The
    default box indicates fiberglass; however, you may use the drop-down box to
    select 1 of 8 insulation materials: Calcium Silicate, Cellular Glass,
    Elastomeric, Fiberglass, Mineral Wool, Polyethylene, Polyisocyanurate, or
    Polystyrene.

  • Line 9.
    Select thermal emittance of the outer jacket material: 0.10 – Aluminium,
    oxidized, in service

    The default box indicates in service oxidized
    aluminium;     however, you may use the drop-down box to select 1 of 11
    exterior surfaces. For a detailed discussion and definition of emittance,
    please refer to the MIDG. 

Based upon the information
variables provided, the Results section displays the temperature rise (°F) and
the temperature of the water leaving the pipe. In this example, the results
were 0.0°F and 35.0°F, respectively.

While the Simple Calculators may not address every insulation material
or application, they are an extremely valuable, easy-to-use tool that can
provide users with online, snapshot information on some the most frequently
asked-about benefits and design considerations of mechanical insulation
systems.

For both the novice and seasoned user, the MIDG—located at www.wbdg.org/midg—is
an excellent resource for basic insulation information and tools for designing
a complex insulation system. The MIDG is comprehensive and contains information
on every step of a project: from design, to selection, specification,
installation, and maintenance of mechanical insulation. The MIDG website is
regularly updated to bring users the most current and complete
information—including the convenient Simple Calculators,
designed to make the most common mechanical insulation calculations simple and
accessible to users of all levels. For further information
on this topic and the calculator please refer to the MIDG, Design Objectives—Process
Control section.

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