Member Benefits
Pennsylvania Concrete Masonry Association Program of Work by Committee
CODES & STANDARDS
- Inform the membership of the issues regarding the International Building Code (IBC), International Residential Code (IRC) and International Energy Code (IEC)
- Interact with the Pennsylvania Housing Research Center to maintain a positive relationship with PCMA and the concrete masonry industry in PA especially regarding the Uniform Construction Code, the adopted ICC family of Codes for PA.
- Work on programs to train our members about the implications of the 2015 and 2018 Family of Building Codes adopted by PA. Training of mason contractors, builders, code officials, architects and engineers will continue. Impact unfavorable codes with legislative changes.
- Maintain a relationship with Building Code Inspectors throughout PA for accurate interpretation of the Codes as relate to masonry.
- Provide technical information to members and others about concrete masonry.
- Maintain a membership in and attend the meetings of the Masonry Alliance for Codes and Standards (MACS) and The Masonry Society (TMS) for information on what is happening on the national level to better impact code related issues in PA.
- Maintain a working relationship with NCMA for technical support.
- Maintain a relationship with related organizations like the Delaware Valley Masonry Institute, Masonry Contractors Association of Central Pennsylvania and International Masonry Institute.
- Attempt to impact standards writing organizations like ASTM for regulations favorable to the concrete masonry industry.
CONVENTION
- Plan and make arrangements for the Annual Family Convention to include educational seminars, golf, dinners, hospitality area and family activities.
- Plan locations that are accessible for the members within the state of PA
EDUCATION
- Interact with architectural and engineering departments of PA Colleges, Universities and Post Secondary Schools for scholarships, awards, or other incentive programs to promote the use of concrete masonry among the professors and students. Note especially Drexel University, Penn State University, Carnegie Mellon University, Penn College of Technology, Williamson College of the Trades and Thaddeus Stevens Technical School. Expand the number of Colleges we are in contact with for masonry programs.
- PA Society of Architect, Engineer Associations, Code Officials, Municipal Officials are target markets for the education of concrete masonry.
- Provide AIA/CES certification programs for Health, Safety and Welfare Credits to the architects across the state as well as structural engineers.
- Work with the Convention Committee to help develop seminars for Education Day the Friday of the Convention.
- Work with the departments of engineering and architecture to develop a program to maintain and possibly increase the number of courses being taught on concrete masonry at colleges across the State.
- Consider other ways to increase exposure of concrete masonry products and techniques for design to post secondary students.
- Provide opportunities for training PCMA members as needed.
MEMBERSHIP
- Maintain a Membership List with contact information on our website.
- Prospect for new members especially associate members like accountants, lawyers, suppliers of products for our producer members and others to expand our opportunities to increase our numbers. Consider expanding our membership to producers in other states, related masonry products like brick and glass block.
PROMOTION
- Maintain and continuously update the PCMA website pacma.com for use by our members, specifiers, and the general public. Also coordinate the blockbasement.com website for the residential market.
- Work on non-combustible construction related topics and the Cost Comparison Study for Multi-residential Structures development, additional city studies, seminars and buildingstudies.org website.
- Coordinate the AIA/ CES seminars about the Cost Comparison Study developed by Walter Schneider, PhD PE
- Consider all forms of Sustainability and Resilience related topics concerning masonry and concrete masonry and work with Codes and standards committee to address these issues.
- Produce Masonry Tip Postcards to provide timely and important information about concrete masonry to the architects, structural engineers, code officials and others.
- Maintain contacts with and membership in the PA School Boards Association, PA School Business Officials, Construction Specifiers International and other related organizations for promotional opportunities within their organizations.
- Participate in trade shows with exhibits and targeted marketing materials for the clientele attending the shows - School Boards Association Show, PA School Business Officials Show, PENNBOC Conference and others as practical based on budget.
Purchase or produce publications about concrete masonry in all aspects for use by members and for distribution to target markets. - Reference other organizations in the region and other states in our area of the US to avoid duplication and possibly make for a more unified effort against competing products.
- Work with all other committees to address their needs for promotional efforts
SAFETY
- Provide timely and pertinent Legislative and Safety information to PCMA members through the Board Minutes, newsletter, direct mail and seminars as needed.
- Develop a positive relationship with OSHA in Pennsylvania and related topics of concern like the OSHA Silica Rule.
- Co-ordinate a Safety Awards Program for PCMA Producer and Associate Members.
- Produce Safety Awards for members to recognize the important work of employees.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
- Coordinate and provide assistance to the Masonry Instructors Association as a committee of PCMA under the direction of the Workforce Development Committee.
- Maintain a list of Vo-Tech schools in PA with contact information and as to whether they have a masonry program.
- Work with schools that currently do not have a masonry program to set up a new program.
- Work with the PA State Department of Education and Department of Labor & Industry on Workforce Development issues including maintaining masons on the High Priority Occupations list when applicable.
- Maintain a relationship with the PA Vo-tech Administrators Association and the Association of Construction Educators of Pennsylvania.
- Provide speakers, awards (tool bags) and encouragement to those students in Masonry programs.
- Encourage producer members to support their local Vo-Tech School by providing materials and serving on the School Advisory Board.
- Assist with the Skills PA Masonry Contest.
- Distribute Masonry Magazine to the Vo-Tech schools with masonry programs in PA.
- Produce a full day Masonry Instructors Workshop to be held at a central location throughout the State with the purpose of assisting current instructors with their programs.
- Work with national and regional groups to help held develop an endorsement/certification program for Vo-Tech Schools in PA.
HARDSCAPE
- Provide a promotional focus primarily on SRW and secondarily on pavers.
- Maintain a relationship with the PA Landscape & Nursery Association and promote our products to their members.
- Provide training programs for architects, landscape architects and engineers on the proper use of these products. This was accomplished through development of one and two hour seminars addressing the proper design and construction of segmental retaining walls.
- Provide training for building code official on the proper design and construction of segmental retaining wall.
- Promote hardscape products in other ways as determined by committee.
EVENTS
- Arrange for at least one General Membership Meeting to include topics of interest to the members to promote fellowship among the members and give them an update on progress for all committees.
- Produce the Annual Golf Outing & Sporting Clays Event with locations, hole sponsors, format, etc… as major fundraisers for PCMA programs.
STRUCTURAL MASONRY
- This committee will focus specifically on structural masonry with a target toward engineers and other design professionals. The promotion of structural masonry software such as Direct Design of Masonry and 3DIQ Programs to the specifiers.
- Liaison with IMI, NCMA and others will be explored as a joint effort to provide assistance to designers.
- Building Information Modeling for Masonry Promotion
- Working to get the masonry design software options into PA colleges and universities with architecture, architectural engineering and engineering curriculums.
