NMUCA
NEWS
May 2021
Safety Committee
June 9, 2021
8:00am - 9:00am
Human Resources Committee
June 9, 2021
9:30am - 10:30am

Planning Committee
June 10, 2021
8:00 am
Membership Meeting
June 17, 2021
11:30am-1:00pm
Upcoming Dates
June 30 Safety Awards App Due
June 17 Board Meeting
June 17 Scholarships Announced
June 20 Father's Day
July 4 Independence Day
July 24th NM United Game Night
August 19 Membership Meeting
September 10 - Last Ditch Open
October 21 Membership Meeting

June 2021
National Safety Month

National CPR & AED Awareness Week
June 1-7

National Forklift Safety Day
June 8

Trench Safety Stand Down
June 14-18
From the Executive Director's Desk
American Flag
Dear Member,


I am excited to announce that NMUCA will host its first in-person meeting on June 17th. It has been well over a year since we have been able to have a membership meeting, so I hope that you will join us. Our scheduled speaker is NM LOBO Men's Basketball Coach Rick Pitino. The Scholarship Recipients will also be announced.
-------------------------------------------------

We need a few people to help on our Planning Committee. Please contact Jane if you're interested in serving. The Planning Committee meets the second Thursday of the month at 8am.
-------------------------------------------------

We will be partnering with NM811 on July 24th to host a NM United Match. Stay tuned for more details on tickets and other promotions for the event.

___________________________________

The Safety Award Applications are available on June 2, 2021. There are various levels based on hours worked for our members. We will present to and acknowledge the Safety Award recipients in June.

------------------------------------------------------

Please participate in the June Trench Safety Stand Down. More details below in this newsletter. Participants will receive a certificate and hard-hat stickers.

Call Or Email me!
505 888 0752



Stay Safe and Sane!
Jane
Your NMUCA Board of Directors & Staff
Contact Us - Staff and Board of Directors
President, Troy Otero, Groundhog Construction Services 505 243 2133
Vice-President, Clay Blair, RMCI Inc. 505 345 0008
Secretary/Treasurer, Mike McCalmont, 4 Rivers Equipment 505 884 2900
Past President, Dub Girand, Highway Supply LLC 505 345 8295
Director Darrin Howells, AUI Inc. 505 242 4848
Director Mike Smith, TLC Plumbing & Utility 505 761 9696
Director Joe Menicucci, Contech Engineered Solutions 505 842 8282
Director Reinee Peacher, DuCross Construction 575 636 3023
Director Jenice Gallegos, wood. 505 821 1801
Director Kelley Fetter, E2RC 505 867 4040 
Scott Peck, MP Group 505 340 2015
Executive Director, Jane Jernigan 505 888 0752

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jane Jernigan, Executive Director
New Mexico Utility Contractors Association 
505 888 0752 Phone
505 362 8950 Cell 
Thank You 2021 Platinum Investment Sponsors
Upcoming in your mailbox..............
  • Trench Safety Stand Down
  • Report from Safety Committee
  • Membership Meeting Registration and Reminders
  • Human Resources Tips and Updates
NMUCA Membership Meeting

The day has finally arrived! We are meeting in-person this month and I'm excited to announce that the newly hired NM LOBO Men's Basketball Coach will join us!


As of the publication of this newsletter, we still have limited
space due to COVID 19 restrictions, so please register ASAP!
Construction Safety Coalition - RECAP
The previous Construction Safety Coalition was of great interest to our industry. The meeting consisted of four speakers who all had an informative perspective and information on the NM law legalizing recreational cannabis. This issue will no doubt be a challenge for our industry.


If you would like to watch the presentation, you can click the link below. The presentation starts at about five minutes in.

CLICK HERE to Watch the CSC Recording from May 6, 2021

  • Will adult use cannabis affect your business? How?
  • Could some of your employees already be cannabis patients or would it allow a different quality of life for the workforce if allowed to ingest the cannabis plant for medical or recreational use?
  • Is there a stigma around cannabis in your personal or professional life?
  • What is the difference between a medical cannabis patient and a recreational or adult use consumer?
Thank you 2021 Silver Investment Sponsors
June is Trench Safety Month & Stand Down

Trench Safety Stand Down Week
June 14-18, 2021



What is a Safety Stand-Down?
A Safety Stand Down presents the opportunity for employers to talk directly to employees and others about safety. These Stand Downs will focus on trench & excavation hazards and reinforce the importance of using trench protective systems and protecting workers from trenching hazards.

How to Conduct a Trench Safety Stand Down
Companies will conduct a Trench Safety Stand Down by taking a break to have a toolbox talk or another safety activity to draw attention to the specific hazards related to working in and around trenches/excavations. We ask that member companies provide to NMUCA feedback about their Stand Down, such as when it was held, how many workers participated, how you shared information with employees.

NMUCA will issue a Certificate of Participation & Hard Hat Stickers after you report your activity - DEADLINE to SUBMIT is July 12, 2021


Resources:







Slope It. Shor It. Shield It. - OSHA Poster & Bilingual Employee Cards
SAVE THE DATE
NM Damage Prevention Summit
October 26-28, 2021
Isleta Resort

Managing the FMLA Maze - Recap
The FMLA Presentation can be viewed on NMUCA's YouTube Page.
Q&A for the first 30 Minutes then the presentation begins.
Human Resources - Compliance Corner
‌

Avoid the top 10 Mistakes
in Staff Handbooks
The HR Specialist, January 2021



A poorly written, outdated or inconsistent handbook can hurt your company. The biggest problem: Companies often include handbook language that wipes out their right to fire employees at will. Here are the 10 most common handbook mistakes to avoid:

  1. Adopting a "form" handbook, which includes promises you'll never keep.
  2. Including lots of detail on procedures, which provides fodder for lawyers. Stick to company policies. Keep a separate procedures manual for managers.
  3. Mentioning an employee probationary period. That can erase at-will status by implying that, once the period is over, the employee can stay indefinitely.
  4. Being too specific in your discipline policy. That gives the impression that the list covers every possible infraction.
  5. Not being consistent with other company documents.
  6. Overlooking an at-will disclaimer. Have employees sign a disclaimer acknowledging that the company can terminate their employment at any time and bypass discipline policies.
  7. Sabotaging disclaimers by what you say, especially reassuring employees that their jobs are secure.
  8. Not adapting the handbook to accommodate each state's laws.
  9. Failing to update the manual frequently for changing laws.
  10. Setting unrealistic policies. If you know your supervisors won't enforce it, don't put it in your handbook.
Safety Focus









Visit NSC Website and get Free Resources (Membership NOT required)

Week 1 - Prevent Incidents Before They Start: Identifying risks and taking proactive safety measures to reduce hazard exposure on important topics from ergonomics to chemical management is crucial to creating a safe workplace.

Week 2 - Address Ongoing COVID-19 Safety Concerns: As the pandemic continues, employers play an important role in expanding operations and returning remote workers to physical workspaces, building trust around vaccines, supporting mental health and so much more.

Week 3 - It’s Vital to Feel Safe on the Job: Being able to be one’s self at work without fear of retaliation is necessary for an inclusive safety culture. Leading organizations focus not only on physical safety, but psychological safety as well.

Week 4 - Advance Your Safety Journey: Safety is all about continuous improvement. Whether organizationally or individually, NSC can help provide guidance for your path forward.



News From OSHA



Emergency Response
A new pamphlet provides information on personal protective equipment for emergency response and recovery workers.





New Mexico Safe Certified
Get Certified!
As NM's Governor starts to loosen up the State Health Order, we are grateful that construction remains an essential industry. There is a lot of work going on out there if orange barrels are any indication! To help build confidence with your employees, your visitors, the public and to send a strong message to the governor that NM businesses are serious about the safety and health of our fellow citizens.
NM Safe Certified is based on the Governor's "All Together New Mexico" and allows you to choose your specific industry. You will receive a listing and certificate and Media for your webpage and social media.

Get Social With NMUCA!