Director’s Corner ... 

With the close of 2016, it’s fair to say it has been an exciting and surprising year. Personally, at the start of the year, I had no idea I would be in Gulfport, Mississippi writing a newsletter for a regional chapter of PCI.  Nor did I have any idea how my life would change by being associated with a great group of precasters. 

   As an association, we have accomplished many things in our first 6 months together. The development of a respectable website that showcases the beauty and strength of our region, the expansion of our associate member base, the collaboration/channels of communication we have begun to establish with DOT designers, as well as the introduction of PCI Gulf South to universities through classroom visits with professors and budding industry professionals. We can be proud of the steps we have taken and the tiny bit of forward progress that has been achieved but rest assured it is only the start.

   2017 is already shaping up to be an exciting year with many meetings already planned with DOT’s and a precast concrete mix design training program which we hope to facilitate in the very near future. Construction of the “new and improved” website from PCI is also on the horizon. With the annual PCI Convention in early March and our spring meeting in early April, I will be flooding your inbox with all sorts of information. We all recognize that a great deal of hard work lies before us. As the new year begins to unfold, I look forward to working with each of you to continue building PCI Gulf South into the powerhouse I know it can be.

Dan


We would like to extend a warm welcome to our two newest Associate members PTAC Engineering and Metro Brick & Stone Company. PTAC Consulting Engineers, Inc. has been in the precast-prestressed concrete design and detailing business since 1991. 


Metro Brick & Stone Company supplies Thin Brick for use in Precast Concrete Panels, Tilt-Up Concrete Panels, Prefabricated Metal Panels, Field Applied Systems/Application and Cast in Place Concrete Elements.

Welcome aboard!

 
 Winter Meeting
The 2016 Annual Winter Meeting was held at the beautiful Beau Rivage Hotel & Casino in Biloxi, MS. We enjoyed record turnout with 62 attendees comprised of both producer and associate members. 
The event location was the perfect venue to share in the beauty of the Christmas season and conduct important association business. Opportunities to bring everyone together are invaluable and help us to build and strengthen our relationships. 
 The meeting was chock-full of topics, as well as 7 informational presentations conducted by associate members (three of whom are new to the association).  Strategic planning, the budget, the new website and voting for new associate members were just a few of the topics on the agenda. I’d like to give a big shout out to Jimmy Stewart from FS Prestress in Hattiesburg who worked tirelessly to track reservations for the event.   
    SILICA EXPOSURE
    This is such an important issue that I wanted to continue from November’s Newsletter. Silica exposure and the new rules from OSHA will soon have an impact on many producers. Crystalline silica makes up approximately 70% of the earth’s crust so it is a common material. Crystalline silica is also found in man-made materials used at construction sites including concrete, brick, stone, mortar, sand, and some grouts. Respirable crystalline silica  is a very small particle typically100 times smaller than ordinary sand found on beaches or playgrounds and is generated by high-energy operations like cutting, sawing, grinding, drilling and crushing stone, rock, concrete, brick, block and mortar, or when abrasive blasting with sand. Respirable dust is <10 microns and is undetectable by the naked eye. Without proper personal protection, inhaling this “fine” dust over long periods of time can cause major respiratory issues and is considered a human carcinogen. PCI has tried to get a jump on the new rules and compliance by educating precast producers and their employees on the ramifications of the new rules. The effective date of the new silica rule was 3/25/2016, thus the rule is currently in effect now. Construction job sites must be in compliance by June 23rd 2017 and general industry (including our manufacturing plants) must be in compliance by June 23rd 2018. It is estimated that the new rules will effect approximately 2.3 million workers in the US. There are key documents and procedures that must be followed in order to be in compliance with the new rules handed down by OSHA. PCI has performed workshops on this issue within the last 6 months and has made documentation available for precasters to use when setting up their “ Written Exposure Control Plan”. If you would like more information about the new rules and what you need to do to comply, please visit PCI’s website and go to the members only tab . Silica exposure information is in the technical resources 

Product Highlight: Piles

Precast, prestressed concrete pilings are often the preferred choice for permanent, durable and economical foundations - especially in marine or bridge environ-ments due to the excellent adaptability and resistance to corrosion. Piles can be spliced together to create longer piles. Spliced piles are used primarily where long piles are required but transportation needs make the longer lengths more difficult or costly to handle due to escort needs and the need for specialized rigs. A pile driven into granular soil compacts the adjacent soil mass and as a result the bearing capacity of the pile can increase.  
  Typical sizes:  10 to 36 in. for building projects; larger for bridges.  Typical shapes:  18-in.-square (the most common), plus octagonal and round (cylindrical) in sizes as needed. Larger sizes may have a void cast into them to save on the volume of concrete.
  Finishes:  They are cast in a horizontal position, with an “as-cast” finish and rotated to their final position at the job site by the erection crew.

  Did You Know?
   Construction companies are using scented form release agents to impart a pleasant smell in concrete, the most famous being bubble gum.
 
  If you would like a printable copy of our newsletter please click on the above link.
Upcoming Events:

Marketing Council Meeting
January 23-24, 2017
Atlanta, GA

PCI Convention
Feb 28-March 4th 2017
Cleveland, OH

PCI Gulf South Spring Meeting April 4-5 2017
Hyatt Place, Jackson, MS
 
Summer Meeting 
June 14-17, 2017
Sandestin FL,   
      Please like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pcigulfsouth
  If you would like to be part of our newsletter emailing list or schedule a Lunch & Learn, please contact Dan Eckenrode, Executive Director  [email protected]
                                                                      228-239-3409