Contents AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CONCRETE CONTRACTORS

Executive Director’s Technical Director Congratulations

Message CIM Announces SLV Quality
Decorative New Board Concrete, Inc.
Concrete Specialist ACI 308R-16 Webinar Schedule
New Crisis Guide to External
Management Plan Curing of Concrete
JMJ Safety ACI Finisher
Leadership Certification JUNE 2016 ASCC

DCC

2025 S. Brentwood Blvd., Suite 105, St. Louis, MO 63144 Tel: 314-962-0210
Website: www.ascconline.org E-mail: ascc@ascconline.org Fax: 314-968-4367

Executive Director’s Message

Bev Garnant
Amid the many great sessions offered at the Annual Conference this year there are three on topics you should be particularly aware
of. Though they’re very different in substance, they’re all either having, or will soon have, a significant impact on our industry.
First is a seminar on OSHA’s new Silica Final Rule. Employers under construction have until June 23, 2017 to comply. Respirable
crystalline silica is generated by operations like cutting, sawing, grinding, drilling and breaking concrete, rock, brick and block,
exactly what many of you do every day. OSHA states the new rule is necessary because the current permissible exposure limit (PEL)
is outdated, inconsistent and inadequate. In the new rule, the
PEL has been reduced by half, from 100 to 50 micrograms
per cubic meter of air as an 8-hr time weighted average. The
final PEL is causing great concern in the industry simply
because it seems to be beyond the capacities of existing dust
filtration and removal technology. Other provisions to be
aware of are written exposure control plans, competent person
designation, housekeeping practices and the requirement of
medical examinations.
Second, is a presentation on the “Wood First” Initiative, a strong
movement in a number of states to legislate and market the use of TRAIN THE TRAINER
wood over other building materials for state funded projects. This Annual Conference Minneapolis, MN
has been most notable in the mid-rise market segment where con-
crete’s share deteriorated from 30% in 2004 to 22% in 2014, while
wood’s share increased from 23% to 40% during the same period.
If you’re curious, commercial and multi-family residential market
segments comprise 40% of all ready mixed concrete consumption,
roughly 130 mil. cy based on 2014 NRMCA production data. The
wood industry has been spending $18-20M/annually on mar-
keting for several years. NRMCA is attempting to regain lost
market share through its “Build With Strength” campaign,
but at a significantly lower level of investment - $4M/year.
Last, but not least, there will be a seminar on new ways of mea-
suring floor tolerances, 3D laser planners measuring at every
stage, from initial design to final inspection. Contractors are ASCC’s Technical Committee meets during May Committee Week at the ASCC office in St. Louis.

Industry Calendar ACI Fall Convention Welcome New Members

Philadelphia, PA
Concrete Executive Leadership Forum October 23 – 27, 2016 Bella Construction of Key West, Inc., Key West, FL
The Lodge at Torrey Pines, La Jolla, CA BestPLUS Plastic, Jeanette, PA
July 14 – 17, 2016 World of Concrete
Las Vegas, NV Blake Hershberger Enterprises, Kalona, IA
Annual Conference January 16 – 20, 2017
Minneapolis, MN Cogri USA Inc., Dalton, GA
September 15 – 18, 2016 CONEXPO - CON/AGG
Las Vegas, NV
March 7 – 11, 2017
quickly moving away from the traditional time and labor intensive methods of measuring slab flatness/levelness to laser
scanning, the way to collect rich, complete and highly accurate as-built data. This data validates existing building documenta-
tion to ensure that new construction matches the as-designed model and minimizes the risk of change orders.
And much more! Please join us in Bloomington, MN (Minneapolis), Sept. 15-18, for ASCC’s Annual Conference 2016!

Did You Know...

Todd Scharich, Decorative Concrete Specialist
Sometimes we take products we use everyday for granted without questioning their origin. For years I utilized and sold iron oxide
pigments, knowing only a couple facts about them. They colored concrete well, and they made our warehouse very messy. What I
did not know, was that these are the same pigments used to color toner, plastic toys, pharmaceuticals, and even my wife’s cosmetics.
Synthetic iron oxides start primarily as recycled iron that get combined with other chemicals that determine the final color output.
The chemicals create a liquid rust as they break down the iron. The liquid slurry is filtered and dried to create the final powder
that we are used to seeing. The key difference between our concrete pigment and the color used on pills we put in our mouth is
the amount of washing and refinement. Our construction grade pigments are on the lower end of the clean scale, but be comforted
knowing that mulch pigment is truly the lowest grade of them all.

Safety & Risk Management Council

Crisis Management Plan

The Safety & Risk Management Council of ASCC has posted a Crisis
Management Plan template on the Members Only portion of the ASCC website.
If your company doesn’t have a communication plan for handling a workplace
crisis, use this model to develop a program.

JOBSITE VISITS AND LISTENING TOURS Greg Baker, JMJ Associates

One of the key findings in last year’s ASCC Safety Leadership survey was that there was a desire and need for senior man-
agers to increase their job site presence and interaction with front line workers.
When senior managers periodically visit jobsites, these visits become unique opportunities for the leader to interact with the project
team including front line workers. How managers “show up” when they are onsite can make a significant difference in the level of
trust, communication, team cohesiveness, and project safety results.
Here are a few tips for setting up an effective jobsite visit and listening tour:
Greet your workers at the gate or trailer (Make it personal)
Wear the appropriate PPE (Be a role model)
Connect with as many people as you can one-on-one (It’s easy to just meet with your managers and foremen)
Do less talking and more listening (Suggested reading on “How to Ask-And Listen-Like You Mean It”)*
Ask open ended questions (Rather than ones that can be answered yes or no)
w What’s working well for you and the team?
w What’s missing that could it better?
w Do you have specific concerns or feedback?
Listen openly to complaints and doubts (Don’t be defensive)
Listen for the “gold” (What are the key/core important concerns?)
Share your personal commitment to safety
Be seen and heard acknowledging safety accomplishments
Focus on what’s working and acknowledge your employees for their efforts
Find a story about a significant safety contribution at each site and acknowledge this person’s efforts one on one (and in a
large group meeting if you have one)
Make bold promises and follow through to completion
When issues or concerns are shared onsite, ensure that action takes place to resolve the issue
Personally follow up with the employee to let them know what’s being done
Make the most of your jobsite visits to build stronger relationships with your employees and listen to each person’s story. Then use
them to help shape your safety culture. What you hear may surprise you!
* For a copy call or email the ASCC office. 2
Concrete Slabs Under Operable Partitions
Bruce Suprenant, Technical Director
Know the Design Requirements
Operable partitions are those that can be quickly put in place or removed and stored to provide flexibility in the spaces typically used
for meetings or social functions. There are several types of operable partitions: hinged panel groups, individual panel and continuously
hinged partition systems. Some are supported by overhead track with or without a floor guide or track. Some are floor supported with
an overhead track to guide them. They may be manual or power-operated. One type consists of movable panels secured in place by
vertical expansion to seal against the floor and ceiling.
When partitions are used to separate spaces, there are often questions about gaps between the partition and the floor covering on the
concrete slab. Concrete contractors are often accused of not finishing the floor flat enough, thus causing the gaps. However, few archi-
tects and engineers understand the design requirements for moveable partitions and often set floor flatness requirements too low without
considering deflections for suspended slabs.
Guidance on both these issues is provided in ASTM E 557-12 “Standard Guide for Architectural Design and Installation Practices for
Sound Isolation between Spaces Separated by Operable Partitions.” This guide provides design details that should be considered in
the design of buildings that include operable partitions. Two important provisions for floor flatness and deflection are shown below:
“The floor immediately under the partition should not vary from a smooth level surface by more than ± 1⁄8 in. in 12 ft. non-
accumulative. A steel member, such as a standard terrazzo strip, can be placed in a concrete floor to ensure this accuracy. Test
Methods E1155 and E1155M are test methods for measuring floor flatness and levelness.”
“The weight of the operable partition, in addition to all dead loads, should be taken into consideration when designing the support-
ing member. Deflection under maximum anticipated load should be no more than 1⁄8 in. per 12 ft. of opening width. If greater
deflection is anticipated, either a structural member independent of the roof structure should be installed to support the operable
partition, or an operable partition with bottom seals designed to accommodate the larger deflection should be specified.”
An 1/8 inch gap under a 12 ft. straightedge indicates a flatness number greater than an FF 50. And a deflection limitation of 1/8 inch
per 12 feet is about an L/2400 for a 36 ft. span. Typical design deflection limits range from L/480 to L/240, where L is the span length.
Thus, ASTM recommends some very specific and very high quality flatness and defection limits for operable partitions.
If someone alleges that you caused the gap under that partition, show them what the design should have been to close that gap!
The ASTM standard can be purchased online at www.astm.org.

Concrete Industry Management (CIM) Program’s

National Steering Committee Announces New Board
The National Steering Committee (NSC) for the Concrete Industry Management (CIM) program – a business intensive program
that awards students with a four-year Bachelor of Science degree in Concrete Industry Management – recently announced their new
board members beginning July 1.
The slate of new NSC officers includes:
Chairman – Wally Johnson, Vice President of Marketing and Sales, U.S. Concrete, Inc.
Vice Chairman – Alan Nedza, Director of Sales, Admixture Systems North America, BASF Corporation
Secretary/Treasurer – Nicole R. Maher, Chief Operating Officer, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA)
Immediate Past Chairman – Mike Schneider, Vice President of Operations, Baker Concrete Construction, Inc.
The NSC board of directors includes:
Randal M. Beard, Principal and Managing Director, Walter P. Moore
Matthew Childs, President, American Concrete Pipe Association
Dr. Rex Cottle, Senior Vice President of Development, Trinity Industries, Inc.
Steve Cox, Vice President – Customer Success, Command Alkon
Julie Garbini, Executive Director, RMC Research & Education Foundation
Brian Gallagher, Director of Marketing, O’Neal, Inc.
Beverly Garnant, Executive Director, American Society of Concrete Contractors
Jamie Gentoso, Vice President Target Market Concrete, Sika USA
Douglas Guerrero, Chairman, CIM Patrons of California State University, Chico
Eugene Martineau, Executive Director, CIM National Steering Committee
Michael Phillips, Vice President – Market Development, CEMEX, Inc.
James Toscas, President and CEO, Portland Cement Association
Rick Yelton, Editor-At-Large, World of Concrete, Informa
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“As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the CIM program, we continue to have the great fortune of a board of directors with indus-
try leaders that bring vast amounts of experience, capability and commitment to the National Steering Committee,” said CIM NSC
Executive Director Eugene Martineau. “Their leadership will be essential as the NSC continues to provide oversight and direction
while advancing the CIM program and preparing the next generation of leaders for the concrete industry.”

ACI News
The American Concrete Institute (ACI) announces a new publication for concrete industry professionals— ACI 308R-16 Guide to
External Curing of Concrete.
This guide reviews and describes practices, procedures, materials, and monitoring methods for the external curing of concrete and
provides guidance for specifying curing procedures. Current curing techniques are presented and commonly accepted methods, proce-
dures, and materials are described. Methods are given for curing structures and buildings, pavements and other slabs-on-ground, and
for mass concrete. Curing methods for specific categories of cement-based products are discussed.
The guide covers new research and methods of curing, definitions, curing methods and materials, curing for different types of con-
struction, and monitoring curing and curing effectiveness. Topics such as internal curing, curing at elevated temperatures, sustain-
ability, curing of moisture-sensitive flooring, sensors for mass concrete curing, and new curing monitoring techniques have been
added or enhanced.
Purchase at www.concrete.org or call 248-848-3700.

ACI Concrete Flatwork Finisher Certification Course and Exam Offered at Annual Conference
Prepare to become certified as an ACI Flatwork Finisher with a three-hour training course, Thursday, September 15, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.,
taught by Bruce Suprenant, ASCC technical director. Then take the examination Thursday afternoon. The training course will review
basic concrete technology; material and mix proportioning; quality control tests; finishing tools; and placing, finishing, jointing and
curing. You’ll receive ACI’s 184-page Craftsman Workbook for ACI Certification of Concrete Flatwork Finishers. The cost is $225
for the training course, book and exam. For more information, or to register, call the ASCC office at 314-962-0210.

Congratulations to ASCC Member

SLV Quality Concrete, Inc.
Congratulations to ASCC member SLV Quality Concrete, Inc., Monte
Vista, CO. Their project, parking lots and driveways at the Pinehurst
Country Club, Denver, won a 2016 Rocky Mountain Chapter ACI Excel-
lence in Concrete Award in the Flatwork category.
http://slvqc.com/

H O T L I N E Q U E S T I O N S
CONCRETE SAFETY & DECORATIVE
CONSTRUCTION INSURANCE CONCRETE
800-331-0668 866-788-2722 888-483-5288
Bruce Suprenant– bsuprenant@ascconline.org ascc@ascconline.org Todd Scharich – tscharich@ascconline.org
ASCC members have access to these toll-free numbers for assistance.

Webinars begin at 3:00 p.m. CST

July 20, 2016 Troubleshooting Integral Color Chris Sullivan, ChemSystems, Inc.
Aug. 10, 2016 Construction Modeling with Baker Concrete Trevor Gronseth, Trimble
Members no charge. Non-members $35; MC, Visa, Amex only. Call 866-788-2722 to register.
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