Crossflow - Spring  2008
(click here for full magazine in Adobe pdf format)

ON THE COVER:  Ontario Sheet Metal Convention 2008 Cuba
Hola!
Where to start….all 87 delegates arrived at the airport and except for overweight baggage and a mix-up with a last name boarded the plane and arrived in the evening to beautiful Varadero.   Read more...

Update OSMWTC:  Success In Year One!
With little more than a year under its belt, the Ontario Sheet Metal Workers Training Centre (OSMWTC) has established itself as an unparalleled player in sheet metal apprenticeship training.  Positive feedback from a range of sources (apprentices, employers, business managers, industry professionals) spurs growing support for a centre that began as a utopian dream, now, a powerful reality. Without exaggeration the centre can claim to be the best equipped Training Delivery Agent (TDA) for the sheet metal trade in Canada.  Its recently acquired permanent TDA status means that the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) recognizes and funds sheet metal apprentice training at the Centre.   Read more...

Confidentiality and Government Procurement
Is Your Business Information Adequately Protected?
By Kathryn Frelick, Miller Thomson LLP
In recent years, a number of high profile government spending controversies has lent public scrutiny to government procurement processes. In 2005, the Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario (IPC) Annual Report called for greater transparency in government procurement and contracting. It was the IPC’s view that the right of access to government records is essential to holding public officials accountable, and this should not be lost when the government uses external individuals or organizations to develop, produce or provide government services. The IPC called on government to make it clear to consultants and contractors that the default position should be that financial and other pertinent information relating to a contract will be made publicly available, except in rare cases.   Read more...

Promoting A Climate Of Excellence In Innovation
This edition of CROSSFLOW highlights a series of initiatives undertaken by the OSM Board of Directors designed to provide greater services to its contractor members.  Stay tuned for details on a potential group-purchasing discount (for work boots, uniforms, among others) in a future edition.    Read more...

Insurance Initiative A Boon For The Future
Following the rule that the greatest savings in insurance costs is secured through group rates, OSM recently entered into discussions with Winnipeg-based Federated Insurance to investigate a group insurance package for OSM members.  If its initiative is successful, OSM member contractors will be able to secure two types of insurance: commercial property and commercial liability.  The insurance package includes property (building and contents), crime, business interruption and commercial general liability.     Read more...

Best Excursion In Varadero
Submitted by:    June Pierce
Hola!
Five of the delegates, Felix Lopes Jr. of Lopes Mechanical Ltd., Marita & Jim Matson of Lakehead Heating & Ventilation, Terry Pierce of Alpha-Flexmaster and wife June Pierce took a very special excursion on their own.  They loaded up with pens, pencils, coloring books, barrettes, beads, baseballs, chocolates, t-shirts and much more to visit two schools in Varadero.  They hailed a cab and went to the first school, met with the principal and visited the classrooms of the students to drop off the gifts.  We were very fortunate to have Felix who spoke Spanish which made the experience much more enjoyable.   Read more...

Project Manager’s Checklist
Here is a sample checklist of health and safety requirements for the various stages of a project. At all stages, ensure that everyone on site has the appropriate resources for preventing or controlling workplace hazards.   Read more...

Reference Manual Sets A New Standard
Since the early 90s OSM has been working on creating a Cladding and Decking Reference Manual.  At that time the SMART Think initiative, a national body in which OSM played a role, recommended that the sheet metal sector of the construction industry would benefit from the creation of a comprehensive manual.  Such a document, the committee reasoned, would set out a recognized standard, bringing uniformity to the skills and practices used in sheeting and decking.  It would also provide base content, setting the groundwork for developing a training program, thus addressing a neglected area in the sheeting and decking sector.  Read more...

Money-Management Seminar In Demand
Conducted by K.E. O’Brien & Associates Inc., construction productivity consultants, the all-day seminar accommodates as many as 40 participants from senior management ranks, project managers, field and shop supervisors and from managers responsible for purchasing and estimating.  Based on its own research studies that show the field team spends roughly 42% of its jobsite man-hours on material handling and get-ready activities, O’Brien’s aim is to pare down man-hours to 25% by demonstrating how to develop an effective team approach to achieve a dramatic increase in productivity.  Accordingly, using his team-oriented methodology O’Brien encourages participants to bring their own actual projects for added relevancy, thus intensifying the learning experience.   Read more...

Membership Plaque – Pledge Of  Quality
Proud of its members’ long-standing track record for excellence in the sheet metal sector of the construction industry, OSM recently commissioned the design of a membership acknowledgement plaque to celebrate and publicize this position.  The wooden plaque engraved with the OSM logo will be offered to members to display in their offices as they see fit, a reminder that the unionized sheet metal contractor is committed to the highest standards in training, production, installation and maintenance.   Read more...

35^th Annual Sheet Metal Apprentice Competition Winners   

Calendar Of Events

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