Report of the MCAA Safety Committee

Words: Zach Ackley

Safety Newsletter

The Committee has helped produce 12 newsletters this past year. These newsletters are short quick newsletters sent to member firms. The purpose is really to re-focus contractors on the importance of safety and give another resource to safety folks in our member firms.

Safety Forum

The Committee is in need of volunteers to assist with the Safety Forums. They don’t take a lot of time, just a quick 15-minute presentation on a safety topic and then the programs lead into other safety related topics. The more volunteers we have, the more forums we can do.

Safety Awards

The MCAA gave our annual safety awards to member companies at our mid-year meeting in Scottsdale, AZ. Top safety performers were presented with awards at our mid-year Board meeting. We seem to be getting more entries every year.

Networking

The committee has been busy addressing individual requests and inquiries. Whether it be citation advice, implementing a safety program or any other item related to safety, the committee is positioned to help other safety representatives and often spends hours on the phone assisting each other. This is often an overlooked service of the committee, but one of it’s more important one’s.

Masonry

The safety committee is working with Masonry to make sure safety is featured in every issue. In January there are two articles written by the Co-Chairs. We will have other safety people writing pieces throughout the year.

Silica

The committee continues to work on this issue. Whether it be though the courts, the coalition and our attorneys, the committee is committed to making sure the implemented silica rule is the best we can get. The committee is working to help implement the new written programs and the train the trainer program. The program rolls out at the convention and we expect a sell out crowd for that program. We will work with the new administration to seek and advise changes for the rule.
GEN NXT: Luis Sontay
September 2026

For this month, the MCAA got to sit down with aspiring mason Luis Sontay. From taking an interest in masonry as a kid to placing 1st in a postsecondary competition, Luis’ dedication and passion for the trade is clear. Luis describes his early passion fo

Mentmore Towers, Fort Point, and More
September 2026

The Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, UK, stands as a sweeping estate that represents the absolute peak of English masonry. Conceived with breathtaking scale and precision, the monumental complex is defined by

The Alhambra
September 2026

High above Granada, Spain, the Alhambra offers masonry professionals something more than an architectural landmark. It is a working lesson in how relatively simple building materials, placed by skilled craftsmen and maintained over generations, can create

The Wall
September 2026

There is a story around Huntley Brothers that some of our guys simply call “The Wall.” I’ve told it enough times over the years that when I start telling it to one of our younger guys, I can see a few of the older ones rolling their eyes. They’ve heard i