Monsen Engineering Company
6 Daniel Road
Fairfield, NJ 07004
Tel: 973-227-1880
Fax: 973-227-7641
www.monsen.com
9
Service
9
Engineering
9
Construction
9
Automation
9
Design/Build
9
Full MEP Engineering
• Four-time winner of Contracting
Business' Design/Build Award
• Licensed Professional Engineers
• NATE Certified Technicians
• STAR Certified Technicians
• Authorized Tour Andover Controls
Dealer
www.monsen.com
Full-Service Capability
Rock Solid Experience
© 2007 Monsen Engineering Company
Help Us
Help You . . .
We want to improve
our service! Take our
60-Second HVAC
Service Survey
to rate our performance.
Your feedback will help
us better meet
your needs.
Please go to
www.monsen.com
and click on Service Survey.
NEWS
M
o
n
sen
HVAC/Mechanical Services Since 1948
VOLUME 4, WINTER 2007
Spotlight on
E
NGINEERING
Arc Flash Protection
Protect your technicians, protect your company
59
years
Electrical shock, severe burns,
death—electrical technicians are
exposed to serious dangers when
working on or near exposed, energized
equipment. One of the most
serious risks, arc flash explosions,
causes hundreds of deaths and
thousands of disabling injuries in the
United States every year. As a result,
the Occupational Safety & Health
Administration (OSHA) has set
federal regulations to protect
employees from safety hazards
associated with potentially deadly, but
highly preventable, incidents. Failure
to use correct safety practices is a
clear violation of OSHA regulations.
Many companies, however, are not
compliant with OSHA regulations.
When companies don’t comply, they
run the risk of having an arc flash
explosion and suffering its related
expenses: lawsuits, fines, equipment
damage, facility downtime, and lost
productivity. More important, these
incidents can have devastating
physical, emotional, and financial
effects on victims and their families.
Is your company setting itself up for
a multi-million dollar lawsuit and
putting technicians’ lives at risk.
Jim Dutko, Monsen’s Director of
Engineering, says, “The vast majority
of the facilities that Monsen’s
technicians work in are non-
compliant. Not only are these
companies in violation of federal
regulations, they are putting human
lives in danger."
The good news is, understanding the
hazards helps you reduce your costs.
Simply put, investing in worker safety
reduces your risk of penalties.
W
HAT
I
S
A
RC
F
LASH
.
Arc flash is an explosive release of
energy caused by an electrical arc due
to a conductor-to-ground or
conductor-to-conductor fault. During
an arc flash incident, thermal heat,
toxic fumes, and pressure waves are
released into the air. Blinding light
and intense sound waves accompany
these explosions. An individual does
not have to come into direct contact
with a live panel or conductor to
suffer a disabling injury from an arc
flash incident.
The temperature of an arc flash
explosion can reach more than
5,000°F. Arc flash’s powerful heat
spreads hot gases, causes radiation
burns, and vaporizes metal. The force
of the pressure waves alone can cause
hearing, eyesight, and brain damage;
blasts of pressure can also send
objects flying through the air.
continued on page 2
pg_0002
Spotlight on
E
NGINEERING
CONTINUED
Arc Flash: Comply, Protect, Save
Arc Flash Safety Checklist
In short, arc flash explosions can
result in critical burns, collapsed
lungs, blindness, deafness, permanent
disfigurement, and death.
C
OMPLIANCE
: R
EDUCE
Y
OUR
R
ISKS
In addition to enforcing its own
safety regulations, OSHA uses other
industry accepted standards—such
as those established by the National
Fire Protection Association
(NFPA)—to assess whether an
employer acted reasonably when
OSHA enforcement action is taken.
If OSHA becomes involved in an
accident investigation, the burden
of proof lies solely on the employer.
Citations and their expensive, time-
consuming consequences can be
avoided with compliance.
To do this, your arc flash incident
energy levels must be calculated and
identified in accordance with NFPA
standards. Hire an expert to perform a
hazard analysis to determine your arc
flash risk. In addition, the NFPA
requires establishing an electrical
safety program that addresses your
facility’s specific arc flash risks.
“Federal regulations must be complied
with," stresses Jim. “A modest
investment in becoming compliant can
save a company millions of dollars in
damage and litigation. More
important, it can help save a life."
M
ONSEN
I
S
L
EADING
THE
W
AY
Stunned by the number of non-
compliant facilities in which its
technicians had to work, Monsen
ran a program in 2006 to educate its
employees on the dangers of arc
flash and how to protect themselves
from arc flash related accidents. By
creating a culture of safety, Monsen
is determined to prevent accidents,
promote awareness, and save lives.
“We’re doing all we can to promote
safety," says Jim, “but we need our
clients’ help. When our customers
aren’t compliant with OSHA
regulations, they put our electrical
technicians and their company at
risk. It is in everyone’s best interests
to comply with OSHA regulations."
By simply marking your electrical
panels and encouraging awareness,
you can save lives, prevent injury,
and protect your company from
costly lawsuits. Jim adds,
“Compliance is more than
mandatory, it’s a life saver."
For more information about arc
flash protection, call Jim Dutko at
973-227-1880.
Answer the following questions to assess your company’s arc flash risks.
1. Do you use only trained technicians to
operate and maintain electrical equipment.
2. Do the technicians who maintain your
electrical equipment have access to the
necessary personal protective equipment.
3. Are all of your panels labeled correctly and in
accordance with existing safe work practice
codes and standards.
4. Are the panel stickers legible and up to date.
5. Does your company have written safety
procedures. Are they followed.
6. Is your equipment grounded and are your ground
systems tested periodically.
7. Has your company had a recent (within five years)
relay/fuse coordination study. If so, are the relays
calibrated to the recommended settings.
8. Have you had a professional arc flash analysis
performed.
NFPA regulations require that
energized electrical panels be labeled
with arc flash warnings and information.
pg_0003
Update on
S
ERVICE
Controlling the Uncontrollable
How to save money with planned maintenance
Frequently Asked Questions. . . Safety
How good is Monsen’s safety record.
At Monsen, we are proud of our safety record.
In fact, our safety record has been steadily
improving for the last four years. As our safety
record improves, our experience mod rate (EMR)
declines, and that’s good news for our company
and our clients.
What is an EMR. Why is it important.
EMR reflects how many accidents a company has
per year. The safer our employees are, the lower
our EMR becomes. EMRs directly affect insurance
premiums; fewer accidents mean lower premiums.
Our low EMR is proof to clients and prospects that
the Monsen team is committed to safety. In
addition, a low EMR makes us more competitive.
How does Monsen’s safety record affect
the companies you do business with.
When evaluating bids, companies often compare
competitors’ EMRs before deciding which design/build
firm to work with. Prospects favor firms with low EMRs
because these companies are more safe, productive,
and competitive. Firms with low EMRs, like Monsen,
generally pass their savings on to their clients. Our
safety record allows us to give customers the peace
of mind they deserve and the savings they expect.
Has Monsen been awarded for its safety record.
Yes! In 2005, we received the “Award of Excellence"
from Specialty Trades Insurance Company for our
achievements in safety. Simply put, Monsen’s safety
diligence results in safer workers and happier clients.
Skyrocketing energy costs.
Expensive repairs.
Decreased equipment reliability.
There are many expenses that are out
of a company’s control. The good
news is, partnering with Monsen can
help you prevent many challenging,
costly problems. By simply investing
in a planned maintenance service
contract, you can avoid catastrophic
service costs, extend equipment life,
and increase operational reliability.
M
ANY
C
HOICES
, M
ANY
W
AY S
TO
S
AV E
We offer complete maintenance
services designed to meet your
specific needs. You can choose from
preventative maintenance, Total
Care maintenance, or Open Audit
maintenance. Our Open Audit package
guarantees a maximum annual cap
for all service work.
H
OW
Y
OU
B
ENEFIT
Service contracts offer many
advantages. Receiving maintenance
at regularly scheduled intervals does
more than give you peace of mind
because you are preventing costly
repairs, you also benefit from
improved indoor air quality, faster
service, and extended equipment life.
W
HY
C
HOOSE
M
ONSEN
.
Monsen provides history reports—
detailed summaries of the service that
has been performed on the equipment.
History reports describe each service
and its cost. When used together,
detailed reporting and a good main-
tenance program empower you to
provide your tenants with a
comfortable environment. Ultimately,
Monsen finds problems fast and
solves them effectively.
A
RE
S
ERVICE
A
GREEMENTS
E
XPENSIVE
.
Not having a service agreement is
expensive. In fact, planned main-
tenance saves you money. Our costs
are reasonable—repairs, labor, and
materials are usually included in our
contracts. Under our Open Audit plan,
you costs will never exceed the
maximum annual cap, and you will
receive a credit if your costs fall
below that limit.
When you partner with Monsen, a
MSCA STAR Qualified contractor,
you gain control, stay productive, and
save money.
For more information, call Jeff Somers
at 973-227-1880.
pg_0004
Monsen Engineering Company
6 Daniel Road
Fairfield, NJ 07004
Tel: 973-227-1880
Fax: 973-227-7641
www.monsen.com
The Six Biggest Budgeting Mistakes:
Are good intentions costing you big money.
FIRST-CLASS MAIL
PRESORT
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
MONSEY, NY
PERMIT NO. 9161
When budgeting for a large project,
you want to get the best possible
price. Good intentions, however, can
backfire and end up costing your
company a lot of money. Don Long,
Vice President of Sales, lists the six
biggest mistakes companies make
when budgeting a project.
1. N
OT
ENOUGH
TIME
SPENT
IN
THE
INITIAL
PLANNING
PHASE
.
Clearly
define the project’s goals and work
with your contractor to develop an
upgrade concept that will satisfy
your needs. Make sure you
thoroughly understand your options.
Time, money, and effort spent in the
initial planning stage reaps benefits
and savings in the long run.
2. B
UDGETING
FOR
THE
BASICS
.
Consider the “hidden" or internal
costs you may experience. Although
a contractor may provide you with
a good budget for the scope of work,
your total scope of work might not
be included. Think about related
trades and permit fees, just to name
a few.
For more information about budgeting a project, call Don Long at 973-227-1880.
3. F
OCUSING
ON
IMMEDIATE
BENEFITS
.
While you are in the planning phase,
review the options that will provide
long-term benefits. For instance, a
more energy-efficient HVAC design
may reduce annual energy costs
significantly or result in a longer life
cycle. Often, options such as these—
ones that may cost more initially but
save money over time—are not
implemented because project
planners are focused on saving
money now.
4. B
EING
DEPENDENT
ON
THE
CONTRACTOR
.
Knowledge is power—
the more you know about your
facility’s HVAC project, the less you
have to rely on your contractor for
information. Don’t take everything
at face value—get familiar with the
HVAC industry and ask plenty of
questions. A reputable company
will be more than happy to address
all of your concerns.
5. H
ASTILY
ACCPETING
THE
LOWEST
BID
.
In an effort to save money,
many facility managers will choose
the company that submits the lowest
quote. Beware—many companies
will provide a lowball project
estimate to secure a job, and then
surprise you with hidden fees and
unexpected costs later on. If a price
seems too good to be true, it
probably is. Work with contractors
you know and trust.
6. N
OT
BUILDING
IN
A
CONTINGENCY
.
Even the most ethical contractors
can hit unforeseen obstacles. To
protect yourself, build a 15% to
20% contingency into your budget.
Don says, “Avoiding these common
budgeting mistakes will help your
company save money, time, and
ultimately, stress."
Cutting costs
at every turn can
be very expensive.