A Teachable Moment

Continuing education is a key component to your company’s success, and you’ll find plenty of opportunities to learn at the Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo International.

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There are many and varied reasons onsite installers make the annual trek to Indianapolis for the Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo International. We’ve all seen the abundance of equipment – the best the industry has to offer – on display in the exhibit hall. And if you’ve made the trip before, you know what a valuable networking opportunity it presents.

And then there’s the chance to learn something new. Over my 10 years of Expos, Education Day has grown into a fantastic collection of seminars laser-focused to serve wastewater professionals. Installers will benefit from a variety of talks on business marketing, human resources and safety, as well as presentations on how to best utilize the latest tools of the trade.

But a highlight of the education program on Feb. 24 is a track of a dozen seminars organized by the National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association. These courses are dedicated to the onsite installer community and presented by installer trainers, engineers and industry experts. I hope you can take advantage of the NOWRA seminar track, which includes these sessions:

How to do a Good Site Evaluation

Without a top-notch site evaluation, the effectiveness of a design and installation are in question. It’s plain and simple: you need to know what’s going on with the hydrological flow characteristics on the land where you plan to lay that new system. Randy Miles, a soil scientist at the University of Missouri, will focus on internal soil properties and critical communication between the site evaluator, installer and homeowner.

Designing For Tough Sites

With a proper soil evaluation in hand, the designer sets out to customize the new system to the property for maximum treatment efficiency. That’s what John R. Buchanan, Ph.D., P.E., of the University of Tennessee will talk about in this session. The best configurations for various sites and potential site improvements will be explored.

Good Installation For Long-Term User Satisfaction

Of course, effective treatment and environmental protection are your top priorities when planning for a new system. But don’t forget that customer satisfaction can also hinge on a satisfactory landscaping plan and trouble-free maintenance in the years ahead. Buchanan stresses the many ways you can improve the long-term viability of a system and ensure happy homeowners when you leave the work site.

Rest Stops: A Case Study of Challenging Wastewater

Crumbling infrastructure. You hear about it all the time when legislators talk about the country’s highways and bridges. Located along many of those deteriorating transportation corridors are rest stops utilizing onsite systems that are more than 30 years old. Sara Heger, an engineer at the University of Minnesota, talks about that state’s aging rest stops and truck garages, and the challenges faced by professionals designing and replacing their onsite systems.

Installation Mistakes: How to Avoid and Fix Them

Everybody makes mistakes … even onsite installing professionals. You have either had to backtrack yourself to fix a problem, or you’ve been called in to repair someone else’s mistake at one time or another. Heger explores topics including protecting natural soil conditions, proper bedding of system components and working on challenging sites. Predicting and avoiding problems down the road can save the installer time and money, and take care of the customer.

Marketing & Customer Service For Small-business Owners

Designing and installing onsite systems competently is not enough to ensure your business thrives. So says Tom Fritts, of Residential Sewage Treatment Co. Fritts will share ideas for easy marketing methods to jumpstart your profits and grow the small business you pour your heart and soul into. Fritts says installers have all the skills and tools at their disposal to get started.

OUTSIDE THE BOX

Education Day seminars outside of the NOWRA track that will be of interest to installers include the following:

What’s New With OSHA Safety Requirements?

As a business owner, you may dread hearing that four-letter acronym that means someone from the federal government is coming to check out your operation. But speaker Anthony Kuritz, an industrial hygiene consultant with the Bureau of Safety Education and Training within the Indiana Department of Labor, will demystify the sometimes-complex initiatives of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Take part in a valuable safety discussion and learn how to keep your company in compliance with the latest rules and regulations.

Personal Safety

Worker safety is key to the success of any business, but it’s doubly important to an onsite installer with only a handful of skilled workers to carry the load. Speaker John Chadwell, western regional manager for EHS International, will share tips for improved workplace safety through personal awareness training.

DOT Carrier/Driver sessions

U.S. Department of Transportation trucking regulations come into play for companies that haul excavation equipment down the highway. Knowing the DOT’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability requirements is critical to your company continuing to run within regulations and operating safely. Buddy Mauger, a former police officer and motor carrier safety expert, will give three presentations on topics relating to the DOT: implementation of CSA 2010, DataQ challenge protocol and recent updates and proposed regulations.

Be Always Profitable sessions

An installer isn’t necessarily a natural when it comes to making a sale and following it up with stellar customer service. That’s where four seminars with contractor Frank Taciak, of C.E. Taciak & Sons, will prove valuable. Taciak shares techniques and tactics installers can use to maximize sales, charge prices that ensure profitability and create a winning customer service experience. He breaks down all the elements of a successful sales effort and makes sure attendees leave with the skills and motivation for success.

A FULL DAY OF INSTALLER TRAINING

On Wednesday, Feb. 26, COLE Publishing’s Onsite Installer Course provides eight hours of basic training with Dave Gustafson, of the University of Minnesota, and Jim Anderson, the education coordinator for the National Association of Wastewater Technicians. The course is the perfect opportunity to get your new employees up to speed with the tools and equipment they’ll be using on the job, or as a refresher for the old hands on your crew.

WELCOME TO THE BIG SHOW

I hope you can make it to the Pumper & Cleaner Expo later this month. If you’re reading this column in Indianapolis – welcome to the biggest trade show for environmental services professionals. And thanks for coming.

When you’re at the Expo, I invite you to visit members of the magazine team at the COLE Publishing editors’ booth (#4028). The highlight of my week in Indy is meeting the contractors who are the backbone of the industry. You are the ones most responsible for keeping our environment clean, ensuring a safe drinking water supply wherever onsite systems are used, and adapting to the myriad of onsite product advances that have come along over the years.

One great way to network with other installers is at the Roundtable Discussion breakfast set for Thursday, Feb. 27, beginning at 8 a.m. in the food area at the Indiana Convention Center. Each table will start with a different topic, and participants can move from table to table to meet new people and discuss new issues. I will be moderating a table, as will several industry experts.

With your help, the industry is maturing and solving some of the biggest challenges in decentralized wastewater treatment. And I’m anxious to share your stories with the rest of the installer community. Tell me about your company and the biggest challenges you face. Share your best system install story from the past year. I’m looking forward to seeing you.



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