Year: 2021

As part of its continued push to help GAWDA members get the most out of their membership dues in the association and stay on the front lines of emerging industry trends and hot-button issues, GAWDA has several volunteer committees devoted to specific areas of the industry. The volunteer committees include: Government Affairs, Human Resources, Industry Partnering, Insurance Trustees, Leadership Development, Member Services, Safety, Women of Gases and Welding, and Young Professionals. This new feature in Welding & Gases Today will update readers on the latest news and events from each committee. We thank all the committee chairs for their help…

Ask Your Board is a new feature that will run in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Quarter issues of Welding & Gases Today. The purpose of Ask Your Board is to ask common business questions that all GAWDA members might be dealing with and to see how GAWDA’s Board of Directors are dealing with these issues within their own companies. To submit a question for GAWDA’s Board Members to consider, please email [email protected] THE QUESTION How has your communication, both internal and external, evolved over the past year? Are there any changes that were made that you anticipate continuing long-term?…

As COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations rise in hotspots such as Florida, member companies of the Compressed Gas Association (CGA) are taking extraordinary measures to respond to surging demand for medical oxygen in those communities. Our members are committed to deploying all available resources to respond to the increased demand for medical oxygen and working collaboratively with health care providers, as we fight this pandemic together. Health care remains a top priority for our industry. Medical oxygen plays a crucial role in treating those who are seriously ill with COVID-19, and the compressed gas industry continues to work diligently to safely…

The following is an excerpt from the GAWDA Safety Organizer, a monthly bulletin sent to GAWDA members. For more information on the GAWDA Safety Organizer, or to read past issues, visit the GAWDA.org Members-Only Section. DOT website New Requirements for Entry-Level Driver Training—Information Available at https://tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov/ Final Rule Mandated by Congress, final rule issued in 2016 on driver training curriculum for entry-level CDL drivers; applicants for Class A or B CDL, or hazmat endorsements, required to complete knowledge and behind-the-wheel training from an instructor under FMCSA standards; training entities will self-certify compliance. List of certified training entities will be listed…

The following is an excerpt from the GAWDA Safety Organizer, a monthly bulletin sent to GAWDA members. For more information on the GAWDA Safety Organizer, or to read past issues, visit the GAWDA.org Members-Only Section. This OSHA, EPA and DHS Safety Organizer focuses on six Sample Safety Practices added to the GAWDA website by the GAWDA Safety Committee: Facility Securement Control of Hazardous Energy – Lockout/Tagout Confined Space Employee Onboarding Ladder Safety Safe Handling of Cylinders Facility Securement All member facilities contain hazardous material that can be targets for theft. The Sample Safety Practice “Facility Securement’’ provides guidelines for facility…

GAWDA’s consultants discuss how to prepare for an audit as well as other recent trends in the gases and welding industry By Tom Badstubner, Marilyn Dempsey, Michael Dodd, Rick Schweitzer and Steve Guglielmo The GAWDA Consultant Program is a GAWDA member benefit that is included as part of your member dues to the association. It is consistently rated as one of the most valuable member benefits that GAWDA provides. Between the four of them, GAWDA’s consultants bring more than 150 years of industry-specific experience to the association. For this issue, we spoke with the consultants about a variety of topics,…

GAWDA extends its condolences to the friends and family of Edward A. Henne, who passed away on August 25. Ed worked for 53 years in the industrial gas industry. After graduating from North Catholic High School and serving in the Air Force, Ed went to work for Welders Supply, Philadelphia in 1969 as a pumper and driver. The company was acquired by BOC and he worked many jobs eventually rising to Director of Operations covering North, Central and South America. From there he accepted the position of VP Operations for Welco/GTS a Praxair subsidiary located in Newark, NJ. In 2006…

FMCSA Extends COVID Emergency Declaration Through November 30, 2021 The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has extended its COVID-related Emergency Declaration through November 30, 2021.  In addition, the agency has extended the scope of the hours of service and other exemptions under the declaration to include gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and ethyl alcohol, as well as supplies to assist individuals impacted by the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., building materials for individuals displaced or otherwise impacted as a result of the emergency). FMCSA’s declaration provides for regulatory relief for commercial motor vehicle operations providing direct assistance supporting emergency relief efforts…