National Framers Council

Two Sides of the Same Coin

CMs and framers win and lose together – the NFC ensures everyone wins.

Parting Shots: A Coordinated Effort to Focus on Safety

On May 7-11, construction crews across the nation took part in OSHA’s National Safety Stand-Down, an annual opportunity for framers to discuss safety with their employees and emphasize the importance of fall prevention. 

Floor to Ceiling

Bruce Jones, a turnkey contractor in Hanover, Pennsylvania, has been in the wall panel industry for over 30 years. He estimates that in 2017 his company built over 80 miles of walls. That experience has taught Bruce a number of ways to make a better panel

Warning Poster Caution Notes

Question: 

We are concerned with SBCA’s BCSI-B1 Summary Sheet which under “Notes” makes a disclaimer. Our concern is if there would be an accident with our trusses and we point out that the bracing was not placed correctly according to SBCA documentation, which is sent with every job. If the accident goes to court, how will our attorney respond when the opposing attorney points out the disclaimer, which infers that the bracing we recommend must be flawed, otherwise it would not be disclaimed?

Making a Good Thing Even Better

"Work safely. Go home Safely." An expanded version of NFC’s FrameSAFE Safety Manual template was rolled out  this spring and is taking hold in the marketplace.

Why NFC Growth Is a Boon for Component Manufacturers

  • CMs engaged in NFC membership de-velopment efforts will find their work rewarded with better organized, safer, more effective and more reliable framing crews.
  • Framers engaged in NFC will learn component installation best practices from other framers, with the goal of creating more efficient, safe and profitable framing outcomes.
  • By actively growing awareness of and membership in NFC, CMs will expand their framing community connections and naturally expand market share and revenue growth. 

Why Effective Jobsite Training Does More Than Promote Safety— It Makes OSHA Happy

  • Effective employee training on jobsite safety requires an approach that combines good information with consistent messages and continuous delivery.
  • The NFC’s Site-Specific Fall Protection Plan is being added to the already robust FrameSAFE program.
  • Safety is everyone’s responsibility. Effective training is the best way employers can “help their employees help themselves” to work safely on the jobsite.

Addressing Industry Standards Development

  • There are many published installation guides available for product-specific applications, but few account for framing tolerances when dissimilar materials are integrated into the overall building and the expectations for overall performance.
  • NFC’s Standards Development Sub-committee will begin outlining framing practices performed everyday where tolerances and known good performance have not been detailed in depth.
  • The subcommittee will take a “through the eyes of a framer” point of view and provide step-by-step implementation guidelines and options.

FrameSAFE’s Additional Training Resources: Toolbox Talks & Jobsite Posters

  • You must have continuous training in order to have a training system work.
  • In addition to FrameSAFE and Toolbox Talks, NFC will release FrameSAFE Safety Posters in early 2015.
  • FrameSAFE is more than just a safety manual; we’ve created it to be a training tool that workers and employers can use to find everything they need in one product.

Focusing on Fall Protection Best Practices

  • When there’s no effective tie-off point for a building, framers have to use a job-specific best practices approach.
  • Both Hull and Shifflett agree it is in the best interest of component manufacturers to work with framers to create best practice approaches to fall protection.
  • The long-term goal is to host an online database that GCs and framing teams can visit to know who in their industry participates, trains and follows the same safety guidelines.