CONT_CONTRACTOR_ A Penton Media Property April 14, 2010 If you want to view this on the web go to: http://enews.penton.com/enews/contractormag/v/27 ---------------------------------------- ADVERTISEMENT ---------------------------------------- --EPA Requires Contractors to Become Lead-Safe Certified By April 22 WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced it expects more than 125,000 renovation and remodeling contractors to be trained in lead-safe work practices by April 22, the effective date for a rule requiring such training. The agency is on target to implement the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, which will protect millions of children from lead poisoning, on April 22, 2010. To view the full article go to: http://contractormag.com/news/epa_requires_lead-safe/ --Health care reform -- what does it mean for plumbing-heating-cooling contractors? BRISTOL, TENN. -- SESCO Management Consultants here has analyzed what healthcare reform will mean to employers. SESCO has been a human resources consultant for members of Quality Service Contractors, an enhanced service group of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors -- National Association. The firm's analysis, which follows, was first published in its monthly newsletter, The SESCO Report. Recent passage of the Affordable Care Act (the Senate bill) and the Health Care Reconciliation Act mark the most significant change to the nation's health care laws in at least four decades. Following are some of the important consequences for employers and their group health plans. To view the full article go to: http://contractormag.com/news/health_care_reform/ -- HIRE Act gives contractors tax credits BRISTOL, TENN. -- Contractors who hire the unemployed are eligible for a number of tax credits, said human resources experts, SESCO Management Consultants. SESCO is the human resources consultant for Quality Service Contractors, an enhanced service group of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors -- National Association. Two new tax benefits are now available to employers hiring workers who were previously unemployed, SESCO reported. The Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act allows an employer to claim the tax benefits for a newly hired employee who has not worked more than 40 hours during the 60-day period preceding the date of employment. To view the full article go to: http://contractormag.com/news/hire_gives_tax_credits/index.html --PHCC's 2010 Legislative Conference to focus on small business issues FALLS CHURCH, VA. -- A little over a month after the passage of health care reform, members of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors -- National Association (PHCC) from across the nation will gather for a Legislative Conference April 28-29 to convey PHCC's small business, energy-conscious message to Congress. Water and energy efficiency issues, funding for Career and Technical Education and the estate tax will be key issues brought up during visits on Capitol Hill. To view the full article go to: http://contractormag.com/news/phcc-conference-2345/ --Buy this book! Buy this book! Buy this book! BY ROBERT P. MADER Matt Michel, the president/CEO of the Service Roundtable, has written one of the best books on pricing that I've ever read. Every contractor should buy The Power of Positive Pricing (How much is your pricing costing you?). I love this book. The book is worth it just for the appendices, like the service rate calculator, the overtime rate calculator, and maybe the most valuable, Service Roundtable Chairman Lee Rosenberg's detailed list of all the items that should be included in your overhead. To view the full article go to: http://blog.contractormag.com/mader/2010/04/12/buy-this-book-buy-this-book-buy-this-book/ --ASHRAE Research: Laboratory Test of Five Non-Chemical Devices Used in Cooling Towers Showed No Effectiveness in Preventing Biological Growth ATLANTA --New research supported by ASHRAE indicates that non-chemical devices (NCD) marketed to control the growth of biological agents, such as Legionella in cooling towers, may not materially reduce biological growth. Research project No. 1361, Biological Control in Cooling Towers Using Non-Chemical Water Treatment Devices, a two-year project recently completed by Dr. Radisav Vidic at the University of Pittsburgh, evaluated five non-chemical devices using different technologies to control biological activity in a model cooling-tower system. The devices studied included a hydrodynamic cavitation device, pulsed and static electric field devices, an ultra-sonic device and a magnetic device. To view the full article go to: http://contractormag.com/news/ncds_show_no_effectiveness/ ---------------------------------------- ADVERTISEMENT ---------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- ADVERTISEMENT ---------------------------------------- Contact information: Robert P. Mader , Editor-in-Chief Thank you for reading CONTRACTOR eNews You've received this e-newsletter for one of two reasons: You are subscribed to this email as #email# 1) You received our CONTRACTOR eNews in the past. 2) You identified yourself as a reader of CONTRACTOR magazine. Click here to subscribe to Contractor eNews Click Here to unsubscribe from future issues of Contractor eNews http://email.contractormag.com/webforms/newsletter/unsub/?email=#email#&lid=#list_id#&mid=#message_id# (c)2010 Penton Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Statement