Mar 11, 2024

The Challenge

Located in the Penn Quarter neighborhood of Washington DC, this former media museum was acquired by our client in 2019. Soon after, the owners embarked on a massive, four-year interior renovation to transform it into a premier higher-education facility. Although the existing building envelope remained the same, there were several deficiencies on the exterior that were not corrected prior to the sale.

Chief among them was the lack of compliant fall protection systems. The building did not have sufficient anchors, the davit pedestals were not properly reinforced or certified, and there was no façade access in the atrium. Valcourt Safety Systems offered a turnkey solution and was awarded the contract which included structural evaluation of davits, davit reinforcement and certification, and the design and installation of compliant davit arms, monorail, and anchors.

The Solution

The initial planning phase involved many meetings over several months with the owner, architect, and Valcourt’s third-party engineer to coordinate the design and finalize the scope of work. During the first phase, rooftop anchors and the monorail were installed to enable access to the elevated glass in the atrium.

Nine months later, and after a change in property management, the Valcourt team was able to install new davit pedestals and arms. This installation allowed Valcourt to perform regular window cleaning maintenance, which was proposed and awarded shortly thereafter.

Now, in addition to its newly compliant façade access and fall protection systems, the academic center also boasts sparkling clean windows to reflect its iconic status.

Work Performed

• Design Engineering
• Installed Davit Pedestals and Arms
• Window Cleaning

Valcourt Safety Systems: Delivering Turnkey Solutions for Every Building

When it comes to accessing the exterior and interior of buildings, safety starts at the top. Each building has unique features, so effective and compliant rooftop safety systems require a specialized approach.

Valcourt Safety Systems maximizes safety for workers and ensures OSHA compliance for building owners by designing, installing, and certifying fall protection and rooftop anchorage systems.

Contact us today to request a quote.

Oct 11, 2023

As a building owner or property manager, it can be challenging to understand all the appropriate measures that must be taken to comply with OSHA’s revised regulations on Walking and Working Surfaces and Fall Protection Systems.

Many of the critical components of these new standards went into effect in 2017. Informed by data from the OSHA Information System & the Bureau of Labor Statistics, OSHA has decided to focus on Falls for their current National Emphasis Programs (NEPs). Defined by OSHA, NEPs are “temporary programs that focus OSHA’s resources on particular hazards and high-hazard industries.”

Why OSHA Announced a New National Emphasis Program on Falls

On May 1, 2023, OSHA’s NEP on Falls went into effect, which focuses on reducing fall-related injuries and fatalities. In 2021, falls from elevations were the top cause of all fatal workplace injuries, accounting for 13% of all deaths. In addition, fall protection is the most violated standard in the construction industry. Fall protection is crucial to address, and building owners and managers can be held liable if an incident occurs due to negligence.

As the 90-day outreach period ended on August 1, 2023, compliance officers are now actively examining buildings and will arrive at your roof unannounced, without scheduling a visit. For non-construction inspections, the NEP specifies the following activities that compliance officers are focusing on:

1. Rooftop mechanical work /maintenance

2. Utility line work/maintenance (electrical / cable)

3. Arborist/tree trimming

4. Holiday light installation

5. Road sign maintenance/billboards

6. Power washing buildings (not connected to painting)

7. Gutter cleaning

8. Chimney cleaning

9. Window cleaning

10. Communication towers

Common Misconceptions with Building Owner Liabilities

Building owners and property managers should be aware that of the utmost importance is reducing the number of injuries and fatalities. If faced with liability claims, there will be a significant impact on your budget. In 2022 alone, there were 5,260 fall protection citations. Serious violation fines currently range up to $15,625. Willful or repeated violations are charged at tenfold, or $156,259. To add, the failure to abate beyond the abatement date is $15,625 per day.

We frequently hear misconceptions from building owners and managers that need to be set straight to help provide clarity on the new OSHA regulations.

First, no property is considered “grandfathered” in. There are no clauses or exceptions that are made for any building, for any reason. We often hear this belief that building management or ownership was unaware that the new regulations in law apply to their building.

Compliance responsibility does not only fall on to your contractor. While contractors are expected to work safely and are required to adhere to OSHA standards, OSHA compliance officers are also examining your building for items and areas that the building is required to provide.

New construction does not guarantee compliance. While it may seem logical that for new construction, OSHA-compliance should not be a concern, this isn’t always the case. It’s critical to evaluate your building to and ensure a safe environment for your rooftop workers. For example, we often see non-compliant ladders on new construction.

Even one-story and low-rise buildings are subject to fall protection. Did you know that elevations over four feet require fall protection? In general industry workplaces, OSHA regulations state that elevations of four feet or higher require fall protection in place. In addition, when working over dangerous equipment and machinery, fall protection is mandatory at all times, regardless of the distance or elevation.

Actionable Steps Toward Your Pathway to Compliance

What initial step should you take to ensure your building is compliant with OSHA’s Walking and Working Surfaces? As digesting these standards can be overwhelming to interpret on your own, the first step we recommend is a fall protection consultation. During this consultation, safety experts will review your roof to uncover fall hazards and make best practice recommendations to proceed forward. This is an ideal place to start if you are not sure whether your building is compliant.

Our top recommendations on areas that you should evaluate now are:

• the path to the roof and roof access,
• walking-working surfaces on the roof,
• anchor points,
• and employee training.

To dive into the specifics of each of these areas, watch our on-demand webinar, Compliance Simplified: Essential Rooftop Fall Protection Solutions. In this webinar, our safety experts will walk you through OSHA’s complex regulations and provide a simple and effective method to identify and resolve common rooftop fall hazards.

By signing up for the webinar, you will also have access to our Rooftop Fall Protection Checklist to print and download!

Watch the full webinar and download the Rooftop Fall Protection Checklist here.

Oct 05, 2021

“Our mission has always been to provide our clients with the highest level of expertise when it comes to fall protection, building maintenance, and worker safety,” said Stefan Bright, General Manager. He continued, “Because of his vast experience in access applications, Mike will further help us accomplish our mission and advise clients on the best methods for providing a safe place to work.”

From Mike Dahlquist:

I have over 30 years of experience in project and safety management, in both high-rise and industrial access applications. Prior to Valcourt, I managed the access and waterproofing division of a large private property owner in New York, and then moved to the high-rise access manufacturing side of the business. I also served as a director of ten suspended scaffold access rental locations for a national suspended scaffold company.

In addition, I previously served as vice president of a regional roof anchor company, and most recently, I have been working as president of the permanent installation division for an international company that manufactures permanent powered access equipment for mid-rise, high-rise, and supertall buildings.

Throughout my career, I have managed design staff and trade personnel and I have developed and taught access safety courses, including a New York Department of Buildings-approved course for all suspended scaffold workers operating scaffolds in New York City. I have also written programs and trained workers in both high-angle and confined space rescue teams.

I have been actively involved and have presented for the Sealant, Waterproofing, & Restoration Institute (SWRI), Glass Association of North America (GANA), BOMA, and other local trade groups.

Among my many roles and contributions, I am most proud of my work in creating government-approved training courses which are currently being used by many contractors as well as trade unions in multiple cities.

I look forward to working with all of you across the country as Director of the Valcourt/JOBS/Scottie’s Safety Systems division.

My name is Mike Dahlquist. I love this industry, and I’m dedicated to making sure that every day when a worker goes on a rope system or boards a scaffold to do their job, they go home safely to their loved ones that night. We owe them nothing less, and by working together, we can make sure it happens every day.

Sep 07, 2019

Wilmington, DE — In response to the new OSHA laws on Walking-Working Surfaces and Personal Protective Equipment, Valcourt has established a dedicated leadership committee that will interpret the 500+ pages of revised regulations and supporting documentation in order to educate and support their customers and workers.
“The new laws will significantly impact the window-cleaning industry, as well as other service industries,” explained President/CEO Jeff Valcourt. “OSHA will also strictly enforce these changes, so we want to assure our customers that we are taking this issue very seriously. Our team has been reviewing the documentation and are developing a comprehensive plan to support our customers in the coming months.”
With over 100 years of combined experience, Valcourt’s dedicated leadership committee is comprised of some of the industry’s foremost experts in safety and compliance, including Jeff Valcourt, COO Jon Capon, Divisional VP Jason Robertson, General Manager Josh Wing, and SafeSite Managers Chris Duffy and Jose Turcios. Members of the leadership committee have also served on the A39, A-120, A-41 and I-14 standards writing committees.
“As one of the nation’s premier service providers, we have a depth of resources dedicated to many highly specialized areas,” stated Jon Capon. “Three years ago, our own Jason Robertson created the industry’s most comprehensive risk-management department, SafeSite Advantage. The department is dedicated to providing our customers with safety and compliance support. It will be a highly valuable asset in assisting our customers and workers during this transition — however, it is clear that even more resources will be necessary to properly provide support with these changes.”
While the 500+ pages of information, rationale and revised code will require some time to thoroughly review, Valcourt is confident that the committee will gain a deep understanding of the new laws and its implications to both building owners and service providers. With dedicated resources and extensive experience, Valcourt is uniquely positioned to assist property managers and building owners, and determine the specific solutions that meet the requirements.
“We’re committed to making our clients’ lives easier,” says Capon. “For over 30 years, we have prided ourselves at being at the forefront of safe and compliant practices. And this time will be no exception.”
About Valcourt Building Services
Valcourt Building Services serves the East Coast of the United States, with ten offices from Northern New Jersey to Florida. Founded in 1986 in Arlington, Virginia, Valcourt’s Window Cleaning division is now the largest window-cleaner in the country. Valcourt’s Waterproofing and Restoration division provides comprehensive exterior maintenance solutions.
Contact: Jason Robertson
703-243-8300