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News
MIOSHA and the Masonry Institute of Michigan Form
Alliance
Tribute to James R. Snyder Sr.
 MIOSHA
and the Masonry Institute of Michigan Form Alliance to Protect Masonry
and Construction Workers
February 28, 2006 – The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (MIOSHA) and the Masonry Institute of Michigan, Inc., signed
a formal alliance on Feb. 22nd to protect the safety and health of Michigan's
masonry and construction industry workers. The MIOSHA program is part
of the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth (DLEG).
The construction industry is one of the most hazardous industries in
Michigan. Only about four percent of Michigan's workforce is employed
in construction–however, construction fatalities account for nearly
50 percent of all fatal workplace accidents.
John Robovitsky, President, Masonry Institute of Michigan; and Doug Kalinowski,
Director, MIOSHA Program; signed the alliance. Also participating in the
signing were several members of the Institute's Board of Trustees: Ed
Davenport, 1st Vice-President, Davenport Masonry; Larry Durkin, Treasurer,
Durkin & Company Contractors; Kyle Lochonoic, Wall Bracing Committee
Chairperson, Davenport Masonry; and Daniel Zechmeister, Executive Director,
Masonry Institute of Michigan.
"We are proud to sign this alliance, which makes worker safety priority
number one in the masonry industry," said Kalinowski. "This proactive
partnership between labor, industry and government, provides us with the
unique opportunity to foster safe and healthy workplaces with Institute
members."
Alliances enable organizations committed to workplace safety and health
to collaborate with MIOSHA to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses.
Alliances are open to all groups, including: trade or professional associations,
businesses, labor organizations, educational institutions, and government
agencies.
"The signing of the alliance today is a significant move for all of us
in setting a standard for safety in the masonry industry. Working together
will allow for easier and quicker strides to creating a safer workplace
for all," said Robovitsky.
The goals of this alliance include, but are not limited to:
- Promote life safety as the principal goal in providing a high level
of protection to masonry industry personnel and other construction employees.
- Promote the latest Standard Practice for Bracing Masonry Walls Under
Construction and Masonry Wallbracing Design Handbook published by the
Mason Contractors Association of America, as an industry standard and
accept it as in compliance with the MIOSHA Construction Safety Standards,
Part 2. Masonry Wall Bracing.
- Train and educate the workforce and MIOSHA on temporarily bracing
masonry walls under construction safely above grade.
- Provide assistance and expertise to the MIOSHA Construction Safety
Standards Commission for updating and improving Part 2. Masonry Wall
Bracing.
- Promote dialogue between MIOSHA and the construction and masonry industry
in the state of Michigan through the various masonry state associations.
- Use various outreach tools to share safety and health information
and the goals of the alliance with the mason contractors.
Since its inception in 1958, the Masonry Institute of Michigan, Inc.
has been dedicated to the promotion and advancement of the masonry industry.
The Institute provides information to the industry and to the public.
The Institute's goal is to promote quality masonry, quality masonry units
and materials, functional and efficient designs, and quality workmanship.
The objectives of the Masonry Institute of Michigan are:
- To provide up-to-date design information to architects and structural
engineers.
- To provide technical masonry data to mason contractors, bricklayers
and industry suppliers.
- To promote the many advantages of masonry construction to the designer,
the builder,
the owner and the general public.
- To promote the highest standards of quality design, quality materials
and quality workmanship.
- To promote productive working relationships between all parties of
the masonry industry.
The Institute has 210 active member companies, and includes the following
masonry industry members: mason contractors, brick producers/suppliers,
block producers/suppliers, cement producers, stone producers/suppliers,
accessory suppliers, and associate informational members.
There are many benefits to participating in an alliance with MIOSHA.
Through this program, organizations will:
- Build trusting, cooperative relationships.
- Network with others committed to workplace safety and health.
- Exchange information about best practices.
- Leverage resources to maximize worker safety and health protection.
For more information about forming an alliance or partnership with MIOSHA,
please check our website at www.michigan.gov/miosha
or contact the Consultation Education and Training (CET) Division at (517)
322-1809.
TOP
Tribute to James R. Snyder Sr.
1923 — 2005
 Shake
Down the Thunder from the Sky
Cheer, cheer for old Notre Dame, wake up the echoes cheering her
name, send a volley cheer on high, shake down the thunder from the sky
. . .
If anyone could shake down the thunder from the sky it was
J.R. Snyder. James Richard Snyder was born on December 7, 1923 to a German/Irish
father Joseph Jacob Snyder and German mother Collette Elizabeth. He had
six siblings, imagine that, all sisters. Raised by a father who was "absolutely
against sports", J.R. got his encouragement from his mother, who felt
that a boy with six sisters needed to get involved with sports. In his
early 20's, he dreamed of becoming the head football coach at the University
of Notre Dame. J.R. believed in the legendary Irish coach Knute Rockne's
philosophy of "team concept" — one loss is good for the soul and
two losses are bad for the coach!
 As
a boy growing up he attended St. Gregory's Catholic School in Detroit.
Also attending St. Gregory's were other young men who became involved
with the masonry industry, such as, the Gleesons, Costellas, and Pivettas.
At the age of 14 the family moved to Ashtabula, Ohio and then to Buffalo,
New York. At Amherst High School in New York he would excel in wrestling
and football, and in1940 was offered a scholarship to Ohio State University.
In the summer, the family returned to Detroit and J.R. finished his senior
year at St. Gregory, graduating in1941.
After graduation, he worked for Vicar building pumps. Snyder tried joining
the Navy but was denied due to a hernia. However, in 1943 he cut through
the "red tape" and joined the Navy. He was discharged from the service
in 1946. In 1947 J.R. married the beautiful Mary Catherine Muir, former
Miss University of Detroit runner-up. He was also a veteran all-star playing
semi-pro football in the Midwest. Thanksgiving 1948 would be his last
football game for the Northwest Athletic Club where he was blind-sided
and took a hit on his knee. In 1947-48 he attended Highland Park Junior
College where he studied business, labor law, drafting and business math.
 J.R.'s
masonry career began as a laborer for two years with Frank Roberts. In
1948 he worked for Clarence Gleeson as a bricklayer and joined the union.
Mary and Jim became the proud parents of their first son, Jim Jr., in
1948 and would raise a family of nine sons (James, Joseph, Jerald, Jonathan,
Jeffrey, Jay, Jack, Judd, and Justin) and two daughters (Susan and Nancy).
Then Hearth Home of Detroit offered him a job in designing and constructing
fireplaces. J.R. went into business on his own in 1949 constructing fireplaces
and barbecues. The business continued to grow into commercial, industrial
and large residential including stonework. In the early 1960's his company
had revenue of $3 million per year with approximately 200 men. In 1953
he was invited to join the Detroit Mason Contractors' Association. When
Snyder joined the DMCA there were seven mason contractor members and several
masonry suppliers. Clarence Gleeson nominated J.R. Snyder as President
and he served for six years. During his presidency Snyder increased the
DMCA membership with over 200 member companies.
In 1956, a virtually nondescript recreation softball team in Redford,
Michigan marked its debut in slo-pitch softball with a 14-6 victory —
only to proceed losing 27 consecutive games enroute to a dismal 7-35 season.
Twenty-four years and some 1,700 victories later, from that ominous beginning,
emerged the two-time USSSA World Champion Snyder Softball Club, which
hit the pinnacle of slo-pitch success and popularity throughout the United
States in the 1970s. When J.R. Snyder build'em, they stay built! The original
Snyder's Masonry team, known as the Snyder's Softball Club, became to
USSSA softball what the New York Yankees were for so many years to the
American League. When Snyder's came to town, the bet was not who will
win, but by how much. J.R. would state the key to his success; "The key,
though is that whatever you do, you've got to put something back, which
is one thing the pros don't do. My success is a result of every single
fan and hundreds of individuals along the way. If somebody helps us out,
we try to help them out later, in any way we can. We should always remember
that — you've got to give something back" J.R. Snyder was the first
manager to be inducted in the USSSA Hall of Fame in 1983.
 In
1958 Snyder got an idea from Ideal Masonry out of St. Louis, Missouri.
That idea developed into the Masonry Institute, a promotional group, which
became a branch of the Detroit Mason Contractors' Association. The goal
of the Institute was to promote and sponsor programs to familiarize architects,
owners, builders, and the general public with the advantages of using
masonry units in building construction. The following appeared on their
July 15, 1959 meeting agenda; State Fair project, ad for September issue
of Architect's magazine, letter to Building Construction Illustrated and
Advertisers, hi-lite block promotion kits, discussion of proposal for
members to meet with designers, cost index study, report on pierced grilles
story, architect's inquiries and Institute telephone service, suggestions
for masonry product news, membership promotion ideas, and mailing of SCPI
"Technical Notes" to architects. The Masonry Institute operated for nine
years and was subsidized by mason contractors and masonry suppliers before
hiring John Heslip as the executive director in 1967. In the mid 60s J.R.
began negotiations with the bricklayer's union to dedicate $.02 per hour
per bricklayer for masonry promotion. Snyder was known for his adeptness
at labor negotiations and would be dubbed Jimmy "the cat" Snyder. He would
also have a hand in the negotiations with the labor union on the brick
tender agreement relative to scaffolding and brick tender classification.
Many of the meetings for the Masonry Institute occurred at J.R.'s home
on Vaughn Street in Detroit from 1951 to 1960.
 My memories of J.R. Snyder
began with the several "breakfast meetings" we had. He absolutely wanted
the Masonry Institute of Michigan to recognize the other individuals who
had a hand in the birth of the Institute. He wanted to give credit where
credit was due. J.R. and I would also go around and around on some of
his most favorite masonry topics, the use of solid clay brick and horizontal
joint reinforcement for concrete block. He also gave me insight on the
development of the "Michigan control joint". In 1977 the first scholarship
to be awarded by the Institute was in the name J.R. Snyder. He emphasized
the importance of helping and encouraging young people to enter the industry
and to become architects and engineers. A part of J.R. Snyder's legacy
will be what he gave back to the design and construction community —
an Institute dedicated to the promotion and advancement of the masonry
industry. J.R. certainly will be remembered as a man who walked his walk
and talked his talk.
 Most
of you probably never knew James R. Snyder, it was long before your time.
But you now know what a tradition he is at the Masonry Institute of Michigan.
One thing he said to me, "Dan, sometime, when the masonry industry is
up against it, and the competition is beating them, tell them to go out
there and with all they got and win just one for J.R.! I don't where I'll
be", he said, "but I'll know about it and I'll be happy"
— Daniel S. Zechmeister
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