Within a 45-year career, a construction worker has a 1-in-200 chance of being fatally injured on the job. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Construction Safety Week serves as a reminder to industry professionals that they should continue to reinforce and follow job site safety procedures to protect themselves and their teams. While Read more
HOLDRITE
Within a 45-year career, a construction worker has a 1-in-200 chance of being fatally injured on the job. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Construction Safety Week serves as a reminder to industry professionals that they should continue to reinforce and follow job site safety procedures to protect themselves and their teams. While this is a great first line of defense, there’s also another way you can create a safer construction site: choosing safe and smart products.
As plumbing and mechanical contractors know, plumbing codes often require an end goal without specific direction on how to get there, which can force you to piece together unreliable makeshift methods that could have serious consequences if installed incorrectly. Even methods and tools that have been around a long time can be outdated to the point that they present safety issues.
By updating your workflow to incorporate modern and engineered solutions, you can better protect yourself on the job while maintaining professional and cost-effective installations. Look for plumbing solutions that comply with code regulations and go above and beyond to address OSHA requirements and eliminate risks associated with field-devised or traditional installation methods.
Those risks vary across products, as do the benefits of using engineered solutions instead. Below are some common makeshift methods for commercial plumbing installations and how using engineered replacements can better protect you on the job.
The risks of common field-devised plumbing installations
Makeshift methods are most common for two kinds of plumbing installations: pipe supports and water heater accessories. But as is the case for all field-built installations, they’re entirely inconsistent, meaning they could fail and cause harm to you or your team. Fortunately, there are better alternatives that are easily accessible and trusted today.
Pipe Supports
The most common pipe supports to be cobbled together are overhead and in-wall pipe supports. In-wall supports are often made from scrap material, such as cut lumber, tin-snipped metal studs, baling wire and random strapping material, while trapeze pipe supports might be fashioned using strut or channel that is manually cut into pieces with a variety of expensive clamp options.
When it comes to no-hub fitting restraints, it’s not uncommon for installers to use different materials like metal banding, angle iron, riser clamps and thread rods, but this is untested, unproven and costly. More specifically, makeshift no-hub fitting restraints usually fail to meet the intent of CISPI standards.
The inconsistent reliability of these makeshift installations means they could fail and cause a potential leak hazard . For in-wall supports, there’s an additional safety hazard from using several power tools to create the final product.
By contrast, several engineered overhead and in-wall supports are made of durable materials like galvanized steel so they’re strong enough to support different applications throughout the entire life of the building, reducing the risk of injury during and after installation.
For no-hub restraints, manufactured solutions take on-site cutting, bending, measuring and modifications out of the picture and replace them with an engineered solution supported by test data, torque data and product specifications that ensure the safety and reliability of the restraint’s design. The result may look something like the HoldRite #117 series, the only no-hub restraint product to have third-party testing data that shows what each product is rated and tested to.
Water Heater Supports
Water heater platforms and seismic restraints are some of the most common water heater accessories assembled in the field. Platforms are sometimes built with wood or steel, while random steel strapping or even plumber’s tape is often used to create an earthquake restraint.
But this offers no engineering data regarding the stability or longevity of the installation, which can lead to injury during installation and, down the line, leaks or even an explosion hazard if natural gas is involved.
On the other hand, professionally manufactured water heater platforms are designed for safety and strength and list explicit weight limits, so you don’t have to wonder if it’ll support the water heater. Some brands, such as HoldRite, have water heater supports that are third-party lab tested to exceed code requirements and are often certified by other entities as well.
The risks of an outdated DWV testing method: fall hazards
One of the biggest downsides of the traditional plumbing ball testing method is that it can create a high risk of falls during testing. If the test ball ruptures, floors and installers get wet. When it’s deflated at the end of the testing process, water can spray out of the test port location, too. Both possibilities create a slip-and-fall hazard on the job, especially in the wintertime.
Alternatives like help keep job site floors dry during testing by allowing system fill-up or drain-down option directly at the test tee and including a triple-seal protection design to ensure a dry, safe environment. This helps minimize slip and fall hazards caused by water or ice on the floor.
At the end of the day, the first step toward better safety is education. Education about the top risks you’re exposed to and how to reduce those risks. But knowledge must be combined with action for the best results. As you follow policies and procedures that protect you, also consider the tools that can increase your safety. Investing in safe and smart products will always pay off.
Neil Ross is a product manager at RWC — a market leader and manufacturer of water control systems and plumbing solutions for residential, commercial and industrial applications.
As HoldRite approaches its 40th Anniversary, company announces enhanced digital experience Reliance Worldwide Corporation (RWC) is a leading manufacturer of premium branded push-to-connect plumbing products, valves, secondary pipe supports, firestopping solutions, DWV testing and fluid control technologies for residential and commercial applications. RWC’s portfolio of brands includes SharkBite™ push-to-connect plumbing products, HoldRite™ engineered plumbing and mechanical Read more
As HoldRite approaches its 40th Anniversary, company announces enhanced digital experience
Reliance Worldwide Corporation (RWC) is a leading manufacturer of premium branded push-to-connect plumbing products, valves, secondary pipe supports, firestopping solutions, DWV testing and fluid control technologies for residential and commercial applications. RWC’s portfolio of brands includes SharkBite™ push-to-connect plumbing products, HoldRite™ engineered plumbing and mechanical solutions, Cash Acme™ valves and John Guest™ fittings and fluid dispense products.
In anticipation of HoldRite’s 40th anniversary in 2022, RWC is getting ahead of the celebration with a new website centered on improving the online experience for end users. These advancements will greatly expand RWC’s digital experience for contractors by using their feedback to inform a new on-site search experience. This will make it easier than ever for customers to find vital information quickly. Additionally, the new website boasts enhanced product and resource filtering. HoldRite’s new website launch is the first of several website enhancements to roll out for RWC brands, including changes to SharkBite.com, CashAcme.com and JohnGuest.com — all to unify the overall brand and website customer experience.
“Our customers are busy and want to be able to find information quickly and easily,” said Chris Carrier, Marketing Director, Americas, Reliance Worldwide Corporation. “Improving the user experience became our top priority when redesigning the HoldRite website, and contractors will see continuous improvements in the subsequent brand webpages over the next year.”
The online enhancements seen on HoldRite’s website, include:
- New technical download center so visitors can find all relevant documentation in one place
- Improved “Where to Buy” functionality and site search experience
- Consolidated product pages with a clean user interface
- Faster submittal generator process
- Added filters to product categories
- Faster site and page speed
To further support professional contractors, RWC regularly evaluates its online experience to assess performance and uncover opportunities to optimize the experience. With website visitors growing in sophistication and need, RWC sought the opportunity to improve the HoldRite website to ensure plumbers, engineers, architects, mechanical contractors and electricians were able to efficiently find important product information in a timely manner.
To view HoldRite’s improved website experience, visit the U.S. site, here, and Canada’s site, here.
Organizations will work together to emphasize career opportunities in the trades Reliance Worldwide Corporation (RWC), a leading manufacturer of premium branded push-to-connect plumbing products, valves, secondary pipe supports, firestopping solutions and fluid control technologies, is partnering with Home Builders Institute (HBI), a national leader in career training for the building and construction industry, as the exclusive Trade Read more
Organizations will work together to emphasize career opportunities in the trades
Reliance Worldwide Corporation (RWC), a leading manufacturer of premium branded push-to-connect plumbing products, valves, secondary pipe supports, firestopping solutions and fluid control technologies, is partnering with Home Builders Institute (HBI), a national leader in career training for the building and construction industry, as the exclusive Trade Sponsor for its 22 plumbing programs across the U.S., primarily serving Job Corps students and justice-involved individuals.
These HBI programs provide students with the skills, experience and placement services they need to have a successful career while helping the trade address labor shortages.
“We are thrilled to engage with HBI and believe this is the beginning of an important, long-lasting partnership,” said Chris Carrier, Marketing Director, Americas at RWC. “HBI’s ability to connect, train and place potential new talent into the trade makes them an ideal partner. Not only do we see this as an opportunity to help our trade, but also an opportunity to help the local communities that these programs are in.”
This partnership was a natural opportunity for RWC to double down on its commitment to promote and further the plumbing trade after its Careers in Construction Month efforts, through its SharkBite® and HoldRite® brands, in October.
“Our diverse product portfolio enables us to produce solutions that are designed to help plumbing contractors work more efficiently in the field,” Carrier continued. “In our conversations with them, we’ve recognized the need to help the trade address its labor challenge.”
HBI’s programs help approximately 10,000 students each year receive real life, hands-on training and find meaningful careers in the trades. HBI also provides them with job placement and transition assistance, and qualified graduates are able to enter advanced training programs to expand their education and experience.
“Home Builders Institute is proud to welcome our new partner, Reliance Worldwide Corporation,” said HBI President and CEO Ed Brady. “Together, we are training the next generation of skilled labor for the building industry. As HBI’s exclusive Trade Sponsor of our plumbing programs, RWC will provide its excellent products to help train our students in 22 locations nationwide. In the process, they will develop customers for life as our graduates enter the industry. I look forward to working with RWC and to seeing how the many resources they bring to the table will help enhance our training programs and ensure the future success of our students.”
To further discuss this partnership during IBSx – the 2021 International Builders Show – please visit RWC or HBI’s exhibits. Learn more about RWC and its family of brands.
With the acquisition of HoldRite in 2017, RWC knew it had gained something special. Well-known and respected for its firestopping solutions, HoldRite continued to lead brand and category growth through product innovation well after the acquisition. And after the successful introduction of the first iteration of HoldRite firestop sealants in 2019, RWC is now offering Read more
With the acquisition of HoldRite in 2017, RWC knew it had gained something special. Well-known and respected for its firestopping solutions, HoldRite continued to lead brand and category growth through product innovation well after the acquisition.
And after the successful introduction of the first iteration of HoldRite firestop sealants in 2019, RWC is now offering an even more robust solution with the launch of the HydroFlame 300 self-leveling (HF300SL) and HydroFlame 300 caulk-grade (HF300CG) silicone firestop sealants.
First launched in June 2020, the HF300SL and HF300CG are moisture-resistant silicone fire sealants designed for areas subjected to high levels of moisture or when UL listed W ratings are required. As quick curing silicone sealants, they can also be used across a variety of pipe types. The self-leveling HF300SL is designed for floor applications, while the HF300CG is a caulk-grade sealant designed for use on both floor and wall penetrations.
“The new iterations of our firestop sealants will provide contractors a solution that is both excellent for W ratings and washout conditions while also developing new efficiencies,” said Jeff Hamilton, firestop product manager at RWC. “HF300SL and HF300CG will simplify installation and create new standards to elevate contractors’ businesses, especially where W-rated sealants are needed.”
RWC pursues supreme quality through each product design. With continued investment in firestopping solutions, the manufacturer is continuing to lead one of the most innovative and transformative segments in the market.
The new silicone sealants are just one part of HoldRite’s proven system of firestopping solutions. Customers have come to understand the value and advantages of using HoldRite’s HydroFlame products for firestopping needs, and when they express the need for additional solutions, RWC listens.
“We are in the field and partner with customers to ensure we hear feedback first-hand. We take those inputs to our team to help inform product improvements and innovation,” Hamilton continued. “By listening to feedback, we are evolving how and what we create to make efforts more efficient and cost effective.”
Complete Suite Includes SharkBite and HoldRite Products Designed for Efficiency Reliance Worldwide Corporation (RWC) is a market leader and manufacturer of water control systems and plumbing solutions for residential and commercial applications. For plumbing business owners, the importance of building a strong team that works together seamlessly and efficiently is paramount. The same holds true Read more
Complete Suite Includes SharkBite and HoldRite Products Designed for Efficiency
Reliance Worldwide Corporation (RWC) is a market leader and manufacturer of water control systems and plumbing solutions for residential and commercial applications.
For plumbing business owners, the importance of building a strong team that works together seamlessly and efficiently is paramount. The same holds true for RWC’s engineers when developing water heater solutions. All products must work in concert to perform and last.
That’s why RWC offers a complete water heater installation system designed to increase productivity and durability on the job. The products, ranging from fittings and valves to tank supports, work together so users can purchase the bulk of water heater installation materials from a single source. This ensures compatibility, efficiency and quality assurance.
RWC’s water heater products, which work together as a complete solution, include:
- SharkBite Flexible Water Heater Connectors – Created with SharkBite push-to-connect ends, the water heater connectors enable quick installation. Perfect for pipes in tight spaces that don’t line up when replacing a water heater, the connectors are available in corrugated and braided hoses.
- SharkBite Thermal Expansion Relief Valve – SharkBite Thermal Expansion Relief Valve eliminate the need for an expansion tank, shut-off valve and fitting. Compatible with PEX, copper, CPVC, PE-RT, and HDPE pipe, the valve protects hot water supply systems where high-pressure conditions are likely to occur as a result of thermal expansion.
- HoldRite Water Heater Quick Stand and Platform Accessories – HoldRite water heater accessories and equipment platforms are lab-tested and some of most recognized water heater bracing and support systems in the market. The platforms safely elevate water heaters above the floor, supporting up to 100 gallons while still meeting code requirements.
Want to see these water heater products and accessories in action? Check out this interactive video.
RWC intentionally creates solutions that integrate seamlessly while also meeting the needs and regulations of modern residential and commercial applications. Developed, assembled and tested by RWC’s team of engineers, users can be assured each water heater product and accessory is built with superior design and functionality. RWC uses strict quality control processes and sophisticated technology in each assembly unit, so by the time products hit shelves, they’re exceeding industry standards.
Water heaters are often installed in tight, confined spaces that can be difficult to access, including closets and basements. It’s important to have a complete range of solutions from one family of brands that provides the flexibility and continuity to complete almost any type of job, regardless of space.
Products can be found at plumbing wholesalers across the U.S. and Canada. For up-to-date product availability, users are encouraged to contact their local supplier.
Learn more about RWC and its family of brands.