Local 3 NY Member’s Innovation Takes CMU Installation to a New Level

The Telescoping Rebar Positioner™ holds precisely and centers rebar in hollow concrete block.

Have you ever been on the jobsite and thought, “There must be a better way of doing this?” That’s exactly what Brad Dressler, 14-year member of Local 3 New York thought while installing concrete masonry units (CMU) with rebar, and what prompted him to come up with a better way. Dressler noticed that when using the traditional method in which the rebar position is raised, stationary and exposed, the mason’s field of view was limited and, as a result, at risk for jobsite accidents such as impalement. In addition, he recognized that lifting heavy blocks up and over raised rebar caused extreme back and shoulder stress, that could lead to decreased productivity and increased injuries.

In 1998, Dressler introduced his solution – the Telescoping Rebar Positioner™ (TRP) and the STEEL-WICH Method. The new device secures rebar in place, allowing it to be installed through an adjustable, rather than stationary process starting at six feet, and at each level or course of CMU installation thereafter.

Dressler maintains that this new system provides a superior level of wall integrity, with increased productivity and lower material and labor costs. But what’s best for BAC members, according to Dressler, is the decrease in lost time injuries. “I’m pleased with how the product turned out,” says Dressler. “I really believe that it can significantly reduce the types of injuries and aches and pains that I have witnessed and experienced firsthand on the job.”

BAC Local 3 NY President Daniel D. Rose, proud of Brother Dressler’s contribution to BAC and the masonry industry added, “Safety and therefore member longevity in the trade are a top priority for the Local and BAC. Members like Brother Dressler are thinking outside the box, and something like this can help every mason.”

The industry’s response to Dressler’s invention has been positive. First introduced at Masonry Expo, it has since been featured in Aberdeen’s Magazine of Masonry Construction, and issued a patent by the United States Patent Office.

In a letter to Dressler, Dr. A.M. Reinhorn, a Professor and Chairman of the Department of Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering at the State University of New York at Buffalo, noted that the “device is very simple and effective in positioning rebars in hollow masonry structures… In simple words, the device leads to a better quality control of masonry walls and therefore, their safety.”

Dressler hopes his invention helps fellow members, and that as more contractors learn about the system and its benefits, they’ll introduce it to their jobsites.