WMACSA

our history

The subway construction project in Washington, DC broke ground in 1969. Safety on this project had to meet the standards that were in effect in the District of Columbia. The DC Construction Standards had been amended in 1967 with the coming of the subway in mind. The Washington Metro Transit Authority (WMATA) reviewed the amended code and took due notice that each general contractor was required to assign a person to make at least one daily inspection of the work site. Such inspections had to be recorded, dated and signed on a form issued by the DC Industrial Safety Division. The inspection forms had to be available for review by the Industrial Safety Division.

WMATA designed a safety program that qualified the safety professional hired by contractors. As the contracts were let, safety persons were hired and came from all parts of the country. These construction experienced workers had only the local chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) as means of communicating with the other professionals in the field. The ASSE membership was not construction oriented. These new safety persons had no other organization to meet their needs.

Fred Foote, newly hired, started the process of creating a safety organization where persons with the responsibility for preventing injuries and accidents on construction projects could meet and discuss mutual problems. Mr. Foote invited seven persons to a meeting at a small bar on the 2400 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. That night the Washington Metropolitan Construction Safety Association (WMACSA) was founded. Fred Foote was its first president. The year was 1972. WMACSA was registered as a non-profit corporation in the District of Columbia in 1975.

From 1972 to date, WMACSA has held their monthly meetings in several different locations:

1. Cannon's Steakhouse in Northeast, DC

2. Twin Bridges Hotel in Arlington, VA

3. VFW Post 9850 in Lanham, MD

4. Days Inn in New Carrollton, MD

5. Fireside Lounge in College Park, MD

6. Best Western in College Park, MD

7. House Barge in Tantallon, MD

Our meetings today are held in different locations throughout the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region.