Flashings

Florida order allows more contractors

According to the State of Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), Gov. Jeb Bush has signed Executive Order No. 05-234 for all jurisdictions, allowing continued statewide roofing work performed by Florida certified and registered residential, general and building contractors. In addition, city and county governments have been authorized to issue specialty roofing licenses without requiring additional local ordinances.

"The need for qualified individuals to make roofing repairs has been intensified greatly by the widespread damage Hurricane Wilma left in her wake," says DBPR Secretary Simone Marstiller. "By expanding the pool of available contractors, the order quickly addresses an urgent need while ensuring consumers still are protected."

Specialty licenses are valid for 60 days from the issue date and allow for repair and installation of roof systems such as "fiberglass shingles, metal, asphalt and wood shakes." Any jobs permitted before the end of the 60-day time period still can be completed after the period has ended.

Specialty licenses can be issued to eligible in-state and out-of-state roofing contractors, and it will be considered a felony if applicants perform contracting work before receiving a license. Florida contractors still are limited to asphalt, fiberglass shingles and wood shakes.

Applicants for specialty licenses must present an affidavit of competency—signed by their local building official or designee—from their original jurisdiction; proof of compliance with applicable workers' compensation required by Chapter 440, Florida Statutes; and proof of public liability and property damage insurance as required by Section 489.115 (5) (a) of Florida Statutes. The affidavit form can be found at www.MyFlorida.com/dbpr or by calling the Customer Contact Center at (850) 487-1395.

DBPR encourages consumers to request a copy of a contractor's license issued by the local jurisdiction to verify the license is valid.

BASF increases prices

On Jan.1, BASF Corp., Hudson Falls, N.J., increased its prices for all Butonal® high solids styrene butadiene polymer emulsion products used for asphalt modification by 8 cents per dry pound in the U.S. and Canada.

The price increases are a result of high transportation, raw-material and energy costs.

ASSE offers safety tips for women

Although men and women who work in the construction industry often face the same safety hazards, how to handle these problems may depend on gender. The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) provides safety information for women in the construction industry in its book, Construction Safety Management and Engineering. Following are some tips for women:

• Be sure your personal protective equipment (PPE) fits. Because PPE often is designed to fit the average man, it may not fit a woman properly and, as a result, would not provide sufficient protection.
• Tools should fit, as well. There are different-sized construction tools for people of various sizes, so be sure to find equipment that fits your size.
• When handling heavy loads, check whether you can drag, use leverage or make the load smaller.
• Wear a bright or reflective vest for visibility on a job site. If you are smaller, you need to ensure you can be seen by workers operating heavy machinery.
• Proper bathroom facilities are necessary, but if conditions are unsanitary, consider carrying hand soap, sanitizing wipes or even a small portable toilet. This is especially important for pregnant workers, who have a threat of infection and increased use of bathroom facilities. If you are pregnant, be sure also to take breaks and stay hydrated.

The usual safety precautions apply, as well—get enough sleep, participate in any training that is offered and dress properly for the weather, among other things. Following ASSE's advice will help you stay safe on a job site.

Rebuilding Together responds to hurricanes

Rebuilding Together,™ the largest volunteer home rehabilitation organization in the U.S., has announced plans to rebuild 1,000 houses affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

"Rehabilitation is our core business, and we are mobilizing to make a strategic response," says Patty Johnson, president and chief executive officer of Rebuilding Together. "By engaging 25,000 volunteers, we will work to rebuild 1,000 houses on the Gulf Coast, delivering more than $10 million in market value work. We call on every corporation, association, church, synagogue and mosque to join in this mobilization to deliver safe, warm and dry conditions to hurricane-affected houses."

The organization is looking for volunteers, including roofing contractors. Most of Rebuilding Together's work will be in the New Orleans metropolitan area and Gulfport, Miss. Monetary support, as well as labor, is needed.

"Financial support is badly needed," Johnson says, "and we are proud that we typically can quadruple every dollar given to Rebuilding Together by using donated materials, supplies and labor. To accomplish our goals, we need to raise $4 million, but we will stretch every dollar into many and preserve our existing housing stock. We are committed for the long haul."

Rebuilding Together is NRCA's official charitable organization and part of the National Roofing Foundation's (NRF's) Disaster Relief Fund, which provides new roofs to regions affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Rebuilding Together volunteers already have begun working in various communities. For more information, contact Rebuilding Together, 1536 16th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 or visit www.rebuildingtogether.org.

For more information about NRF's Disaster Relief Fund, visit www.nrca.net.

Details

Gary Allen

Vice president of Allen Brothers Inc., Rochester Hills, Mich.

What is the most unusual roofing project you've performed?
The Onyx Ice Arena in Rochester, Mich. It was a .040-gauge aluminum standing-seam metal roof system with a 2-inch (51-mm) mechanically seamed rib. It was my company's first $1 million project.

Why did you become a roofing contractor?
It is a family business. My father had a residential building company, and I started my own company and expanded it by adding commercial roofing.

What was your first roofing experience?
It was at a young age—about 14 years old. I began installing shingles with my father.

What are your favorite items on your desk?
Pictures of my family.

What do you consider your most rewarding experiences?
Being with my family. This can be difficult because of my children's hectic college lives and my demanding work schedule.

What was your first job?
Working for my dad installing shingles.

What is your favorite vacation?
When I took my family to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

What do you consider a waste of time?
Small talk on the telephone.

What are your best and worst habits?
My best habit is I pick up after myself (this makes my wife happy because our five kids do their fair share of being slobs). My worst habit is procrastination.

What is your biggest pet peeve?
Employees standing around waiting to be told what to do!

If you could invite any three people to dinner (dead or alive), whom would you invite and why?
Former Detroit Pistons player Isiah Thomas; NCAA wrestler Cal Sanderson; and Women's Professional Golf Association's Natalie Gulbis. They are my favorite athletes.

What is your favorite stress reliever?
Golf.

What are the most challenging aspects of your job?
Keeping my employees productive and fired up.

What is your roofing industry involvement?
We heavily are involved locally and nationally with several groups, including the Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau. And, of course, we are long-time members of NRCA!

People would be surprised to know...
I was a state champion wrestler.

Fighting with the office equipment

Many employers and employees dream about being able to take part in an event akin to the ceremonial smashing of the office equipment in the movie "Office Space." Seeing the words, "Tray 2 empty" when a printer is stuffed with paper or having to solve a paper jam can make people see red.

However, there are ways to rein in your anger and face the annoying glitches before things get out of hand. Following are some tips:

• Calm down—Back away from the offending machine, and take a deep breath. Continuing to fight it by repeating a tactic you already have tried 20 times only will make you angrier.
• Accept it—Admit the machine has defeated you and you don't know what it needs to make it work.
• Find a guru—Seek out a person who knows the inner workings of office equipment, and respectfully ask for help.
• Take notes—When a person is helping you with the equipment, write down the step-by-step procedures he explains. This way, you don't forget what he has told you in a couple of months when you will face the same equipment problem.

Source: Adapted from The Zen of operating office equipment as cited by First Draft, November 2005 issue.

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"Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing. "
                                                                  — Theodore Roosevelt

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Fearless public speaking

Imagine standing alone before a crowd, perspiration sliding down your face as 100 pairs of critical eyes stare at you. As you open your mouth, you realize you forgot your speech!

Many people fear public speaking, but careers often require that skill. Following are guidelines for preparing and delivering your next speech:

• Practice—Rehearsing your speech in front of a trusted colleague or mirror can ease anxiety and ensure a creative and well-constructed presentation.
• Get feedback—After the rehearsal, ask the mock audience member to coach you. Will you hold the audience's attention with your voice? Are you speaking at a pace that ensures audience comprehension and interest? Are your points clear and relevant to your purpose? If you are rehearsing alone, videotape yourself and critique your performance.
• Create your own stage cues—Even if your speech is well-rehearsed, you still may get nervous when the actual moment arrives. Don't make the mistake of rushing through your speech or losing your place. Help yourself by writing notes in a large and clear font or writing the word "PAUSE" between points.
• Stay focused—Although you may want to assure your audience you are an expert on the topic, don't overload them with irrelevant information. Limit your speech to key points, and the audience ideally will want to know more about your topic.
• Don't worry about stage fright—A certain degree of nerves before speaking in public is adrenaline. This driven excitement can fuel your speech with energy and enthusiasm. Use it to your advantage.
• Check your ego—The audience really does not want to hear about your intelligence or endure a long list of your personal achievements. Remember, you are speaking to pass along your knowledge and motivate others.

Source: Adapted from Smart Moves as cited by Communication Briefings, September 2003 issue.