Roofing contractor goes to trial
On Aug. 31, Jacob Kaestner, owner of JK Exteriors, High Ridge, Mo., who is accused of defrauding customers, waived his right to a probable cause hearing; his case will now move to trial, according to First Alert 4, a local Missouri news station. The company is not an NRCA member.
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway accused Kaestner of defrauding 16 customers—mostly tornado victims—out of $130,000. She said Kaestner took large downpayments from customers and provided little to no work for roofing, siding and window projects.
Steven and Diana Louer are homeowners whose house was damaged by a tornado. JK Exteriors completed work on their roof, but after paying nearly an additional $20,000 to replace siding, gutters and windows, the Louers say work never began and they spent a year trying to get answers.
Kaestner turned himself in May 27 and has been out on a $50,000 bond. As of September, there has not been a trial date set.
NRCA’s digital roofing manual now available
NRCA members now have access to a free subscription that gives them access to a new digital version of The NRCA Roofing Manual.
The digital version features a search tool and an interactive table of contents, allowing users to navigate between volumes, chapters and appendices with a single click.
The NRCA Roofing Manual presents time-tested, best-practice guidelines for installing roof systems on buildings and other enclosed structures. It contains the following four volumes: The NRCA Roofing Manual: Architectural Metal Flashing and Condensation and Air Leakage Control—2026; The NRCA Roofing Manual: Steep-slope Roof Systems—2025; The NRCA Roofing Manual: Metal Panel and SPF Roof Systems—2024; and The NRCA Roofing Manual: Membrane Roof Systems—2023.
To access the digital version of The NRCA Roofing Manual, log into your NRCA account and click “My Content” under the “My Account” drop-down in the main menu of NRCA’s website. On the “My Content” page, under the “Roofing Manual Subscription” header, click on “Click here to access the digital manual” and then click on the “View NRCA Roofing Manual” button.
NRCA attends housing summit sponsored by Chamber of Commerce
On Sept. 14, NRCA participated in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Building for Growth Housing Summit that examined the current state of housing in the U.S., which has emerged as a top economic challenge facing the nation. Given the importance of housing policy to the roofing industry, NRCA has made addressing the need for affordable housing an advocacy priority. The event explored why the supply of housing matters for affordable homeownership, workforce growth, business investment and the U.S.’ long-term economic competitiveness.
The summit featured dozens of policy experts, business leaders and elected officials addressing everything from the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act to resilient building practices, innovative financing and workforce pipelines—where it was revealed the construction industry is currently facing an estimated 250,000 to 450,000 worker shortage. Discussions involving solutions to the shortage included passing immigration reform that addresses workforce needs and greater investments in career and technical education; both issues remain top priorities for NRCA.
A major theme of the event was implementation of the ROAD legislation, which was enacted by Congress and became public law during the summer. It serves as the most significant bipartisan housing policy bill in decades. The 381-page bill contained nearly 60 individual provisions designed to increase the housing supply. This includes requiring the Department of Housing and Urban Development to issue best practices regarding zoning and design for cities and states; expansion of affordable housing programs currently available; easing of regulations for development and construction; language to ban large institutional investors from buying single-family homes; and provisions to relax regulations on community banks to free up more capital to increase mortgage lending. NRCA looks forward to engaging with the administration regarding implementation of the new law and analyzing how it will affect members in the future.
NRCA will continue collaborating with the chamber and other stakeholders as Congress continues to consider policy options to address the affordable housing crisis. Given the vital role the roofing industry plays in ensuring an abundance of safe, accessible housing for all Americans, NRCA is in an excellent position to help shape efforts to improve housing supply throughout the U.S.
OSHA releases opioid overdose response guidance
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration released a fact sheet to help employers and workers quickly respond to opioid-related overdose emergencies in the workplace.
The new guidance, “Opioid Overdose Rescue with Reversal Medications,” provides practical information to help workplaces recognize the signs of an overdose and act immediately.
The fact sheet highlights the following opioid overdose preparedness strategies:
- Keep lifesaving FDA-approved reversal medications on hand, such as naloxone or nalmefene, which can quickly restore normal breathing and typically have no effect if opioids are not present.
- Store overdose kits in highly visible, easily accessible locations.
- Train workers regarding how to identify critical symptoms of an overdose, such as slow or stopped breathing, blue lips or skin, pinpoint pupils or unresponsiveness.
- Train workers how to administer the medications, safely position the individual and provide supportive care while waiting for first responders.
OSHA’s guidance reinforces these crucial medications do not replace emergency services. Workplace responders should always call 911 immediately because the medications effects are temporary and professional medical care is still required.
