SAFE ROOFING PRACTICES
Roofing safety blitz may repeat in 2013 RCABC EVP Ivan van Spronsen presents Eldon Donald with the Kenneth J. Grant Award
RCABC AGM report RICHMOND – Bruce Taylor of Alpha-Duron Roofing Ltd. (Burnaby) has been elected President of the Roofing Contractors Association of BC for 2013. Taylor replaces outgoing President Laurence Matzek of Bollman Roofing & Sheet Metal Ltd. (Surrey). Colin Rasmussen of Western Roofing [Master Roofers] Ltd. (Kamloops) was named Vice President; and Alex Goldie of Admiral Roofing Ltd. (Prince George) was elected Secretary-Treasurer. New Directors who were elected at the AGM include Jim Nicholson (Metro Roofing & Sheet Metal Ltd., Langley); Neil Rook (Raven Roofing Bruce Taylor Ltd., Surrey); Tom Greenough (Tomtar Roofing & Sheet Metal Ltd., Kelowna); Enzo Saponaro (Firestone Building Products, Langley); and Michael Stewart (Roofmart Pacific Ltd., Surrey). Retiring Directors include Ray Dennis (Roy Dennis Roofing [2005] Ltd., Richmond); Eldon Donald (Coast Hudson Ltd., Richmond); Ross Laing (Laing Roofing Ltd., Kelowna); Leonard Coughlin (Carlisle SynTech Canada, Surrey) and Ali Nanji, formerly of Convoy Supply, Surrey. The AGM was held at the River Rock Casino Resort on December 8th, where there were also award presentations, including two plaques for Colin Rasmussen 50 years of RCABC membership, going to Western Roofing (Master Roofers) Ltd., Kamloops and Bollman Roofing & Sheet Metal Ltd. of Surrey. Additional awards were presented to Javen Simon of Javen Simon Roofing of Port Alberni who was named the 2012 Top Roofing Apprentice, while Kevin Witschel of Parker Johnston Industries Ltd., Victoria, was named the 2012 Top ASM (Architectural Sheet Metal) Apprentice in BC. RCABC Executive Vice-President Ivan van Spronsen presented Eldon Donald of Coast Hudson Ltd., Richmond, with the Kenneth J. Alex Goldie Grant Award for ‘outstanding contributions by an RCABC member to further roofing professionalism’. Dan Gregorowich (not pictured) of Surrey-based Transwest Roofing Ltd. was also honoured for ‘outstanding support of education and training in the roofing industry’. ■
VICTORIA – WorkSafeBC is considering a repeat of its Stay On Top roofing inspection blitz after inspectors wrote up more than 500 infractions in a five-month campaign that ended November 3. The Stay on Top campaign sent inspectors out to check single-family wood-frame houses under construction. “We leveraged the idea of the police CounterAttack campaigns,” said Gary McComb, WorkSafeBC Photo: WorkSafeBC regional prevention manager for residential construction. “We went to sitting in the truck. By the end of the first week, we’d have roofers where the problem was, warned yelling as we drove by, ‘Look, I’m people we were coming, and gave them the opportunity to do the right tied off.’” There was no shortage of thing.” The Stay On Top campaign began infractions. By September 10, safety officers had written 503 orders, June 25 and was driven by some most for failure to use fall disturbing statistics. Between 2008 protection, and 2010, almost “We don’t mind seeing inadequate 2,000 BC non-compliant supervision and construction companies being made training and workers fell from accountable. It helps improper heights, many level the playing field.” planning. ending with serious Some companies welcomed the injuries. These claims led to an campaign right from the start. average of 166 days of lost work RCABC member Parker Johnston time and cost an average of Industries Ltd. of Victoria is among $44,518 per claim, according to those that have worked hard to WorkSafeBC. meet health and safety regulations. During the blitz, occupational “As far as Parker Johnston is safety officers checked for proper fall prevention measures and secure concerned, we don’t mind seeing non-compliant companies being walkways and ladders, as well as made accountable. It helps level the proper planning and supervision. playing field,” said company When they found infractions they stopped the work, wrote orders and occupational safety manager Jay Beddows. RCABC EVP Ivan van imposed fines. Conceding that inspectors initially Spronsen adds that all RCABC faced hostile or indifferent attitudes, members are required to have COR McComb said he noticed acceptance certification, which indicates a as the blitz rolled on, “When we first concerted and effective OHS program is in place. started we found lots of infractions: Don Schouten, Construction shoddy access to sites, no fall Manager at WorkSafeBC in protection systems in place, or if Richmond, said it was framers who there were, the gear would be
are more often in violation because they haven’t had the education roofers have. He was surprised at the prevalence of nail gun injuries. “This was a real eye opener for me,” Schouten said. “These workers get a nail through the hand and don’t report it. They bandage it up and carry on, even though they need to be reporting it right away.” During the Stay On Top campaign, safety officers did more than write orders when infractions were found. Often, everyone would be pulled down from the roof so gear could be checked and questions asked. “This gets information directly to the workers on the front lines, those most at risk of falling,” explained Victoria-based WorkSafeBC senior regional officer Ron Judd. If a company did not have a safety plan in place, WorkSafeBC would help create one. WorkSafeBC is considering repeating the Stay On Top campaign in 2013. Depending on the findings from the first blitz, the new campaign might be a little different, McComb said. But, he added, the end is the same: to make sure BC construction workers go home safely at the end of the day. ■
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Javen Simon of Javen Simon Roofing receives the award for Top Roofing Apprentice from Shirley Caldwell, Education & Training Manager, RCABC Educational Foundation ROOFING BC
Kevin Witschel of Parker Johnston Industries is presented with the 2012 award for Top Architectural Sheet Metal Apprentice by Shirley Caldwell
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