Flashings

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House approves legislation to block EPA regulations

The House Energy and Commerce Committee's Energy and Power Subcommittee approved legislation to block the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Fred Upton (R-Mich.) introduced H.R. 910, the Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011. The bill has nine co-sponsors, including House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-Minn.).

H.R. 910 passed March 10 on a straight party-line vote. Republicans argued for the bill, saying it is needed because EPA regulations will increase energy costs while doing little to cut global emissions. Democrats voted against the bill, arguing action is required to reduce emissions and provide incentives to develop renewable-energy sources.

The bill proposes "to amend the Clean Air Act to prohibit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from promulgating any regulation concerning, taking action relating to, or taking into consideration the emission of a greenhouse gas to address climate change."

SBA's revised regulations take effect

The Small Business Administration's (SBA's) revised regulations that strengthen its 8(a) Business Development Program became effective March 14. The regulations affect small, disadvantaged businesses to better ensure benefits flow to the intended recipients and help prevent waste, fraud and abuse.

The new regulations allow owners of 8(a) firms called to active military status to elect to be suspended to avoid losing any of their nine-year term in the program.

The new rules also allow an immediate family member of a current or former owner of an 8(a) firm to own an 8(a) firm where there are negligible or no connections between the two firms and the family member can demonstrate sufficient management and technical experience to independently operate the firm.

Additionally, the requirements for joint ventures now include:

• The 8(a) participant in a mentor-protégé agreement must perform 40 percent of the work of each 8(a) joint venture contract awarded.
• A joint venture awarded an 8(a) contract cannot subcontract work to any non-8(a) joint venture partner, including a large business mentor.
• Each 8(a) firm that performs an 8(a) contract through a joint venture must report to SBA how the performance-of-work requirements were met in the contract.

The revisions are the first comprehensive overhaul of the 8(a) program in more than 10 years. The regulations incorporate technical and substantive changes that mirror existing or new legislation enacted since the last revision in June 1998.

More information about the revised 8(a) regulations and 8(a) program, as well as a compliance guide, is available at www.sba.gov/content/revised-8a-regulations.

OSHA issues fall-protection guidance

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued Fall Protection in Residential Construction, a guidance document to help employers prevent fall-related injuries and deaths among residential construction workers. The document describes safety methods employers can implement during construction.

Methods for preventing fall-related injuries and deaths include using anchors for personal fall-arrest systems and fall restraints, as well as safety net systems, guardrails, ladders and scaffolds for activities such as installing roof sheathing, weatherproofing a roof and installing walls and subfloors.

Additionally, OSHA's Residential Fall Protection Web page, www.osha.gov/doc/residential_fall_protection.html, includes a fact sheet and information about requirements for protecting workers from fall hazards. The agency's Safety and Health Topics Web page on Fall Protection—Construction, www.osha.gov/SLTC/fallprotection/construction.html, provides a list of references to help employers identify fall hazards and possible solutions for eliminating such hazards.

Insulfoam® opens East Coast insulation plant

Insulfoam, Tacoma, Wash., a Carlisle Construction Materials company and North America's largest producer of engineered expanded polystyrene (EPS) block-molded insulation products, has opened its new EPS insulation plant in Smithfield, Pa. Manufacturing at the 200,000-square-foot facility is scheduled to begin this summer. Insulfoam will share the Smithfield plant with its sister company, Portland, Maine-based Hunter Panels.

"This joint effort with Hunter Panels enables us to cooperatively serve the insulation product needs of our customers with both EPS and polyiso insulation products on the eastern seaboard," says John Cambruzzi, Insulfoam's director of marketing and national accounts. "That is something no other insulation manufacturer has been able to do successfully."

The new Insulfoam facility strategically is located to ship products to all New England and mid-Atlantic states, as well as certain Midwest states. The Smithfield plant joins existing Insulfoam manufacturing plants in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Nebraska, Utah and Washington to produce energy-efficient EPS construction and specialty products for contractors, architects, engineers and product manufacturers throughout North America.

Details

Phil Diederich

What is your position within your company?
I am steep slope operations manager for Waukegan Roofing Co. Inc., Waukegan, Ill.

What is the most unusual roofing project you've performed?
Tearing off an existing 75-year-old slate roof more than five stories up on a 15:12 (51-degree) structurally sloped concrete deck and constructing and installing a new vented roof deck assembly with GAF Slateline® Shingles. It was an amazing project that took a lot of coordinated effort to complete in a short window of time.

Why did you become a part of the roofing industry?
It's a family curse. Roofing has been in my family since my grandfather started his own roofing business many moons ago; that continues with me in the business.

What was your first roofing experience?
Working on a coal tar pitch roof in mid-summer in Chicago with no face protection. I was the boss' kid so I got all the "fun" jobs.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Like almost every other kid, I wanted to be like my dad—I still do. I have a lot of growing up to do.

What is the most high-tech thing in your house?
My HTC EVO™ 4G

List three words that best describe you.
Logical, driven and stubborn

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Sicily, Italy

What three condiments always are in your fridge?
Hmm … is beer considered a condiment? Mustard, Louisiana Hot Sauce and soy sauce.

What is your biggest pet peeve?
Mistrust

What quality do you most like in a person?
Integrity

If you could invite any three people (dead or alive) to dinner, whom would you invite and why?
My nonno (grandfather)—he passed away when I was about 12 years old. For the short time I knew him, he was an amazing person. I would love an opportunity to spend more time learning from and cooking with him. Frank Sinatra—the stories he must have had and the songs he never sang. Keith Murnighan—of all the Future Executives Institute (FEI) class instructors, he was one who always captured my interest and had fresh insight about leadership, management and business.

What are the most challenging aspects of your job?
Making sure our customers are completely satisfied with their experiences with us and managing all the processes involved, including the personalities that go with it. But it's an exciting challenge; no two days are alike.

What is your roofing industry involvement?
I'm a recent graduate of NRCA's FEI program; member of the Midwest Roofing Contractors Association's Young Contractors Council; and member of the Chicagoland Roofing Contractors Association.

People would be surprised to know …
I have an intense fear and hatred of ghosts.

Avoid common errors when giving employees feedback

Providing feedback to employees regarding their work performances is essential. Some feedback, however, can cause employees to feel resentful, defensive and unmotivated. Following are some common errors to avoid when correcting employees' mistakes or performance problems:

• Sugarcoating your feedback. It is important to respect your employees' feelings, but don't hide your real concerns by using vague language that doesn't tell employees what they must do to improve. For example, "You do great work when you're here" doesn't communicate the same message as "Your absenteeism is becoming a problem."
• Starting out too strong. Make sure you don't start conversations using an angry or confrontational tone. Talk to employees in a firm, businesslike manner so you don't alienate them.
• Focusing on problems instead of solutions. Discuss problems with employees so they can understand what you're talking about and why it's important, but move on quickly and emphasize your goal: to find a solution, not a scapegoat.
• Forcing an action plan. For an employee to commit to a solution, he or she needs to understand the nature of the problem and agree to change. You must work with employees to develop plans you agree on.
• Mistaking explanations for excuses. Some employees have valid reasons for missed deadlines or other mistakes. Don't jump to conclusions when an employee tries to explain a situation. Although employees should be responsible and able to handle problems, you may be unaware of other reasons for mistakes that may point to structural problems only a manager can solve.

Source: Adapted from The Manager's Intelligence Report, March 2011 issue.