Flashings

DOE funds research partnership

The Department of Energy (DOE) will fund key lab research as part of a cooperative research and development agreement between The Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Mich., and DOE's

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, Tenn., to increase adoption of cool roof technologies in the U.S. ORNL will partner with DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, Calif., to conduct the research, which will focus on developing new solar reflective technologies that would increase by more than 50 percent the energy savings cool roofs offer for new and existing commercial buildings.

The Dow Chemical Co., ORNL and LBNL will focus on technologies to improve white elastomeric roof coatings' long-term resistance to dirt pickup and microbial growth. DOE estimates replacing or resurfacing conventional roofing materials with such improved reflective elastomeric roof coatings can reduce a commercial building's annual air-conditioning energy use up to 25 percent—an improvement from up to 15 percent reduced energy use provided by existing elastomeric roof coatings—and decrease annual carbon dioxide emissions by 5 metric tons for every 10,000 square feet of commercial roof area.

The Dow Chemical Co., ORNL and LBNL also intend to develop accelerated weatherization testing protocols that speed commercialization, as well as conduct studies to quantify the performance of their new cool roof technologies.

Firestone Building Products names new president

Tim Dunn has been named president of Indianapolis-based Firestone Building Products LLC, a subsidiary of Firestone Diversified Products. He succeeds Ken Weaver, former president of Firestone Building Products and former chairman, chief financial officer and president of Firestone Diversified Products. Weaver has been promoted to chief financial officer of Bridgestone Americas Inc., Nashville, Tenn., Firestone Diversified Products' parent company.

Dunn joined Bridgestone Americas in 1986. He first served as territory manager for the Consumer Replacement Tire group. During his time at Bridgestone Americas, Dunn also served as regional general manager, director of national marketing and supply chain management, and executive director of consumer tire marketing. Dunn gained significant international experience during his time as project manager for new business development—retail with Bridgestone Australia, Eastwood, South Australia. He returned to the U.S. in 2010 when he was named president of Firestone Fibers & Textiles Co., Kings Mountain, N.C.

"This business is in excellent hands under Tim's leadership," Weaver says. "He's a strong leader who brings sales, marketing and operations experience, along with an international background, to the Building Products team."

OSHA's proposed IIPP is less comprehensive

On April 19, David Michaels, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA's) assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health, told the Maritime Advisory Committee for Occupational Safety and Health that OSHA's proposed injury and illness prevention program (IIPP) rule will be less comprehensive than the often-cited American National Standards Institute/American Industrial Hygiene Association Z10 standard, "Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems."

The Z10 standard, which OSHA draws from in the proposed IIPP, includes broad components for management leadership and employee participation, planning, implementation, evaluation and management review. Michaels told the committee the impending IIPP rule's goal will be "to make employers set goals" for workplace safety.

Bill Perry, deputy director of OSHA's Directorate of Standards and Guidance, says OSHA has not made a decision regarding the rule's scope or requirements, but it will contain certain elements similar to those in the Z10 standard, such as employer duties, employee participation, hazard identification and assessment, training and coordination among multi-employer work sites. Perry also says it still is too early to know whether OSHA's standard will require states that already have IIPP rules, such as California and Washington, to amend their regulations.