Flashings

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Former NRCA president wins primary election

Former NRCA President Reid Ribble, former president of The Ribble Group, Kaukauna, Wis., won Sept. 14's Republican primary race for Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District. Ribble had two other primary opponents and won with 48 percent of the vote. He faced Democrat Steve Kagen in the general election at the beginning of this month; election results were not available at press time.

More information about Ribble and his race is available at www.ribbleforcongress.com.

Drafting, building software released for Mac®

Autodesk Inc. is offering a version of its AutoCAD® software for Apple Inc.'s Macintosh computers for the first time since 1994 when Autodesk began focusing strictly on PCs running Microsoft Corp.'s Windows.® The company began focusing on PCs because the Macintosh system seemed to be losing prominence among business users at the time.

However, the Macintosh system started picking up new momentum several years ago when it shifted to Intel Corp. microprocessor technology, the foundation of Windows-based PCs.

ARMA extends deadline for case study program

The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) has extended the submission deadline for its Quality Asphalt Roofing Case Study Program (QARC) to Dec. 15.

QARC gives roofing contractors, consultants and architects the ability to gain industry prominence for their work with asphalt roofing. The program allows industry professionals to share success stories and best practices as well as network.

ARMA will select three finalists. The first-place winner will receive $2,000; the second-place winner will receive $1,000; and the third-place winner will receive $500.

Applications for the program are available at www.qualityasphaltroofingcasestudy.com.

Maintain employee drive and dedication

Long-term employees may begin to lose their motivation if not properly encouraged. Following are tips to help rejuvenate and inspire your veteran employees.

• Recruit them as mentors. Workers with experience and insight can guide new employees to learn about your organization and industry.
• Keep coaching them. Even long-term employees need more training or coaching. Send them to workshops or refresher courses to stimulate their minds and introduce them to new ideas.
• Expand their jobs or transfer them. Increasing long-term employees' responsibilities and challenges or helping them make a lateral move can remove the boredom that often comes with an established routine.
• Reinforce their work's value. Long-time employees sometimes forget how essential their duties are to the organization's success; remind them of the importance of their efforts, and let them know you value their contributions.
• Give them as much control as possible. Show employees you trust their experience and judgment by letting them decide how to perform their jobs.

Source: Adapted from The Motivational Manager, September issue.

ASTM releases new standard

ASTM International Committee D08 on Roofing and

Waterproofing has developed a new standard for self-adhering roof membranes to ensure product quality and performance.

ASTM D7530/D7530M-10, "Standard Specification for Self-Adhesive Glass Fiber Fabric Reinforced Polymer Modified Asphalt Steep Slope Roll Roofing Surfaced with Mineral Granules," is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee D08.02 on

Steep Roofing Products and Assemblies. The standard provides minimum requirements to help define short- and long-term product performance for fiberglass mat-reinforced self-adhering membranes.

Details

J. Reed Gooding

What is your position within your company?
I am president of GSM Roofing, Ephrata, Pa.

What is the most unusual roofing project you've performed?
Restoring a train roof for the Strasburg Railroad Museum—I think it was the only time we've worked on a train during my tenure.

Why did you become a roofing contractor?
There's no doubt it was in my genes. J. Fred Gooding founded our company in 1946. John Gooding, my father, took over the reins and grew the company into a well-respected industry leader, and now my brother Will and I have taken leadership positions in the family business.

What was your first roofing experience?
On my first day after graduating high school, we arrived at a job site and I watched one of my fellow crew members lock another one of the crew members in the portable toilet. On the same job, the foreman sent me into the lift to get some tools that were left on the roof. He then took over the controls from the ground, sent me straight up and turned off the unit while the rest of the crew members enjoyed their lunches. Both of these experiences helped me realize that though the job is tough, everything is a little easier when you have fun doing it.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I had the dream of playing professional baseball—but when the fun left, so did the dream.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
When we are able to go away for a month, my wife and I would like to travel to Australia.

What three condiments are always in your fridge?
Salsa, hot sauce and leftover packets of duck sauce

What are your biggest pet peeves?
Parents who expose their children to cigarette smoke and people who drive below the speed limit.

What quality do you most like in a person?
Dependability—people who get things done without questions, objections or excuses. They know the desired outcome and report back when the mission is accomplished.

If you could invite any three people (dead or alive) to dinner, whom would you invite and why?
J. Fred Gooding, my grandfather. Although I knew him as a child, he passed away before I was able to work with him. It would be great to see whether we are reaching his vision for the company. I deliberated on which Dallas Cowboy to invite and decided on Jerry Jones. I imagine he would have the best stories about the players and teams I have enjoyed watching, but I'd also pick his brain for business and marketing advice. And Dave Matthews—I think it would be cool to have a small dinner party with him as my entertainment.

What are the most challenging aspects of your job?
Staying focused on the right thing at the right time and finding time to work on the business rather than in it.

What is your roofing industry involvement?
I'm on the board of trustees and involved in committees with The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress. I'm also a founding member of and serve on the board of directors for the Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing.

People would be surprised to know …
I hit a golf ball farther than most professionals, but I'm still an 18 handicap!

OSHA publishes rules

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published interim final rules in the Aug. 31 Federal Register regarding workers who voice safety, health and security concerns; the rules establish procedures for handling worker retaliation complaints, allowing filing by telephone and in writing in languages other than English.

The regulations apply to workers filing complaints in the railroad, public transit, commercial motor carrier and consumer product industries and create greater consistency among various OSHA complaint procedures.

The rules establish procedures and time frames for handling complaints under the whistleblower sections of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 and the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008.

OSHA also published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to revise regulations covering the agency's On-site Consultation Program. The changes will give the agency more flexibility for inspecting work sites undergoing on-site consultation visits and those granted Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) status.

In addition, OSHA has issued a proposal to add referrals as a basis to terminate an employer's on-site consultation visit and conduct an enforcement visit. The proposal maintains current procedures that allow enforcement visits to terminate on-site consultation visits or SHARP status based on an imminent danger, fatalities or catastrophes, and complaints from workers.

Additionally, OSHA has announced openings of area offices in Las Vegas; Oakland, Calif.; Phoenix; and San Diego.

OSHA issues fines for hazardous dust

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited U.S. Minerals LLC, Dyer, Ind., for willfully exposing workers at its Baldwin, Ill., facility to high levels of hazardous dust and not providing adequate breathing protection. The company, which manufactures abrasive blasting and roofing materials from slag produced at coal-fired power plants, has been issued 35 health and safety citations by the agency with proposed penalties of $466,400.

OSHA issued 10 willful citations to U.S. Minerals with proposed fines of $392,000 for exposing workers to levels of hazardous dust at concentrations higher than the permissible exposure limit; failure to implement a written respiratory protection program or provide respirators to employees; and failure to implement engineering controls to reduce harmful dust exposures.

U.S. Minerals also was issued 15 serious citations with proposed penalties of $37,600. Violations include failure to assess the need for adequate personal protective equipment; inadequate eye protection; unsanitary washing facilities; failure to develop procedures and practices for permit-required confined space entry; lack of a written hazard communication program; and inadequate information and training regarding dust-containing silica.

U.S. Minerals received six repeat citations with fines of $34,400 for violating permit-required confined space entry rules and failure to maintain a clean and orderly workplace. The company also received four other-than-serious citations with $2,400 in penalties for lack of proper injury and illness record-keeping.

OSHA has started inspecting additional U.S. Minerals facilities in Coffeen, Ill.; Galveston, Texas; and Harvey, La.