NRCA Resources

RISE™ certifies solar professionals

Roof Integrated Solar Energy™ (RISE) Inc., which was founded through a partnership between NRCA and the Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing, has announced its newest Certified Solar Roofing Professionals™ (CSRPs™).

The CSRP designation is a voluntary certification for professionals who plan and oversee roof-mounted photovoltaic system installations. The certification applies to individuals only, not companies.

The following CSRPs successfully passed a rigorous exam Feb. 18 to obtain certification:

Leonard Austin, technical services manager for Derbigum Americas, Kansas City, Mo.
Tom Barry, photovoltaic installer for Statewide Roofing Inc., Islip, N.Y.
Greg J. Carlson, president of Carlson Roofing Co. Inc., Hillsboro, Ore.
Michael Godfrey, vice president of Godfrey Roofing Inc., Ottawa, Ontario
Joe Irwin, project manager for J.A. Piper Roofing Co. Inc., Greenville, S.C.
Aaron Martin, president of DRI Commercial Corp., Irvine, Calif.
John E. McReynolds, energy engineer for Derbigum Americas, Kansas City, Mo.
John D. Patterson, manager for DRI Commercial Corp., Irvine, Calif.
Scott Siegal, owner of Jamsco Inc. t/a Maggio Roofing Co., Takoma Park, Md.
Richard Snediker, consultant and project manager for A-1 Roofing, Lakewood, Colo.
Garry L. Todd, president of Commercial Roof Management Services Inc., Bogart, Ga.

The next exam is scheduled for May 13. For more information about RISE and the CSRP designation, visit www.riseprofessional.org or contact Jeanne Schehl, CSRP program director, at (800) 323-9545, ext. 7566 or jeaschehl@nrca.net.

OSHA's fall-protection rules will stand

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, Chicago, has dismissed NRCA's petition for judicial review of new rules issued December 2010 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that no longer allow the use of slide guards as an acceptable means of fall protection except in some narrow circumstances.

NRCA, along with four roofing contractor co-plaintiffs, filed the petition in February. NRCA's position was that slide guards are an effective and reliable method of fall protection; they have been used successfully for 15 years; and OSHA's new rules not only are unnecessarily burdensome but will result in more job-site accidents and injuries.

Additionally, NRCA's petition argued the agency did not follow appropriate rulemaking procedures when it eliminated the fall-protection option; acted without any evidence to suggest slide guards are not an effective fall-protection method; and failed to consider how the new rules would affect small businesses. OSHA argued the rule is not a new standard and is, therefore, beyond the reach of an appeal.

The court agreed with OSHA, concluding the rule's 1999 rewrite and 1995 predecessor amounted to "an exercise of prosecutorial discretion," not a new standard. Based on that conclusion and because a standard was not at issue in NRCA's petition, the court had no proper jurisdiction and NRCA's petition was dismissed. Enforcement of the new rules is scheduled to begin June 16.

For more information about the court's decision, visit www.nrca.net/rp/news/0411_slideguard.pdf.

Spanish safety communication guide is available

2nd Language Success' Spanish in a Pinch, Safety Edition now is available to purchase online through the NRCA Bookstore. The guide is a set of 20 laminated translation cards containing more than 1,800 roofing safety-related words, terms and phrases to help you communicate with Spanish-speaking employees.

The cards come in a three-ring binder and include terms for fall protection, roofing safety, lumberyard safety, scaffolding safety, ladder safety, electrical safety, heat exhaustion prevention, asbestos roofing safety, asphalt fume prevention, personal protective equipment safety, back injury prevention, and fire and con- struction safety. Each card also has a sample sentence to demonstrate proper use.

Additionally, Spanish in a Pinch and Spanish in a Pinch, Safety Edition are available as a package from the NRCA Bookstore. Spanish in a Pinch is a set of 18 laminated translation cards containing more than 1,400 roofing- and business-related words, terms and phrases. The cards include terms for roofing, general labor, construction safety, accident reporting, subcontractor screening, builder relations, I-9 immigration compliance, employment payroll, drug screening, performance reviews, disciplinary actions and medical benefits.

Each guide is $75 for NRCA members and $150 for nonmembers; the package is $130 for members and $260 for nonmembers.

For more information or to purchase the guides, visit shop.nrca.net or contact NRCA's Customer Service Department at (866) ASK-NRCA (275-6722) or info@nrca.net.

Register for NRLRC's annual seminar

Registration for the National Roofing Legal Resource Center's (NRLRC's) annual seminar, which will be held Nov. 3-5 at the Fairmont Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Ariz., is available on NRLRC's website.

The seminar, Roofing Issues: Decks to Dockets, will provide attendees with information about current legal, contractual, technical, and insurance and safety issues.

The cost for NRLRC members who register by Oct. 14 is $795; registration is $895 for nonmembers and $195 for an attendee's spouse or guest.

For more information and to register for the seminar, visit www.nrlrc.net or contact Anne Schroeder, NRLRC's director, at (800) 323-9545, ext. 7547.

NRCA manuals are available as a set

The NRCA Vegetative Roof Systems Manual, Second Edition and The NRCA Waterproofing Manual are available to purchase as a set online in the NRCA Bookstore.

The NRCA Vegetative Roof Systems Manual, Second Edition addresses technologies available for vegetative roof systems, including a waterproofing system and its associated components, such as a protection course, root barrier, drainage layer, thermal insulation and an aeration layer.

The NRCA Waterproofing Manual includes information about proper design, quality materials and workmanship, waterstops, warranties, material storage and handling, weather considerations, slope and drainage, flashings and more.

The set is $130 for NRCA members and $255 for nonmembers. For more information or to purchase the manual set, visit shop.nrca.net or contact NRCA's Customer Service Department at (866) ASK-NRCA (275-6722) or info@nrca.net.