Month: April 2014

Industry News: Focusing on Soft Tissue Injuries

Posted on by Jessica Gitto

Although Western already has a strong and proven safety reputation, we continue to strive for improved concepts and ideas. As our Safety Director, Eric Olson, states, “Just like most things in life, safety needs to continually improve or it begins to stagnate and decay. As a company, we are always looking for ways to improve our business to ensure that our employees have a long, safe and hopefully injury free career.”

Most recently, we have decided to focus on “Soft Tissue Injuries” as this is one of the most common injuries that we are seeing in our employees. Soft tissue injuries involve muscles, ligaments and tendons and result in sprains, strains, tears and repetitive type injuries to the muscles and joints. Our Safety Department will be working with each of our branches to identify tactics and work practices that will help to minimize and eliminate these types of injuries. Some simple ideas include the use of material lifting/handling devices like carts and dollies, implementing roof hoists where appropriate, employing lift-gates on trucks for material deliveries, rotating workers while performing repetitive motion type activities and simple stretching exercises throughout the day.

We have also implemented S.T.O.M.P. – Soft Tissue Operations Mitigation Program. This program requires:

  • Updated New Employee Orientation
  • Safety 101
  • All Sales and Project Managers will participate in monthly Branch Safety Meetings
  • Modifications to site-specific Safety Plan Template
  • Job Safety Check Sheet modifications
  • Daily huddle revision
  • Mandatory Safety Meeting and refresher course

In striving for improved safety concepts and ideas, we will continue to remain a safety leader in the construction industry.

Challenge/Solution: Re-roofs and Leaks

Posted on by Sara Bequette

Roof leaks are often a nuisance for a building owner or property manager. They are hard to track down, cause damage to interior finishes and lead to tenant complaints – and, if not resolved, unhappy tenants. But those leaks become a nightmare when a financial decision is made to replace the entire roof of the building and yet it still leaks.

Frequently, an exterior building restoration company will get a call to come out and try to resolve such leaks. The conversation usually starts with an explanation that this is a brand new roof, that it has had issues from day one, and that the roofer has been out numerous times to satisfy the warranty to no avail but now says it is not the roof that is leaking. It may be hard to accept – after all it was probably a significant financial investment – but most of the time the roofer is right.

Most structures today are constructed out of many different materials that move at different rates, and the details marrying all of this together are complex and at the same time more vulnerable to errors and failure. In roofing, details around penetrations at parapet and around building systems are very critical to successful projects. Those are points where the majority of leaks occur. However, in a re-roofing project, even if all the details are done correctly, it may not be enough. Often what stands above those details has aged and weathered as well, leading to deterioration and allowing moisture through. That moisture then finds its way behind the newly installed roof.

It is important to review the condition of building's components that rise above the roof level such as a penthouse, elevator shafts, stair towers, parapet walls and coping. Evaluate the parapet walls from both interior and exterior. The most visible signs of potential avenues for water infiltration are broken/missing masonry, deteriorated mortar and sealant joints, deteriorated concrete, etc. Sometimes moisture can penetrate even what looks to be a solid wall but may be porous. If those signs exist, there is most likely a leak.

When such repairs need to be performed, it is extremely important that the new roof is well protected and the original installer is notified. If the re-roofing project is just a budget state, it is important to evaluate those building components and make the repairs prior to installation of a new roof. It is not only the right way to do a re-roof but cost-effective as well.

This article was written by Gene Shevchenko, Branch Manager of Western Specialty Contractors. For more information about our Cleveland branch and how to contact Gene, visit the branch's page here.