April 17, 2020 INDEPENDENT ROOFING CONTRACTORS OF CALIFORNIA, INC. WWW.IRCC.ORG
PLEASE NOTE:We take our contractor's concerns regarding this nationwide 'health control' crisis seriously. For any concerns regarding current requirements, please contact John Upshaw at 209-232-7633. The office continues to be open as defined in 'essential' services list , data management related to 'certifications' connected to 'construction' services; however, Julie(Temp work Phone Direct:: 209-319-6006) and TJ (Temp work Phone Direct:: 209-552-1296)have chosen the option of working at home during the current 'shelter in place' protocols. We will be forwarding calls to them. And, we will follow-up onemails and other requests per usual. Phone availability: 8:30 a.m to 3:00 p.m.. (JU and Lorelei: between 8:00 and 5:00 pm).
Submitted By John Upshaw, IRCC ED NRCA APRIL 14, 2020 - 2ND NAT'L TOWNHALL MEETING
CONTRACTOR'S SHOW RESOLVE AND FRUSTRATION IN COPING WITH AND ADAPTING TO COVID 19 CRISIS: (Audio File to be released on this Townhall within next few days)
Dealing with Customer, Adequate COVID 19 Compliance, But Growing Concern and Frustration with Slow Pace of Treasury Small Business Payroll Protection Loan Deposits ; Not to Mention Regional/State Abrupt Shut-downs of Projects with Unprotected Roofs
The NRCA's second national townhall with its national members on Tuesday once again fielded online and phone in questions from contractors, suppliers and manufacturers regarding the complex set of problems which have arisen within the industry.
Moderating the call-in was NRCA CEO Reid Ribble, who initiated the initial discussion with call-in panelists Doug Duncan, of Nations Roof LLC, Villa Park, Ill. and fellow roofing contractor Kyle Thomas, of Thomas Roofing Co. Inc., Mobile, Ala.. Both reported on their unique situations in addressing customers, and local govermental controls being implemented.
Doug reported that things had been pretty good on all fronts: inspections, permits, materials and supplies and the "we're moving along pretty well." And, he indicated inspections and permits were going fine allong with inspections related to warranties.
He said the first NRCA Townhall, particularly the steps taken to mitigate exposures on the jobsite which were described by current NRCA Chairman of the Board, contractor Nick Sabino. He cited "taking pre-job taking temperatures, separate trucks, and individual crew members driving their own cars or trucks to the work site. He said they had also implemented the mixing chlorine and water solutions in spray bottles for their workers to frequently clean off equipment, the interior of trucks and other surfaces as a very efficient process of remedial hygiene. He said, where possible they were advising their workers to wear face masks, though they were having intermittent success in keeping them in supply.
Another contractor on the call-in panel was Bryan Karel, of Garlock-French Roofing Corp., Minneapolis, who did report a bit of a roadblock when an online State website non-clinical COVID 19 test (checklist of symptoms) came back positive on one of his employees who wanted to check out a flare up of symtoms; which caused a two-week shut down of both of his operations. He said, that that lapse while incovienient, allowed his company to separate operation and dispatch locations. He said the employee who tested positive had not gone on to experience a full blown COVID 19 life-threatening or major symptom case -- was released to come back, however, and is just fine. In the meantime, he said the business had opened up the second location and they were still taking jobs in light commercial and residential. "things are still going strong, though, of course we have some customers who don't necessarily want to let us in their house or a little more cautious. Then we have others that are 'come on in, sit right down and have a cup of coffee kind-of attitude, which is good."
As far as crew management for best safety practices in light of the current situation, Karel said they were staggering there crews, trying to keep them separate. "And we're not letting anyone but the formen come in the office area, and were pretty much having all the workers drive to the sites. and following protocols for sanatizing services as previously discussed," said Karel.
Then , in directing questions to Kyle Thomas, a Mobile Alabama residential contractor, he concurred with Doug and Bryan on the inspections and business as usual, and were pretty much operating fairly close to normal.
Tom Shanahan, NRCA Vice President of Enterprise Risk Management, gave a brief report and indicated that Fed-Osha had just released anInterimCOVID-19 Enforcement Plan for All Industries, and issued a link to the recent nationalNRCA COVID 19 response surveythat had been released two-days earlier, which did indicate that only 19% of the NRCA surveyed members (169 responded) indicated no reduction in overall gross sales/income for the current period since national and local "shelter in place rules came into place."
Among the other questions and concerns concerned the Payroll Protection Program loans and whether they had been applied for and had any actually received SBA deposits in their bank account. Only one speaker on the phone call had actually received the appled for loan, and he had just gotten a notice from the bank that the funds had been deposited in his bank, which happened, he added, to be a small local bank. Reid Ribble said that hehad been talking with contractors all over the country and reported that "it's been all over the map." What seems to be a trend, he indicated, was that small local banks were doing better actually in the turn around time, and banks like BofA, Wells Fargo and Chase, were really having a time of getting ahold of the volume. Duane Musser indicated that the add-on bill in Congress was for 200 billion more, as the current allocation is anticipated to dry up by the 17th of April.
A Pennsylvania contractor did call in and indicate that the Governor had just last week called for a complete shut down of all roofing projects no matter in what part of the installation process was being conducted. He lamented that it was a strict requirement, the only one of it's kind in the country, and he and others were trying to get some sort of a variance because the enforcement emergency edict would not allow an open roof to be temporarily covered, or protected in any way. Duane Musser, NRCA's vp of governmental affairs, indicated that NRCA has been talking to the Governor of Pennsylvania's office, to try to ameliorate the situation on behalf of contractors.
Covid 19 Educational Response Alternative
PROGRESS SEEN IN APPROVAL FOR DISTANCE LEARNING WITH IRCC APPRENTICES Submitted by Lorelei Upshaw, IRCC Apprenticeship Coordinator
We are happy to report that our apprentice program LEA, Chabot-Los Positas Community College, has developed an expedited method to approve the curriculum for the upcoming classes in a distance learning format, in response to the demands for an interim work around to the current shutdown of onsite training venues for construction industry apprenticeship classes.
We have been informed that the approval for such online venues must originate from Chabot and then be forwarded for approval through the State Chancellor's office. We have been alerted that this process has been reworked to speed up approval according to Christine Bennett, the IRCC's Chabot Apprenticeship Liaison.
Once approved, the classes will have to be taught using an approved Learning Management System (LMS), such as 'Canvas' or 'Blackboard': each of which are integrated streaming visual displays which can be integrated with video and real time instructor transmitted video -- for a simulated classroom experience. Unfortunately, we have been informed that a regular Zoom platform is not compatible, insofar as the LMS requirements, with current platform options.
The college will provide us development mentors, webinars and practice classes to help bring the myself, and our trainers up to speed in using the LMS. John Upshaw , IRCC ED and CRU course development manager, for new training content venues for the post-apprenticeship certification classes now being developed.
Once approved, these classes can be used in the future, on an interim basis to augment, when necessary (such as the current COVID 19 crisis) the actual classroom environment, and for ongoing selected CRU webinar offerings.
Reminder: The end of the 2019 / 2020 school year is June 30, 2020, so it is still legitimately conceivable that if these courses were approved and the Trainers trained, we would be able to complete the last scheduled Mod of the year. One of IRCC’s trainers, Ernie Avila is already using the Canvas LMS to teach craft Trainees for CET*, so he would be available to start all the classes immediately and tutor the other instructors in this new training platform.
The three biggest challenges will be getting each apprentices’ cell phone number and email address so we can set them up with a free online LMS account. Secondly, we will have to get the books to each apprentice and thirdly, make sure they have a device (computer, tablet or smart phone) to utilize for the class.
But, by working together with the Contractors, their supervisors, foremen, Chabot College and the Trainers we should be successful.
H-2B seasonal guest worker program. On March 5, the Department of Homeland Security announced it would issue 35,000 additional visas for the H-2B seasonal guest worker program, which is used by some NRCA members to supplement seasonal labor needs, for fiscal year 2020. This action by DHS came after Congress approved legislation that gave the agency authority to provide additional visas beyond the existing statutory limit of 66,000 annually, which has been woefully short of existing demand in recent years. However, on April 2, DHS announced via tweet the release of the additional 35,000 visas has been put “on hold pending review due to current economic circumstances.” The tweet went on to say that “no additional H-2B visas will be released until further notice.” Given the fact that some businesses had been granted approval for H-2B visas earlier in the year but now are not operational because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is possible some unused visas may be reassigned to other employers. However, it is unclear what the next steps from DHS will be with respect to H-2B visas.
were approved and the Trainers trained, we would be able to complete the last scheduled Mod of the year. One of IRCC’s trainers,