News + Views

Delegate CX launches the DCX Roofing Academy

Hiring and outsourcing specialist company Delegate CX has launched the DCX Roofing Academy, an initiative developed to address the ongoing labor shortage and equip entry-level team members with industry-specific knowledge.

With a month-long curriculum, the roofing academy provides practical, hands-on training in areas such as cost estimation, material selection, compliance and best practices across a roofing project life cycle. The first cohort of students graduated in June.

Information about the academy is available at delegatecx.com/roofing-academy.

Heat safety tips for construction workers

It is important employers know how to protect workers from potential dehydration and heat exhaustion, which can cause injury or even death.

The National Center for Construction Education and Research shares the following management strategies project supervisors and construction crew leaders should implement to keep employees safe in the heat.

1. Avoid direct sunlight when possible. The sun’s ultraviolet rays are most intense between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Although it can be difficult to avoid sun exposure when working on a roof, project managers can provide work tents and shade canopies on the job site so workers can get as much relief as possible during breaks.
2. Dress appropriately for the heat. Crew leaders must ensure everyone is dressed appropriately for the summer heat. Lightweight, breathable clothes made of cotton, wool and polyester can be comfortable and have effective moisture-wicking abilities. Clothes also should be light in color to reflect the heat; the best hues to wear in hot weather reportedly are white, gray, red and yellow.
3. Provide plenty of water. It’s not enough to tell employees to stay hydrated. Project supervisors should enforce a strict hydration policy for workers during the summer, encouraging them to bring at least 2 liters to work; providing them with plenty of extra bottles; and reminding them to slowly sip their water to get the maximum amount of hydration.
4. Stay in or stay out. Employees should not constantly go between indoor and outdoor environments during the summer. There is a significant temperature difference between a 90-degree day outdoors and a 68-degree air-conditioned building, and workers who go back and forth put more strain on their bodies.

View the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s heat stress work and rest schedules

5. Promote healthy lifestyle habits. Crew leaders should encourage workers to eat healthy, exercise and get sufficient sleep. People who do not care for themselves will become more susceptible to heat exhaustion. Companies can help workers by providing nutritious snacks, including water-rich foods such as oranges, watermelons and strawberries. It also is important to provide training to explain the dangers and warning signs of heat-related health problems.
6. Have a generous break policy. Frequent breaks are necessary for employees’ health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers a heat stress break schedule companies can use to determine how often their workers should rest. The CDC recommends a 15-minute break for every 45 minutes of heavy work once the temperature reaches 95 F. Break periods become more frequent as the temperature increases.

Schedule compression can lead to problems

Although construction projects may start with what seems like realistic schedules, that is not always the case. Sometimes, a schedule does not account for potential delays, resource constraints or the collaboration that must happen among the trades involved. This can lead to schedule compression—when companies try to do all the work in a shorter period than anticipated, which can be costly and dangerous.

For Construction Pros shares the following perils of schedule compression:

• Increased risk of accidents. Rushing tasks and cutting corners lead to a higher likelihood of safety incidents, putting worker safety at risk and potentially resulting in significant costs and reputational damage.
• Diminished quality. When workers are focused on getting a job done rather than getting it done right, workmanship quality suffers. This can lead to costly rework, long-term maintenance issues and unhappy clients.
• Heightened materials waste. Hasty procurement and handling of materials can result in damage, loss and inefficient use, which can increase project costs.
• Falling further behind schedule. Problems caused by schedule compression often can lead to new problems and more delays.
• Increased costs. Schedule compression often results in higher costs because of overtime pay, expedited shipping, rework and potential penalties for late completion.
• Damaged relationships. Trying to rush through a project can strain relationships between the general contractor, subcontractors and customer and can sometimes lead to legal battles.
• Decreased team morale. Schedule compression can lead to a stressed, overworked team that is less productive and engaged. As a result, companies can experience high turnover and difficulty attracting new employees.

For Construction Pros recommends creating a more realistic project schedule. This can be done by including a more diverse range of people in the scheduling process, such as project managers, superintendents, foremen and key subcontractors who understand the tasks and potential challenges involved.

Survey shows effects of work on mental health

Almost three out of five workers have considered quitting their jobs for mental health-related reasons, according to a recent survey conducted by Headspace, a provider of mental health services.

For its seventh annual Workforce State of Mind report, the company surveyed more than 2,000 workers and about 250 human resources leaders in the U.S. and U.K.

Results show 58% of workers have thought about quitting their jobs out of concern for their mental health, and 40% have taken a leave of absence for that reason.

Other findings include:

• 71% reported they work beyond their usual number of hours at least once per week.
• 75% said they have had to be available for work while on vacation.
• 57% of workers—and 75% of those working remotely—have cried at work, “signaling how isolating work stress can be.”
• 92% indicated their sleep has been negatively affected by work “at least occasionally.”

As employees navigate their lives, they’re looking to their employers for mental health support, according to Headspace.

“Our research shows 95% of employees report feeling better after using employer-provided mental health benefits,” says Lisa Mulrooney Gross, Headspace’s chief people officer. “And we know that when employees feel better, they’re more engaged, productive and invested in their work.”

NRCA is committed to improving mental health awareness in the roofing industry. Its mental health resources are available at betoughenough.org.