Why roofing firms should offer workers frequent training | University to brighten up stadium with new roof fabric | Mitigate supply-chain disruption with these strategies
Roofing contractors can retain employees by providing them with regular training in new skills so they can advance if they so desire, according to Tom Biller, training manager for the building maintenance division of Tremco Roofing. "We certainly feel that when you properly train an employee, they feel confident, they feel empowered to do their job and they want to learn more," Biller says.
The roof of the UNI-Dome at the University of Northern Iowa is 25% fabric, and the university is using two newer, more transparent materials to replace that portion. The new fabric "will look a little bit like a toasted marshmallow," but it eventually will fade to white and let more natural light into the stadium, says Michael Hager, UNI's senior vice president for finance and operations.
Small businesses can't control supply-chain disruption, but they can take steps to minimize the impact, writes Karen Burns, an assurance partner with Sensiba San Filippo, a CPA and business advisory firm. Steps to take include looking for domestic suppliers, seeking out alternate suppliers, buying in larger quantities to reduce shipping costs and sharing warehouse space with another business.
Lean construction is a practice that brings all stakeholders into a project's production-planning stage, including tradespeople. A Redshift graphic explains the process and its advantages, including reduced waste and speedier work.
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The Deva Dhare Restaurant in Karnataka, India, has a roof made from intersecting catenary vaults covered in tiles. The roof is a shelter for indoor and outdoor dining spaces, as well as a small stream.
Hurricane Fiona is the latest in a series of storms to batter Puerto Rico's power grid, most notably Hurricane Maria five years ago. However, a recent private boom in rooftop solar power is helping ease the strain for many residents.
TikTok videos can help your business create more personal connections with customers, writes Steve Strauss, a lawyer and author of books including "Your Small Business Boom." You can make videos by doing interviews with customers, taking visuals of your shop or providing how-tos and tips, but overall, "authenticity is key," says Becca Sawyer, global head of SMBs at TikTok.
Research indicates consumers are demonstrating media fatigue, but direct mail engagement is generally on the rise, and "new technologies are making it more personalized, scalable, affordable and trackable," writes PostcardMania's Joy Gendusa. "Direct mail innovations have turned the tide, and today it has a place in every part of the sales funnel to elicit direct buying responses," Gendusa writes.
OSHA is broadening the criteria for employers to be placed in the agency's Severe Violator Enforcement Program, with employers' eligibility for removal now starting three years after the completion of abatement, rather than three years after the final order date. The updated program "empowers OSHA to sharpen its focus on employers who -- even after receiving citations for exposing workers to hazardous conditions and serious dangers -- fail to mitigate these hazards, says Doug Parker, assistant labor secretary for OSHA.
Some construction groups are raising warning flags over new federal initiatives designed to reduce the carbon footprint of construction materials and their installation. The "Buy Clean" policy sets up federal preferences for procuring steel, concrete, asphalt and flat glass, but the Associated General Contractors of America has expressed concerns over costs, time and risk.
