Finding a safety-minded commercial contractor

By Emma Peterson. 

Lauren Morley explains why working with a safety-minded commercial contractor is the right move and how to find one near you. 

In a new episode of the AskARoofer™ podcast, Lauren Morley, the owner and president of R3NG Roofing and Gutters in Colorado, stopped by to talk about what true safety looks like on a commercial roofing jobsite. More specifically, she highlighted the role that safety has in both protecting the crew and the building owner.  

She started by defining the idea of a safe commercial jobsite: 

Safety can really be viewed from different angles. There's the safety of the crews and making sure that they're being safe while on the roof. But there’s also the safety of the people on the ground, may it be inhabitants of the building or a passerby. And that safety has a lot more to do with how you are storing materials, making sure no debris flies off, nothing falls and so forth. 

By working with a company that prioritizes both aspects of safety, business owners can protect themselves from legal issues down the line. Lauren explained, “You're reducing your own liability over somebody getting hurt down below. That's a risk for the owner as much as it is on the roofer. And even if it the building owner isn’t technically liable, commercial products tend to be in the public eye and it’s not going to look great on a public client if they have some sort of safety accident happen on the roof.” 

So, what does a safety-minded contractor look like? Lauren shared a bit about what her team at R3NG does to prioritize safety, saying, “We like to have all of our field guys OSHA certified and actively doing OSHA refresher classes throughout their career. We also internally do monthly safety meetings, safety checklists and safety toolbox talks at every jobsite.”  

If you are looking for a contractor that prioritizes commercial roofing jobsite safety like Lauren and her R3NG team, a great place to look is through local trade associations. Lauren explained, “As a member of the Colorado Roofing Association, we have to prove that we've been in business for two years, have a certain insurance policy and show our safety procedures. Because of these requirements, our CRA certificate kind of acts as a shorthand for owners looking to hire us... You don't need to ask for nine different documents, you can just ask for the certificate.” 

Learn more about commercial roofing safety by listening to the whole episode with Lauren!