Podcast 05: What You Need To Know Before OSHA Knocks On Your Door with Harry Dietz

Roofers racked up over $21 million in OSHA citations in 2016! Will you be ready when they show up on your job? As the Risk Development Director for the NRCA, Harry will explain the steps you need to take to defend yourself from one of the biggest threats we face as roofing contractors. We need all the help we can get when it comes to navigating the complicated maze of regulations and Harry gives us the answers.

If you would like to avoid a costly run-in with OSHA, you will really gain a lot from listening in to today’s show, with Dave’s expert guest, Harry Dietz. Dave has found that whenever he talks to contractors, the biggest issue that always comes up is problems with OSHA – fall protection in particular. Harry is the Director of Risk Management at the National Roofing Contractor’s Association (NRCA), so he’s an expert when it comes to this overly regulated industry. Whether it’s OSHA, EPA, DOT, or any other bunch of letters, Harry’s got it! He will be teaching a full day course in fall protection at the end of the month (Fall Protection A-Z), so listen in to today’s show, as he brings you up to speed with the latest.

Harry grew up in a family roofing business in Chicago and he’s been on the staff at the NRCA since 2002, where he has revised the safety manuals many times. He is also an authorized trainer for the ten and thirty hour OSHA Construction Safety Classes and he teaches the NRCA’s Fall Protection Class, CERTA Torching Safety and Form Training classes. On today’s show, Dave quotes some statistics which clearly indicate that if OSHA shows up on your roof, the chances are that you’re going to be issued with multiple citations. So, listen in and find out what you really need to know, before OSHA knocks on your door.

Today, Harry talks to Dave about:

What he’s been doing at the NRCA for the last fifteen years.
The direction that he’s seen the NRCA take, over the last fifteen years.
Why it’s unlikely that an OSHA compliance officer, on a project and looking for things, will not find anything wrong.
How using a contractor to ensure that all your ducks are in a row and all the correct training has been done and that all the workers are safe, can help you to avoid penalties.
An outline of the current requirements for roofing contractors as in Harry’s Fall Protection A-Z Class.
The overriding concern of NRCA members of whether their workers are actually safe on the job.
What he focuses on, in his Fall Protection Class.
That he demonstrates in his class how you would go about rescuing yourself, or someone who has fallen off a roof with the safety harness on.
The type of training you would need in order to comply with OSHA regulations.
That OSHA will require records of training from workers.
What you can do to be prepared for an OSHA inspection.
What you can expect to happen during an OSHA inspection.
That it can take up to six months for a citation to arrive.
Your rights and the proper procedure to follow, should you be issued a citation, to have it either reduced or eliminated.
That dates are a big deal with citations.
Some of the new regulations coming out, including the new silica rule and the electronic submittal requirement.