8 l ROOFINGBC l SPRING 2019 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE upon by overnight rain. Maybe even a general contractor not properly protecting partially completed work and then unfairly blaming you for “poor workman- ship” when a leak occurs. Unfortunately, these scenarios are very costly and have happened to the best of us. While the risk of floods is certainly nerve racking, the thought of someone falling from heights is truly terrifying. However, the fear of having to inform your employee’s spouse that their loved one is never coming home is not the only thing that keeps us awake at night. There are also serious injuries related to ladder falls and hot asphalt burns to worry about, and high-risk violation fines from WorkSafe BC to consider. It could be as simple as an enforcement officer driving past your site as a seasoned jour- neyman enters the unprotected perimeter zone without being tied off. It may even be their first (and only) time making that mistake, but it will not matter. Their one senseless decision will cost the company a lot of money, and there is not much you can do about it. The human factor will always play a substantial role in risk mitigation. But with our industry constrained by so much inherent risk, we are forced to extensively prepare (e.g. provide meaningful ongoing training to all employees) and pass on the cost of that risk to the customer (e.g. we need to recover the cost of very expen- sive insurance policies). However, all the training in the world cannot guarantee the end of poor decision making. Nor will your insurance company always be there for you after a major claim is paid out – because even if all of the correct fire and flood precautions were taken, the cost of your liability policy is sure to skyrocket. The same will occur with your WorkSafe BC premiums upon serious injury. The only thing you can do is understand that these horrible situations will even- tually occur. Maybe tomorrow, maybe in 20 years. But either way, the human factor will ultimately rear its ugly head in the most painful of ways. It is there- fore our responsibility to both ensure our workforces receive as much training as possible, and to better understand the risks we take, in order to financially prepare for their cost. Refusing to under- stand the overall cost burden of the risk makes it impossible to adequately protect your businesses. Understand the risk and charge accordingly. That is the only way to ensure the survival of the business in which your employees, customers and community depend. Our long time shingle estimator / project manager Dana is retiring, and Marine Roofing is looking to grow our team with the right person to lead our shingle department. If you would like to join the Marine Team, please send your resume to inquiry@marineroofing.com We look forward to hearing from you! www.marineroofing.com NOW HIRING SHINGLE MANAGER