Latest Rooflink News

What's news in the latest issue - SUMMER 2011?

Published December 2011 

• Out for public consultation - the RANZ/DoL Best Practice Guideline for Working on Roofs and the Best Practice Guidelines for Working at Height in New Zealand:  Doing nothing about health and safety is not an option.  These documents expected to be published in March 2012 set out quite clearly what is required and also removes confusion that may have existed about safety standards when working at less than 3m.
• Focus on Growth:  VantagePoint, a company providing Australasian businesses with growth plans based on research, along with brand strategies has published its Growth Guide Building and Construction, extracts from which are featured in this issue along with some useful tips on helping businesses lift performance after several years of slow activity.
• Women in Roofing:  We interview five women engaged in the roofing installation industry following plans announced by the PGDR ITO to increase the number of women participating in the industry that "girl power" could ease a looming skill shortage.
• Licensing:  Some of the questions being posed by RANZ members are squared off in this issue including the difference between business management supervision and site manager supervision, and what constitutes appropriate supervision.  We also take a look at accountability and consider insurance issues which drew much attention at the 2011 conference.
• Technical:  Thomo explores the role of roofers, and in particular LBPs, in extreme events which have plagued New Zealand in recently times including earthquakes, floods, tornadoes and exceptional snowfalls in unlikely places.  Regulatory changes and licensing will mean that BCAs will have particular requirements when it comes to consent documents and all details including roof penetrations will have to be provided in far greater detail before consent is issued.
• Roofing feature:  There wasn't a normal folder suitable for creating a sharp fold on 16m sheets of Roofing Industries Multidek ZRX in one piece on an unusual new build in Parnell so Pacific Roofing Ltd had one custom built to enable the sheets to be folded over the edge of this rather unusual residential project.

Previous issues

Spring 2011

• Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin: An absolute cracker and Christchurch member Graham Hill Roofing Ltd is proud to have been involved on the project - roofing and cladding three stands for New Zealand's first fully fixed roof building over a playing surface of natural grass.
• Awards time at the RANZ conference:  The Association's highest honour of life membership was bestowed upon Vice President Paul Wayman of Christchurch and Mike Sentch of Hamilton on their retirement from the RANZ executive having given outstanding service and commitment to RANZ and the industry spanning 17 years;  To recognise their long and distinguished service to the industry John Seamer of Wellington and Keith May of Auckland were awarded the RANZ Roofing Industry Service Award;  the prestigious inaugural RANZ Roofing Excellence Award was won by Chris Henderson of Comag Ltd, Matamata;  and the inaugural RANZ Professionalism in Metal Tile Roof Installation Award sponsored by Metrotile (NZ) Ltd was won by Nigel Bryant of Bay of Islands Roofing, Kerikeri.
• Letter to the Editor: How could this pool building possibly be 'fit for purpose'?
• Buckling of roof flashings: An interesting technical article comprising recommendations on how to deal with buckling of roof flashings such as ridges, aprons and apex barges are proffered by Rod Newbold, Steel & Tube Roofing Products' Commercial Manager and John Turner a wood technologist from SCION.
• ITO now offerring business management courses:   For those in the industry looking to advance their career, courses now on offer through SIT are the National Certificate in Business, the National Certificate in Small Business Management, National Certificate in Project Management and the National Diploma in Business.
• Thomo talks on re-roofing again: If you're involved in re-roofing there's more to digest on the subject from Thomo in this issue.  Unless the re-roof requires consent, it will not be restricted work under the licensing requirements - despite the best efforts of RANZ to have all re-roofing deemed as 'restricted' work.  It's also worth checking out the findings of a poll on like-for-like re-roofing conducted among the RANZ executive to provide some clarity around this issue.

Winter 2011

• RANZ Christchurch members' experiences:  There's still a lot of uncertainty in Christchurch following the 22nd February earthquake.  Read a few personal stories from RANZ members and some of the problems they're facing in the aftermath of the country's worst natural disaster.
• Mandatory licensing getting closer:  There are more LBP workshops for roofers planned by the DBH in the coming months to ensure members have every opportunity to go through the process before 1st March 2012 when licensing for restricted building work will become mandator.  Mitre 10 NZ is also running LBP skills maintenance points earning seminars in June and July.  

• Roof feature - Lion Nathan's brewery:  The scale and complexity of Lion Nathan's brewery in East Tamaki, known as The Pride, was a stand-out contract for RANZ member Kiwi Roofing Ltd whose main challenges on the job were the sheer scale of the project, the sheet lengths and the demand on labour resource.

• Roof feature - Wellington's new Indoor Community Sports Centre:  The new sports centre at Evans Bay features an aluminium Kalzip standing seam roof and this is the first time this complete roof system has been installed in New Zealand.  RANZ members Tararua Roofing Ltd and Premier Roofing Wellington Ltd completed this joint venture project.
• There is no such thing as luck!  Technical writer Stuart Thomson has his say on taking all practicable steps and considers some of the anomalies that exist in the building industry when it comes to health and safety, the ACC factor and getting to grips with statistics.
• Side car racing enthusiast:  Hamilton roofer Red George is an enthusiast of side car racing and as the "swinger" for a partnership will see him competing in the sidecar world champs later this year in Adelaide. 

Autumn 2011

• Coping in the current environment:  RANZ President Graham Moor gives his perspective on how members are coping in the current environment of low margins and fierce competition in the market.
• Roof feature - Wellington Airport:  The new terminal at Wellington Airport is an array of copper panels on the external cladding and in the lush interior of the building - all in non-linear form which created challenges for Aquaheat's Classic Metals roofing division.
• Warnng about anti-competitive conduct:  The Commerce Commission provides guidance on ensuring companies do not risk allegations of breaches of the Commerce Act by anti-competitive conduct.
• RANZ 2011 conference promises a wide programme:  There's plenty of early details on this year's RANZ conference being held in Wairakei, north of Taupo with 17 business and industry sessions lined up to inform and interest members.  Top line up of speakers and great entertainment.
• Roof feature - Otahuna Lodge:  The roof of historic Otahuna Lodge on Banks Peninsula has been restored following the September 2010 earthquake by Christchurch member Chris Cooper Roofing Ltd.  The work involved re-locating undamaged slate tiles on the rear of the lodge to the front facade and laying new slate across the rear of the building.
• Licensing of Roofing LBPs on the increase:  In this issue we feature the largest increase in Roofing LBPs since the scheme kicked off, as more members embrace licensing ahead of 1st March 2012 when it becomes mandatory on all restricted work. 

Summer 2010 

• Learning from the past:  As the rebuilding in Canterbury gets under way, what role did more stringent conditions in building codes play in the latest earthquake?  As Thomo explains, good and bad outcomes from the quake means there's plenty to be learnt from what Cantabrians have been through.
• Experiences of local members:  Rooflink talked to some Canterbury members on how they have coped since the earthquake and what the impact has been on their businesses.
• NEW Awards:  There are two awards featured in the Summer issue.  The search  is on for the employee with the "X" factor in the RANZ Roofing Excellence Award with entries closing on 31st January for nominating the industry's stand out performers.  And metal tile installers have the chance to prove their ability in the Professionalism in Metal Tile Roof Insttallation Award - entries close 18th March.
• Roof Feature:  The refurbishment of the Auckland Art Gallery has seen RANZ member Stephen Markham of Professional Roofing & Renovations Ltd involved with some of the historical lead and copper aspects of the landmark building which dates back to 1887.
• Victim of defamation:  A RANZ member was the victim of a pernicious flyer attack in the suburb where he operated his business.  Read about how he tackled the problem and how he was awarded damages in a defamation case.
• Licensing and future planning:  With the numbers of Roofing LBPs increasing as we head towards mandatory licensing from 1st March 2012, the ITO and the Roofing National Industry Advisory Group (NIAG) is looking at CPD (continued professional development) for LBPs and cconsidering the future direction for provision of skills maintenance courses for licensed roofers. 

Spring 2010

• RANZ Conference:  Full coverage of the Queenstown event including Deloitte partner Grant Jarrold's advice on increasing the value of your business; lawyer Adina Thorn on 'defensive roofing' when roofers are asked to work on homes that are already leaky; and MRM presenter Phil Meyers on the significance of roofers making the right choices to ensure that all the component parts of the roof are properly isolated.
• Awards:  Two awards for training presented by the ITO this year for the top trainee of the year Rahiri Wilson of Christchurch and for the top training company of the year A Stoppard Roofing Ltd of Bombay, Auckland.
• Contractual:  Rachel Cheriton of Hazelton LAW advises members on what to do when a debtor doesn't pay.  Can you go and remove the goods if they remain unpaid?
• Training:  The Apprenticeship Training Trust has launched a group training scheme in roofing suitable for both new entrants to the roofing trade or existing roofers who want to progress their career and invest in two years of work related study to achieve the national qualification.
• Letters to the Editor:  The topics commented upon in this issue are retentions, the roofer's "duty of care" and some feedback on working at height issues featured in the previous issue of Rooflink.

• Roofing feature:  Solid Energy New Zealand has opened a new coal handling and processing plant in Buller where mother nature presented plenty of challenges for the roofing and cladding contractor Wayman Roofing Services Ltd.  

• Roofing feature:  Eden Park's south stand - along with carrying out all the plumbing aspects of this development, RANZ member H W Coyle Ltd has made 30 aluminium panels for the ceiling of the magnificent new stadium which is nearing completion for next year's big event.