Roofers. Any job can be difficult, but in roofing it s hard and dangerous. If you re careful and do your job, though, it s like any other work.

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1 SOC : Cover roofs of structures with shingles, slate, asphalt, aluminum, wood, and related materials. May spray roofs, sidings, and walls with material to bind, seal, insulate, or soundproof sections of structures. Introduction Strong, functional roofs protect people and property from the elements and ensure a secure and dry interior environment for all buildings and structures, whether residential, commercial, or public. Roofing professionals have expertise in roof construction, maintenance, and repair. They must have knowledge of roofing technology principles that will suit various forms of construction and architecture, as well as climates. Over time, roofing materials have multiplied and roofing techniques have improved dramatically with ongoing innovations. Nature of the Work Roofing is skilled work that requires knowledge, strength, balance, and a comfort with heights. build, maintain, and repair roofs for public, commercial, and industrial buildings, as well as new and older residential units, including single-family homes and multi-unit apartment and condo complexes. use specific techniques, methods, and materials, depending on the type of roof on which they are working. For flat roofs, roofers might perform all or some of the following tasks: apply layers of roofing paper; mop and pour tar and hot asphalt in alternate layers; use rakes and brooms to apply gravel or pebbles to the roofs; glaze top layers for a smooth sealed finish or embed gravel in the bitument for rough surfaces; utilize waterproofing materials, such as modified plastics or asphaltic compositions; and spray roofs with binding material for sealing, insulating, and soundproofing, using spray guns, air compressors, and heaters. For sloped or pitched roofs, roofers might perform the following tasks: cut roofing paper to appropriate sizes, and nail or staple roofing paper to roofs as a base for other materials; cut and apply plastic coatings and 131 protective membranes, fiberglass, or felt; cut shingles and strips of metal flashing to fit angled roof surfaces, walls, and vents; nail shingles of wood, slate, or clay over seams and joints to ensure that they are watertight; and sealing exposed nailheads with caulking or roofing cement to prevent water leakage and rusting. may also perform sheet metal work, which occurs not only with copper roofs and flashing, but also in installation and repair of rain gutters. who perform repairs are typically called upon when roofs leak, requiring troubleshooting to find the source of the leak and patching to repair the leak. Roofing maintenance may occur on a scheduled basis, in which roofs are inspected for functionality and preemptive repairs are made in anticipation of the winter months. Homeowners, government agencies, and owners of commercial and industrial buildings have roofs replaced every decade or two to ensure the safety and security of the buildings. Roofs can either be entirely replaced or a new roof can be installed over the existing one. To accomplish roofing tasks, roofers use hand or power tools such as blow torches, roofing seamers, hammers, axes and hatchets, roof rippers, roofing spades and shovels, clipping shears, and slate cutters. also utilize specialized equipment, such as torch-applied modified bitumen or spray-foam applications. Metal roofs have seams that must be soldered. Following roof installation or repair work, the roof must be inspected for quality and adherence to specifications and building codes. Any job can be difficult, but in roofing it s hard and dangerous. If you re careful and do your job, though, it s like any other work. Roofing tends to be a seasonal occupation, with roofing companies doing the bulk of their work during the dry seasons. However, rain also brings

2 Knowledge, Skills & Abilities a demand for repairs, which enables many roofers to have yearround work, though some companies must downsize their crews at times throughout the year. Roofing work is often divided into summer projects and winter repairs. Roofing work is typically done during 40-hour workweeks and must be completed in the daylight hours so that roofers have ideal visibility. The vast majority of roofers work for building contractors who perform exterior, residential, and finishing construction. This industry is responsible for new work, additions, alterations, maintenance, and repairs. Other roofers work for companies that specialize solely in roofing construction, maintenance, and repair. Some roofers work for government agencies, maintaining roofs of government-owned structures, and some are self-employed as contractors. Job Requirements Skills/Characteristics Given the nature of the work, one of the critical abilities roofers must have is to be comfortable with heights, sometimes several stories above ground. While roofers sometimes wear harnesses for safety, particularly at great heights, they must be able to concentrate and maneuver their bodies easily wearing heavy tool belts, while balancing in sometimes unstable conditions, such as on sloped roofs or at roof edges. Not only does the work require balance, roofers must also have physical strength, coordination, and stamina. Much of the work is strenuous and roofers often work with heavy bundles of materials weighing from 30 to 110 pounds. sit, bend, and kneel for most of the day, performing repetitious tasks that require great strength. must have the agility to climb ladders or scaffolding while carrying heavy rolls of materials, hoses, or tools. Because of the inherent danger in the work, roofers work together in crews of two or more, sometimes with one person monitoring the safety of others. As one roofer stated in regard to the ongoing focus on safety, Nothing up there is worth my life. Protection measures to decrease the risk of falls are in place at most worksites, with gaps and holes covered and marked, and on occasion, guardrails installed. Because of their use of heavy equipment and materials, roofers must take precautions for protection, including hard hats, kneepads, steel-toed boots, and protective eyewear. Some sites have safety coordinators who hold regular safety meetings, as required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Knowledge Buidling and construction Mechanical Engineering and technology Design Physics Chemistry Skills Equipment selection Operation and control Coordination Installation Repairing Quaility control analysis Abilities Gross body equilibrium Static strength Extent flexibility Stamina Explosive strength Manual dexterity Top Employing Industries (California) 132

3 Because of continual improvements of both materials and installation techniques, driven by the increased demand for durable and fire-safe materials, roofers must have the ability and willingness to learn new skills. Because of the teamwork required, roofers should be able to work well with others and communicate effectively. Training/Experience Most roofers acquire their skills through work experience. They may start as laborers, carrying materials and assisting roofers in their work. Companies, as they expand or evolve their businesses, train their workers on site and may send them to specialized training in use of vendors materials. who have received vendor training, in turn, are able to train other crew members in the proper application of the materials. Safety training is ongoing in most roofing and construction companies. An excellent way for individuals to receive comprehensive training in the roofing trade is through an apprenticeship program, which may last up to four years. Applicants to apprenticeship programs must be at least 18 years of age and physically capable of performing roofing work. Potential apprentices are directed to participating employers who interview and hire the candidates, after which the individuals are accepted into the apprenticeship program. Roofing apprenticeship programs are comprehensive, combining on-thejob training with classroom instruction, at facilities that include experiential training on mock roofs. Some vocational programs offer courses in roofing, as well as in sheet metal, construction, and carpentry, which are very useful in the roofing trade. Employment Be honest with the people... by doing a good job, because people won t know the quality of the job you ve done until maybe next year when the rains come. Recruitment/Hiring Entering the roofing profession is simpler than getting into many other occupations, because of the opportunities for on-the-job training. Work experience in construction, carpentry, or sheet metal or as a laborer for a roofing company is an excellent method for getting a foot in the door in the roofing trade. There are few barriers in regards to language; in fact, individuals who have bilingual fluency in Spanish and English may have increased opportunities. Benefits & Challenges Many roofers enjoy the sense of accomplishment in their work. The act of creating a strong, new roof that will last for years is an achievement roofers can be proud of. Some roofers enjoy the process of diagnosing problems and crafting effective solutions. Roofing companies tend to organize around crews that perform one type of task such as the installation of tar roofs or gravel roofs. It may be difficult, therefore, for roofers to gain sufficient experience with different types of materials and installations, which may require initiative on the part of the roofer to learn new skills, either on the job or in the classroom. Because the work is seasonal and job security is lacking, concern about maintaining work throughout the year can be high. As a result, some roofers perform other construction-related work during the roofing off-season. Career Ladders & Lattices Because roofing is a physically strenuous occupation, roofers may want to acquire additional skills to prepare themselves for positions that are less demanding, such as specializing in gutters or flashings. Some unions and educational agencies 133

4 offer leadership education programs that provide training in supervision, management, and leadership skills. Other courses that assist in moving up in the profession include training in communication and customer service skills, which can be extremely beneficial in working with customers and the public at large. Education Distribution with extensive experience, good customer service skills, and an ability to manage, might have an opportunity to transition into estimating or overseeing roofing jobs as foreman. Other employment avenues for roofers include becoming building or roofing inspectors. Some entrepreneurial roofers start their own roofing companies as contractors. Occupational Wages $60 $50 $40 $30 $20 $10 $0 $60 $50 $40 $30 $20 $10 $0 134

5 Felix Alvarez Sheet Metal Roofer 1. Please tell us about your current position and how you arrived there. Years ago, I worked in a bank. I started in roofing about 18 years ago when I was living in Los Angeles with my brother. He wanted to come to San Jose and invited me to come with him. My brother s brother-in-law offered me a job and taught me how to roof. I learned how to do every kind of roofing hot mop, shake, shingle, tile, etc. because he had a small roofing company. My current employer hired me six years ago to do hot mop, but because I knew how to do sheet metal and they needed someone to do that, I started doing sheet metal roofing. If you want to work, you do what you need to do. The roofing company I work for is busy and I work all year long. Now, I do any kind of sheet metal work gutters, around dormers and bay windows. If there is something that I haven t done yet and there are people doing it, I just go and pay attention to what they re doing. I m curious to see how they do it and I learn the technique. I ve always wanted to learn more, because it does me good. 2. Please describe your typical workday so that a job seeker might get a sense of what you actually do. The first thing in the morning we come to the shop and they tell us what we re going to be working on. So if we need any materials, we get them from the shop then go to the job and start working. I don t pay any attention to people who complain about working in the sun or rain or whatever, because I know that will make it a bad day for me. I just like to concentrate on my job. A typical day depends on the job. Some people prefer to do one type of roofing more than another. At noon, we have a half-hour lunch break and we get off work at about 3:30 or 4:00 p.m., depending on when we get into the shop. We can work when it s raining if the roof is not slippery. It s not that bad. However, your skill saw could get wet, so you have to be careful to prevent electrocution. 3. Which aspects of your education and/or training made you more capable or marketable in this field? Having experience with many types of roofs has been valuable. I ve noticed that when my employer hires, they look for people who really know how to roof. What we need are roofers, not laborers. Sometimes, when a job is a repair, it s not just one thing it could be gutters, then tile. Instead of sending two or three people, they send me. 4. What are the most exciting aspects of your job? What do you like most about your job? In Mexico, I used to work in a bank and I was indoors all day. I watched the people all the time walking outside while I was inside all the time. In L.A., I worked in electronics, inside a warehouse; I didn t like the feeling of being stuck indoors. What I like most is to be outside I just love the air; I feel free. When I worked in the bank, I always loved giving service to people. I was happy when people were happy, because I did a good job. With roofing, it s the same thing. What I provide is a service to people. If you make people happy, you ll always have a job. 5. What do you dislike or find challenging about your job? Sometimes there is a job that just has a lot of problems, and no matter how difficult it is, you have to make sure it doesn t leak. With steep roofs, you have to be more careful. When you carry all the materials from the base of the roof up to the top, it s 135

6 hard. Sometimes the roofing materials truck has no access to the house, so they just leave the materials on the ground and you have to bring it all the way to the top of the roof. Most of those jobs have laborers to do that work. It s challenging when there are a lot of questions about new construction and there is no one to answer the questions. You call the boss, who may not know. You have no answers and so you aren t even able to start the job. With most of the new construction, the contractors want their jobs done, so they call their boss to say they re ready when they re not really ready for you. Sometimes they want us to stay until they finish their part, but the wait can sometimes be two or three hours, which makes you lose time. 6. What advice would you give to a person seeking a job in your field? If people really want to do roofing, they should come and find work as a roofer. You need to not become discouraged by the heat and the weather. In the summer you know it will be very hot, and if you pay attention to the sun, it will be difficult for you to complete your work. Any job can be difficult, but in roofing it s hard and dangerous. If you re careful and do your job, though, it s like any other work. Most people in roofing are experienced roofers, and these people get hired before anyone else. If there is a lot of work, sometimes laborers get hired. Sometimes contractors need people with licenses so they can drive. Sometimes it s hard to learn in big companies because they have their crews, and it will be a slow process to learn. With my employer, crews specialize in hot mop, shake, shingles, and combinations of these. There are also cleanup crews. If you get hired as a laborer, you can watch and start getting trained. It depends on who is bringing you to the job. If you know somebody who is working in the company, you can ask for a job. And if you know him well, you can ask him to teach you how to roof. 7. What qualities make someone a star performer in this occupation? You need to be honest to do a good, a clean job. When people notice that it is a clean job, they definitely know it s a good job. Be honest with the people and with yourself by doing a good job, because people won t know the quality of the job you ve done until maybe next year when the rains come. If you take the time and check twice, you ll make sure you re doing a good job. 136

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