Safety

Year-in, year-out, Castro Roofing of Texas has compiled one of the strongest safety records in the roofing industry

Castro Roofing of Texas value the awards it has received for excellence in construction and for our initiatives to advance the interests of minorities and women businesses. But the awards we value most are those that recognize us for safety because they mirror the value we place on the well being of our employee and the workers of the contractors who work on our projects.

The scope of our view of safety is project wide, that is, all personnel from all of the companies that build our projects. We manage and measure safety performance on this basis, and we recognize and reward safety excellence among our own personnel and in the management and supervision of our subcontractors.

For us, safety is a value. From our company president to the hourly crafts workers, it's the way we do our business because we are all accountable for safety. We have a full-time safety director who reports to the president, plus area safety managers and site safety representatives who report to the safety director.

Our safety policies and procedures are documented in our annual safety plan, site-specific safety programs and in our safety manual for supervisors. Historically, we achieve accident rates that are 50 to 70 percent better the national average published by the Bureau of Labor statistics.

Castro Roofing of Texas Experience Modification Rate is among the lowest in the entire roofing industry. And we're committed to continuous improvement of our safety record, a commitment that extends to every aspect of every job we undertake -- before it's begun, while it's in progress, and as it's completed.

All roofing contractors will assure their customers that they take adequate safety precautions on the job. But Castro Roofing of Texas can put numbers to this commitment to safety and demonstrate that it's working.

We are dedicated to elevating the standards for safety in the construction industry through a wide variety of methods—from zero-tolerance drug testing to our aggressive fall-protection program, which includes partnering with the leaders in the insurance industry to develop the next generation of fall-protection systems. Through innovative training and education programs, we also provide our employees and subcontractors with the tools, knowledge and resources they need to increase safety, reduce risk and improve loss control on every project we manage.

Management Involvement Re: Safety and Insurance Loss Control

Mr. Rodolfo Rodriguez, President, is primarily responsible for implementation and direction of the company’s loss control program. Castro Roofing of Texas, L.P. utilizes the services of Mr. Jim Parker of K & S Insurance Agency safety management department. Mr. Parker has been associated with CNA as the safety manager and has been involved with the development and upgrading of the overall company safety program.

Mr. James Scott, Safety Training Manager, is responsible as well as the foreman for investigating and reporting in writing any employee or public liability accidents. Written reports of accident are forward to Mr. Rodolfo Rodriguez and Mr. Juan Rodriguez, who further investigate accident causes and institutes control procedures to prevent recurrences.

Mr. Rodolfo Rodriguez periodically reviews accident data in order to analyze and identify loss trends.

OSHA 300 logs are maintained in the corporate office.

Castro Roofing of Texas, L.P. currently utilizes a written loss control program in the form of a safety manual, which is distributed and discussed with each employee at the time of hire. Safety manuals are printed in English and Spanish.

Monthly safety meetings are held at the corporate office with all field employees to review safety issue. Each foreman is called upon to teach a portion of the class.

Drivers

Castro Roofing of Texas, L.P. has developed a complete driver examination and testing program as required by current DOT safety regulations for drivers. Requirements include written examination, driving test, successful completion of DOT physical and drug test, yearly random drug testing and yearly review of driving record.

Safety Training

Castro Roofing of Texas, L.P. holds twice-weekly toolbox safety meetings within individual crews, conducted by foremen. Mr. James Scott provides written topics developed by NRCA in cooperation with CNA for discussions and attendance sheet is signed by all employees at the time of discussion and maintained on file.

On a monthly basis, all superintendents, foremen and drivers, attend a safety-training meeting conducted by Mr. James Scott and/or guest presenters.

The safety meeting and training sessions may cover a variety of safety training and operating topics, review of previous accidents and discussion of other pertinent information as determined by the individual conducting the meeting. Mr. Scott develops general discussion topics. All meetings, topics, and employee attendance are recorded on minutes and maintained on file.

Self-Inspection Program

A written company policy has been established charging the responsibility of individual job safety with respective foremen and establishes an incentive program in which safety performance is tied into an award program. The policy further allows for in house monthly safety inspections to be made by Mr. Parker.

Foremen also continue to be responsible for conducting job site inspections on a daily basis. A daily safety check list is contained on the job site and is completed daily by all foremen.

Job Sites

Mr. Scott and Mr. Parker visit all job sites on a quarterly basis, with any safety deficiencies noted in writing (and usually corrected immediately on site). Mr. Rodolfo Rodriguez and Juan Rodriguez receive written reports of all the inspections.

Separate gang boxes are made available at each job site specifically for safety equipment and may include such equipment as fire extinguishers, first aid kits, gloves, material safety data books, tie-off lanyards and belts, etc.

All company equipment is inspected and serviced on a regular preventative maintenance program by on staff mechanic.

New Employee Selection

Potential employees are required to complete a written application form, which includes questions regarding previous employment, and work related injuries.

An outsource agency is used as source of information regarding work history including workers compensation injury history of prospective employees. Also a check of workers compensation injury history is made through the state of Texas Industrial Accident Board on all prospective employees.

All prospective employees are required to submit to a pre-placement physical including drug and alcohol screens. Physical and drug screens are performed by Occupational Health Center of Dallas, Texas.

The job supervisors are responsible for conducting interviews of all potential employees. Experience in similar types of work is required for all new employees. Before final acceptance of the prospective employee, a behavior profile exam is taken and The Pinnacle Group in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania gives results. The profile exam is done to make sure that the person with the required behavior attitude is hired.

New Employee Training

A new employee orientation program consists of a review of company rules and regulations and the company safety manual. The safety manual includes a written safety policy statement by the management, which outlines specific company safety rules and then discusses specific safety procedures including the utilization of material handling equipment, proper housekeeping procedures, the use of personal protective equipment, proper roof protection and proper usage of electrical equipment. Safety manuals have been printed in English and Spanish, with employees required to sign and date following receipt and review agreeing to abide by all safety rules.

Employees receive training concerning potential hazardous materials found at the site and training on how to understand material safety data sheets on an individual product. Sample Material Safety Data Sheets are provided to employees, with employees signing document verifying receipt of such sample data. New employees must then take a written test to show their understanding of MSDS.

Material Safety Data Sheets are also maintained at each job site for all hazardous materials used on that job by Castro Roofing of Texas, L.P.

Castro Roofing of Texas, L.P. has obtained and utilizes safety-training videotapes developed by the National Roofing Contractor Association (NRCA), which is shown to all new employees upon hire. Employees are then quizzed following review of this material to determine their understanding. The tapes contain safety information developed specifically for the type of operations encountered at most Castro Roofing of Texas, L.P. jobs.

Safety Proficiency Qualifications

All Castro Roofing of Texas, L.P. Crew Foremen and Leadmen are trained and competent in the OSHA 10 Hr. Construction Industry safety training material. Field Superintendents have all successfully completed the OSHA 30 Construction Industry safety training material. The Safety Training Manager in addition to OSHA 30 Hr. has completed the OSHA 500 Train the Trainer and is authorized to teach the OSHA 10Hr and OSHA 30Hr Construction Industry Safety. The Sheetmetal Superintendent is CERTA approved and is authorized to train torch applied safety for competency qualification.