Illinois Residential Roofing Contractor

Key Concepts

OSHA framework. Construction employers are covered by 29 CFR 1926 (Safety and Health Regulations for the Construction Industry), 29 CFR 1910 (Occupational Safety and Health Standards), and 29 CFR 1904 (Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses) (NASCLA Ch. 11). Under OSH Act Section 5(b), each employee must comply with standards, rules, regulations and orders applicable to his or her own actions and conduct (NRCA Ch. 3).

Recordkeeping (NASCLA Ch. 11). Employers with more than 10 employees must maintain Forms 300, 300A and 301. Employers with 10 or fewer are exempt unless they receive an annual injury/illness survey from BLS or OSHA. Form 300A must be posted by February 1 and kept in place until at least April 30 following the year covered. Injury/illness records are retained five years following the year to which they pertain. Exposure records: 30 years from the date of exposure; medical records: duration of employment plus 30 years; analyses using those records: 30 years.

Reporting, penalties, inspections. A work-related fatality (or incident hospitalizing three or more employees) must be reported orally to the nearest OSHA Area Office within 8 hours (exam reference book). Note: current 29 CFR 1904.39 requires a fatality report in 8 hours and in-patient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye in 24 hours. A serious violation exists where there is substantial probability of death or serious physical harm and the employer knew or should have known — mandatory penalty up to $15,625 per violation. Programmed inspections target high injury rates; unprogrammed respond to fatalities, catastrophes and complaints. Retaliation complaints must reach OSHA within 30 days of learning of the action. The majority of accidents are caused by **unsafe…

Key Concepts

Roof decks — wood panels. APA recommends a minimum plywood grade of C-D Interior-and-Exterior Glue (or equally durable exterior grade), and the plywood index number should not be less than 32/16 (unsanded) or Group 1 (sanded); most codes require the same grade (Roof Sheathing, Decking and Loading, Ch. 2). Board sheathing may be 1x4 through 1x12, but nothing wider than 1 x 6 is recommended because wider boards swell and shrink excessively (Roofing Handbook, Ch. 2). NRCA likewise suggests nominal 6-inch-wide boards to prevent excessive movement and splitting, and differentiates planks (2–5 in. thick) from boards (less than 2 in. thick) by thickness (NRCA Metal Panel Roof Systems, Ch. 2, §2.4). For slate and metal shingle decks, NRCA recommends a minimum four-ply, nominal ⅝-in. plywood at 16-in. rafter spacing; at 24-in. rafter spacing it recommends four-ply, nominal ¾-in. plywood for metal shingles and five-ply, nominal ¾-in. plywood for slate, with a recommended minimum slope of 4:12; NRCA does not recommend OSB or FRT wood as a substrate for steep-slope roof systems (Slate Roof Systems, Ch. 2, §2.1; Metal Shingle Roof Systems, Ch. 2, §2.1).

Spaced sheathing. Where spaced sheathing is used, solid sheathing must run from the eaves up to 12 to 24 inches beyond the interior face of the exterior wall line; some codes specify 36 inches on slopes less than 4 in 12 (Roofing Handbook, Ch. 2).

Loading. If roof dead load exceeds 10 PSF, the excess is deducted from allowable live loads; codes allow a minimum anticipated live load of 30 PSF for deck design (Roof Sheathing, Decking and Loading, Ch. 2).

Key Concepts

Roof decks and substrates - NRCA recommends a minimum of four-ply, nominal ¾-inch-thick plywood (actual 23/32 inch) for 24-inch rafter spacings; for 16-inch rafter spacings, four-ply, nominal ⅝-inch-thick plywood. (NRCA Steep Slope, Section 2.1—Wood Panels) - Wood boards thinner than nominal 1 inch are not considered strong enough to support roof loads. Wood boards are lumber less than 2 inches thick, typically 4 to 12 inches wide. (Section 2.2—Wood Planks and Wood Boards) - Plywood roof sheathing should meet or exceed PS 1, "Construction and Industrial Plywood" — applies across asphalt shingle, slate, tile, metal shingle, and wood shake systems. (Section 2.1—Wood Panels) - Asphalt shingles must be applied only over continuous wood panels or closely spaced wood planks/boards; spaced or "skipped" sheathing is not an adequate substrate. (Asphalt Shingle Roof Systems, Chapter 2—Roof Decks) - NRCA does not recommend OSB for slate, citing both long-term OSB performance concerns and the long-term life expectancy of slate; a deck of comparable service life is important. (Section 2—Roof Decks, Slate Chapter 2) - Aluminum fasteners, flashings and accessory products should not be used in direct contact with any treated wood; ACQ is not compatible with aluminum. Hot-dipped galvanized and Type 304/316 stainless steel are acceptable. (Section 2.2—Preservative-treated Wood) - Reroofing/metal shingle: NRCA does not recommend installing roof systems over structural wood panel decks less than nominal ½ inch (actual 15/32 inch). (Metal Shingle, Chapter 6, Section 6.4)

Key Concepts

Bitumens and BUR application - ASTM D312 Type III asphalt is generally appropriate for interply moppings where the completed membrane slope is 1:12 or less; Type IV is suggested for slopes greater than 1:12 (NRCA Membrane Roof Systems, Ch. 5, p. 192). - Kettle and tanker temperatures should be maintained at 550 F or lower, and material never heated to or above the actual flash point (Ch. 5, p. 199). - EVT is the temperature at which 125 centipoise is attained; bitumen should be applied within 25°F of EVT (NRCA Membrane Roofing Systems, Ch. 5—Roof Membranes). - Interply bitumen: 25 lb per square between felts, ±15% tolerance (Built-Up Roofing, Ch. 10). Aggregate flood coat: asphalt approximately 60 lb/square (the 60–70 lb/square range remains consistent) (NRCA Membrane Roofing Systems, Ch. 7—Surfacings). - Slope limits: no surface aggregate over slopes greater than 3 in 12; smooth- or mineral-surfaced (asphalt) up to 6 in 12; mineral-surfaced cap sheets usually 1/2 in 12 to 6 in 12. Coal-tar pitch is required on roofs designed to retain water and is recommended on dead-level roofs and low-slope roofs with slow drainage or occasional ponding. Smooth-surfaced BUR life expectancy is six years (Built-Up Roofing, Ch. 10). - Wood nailers on non-nailable decks: above ½ in 12 for pitch bitumen, above 1 in 12 for asphalt (Roofing Construction and Estimating, Insulation, Vapor Retarders and Waterproofing, p. 360).

Key Concepts

Licensing — definitions and license types - "Roofing work" / "professional roofing services" includes the construction, reconstruction, alteration, maintenance, and repair of a roof and the use of materials in waterproofing of roofs (225 ILCS 335/2(o)). Roofing does not include installation of gutters, television antennas, or chimney repairs by mason contractors (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1460.5). - A limited roofing license restricts the contractor to residential properties of 8 units or less; commercial, industrial, and residential properties exceeding 8 units require an unlimited license (225 ILCS 335/2(h); 335/5(a-3)).

Surety bond requirements for licensure - Bond amount: $10,000 for a limited license; $25,000 for an unlimited license (225 ILCS 335/3(2)(d)). - An insurance company may terminate a bond by filing a 60-day notice of termination with the Department and simultaneously sending the notice to the roofing contractor (225 ILCS 335/3.2).

Qualifying party obligations - The qualifying party must be an employee who receives compensation from and is under the supervision and control of the licensed roofing contractor, with regular FICA payroll tax deductions, withholding tax, and workers' compensation. The qualifying party shall not receive a Form 1099 (225 ILCS 335/3(3.5)). - A person may act as qualifying party for one additional licensee of the same license type only if there is a common ownership or management interest of at least 25% in each licensed entity, or if the person qualifies one entity and its licensed subsidiary (225 ILCS 335/4.5(a); 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1460.11(c)). - On disassociation, both the licensee and the qualifying party must notify the Department in writing within 30 business days; failure places the license on inoperative status (225 ILCS 335/4.6(c)). - The license becomes…