# Illinois harness law



## super_roofer (May 20, 2011)

*anybody out there going to stand up and fight? or just be pencil pushed around by people who dont even know how to do a roof of any type. this might get ugly cause im fighting it and i will fight any roofer i see harnessing up on june 16th or after.*


----------



## Grumpy (Oct 29, 2008)

Ummm it has nothing to do with Illinois. It's a federal OSHA thing. 

Put your toe boards, put on your harness, raise your prices for the hassel and live life. That's what I am doing. 

if you want to fight someone for being safe Have a STFU day. LOL. Hey you, you're playing by the rules. Come on down here so I can kick your butt! LOL


----------



## Interloc (Apr 6, 2009)

:laughing:


----------



## How'd that get there (Sep 22, 2010)

Grumpy - Agreed. 
No sense in trying to fight bureaucrats.


----------



## Grumpy (Oct 29, 2008)

No certainly we shouldn't let politicians bend us over. We should always question government and fight for our rights, but refusing to wear a harness as a political statement would get very costly and is not the proper avenue to express ones polotical views.


----------



## Veronica (Apr 12, 2011)

Yes take some OHSA training and watch for the OHSA police. They are out there watching you now from what I hear. Fines are bigger than the cost of a lot of harnesses!


----------



## Grumpy (Oct 29, 2008)

I already have 2 firends that got pinched by OSHA within the last 6 months. Both in business for nearly 20 years and no osha citations, and both withint he last 6 months. OSHA IS WATCHING US ALL!


----------



## JWRoofing (May 4, 2011)

*It does not bother me*

Look, I am kinda glad about this. All but one of my crew have kids, and thank God to date we have not had an accident. According to OSHA, 40 roofers die every year from falls. So, if this saves the lives of 40 dads (or moms), that's good with me. 

Yes, it will slow us down. Yes, it will cost more. Yes, it will be hot. It will be one less thing to worry about.


_________
JW Roofing
Handmade Barrel Tile Roof - Miami Roofing


----------



## Grumpy (Oct 29, 2008)

JW I agree with everything you said.

Here is my gripe with the law. It's not going to stop those hacks out there that compete on price and seem to be gobbling up all the work. "Osha, what's that?" Get a fine? Who cares, close up shop and open under a new name. 

However this appears to be something that's going to be enforced, which levels the playing field. It's it's not enforced, it's just plain bad for the honest business man trying to play by the rules.


----------



## super_roofer (May 20, 2011)

*ok so after deciding to start storm chasing again i found out mr grumpy yeah its fed...i was just misinformed....but myself i dont see y you people wont grow balls and unite for the small business man the homeowners and 4 the common good of it....its completely rediculous i foam pretty much every steep 2 or 3 story roof and buy cheap soft soled rubber shoes that last a week or 2 and i run up a 10/12 or 12/12 roof with bundles and im 36 and i been roofing since i was 12....whats the sense in all this crap...control and money cause unions are forming sister companies or cause illegals get hurt cause they are idiots...i mean come on trip over ur saftey rope? if you are scared wear a harness or get a different profession but myself im damn good at what i do i was born for this and im extremely fast and homeowners love me and i get fed and i get cards in the mail for any company i work for subcontracting or otherwise .....dont tell me how to do my job im not in the union and im not a sissy....i may be a daredevil but i love what i do and i take the most pride in it...yeah make costs go up for innocent people thats fair to them its been bad enough on materials most people cant even afford a roof unless insurance pays for it....yall make alot of sense.....if we all stick together they will abolish this bs.....cause im trying to keep my cool *


----------



## Grumpy (Oct 29, 2008)

Why the harnesses? because I have kids and I want to see them at the end of the day. because when running up a 12/12 valley with a bundle over your shoulder and you make 1 mistep it may end up being the last step you ever take as you plumet 30' to ground and break your fall with your face, and a 75 Lb. bundle of shingles falls ontop of you. 


This is not necessarily something I think is worth fighting. If it saves lives, it will lower insurance. If you are properly insured in IL, you know WC is 42% and NEEDS to be lowered. Lowering insurance will save the consumer more money than the extra hour a harness adds to a job.

This actually is not new. This is the way things were supposed to be done before I think 1991 or 1995 or something (I'm not going to look it up right now) when an interim change was made to the safety rules. In other words if you've been roofing since you were 12, this is the way you should have been roofing from the start. The interim reduction in safety precaution was, in my opinion, due in large part to the huge building boom and even OSHA wanted to crank out the production because it was good for the economy.

If you choos enot to wear a harness, the first time youg et caught, it will cost you $7,000. Put on your harness. If you really want to stand up and fight begin writing letters to your elected officials in your spare time.


----------



## JWRoofing (May 4, 2011)

Thanks, Grumpy, I know it's hard to compete with companies doing things illegally. In Miami, I'm competing with people who not only hire illegally, don't pay dumping fees because they dump on the side of the road and work not for a profit, but just for their hourly rate.

Interestingly, insurance companies are helping the industry for the first time, because in South Florida, the customer can't get a homeowners insurance policy unless they can prove a permit was pulled when they had their house reroofed. 

Super Roofer, as you know, most roofers do not have your level of agility and skill. I hope you stay safe, but I'm glad to see this harness law for my guys. If it's enforced, it might be good for the roofing industry overall. As Grumpy mentioned, our insurance rates are close to 50 cents on the dollar. If this law drops our insurance rates to closer to what other industries pay, it will cover the cost of the slow downs it causes.

_______________
JW Roofing
Roof Restoration - Miami Flat Roof


----------

