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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFIN-07-080 - Prequalification of Roofing Contractors Report To: Mayor Carl Zehr & Members of Council Date of Meeting: 2007 -06- 25 Prepared By: Larry Gordon Date of Report: 2007 -06- 20 Report No: FIN 07-080 Subject: Prequalification of Roofing Contractors RECOMMENDA TION That Council approves the request from Facilities Management to proceed with a prequalification process to select a minimum of seven roofing contractors to be used on City projects for a period of three years, with an option to renew for an additional two (2) one-year periods. BACKGROUND Prequalification of Roofing Contractors is beginning to be used by Cities, Regional Municipalities, School Boards and government agencies. The following agencies now prequalify roofing contractors for tender contracts. City of Hamilton City of Oshawa Region of Niagara Region of Halton Toronto District School Board (Over $300,000.) Halton Catholic District School Board Halton District School Board Simcoe County District School Board Facilities Management wishes to prequalify roofing contractors for several reasons. Roofing, by its' nature, is a complex undertaking where errors in workmanship, although not readily apparent in the short term, in the long term can be problematic or at the very worst, catastrophic. Roofing contractors often cut corners by substituting non-specified materials and by using non-specified methods of application. Intense vigilance of contractors is not always possible and for this reason, there needs to be a level of trust and confidence in their abilities. Inherent in the roofing industry is the level of peril to the worker from working aloft, often many stories above ground level; potential danger to pedestrians from falling materials; burn hazard from working with 5000F roofing tar; exposure to intense heat from hot tar and from direct sunlight; exposure to harmful dusts created by the roofing process - especially during the removal of old roofs; working in proximity to live electrical conductors; operating heavy equipment; and working with sheet metal. The City of Kitchener must practice due diligence to protect the safety of contractors and the safety of city staff and the public. Inexperienced roofing contractors have been discovered using unsafe work practices while on site for the City of Kitchener. This puts the city at an increased level of liability. Experienced roofers however, are well aware of the dangers inherent in roofing work and the associated safety procedures that must be employed to minimize risk during re-roofing projects. Upon an accident investigation involving the Ministry of Labour, they will consider our actions to ensure safe work and from their findings, may elect to charge us. We have seen first-hand that certification in the Canadian Roofing Contractors Association (CRCA) or the Ontario Industrial Roofing Contractors Association (OIRCA) alone does not guarantee contractor competence. While prequalification may incur higher costs to the city in the short term, the benefit is in the longevity of properly installed roofing systems and in the higher probability of a safely conducted project. Larry Gordon Director of Purchasing