Supporting Latino Roofing Professionals at the 2nd Annual Latinos in Roofing Expo

As a roofing contractor, keeping yourself and your employees safe is crucial, which involves using the right equipment. Ladder hooks, sometimes referred to as roof hooks, are used to secure a ladder over the top of a roof's ridgeline. They're an essential piece of safety equipment for steep-slope roofing work.How Do Ladder Hooks Work?These hooks resemble a shepherd's crook that hooks over the roof's ridgeline and stays put with an attached T-bar to secure it to the other side of the ridge. The bottom of the crook has a smaller hook that holds the ladder and prevents it from slipping or sliding down the roof. Ladder hooks are typically made from heavy-duty steel and can support several hundred pounds. They essentially turn the ladder into a more stable set of stairs, creating a safer and more efficient work environment for roofing professionals, especially during steep-slope work.Most hooks also feature a rubber wheel that can help you get the ladder safely up onto the roof. Once you secure the hook on the rungs of the ladder, roll the ladder up the slope (on its back). When it passes the roof ridgeline, flip the ladder over to secure the hooks over the top of the ridgeline.Why Should You Use a Ladder Hook?According to the American Ladder Institute, 500,000 people are treated for injuries from using ladders every year, with 300 of those injuries leading to fatalities. With newer home styles featuring more dramatic rooflines with steep pitches, you may find yourself facing 10:12, 12:12, and higher pitches more regularly. Ladder hooks can help make working on these roofs safer.They can provide stability and security on lower-pitched roofs, too. You may also want to use them for performing repairs around skylights or chimneys, especially if the roof surface is icy or slippery. And they can provide secure footing in cases of suspected damage, such as a weak or rotting deck.These safety devices are designed to prevent the ladder from damaging shingles, so there's no downside to using them.Can a Ladder Hook Replace Other Safety Measures?Using a ladder hook can make you feel more secure and stable on a steep pitch. But you shouldn't forego other safety measures, such as using a personal fall arrest system consisting of lifelines, lanyards, and deceleration devices attached to an anchor point and connected to the body harness. Remember, the anchorage should be able to support 5,000 pounds per employee. Ladder hooks are designed to secure the ladder to the rooftop—not to secure a person or prevent them from falling.How Do You Choose the Right Ladder Hook?To find the right ladder hook, contact your ladder's manufacturer to see if it has a hook designed to work with its ladders. If it doesn't offer any, review the ladder hook manufacturer's guidelines to see what types of ladders are best suited for its hook. If your ladders are due for replacement, you can also look for manufacturers that offer kits with both the ladder and the hook.For more learning opportunities and resources to help you succeed in your roofing business, visit the GAF Center for the Advancement of Roofing Excellence (CARE).

The last few years have been a rollercoaster for workers in the U.S. The country saw its greatest job loss since the Great Depression and almost a year later faced the challenge of not having enough workers to fill job openings. It's an experience experts say has changed the American workforce and workers.As a result, 45% of employers are shifting their hiring practices and focusing more on skills and competencies versus degrees. So what jobs can help build the right kind of skills that will open more doors? Try roofing.Whether the interest is in finding a side hustle, a fresh start, or learning about different career paths, roofing helps build skills that translate across industries and sectors— from building and construction to manufacturing, human resources, sales, and more.From Side Hustle to Business OwnerErasmo "Mitos" Fuentes started his career as a teacher and got into roofing as a way to bring in extra money—but after his first day on a roof, he knew he could grow it into a full-time job. He made his way up from roofer to business owner and now works for the largest roofing manufacturer in North America.It all started when Fuentes was purchasing roofing materials and met a representative from roofing and waterproofing manufacturer GAF, whose expertise helped open new doors. "He explained the differences between shingles without dismissing any other brands or promoting GAF; he was just there to help me," said Fuentes, who found a mentor in his fellow roofing professional as he built his business.Passionate about sharing his knowledge with others, Fuentes later became a trainer at GAF's Center for the Advancement of Roofing Excellence (CARE) where he teaches courses in Spanish to roofing contractors. He and other industry experts guide more than 364,000 professionals across North America, teaching them everything in roofing—from installation to sales techniques. The courses are provided in both English and Spanish and range from live, hands-on training in centers across the country, in locations such as Minneapolis, MN; Michigan City, IN; Dallas, TX; Parsippany, NJ, and more, to virtual seminars that cover the industry's best practices and trends.Today, Fuentes is referred to by his peers as The Maestro because of the way he's helped and impacted others through roofing. A teacher, roofer, business owner, and GAF CARE trainer, he represents the roofing community's passion for lifting others up.No Formal Education? No Problem, in Roofing It's All about the Training!Roofers are among the construction industry's unsung heroes—they help families and communities protect what matters most, starting with the roof over their head. There's a need for skilled roofers and demand for 19,000 new jobs is expected by 2028.Roofing is a profession with few barriers—no degree or schooling required and national programs like GAF Roofing Academy help people of all backgrounds get into the field. Roofing Academy started three years ago and today includes a free two-week training course that combines classroom and on-the-roof training, led by expert instructors that prepare students for an entry-level position. After completing the program, graduates have access to job opportunities from thousands of GAF-certified contractors nationwide.To date, GAF Roofing Academy has trained over 2,000 graduates and, in 2022, 57% of its students were placed in jobs across the country. Training goes beyond installation and includes skills for roles such as solar installer, sales, estimator, foreman, project manager, and more. More than 20 trainings are expected to take place across the country in 2023 from Baltimore, MD to New Orleans, LA to Kansas City, MO, and beyond.Apprenticeships and training programs like these are also critical to diversifying the workforce and increasing earnings. More than a third of 2022 GAF Roofing Academy students were at-risk, justice-involved, or transitioning military. More than 60% were Black or Hispanic and nearly 15% identify as female.Roofing Teaches You Skills in Construction—and BeyondThe roofing industry opens the door to multiple career paths—some don't even require you to get up on a roof every day. Kelvin Thomas, for example, has had a 44-year career in roofing operations and held 16 different positions that helped expose him to opportunities in manufacturing, maintenance, quality, supply chain, and human resources in multiple cities.His first "real paying" job was in his hometown of Tuscaloosa, AL, starting on the clean-up crew at a GAF manufacturing facility. Over the course of his 44 years with GAF, Kelvin explored careers at GAF and held roles that ranged from a Lab Tech, a Regional Manager of Warehouse Operation, to a Sr. Director of Distribution. Today, Kelvin holds the position of Vice President of Operations Culture and Employee Engagement. This leadership role has brought his career full circle, giving him the opportunity to shape the culture and develop the future for frontline manufacturing professionals—the exact place his career started. Being a leader for the next generation of frontline employees allows him to share the valuable lessons he's learned in his roofing career, while driving continuous improvement in roofing operations and beyond."Sometimes our qualifications don't check all the boxes, but if you keep trying and have faith in yourself, someone will be willing to take a chance on you," explains Thomas.Roofing is an often overlooked opportunity for anyone interested in starting a career with endless opportunities for professional and personal growth. It's also a chance to make a meaningful impact on communities, helping neighbors to protect their homes and build resilience that can have a lasting impact on their families and lives.More information about roofing programs and opportunities can be found at gaf.com/LearnToRoof.

Mark Rutherford is one of the founders and current co-owner of Atlanta Roofing Specialists, where he's responsible for production and commercial sales. The company provides new roofs and repair services for residential and commercial buildings in the Atlanta area, and has been a part of the community for 30 years.Rutherford started his journey in roofing at age 17 when he began working for his then-girlfriend's, now wife's, father's roofing company. He worked there after school and on weekends until he joined the Army. Rutherford was stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia, so he was able to continue doing roofing work on weekends and days off.In May of 1993 after completing his military service, he formed Atlanta Roofing Specialists with his uncle Kevin King. They started the company with the goal of providing top-quality work and service, using superior products. Rutherford recently discussed his experience as a roofing professional and business owner as the company celebrates its 30 year anniversary.Q: What Do You Wish You'd Known before You Started?I wish I'd known how much work it was starting your own business. I knew the roofing business was hard, difficult, backbreaking work at times, but running a business is a whole other level of difficulty. Especially meeting all the government and state regulations we have to meet.In the early days, we were working 12 to 14 hours a day, six days a week—and sometimes seven if times required. It's a lot more work than I realized it was going to be, but it's all worked out pretty well.I'm the kind of person that has to learn things hands-on, and by doing all of these things by myself, I learned by trial and error. What was the easier way? What lasted longer? I feel like if I hadn't done the hands-on part myself for so long, I wouldn't have come up with the process that we have now.Q: How Did You Become a GAF Master Elite® Contractor?We already liked GAF products and were familiar with them when GAF developed their certified contractor program*. We were one of the very first contractors in the Atlanta area to participate in the program when we became certified in 1997.Q: What is it Like Being a GAF-Certified Contractor?First, they provide a lot of resources that help us run our business properly. For example, they provide plenty of training that helped us learn about GAF products and installation techniques and procedures. In addition, as a GAF Master Elite® contractor, we're able to offer the strongest GAF warranty available — the Golden Pledge Limited Warranty, which provides 25-years of workmanship coverage on qualifying GAF roofing systems**.They've been an innovator with products and warranties. I think they offer better-looking products than some of their competitors. They're always testing and coming up with new technologies. I think that they're leaders and innovators in the industry.Q: How Has GAF Supported Your Business Growth?We have regular meetings with our sales rep where he asks us what we're doing and where we want to be and if there's anything they can do to help us get there. They distribute all types of product literature and samples, plus they have great marketing that helps us advertise their products.We have to take the GAF certification test every year and they offer refresher training, both online and in person. They also have a variety of training opportunities through GAF CARE, which is the Center for Advancement of Roofing Excellence. They have all types of instructional videos on everything from how to install a better roof to how to run a company better. So, there's lots of support.Q: What Classes or Education That GAF Offers Have Been the Most Beneficial?The CARE program is great. They even have YouTube videos that I can distribute throughout my sales force by just hitting the share button. A good example is with some of the shingles that we don't apply every day, some of the really high-end products that we might install only a few times a year. I always have my workers, the foreman, and the supervisor go over the videos for those products the day before and go through the installation instructions to make sure that they are following all the procedures. This is pretty important. If we're going to be offering their warranties, we want to make sure the products are installed correctly.Q: What Advice Do You Have for Those Interested in a Roofing Career?Buckle up and hang on because it can be a wild ride at times, but it's worth it. I would say get involved in the industry, learn everything you can to be the best you can be, and try to make the industry better for everybody.Also, stay humble. Don't concentrate on making money. I say concentrate on being the best at what you're doing, and the rewards will come.Grow Your Roofing CareerIf you're interested in starting a rewarding career in either commercial or residential roofing, there's room for you—with 19,000 new jobs expected by 2028! To start your roofing career journey, explore classes with the GAF Roofing Academy for training, along with a pathway to new opportunities. And if you're already in the roofing trade, check out what a GAF certification could mean for your business and its future growth.*Contractors enrolled in GAF certification programs are not employees or agents of GAF, and GAF does not control or otherwise supervise these independent businesses. Contractors may receive benefits, such as loyalty rewards points and discounts on marketing tools from GAF for participating in the program and offering GAF enhanced warranties, which require the use of a minimum amount of GAF products.** See GAF Golden Pledge Limited Warranty for complete coverage and restrictions.