Regulations affecting Insulation Contractors & Information Your Need To Know About DOT, OSHA & COVID 19 From the ICAA 2020 Virtual Convention

As part of IDI’s effort to keep you informed when things impact your insulation business, we wanted to share key points from the 2020 ICAA virtual convention, including OSHA regulations and DOT Compliance Checklist items you may not know about. We also want to thank the ICAA for their permission to share this timely information.

The General Duty Clause

Are you familiar with the OSHA General Duty Clause and how it applies to COVID-19? You really should be. This clause is why OSHA doesn’t need a special standard for COVID-19 safety enforcement. The General Duty Clause covers any activity the employer, or the industry, recognizes as a hazard to an employee, that may cause death or serious physical harm, where there is a feasible means to eliminate or reduce the hazard.

COVID-19 falls squarely in the middle of this, so it must be part of your hazard communication, your employee training, and company policy. Other OSHA regulations and requirements affecting insulation job sites include a job site hazard analysis, risk level analysis, provision of PPE, and any engineering or job site controls necessary. Employees must be trained on your Pandemic Protection Plan and methods to prevent the spread of the disease. There are even reporting requirements. 29 CFR 1926.20 (B)(1) states “It shall be the responsibility of the employer to initiate and maintain such programs…” Be sure you are staying up to date on these important requirements and performing regular job site safety assessments.

DOT Compliance Checklist

And what about the DOT? The second breakout session we wanted to share was Time To Go Through Your DOT Compliance Checklist. Did you realize that 37 states require a USDOT # even if you only operate in that state? Did you know that pickups or vans may be under 10,000lbs GVWR by themselves, but if you connect them to a trailer, they will almost certainly have a combined GVWR of more than 10,000lbs and become a Commercial Motor Vehicle? When that happens, there are different business and driver requirements, including licenses. Make sure your insulation business is meeting all regulatory requirements with a DOT Compliance Checklist.

Keeping Your Insulation Business Moving Forward During Difficult Times

Both of these presentations are well worth your time and attention. You can access them in the resource library of the IDI website. Of course, hearing the actual webinar would be even better. In order to do that, you will need to go to the ICAA website and become a member, which leads to one last point. There are a lot of good things that come from trade organizations and ICAA is working hard to promote And make the industry better. Stop by https://www.insulate.org and check out what your insulation trade organization is doing for you.

You can never have too many people on your side or too much wisdom. Good information can save a lot of time, money, and heartache. We hope these are great resources for you and look forward to helping you make 2021 your best year ever. For more information on these topics or the products we carry, reach out to your local branch or any of us here at the corporate office.

Related Content

The Basics of Insulation Machine Coverage

Thanks to free machines and box stores, consumers think blowing fiberglass is easy. And in many ways, it can seem that way. We could run to a store today, buy some fiberglass, rent a machine and fill an attic. However, did it get done efficiently or were we wasting product? Material makes up a large portion of the cost for any blown-in project. To a homeowner, losing $150 - $400 on fiberglass isn’t much. After all, they didn’t have to pay someone else to do it, so in their mind, they saved money. But, as a business owner, losing that money is a big deal. Luckily, there are ways you can efficiently blow fiberglass and not waste any product or profit.

Read More

Inflation Reduction Act – BPA Webinar

Did you know the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) HOMES and Electrification rebates are going to require you to be able to income qualify your customers? If you plan on offering your customers rebates or incentives from the IRA bill, make sure you watch the highlights from the latest Building Performance association webinar.

Read More

IDI Distributors Inc. ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF JUNCTION CREW

Junction Crew Has Now Joined The IDI Family CHANHASSEN, Minn., June 1, 2023 – IDI Distributors, America’s leading wholesale insulation source, announced that is has acquired Junction Crew. Junction Crew was founded in 2011 with a vision to prepare, train, and support spray foam contractors to promote healthy growth in the industry, and will continue Read more...

Read More

GET IN CONTACT WITH OUR EXPERTS TODAY!

Have a question on anything insulation, pricing, or want to place an order? With hundreds of products and countless services, our experts will help walk you through the process of getting ready for your next project. Get in contact with our team today for help and guidance on the right products and best techniques for you and your business.