Thanks for taking the time to talk to me today, Alan. Can you tell me a little about your background?
I’ve been in the roofing industry for over 45 years. I started in the family business working while I trained. I spent most of my career there and worked my way up to Managing Director.
My father was a flat roofer, so that’s how I trained. Later, I trained more and brought slating and tiling into the business too. By the time I left we were working across all roofing disciplines.
As I reached a certain age, I thought it was the right time to ease up a little. Roofing is physical work, so I retired from the business in 2019. Around that time, I was offered the opportunity to work with the NFRC Competent Person Scheme as an Independent Technical Inspector.
That’s not the job you’re doing now though…has there been a recent change?
Yes! Last year NFRC CPS offered me the role of Technical Compliance Manager, and I’ve been doing that since last June.
It’s a big role, but I really enjoy it. I enjoyed the Technical Inspector job too. I’ve been in roofing all my life. It’s what I know, so having the opportunity to stay in the industry after so many years on the roofs is great.
You must really love roofing!
It’s in my blood, I think. I mentioned my father was a roofer, my grandfather was too. Uncles, cousins…the whole family were roofers. My father came from Manchester, and he taught my uncles and nephews the ropes. At one point there were 20 members of our family all working in roofing. I was always going to be in the roofing industry.
Is there still a big family roofing presence?
There are some. Not as many, as of course the older generation have passed away or retired. The next generation of the family aren’t quite as into roofing as we were so numbers are dwindling. Too much like hard work!
My kids were part of the business, my daughter was running it for a while. But as I retired, they went onto bigger and better things.
So what is life like now you’re not on the roofs?
Well, my wife and I live in a small market town. We moved away from the hustle and bustle for a quieter life. But grandkids came along! When I’m not working, we spend a lot of time with the grandkids – one is 17 and still comes to visit us every week.
You must be doing something right!
Thanks. I think so. We have two other grandchildren as well, and it’s special to be able to spend so much time with them. I’m not spending 60-70 hours a week on the roofs anymore, but it’s still a busy life working full time in the technical compliance role.
Tell me a bit more about the technical compliance manager role. What does a typical day look like?
Day-to-day I deal with contractors’ enquiries, and customer concerns. I also work with all the CPS technical inspectors. If they come across something onsite and need support, I can provide additional technical information for them. They’re a great bunch and we make a brilliant team.
I work with non-compliance issues. So, if an inspector finds something that doesn’t meet building regulations, they let me know. Then I talk to the contractor, and they find a solution to correct the issue. I’ll check work specifications and make sure that they meet the requirements of the Competent Person Scheme.
I do go out on site as well, reviewing inspectors’ competence and occasionally do some site inspections. Helping the team of Inspectors looking at new registered contractor inspections for example. I’m going to Northern Ireland to meet some NFRC members soon. It’s a varied role, so it keeps me on my toes!
What do you enjoy most about the role?
I love meeting contractors, talking to inspectors etc. I like when we can work together to resolve an issue. When everyone works together and issues are fixed, and customers are happy. I love the technical aspect of the job.
Let’s talk about Building Safety Regulations. Mandatory Technical Competency Requirements are coming. What does this mean for your role? Do you have any opinions on the changes?
I think it’s been a long time coming. I said many years ago that we should have technical competency requirements. It happens in other countries, and it happens in the UK in other industries. When you have your gas boiler serviced for example. It’s done by a person who is competent and can provide evidence of that.
If you’re letting someone on your roof – and unfortunately, I’ve seen this too often – they sometimes haven’t a clue what they’re doing. It’s a huge problem. With the mandatory technical competency requirements, at least you know that the roofer has some level of qualification that means they are capable and competent.
I’m pleased that high-rise buildings now have these requirements, but we’re still waiting for it to happen for smaller projects.
It’s the mandatory technical competency requirements for smaller projects that will affect CPS registered contractors the most?
Yes. We’re working on this now, to make sure contractors are aware that the requirements are coming. We will make sure that CPS registered contractors who do need additional documentation or training will be informed in plenty of time. We talk to inspectors and contractors regularly to make them aware that this is coming.
And do you know when this will be?
Not yet. As soon as we know we’ll be in touch with all CPS registered contractors. It’s the regulator who will make the ultimate decision, so we’re awaiting confirmation of a date.
Do you know what the competency requirements are?
We do know that contractors will require a minimum of an NVQ level 2 or equivalent proven experience in the roofing discipline they are working on. We will also accept contractors who have passed an approved installers course for the roofing product they’re installing.
Do you have any advice for roofing contractors who might be concerned about these requirements?
As Tanya, our Managing Director, has always said, most CPS registered contractors will already meet the mandatory technical competency requirements. So, the key thing is not to panic. We are in regular communication with the Building Safety Regulator and working alongside them to develop the Mandatory Technical Competency Requirements and will be keeping our contractors informed.
Finally, how can the industry change to make it easier for people working in compliance roles like yours?
Contractors should have a competent person within their company who should sign off their works. And they should have a competent person on every project they do. Having that level of knowledge and skill on site will make our lives much easier. Contractors who are part of the NFRC Competent Person Scheme are much less likely to run into compliance issues.
