A roofing contractor who changed an agreed safety procedure resulting in one of his employees falling 5.4 metres onto concrete, has been fined $5,000 today.

Louis James Petersen, trading as LJ Roofing, was also ordered to pay $5,000 in reparation to the injured man, who Department of Labour Southern Manager Jean Martin described as extremely fortunate to only suffer a fractured elbow.

The Christchurch District Court heard that Peterson was replacing roofing iron on a commercial building in Sockburn in May 2011, and had agreed with the roofing contractor who hired him to remove and replace one 400mm-wide sheet at a time.

This gap was considered narrow enough to avoid falls but it was later decided that removing one sheet at a time wasn't practical and increased it to three. This left a 1.2m gap however the safety procedure was not amended. As three workers carried a replacement sheet over the gap by standing on purlins, one of them fell.

Ms Martin says that, having agreed safe practice, it was unacceptable for the employer to change how the task was carried out without further discussion.

"With no safety procedures in place, a gap of this width presented a huge danger to the workers," says Ms Martin.

"This employee was not using a harness or safety line, and there was no fall protection.

"The defendant was aware of and trained in height safety measures and associated industry guidelines, but chose to do nothing to prevent a fall. This was negligence - and an illustration of the need for the three-year harm reduction campaign we launched last December to raise awareness about working safety at height.

"A fall of much less than this one can kill, so this worker is very fortunate, others have not been.

This is a timely reminder to all employers that they are responsible under the Health and Safety in Employment Act to ensure that their employees are kept safe and healthy at work.

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Company fined after employee falls five metres

NICOLE MATHEWSON

A Christchurch roofing contractor has been fined $5000 after failing to protect one of his employees from falling 5.4 metres onto concrete.

Louis James Petersen, trading as LJ Roofing, was also ordered to pay $5,000 in reparation to the injured man by the Christchurch District Court today.

Petersen had been replacing roofing iron on a commercial building in Sockburn in May 2011, and had agreed with the roofing contractor who hired him to remove and replace only one 400mm-wide sheet at a time.

Petersen later decided that removing one sheet at a time was not practical and increased it to three, leaving a 1.2m gap.

He did not amend the agreed safety procedures.

Soon after, a worker fell through the gap while carrying a replacement sheet with two others.

Department of Labour Southern manager Jean Martin said the injured man was fortunate to only suffer a fractured elbow in the fall.

"A fall of much less than this one can kill, so this worker is very fortunate, others have not been."

It was unacceptable for the employer to change the way the job was carried out without further discussion, she said.

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Roofing contractor fined $10k after fall

GREENBELT, Md., March 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- March is typically the busiest time of year for homeowners to get repairs and replacements for their roof. This March, there is a faster and easier option from the leading website for roofing company referrals.

Roofing resource website leader Roofing-Directory.com has announced multiple sources for homeowners looking for roof repairs or replacements this year. They now feature a toll free 800 number for people who may not prefer to use the online form method of connecting with roofing companies. In addition to this new 800 number roofing contractor referral source, the website also features a roofing cost calculator.

The company decided to add an 800 number to help homeowners connect with a roofing company because some people are not comfortable using a form, or typing in their contact information on the internet. The 800 number feature brings the classic call for a quote approach back to roofing. This is something that has been virtually absent in the home improvement industry since the internet became the primary source to find contractors.

The roofing cost calculator tool was added to the site to let homeowners get an idea of what the roofing project they have coming up may cost them, prior to speaking with a roofing company. This gives people an advantage in terms of budgeting and scheduling the timing of their estimate requests. "We felt like if we added a tool to the site that let homeowners know a little more about what to expect upfront, that they would be able to then budget out the costs and plan their replacement projects better," said Ryan Corey, Roofing-Directory.com Owner.

Roofing-Directory.com has been safely and quickly connecting homeowners with local roofing companies since 2007. To request free estimates for any type of roofing project, call (888) 516-1556 You may also visit the website for more details or to browse by region.

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Roofing-Directory.com Launches New Options to Find a Local Roofing Company

People who survive near-death experiences often talk about a new appreciation for their second chance at life.

The same can hold true for an event.

While Mercy Medical Center didn't exactly swoop in with an 11th-hour save, Merco Cycling Classic founder Doug Fluetsch's sponsorship shortfall had him contemplating a mental obituary.

Founding race sponsor McLane Pacific and Fluetsch went their separate ways in the fall after 18 successful years. Fluetsch acknowledged the partnership had likely run its course, but with a major sponsor pulling out, Merco was essentially on life support.

If something couldn't be worked out, Fluetsch knew he'd rather pull the plug than put out a watered-down product.

Fittingly enough, it was a hospital that came to Merco's aid.

With an influx of new energy and a multi-year contract that will extend the race through 2016, Fluetsch feels reinvigorated. The cycling community appears to be as well.

The Merco Cycling Classic has long been dubbed the unofficial start of the U.S. Racing season, but its popularity broadened when Fluetsch expanded to a four-day stage race in 2011. It'll stay that way for the pro men and the masters in 2012, with the festivities starting today at the MID Road Race near Lake McClure. Racing is set to begin at 10 a.m.

The women will cut back a day and participate in a three-day, points-based omnium starting on Friday with the Merced Boosters Time Trials at 11 a.m.

"You can tell that the MID road race was a big hit, because we have our largest field ever with 149 pro riders," Fluetsch said. "Usually we're right around 80 to 95."

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After period of uncertainty, Merco Cycling Classic rides on

NEW YORK (USA TODAY) Point guard Jeremy Lin and the New York Knicks displayed resilience in storming back from a 17-point first-half deficit to rout the Cleveland Cavaliers 120-103 Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.

Lin shook off a nightmarish outing in the previous game, when he shot 1-for-11 and finished with as many turnovers as points (eight) and the visiting Knicks were demolished by the Miami Heat 102-88 last Thursday night leading to the All-Star break.

"Coming off the Miami game, the only thing I focused on was to make sure my approach was the same in terms of aggressiveness and to make sure I did a better job of taking care of the ball," Lin said.

Although Cleveland often ran a second defender at him and put a body on him at every opportunity even bloodying his nose in the opening half Lin delivered the strong performance he had planned.

The undrafted find from Harvard closed with 19 points, converting six of 12 shots from the field and seven of nine from the foul line, and had a game-high 13 assists. He turned over the ball once in leading his team to its highest point total of the season.

"I'm happy about the one turnover," Lin said. "If I keep it to three or less every game, that's my goal."

Said Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni, "I thought he was terrific. This is nine games and in eight of them he's been unbelievable."

New York (18-18) trailed 61-49 at halftime but outscored Cleveland 71-42 in a second-half surge marked by key contributions from reserves. Steve Novak sparked the big second half by tallying 15 of his 17 points after the break. He shot 5-of-8 from three-point range.

Baron Davis, who suddenly finds himself as Lin's backup after missing the season's first 32 games with a herniated disc, showed he still can make a major contribution with eight assists in 14 minutes.

"He is getting better and better game by game," Knicks center Tyson Chandler said of Davis. "He is starting to move getting to the hole, getting more comfortable finishing. The better he gets, the better the team will be."

Continued here:
Huge second half carries Lin, Knicks past Cavaliers

NEW YORK (AP) Jeremy Lin checked back in, triggering the wave of cheers that accompany his every move at Madison Square Garden.

This time, they were for the guys leaving the game.

Lin had 19 points and 13 assists and Carmelo Anthony scored 22, but the New York Knicks turned around this one with their reserves to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 120-103 on Wednesday night.

"I think our second unit did an awesome job," Lin said. "I think we've been talking a lot about our depth and tonight we definitely got to see the depth, and so that's going to be a strength of ours and we need to continue to use that."

Steve Novak had 17 points off the bench as the Knicks turned a 17-point deficit into an easy win, outscoring the Cavs 71-42 in the second half. They capped a 10-5 month, their first 10-win February since going 10-3 in 1996-97.

The Knicks didn't lead until Novak made consecutive 3-pointers to put them up 75-74 with 2:52 left in the third quarter, then dominated the fourth quarter to send the Cavs to their third straight loss. Their bench produced 50 points, outscoring the starters 38-33 in the final 24 minutes.

"We hope that's the normal-case scenario, if that's possible," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "And to be honest, the last couple of days in practice, that group has just kicked our first group's butt every day, so it wasn't different. They've been playing that way."

Antawn Jamison had 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Cavaliers, beaten at home by Boston on Tuesday, giving them losses on consecutive nights to two of the teams within reach for a playoff spot.

"I saw a team over there in the white uniforms that were a lot more aggressive and a lot more physical," Cavs coach Byron Scott said. "We had two turnovers at halftime, 16 in the second half. We didn't do a good job taking care of the ball. We didn't do a good job of attacking. If they're going to be aggressive like that, we need to be aggressive back. I don't think we were."

Kyrie Irving had 22 points and seven assists.

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Knicks storm back, beat Cavs 120-103 behind bench

The Knicks Iman Shumpert goes strong to the hoop during their 120-103 win over the visiting Cavaliers on Feb. 29, 2012. (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

NEW YORK (AP) Jeremy Lin checked back in, triggering the wave of cheers that accompany his every move at Madison Square Garden.

This time, they were for the guys leaving the game.

Lin had 19 points and 13 assists and Carmelo Anthony scored 22, but the New York Knicks turned around this one with their reserves to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 120-103 on Wednesday night.

I think our second unit did an awesome job, Lin said. I think weve been talking a lot about our depth and tonight we definitely got to see the depth, and so thats going to be a strength of ours and we need to continue to use that.

Steve Novak had 17 points off the bench as the Knicks turned a 17-point deficit into an easy win, outscoring the Cavs 71-42 in the second half. They capped a 10-5 month, their first 10-win February since going 10-3 in 1996-97.

The Knicks didnt lead until Novak made consecutive 3-pointers to put them up 75-74 with 2:52 left in the third quarter, then dominated the fourth quarter to send the Cavs to their third straight loss. Their bench produced 50 points, outscoring the starters 38-33 in the final 24 minutes.

We hope thats the normal-case scenario, if thats possible, coach Mike DAntoni said. And to be honest, the last couple of days in practice, that group has just kicked our first groups butt every day, so it wasnt different. Theyve been playing that way.

Antawn Jamison had 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Cavaliers, beaten at home by Boston on Tuesday, giving them losses on consecutive nights to two of the teams within reach for a playoff spot.

Kyrie Irving had 22 points and seven assists.

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Knicks Put On Second-Half Show In Blowout Win Over Cavaliers

01-03-2012 14:43 dallasenergyefficientproducts.com Dallas Energy Efficient Products, Inc., is a leading home improvement company that serves the entire metropolitan area of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. We supply replacement windows replacement windows,replacement window,house replacement window,vinyl siding house,triple pane windows,vinyl siding Dallas. The company holds accreditation with the Better Business Bureau and is a member of organizations that include the Plano Chamber of Commerce. Through its commitment to providing superior home improvement products and services, Dallas Energy Efficient Products has achieved recognition as a Mastic Preferred Contractor. Angie's List recently included the company in its Honor Roll. Products installed by Dallas Energy Efficient Products include high-quality home siding, doors, and Energy Star windows. Dallas Energy Efficient Products also performs services including attic insulation and radiant barriers. With all of its products and services, Dallas Energy Efficient Products focuses on helping homeowners significantly decrease their energy bills. By simply installing the high-performing windows available through Dallas Energy Efficient Products, homeowners can preserve as much as 53 percent of a home's energy that would otherwise be lost. Dallas Energy Efficient Products always provides competitive prices and the best product warranties available. Customers can request a free on-site consultation and estimate by calling (972) 398-6105. Visit ...

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House Replacement Window Dallas Note Buyer Endorses Gregg Graham - Video

In windows, the lower the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient - what tells the fraction of solar energy reflected away from a window - the more energy efficient the window.

It's among the things people shopping for quality, cost-effective replacements should be looking at, said Jones, owner of Tulsa Renew, a home improvement business that specializes in siding, window and door installations.

The rating measures on a scale from zero to one with most values ranging from .25 to .80. An SHGC value of .25, for example, means that 25 percent of available solar energy is penetrating a given window with that rating.

"The closer to zero you get, all that means is that you're going to keep out more heat," Jones said. A rating of .30 or lower is widely accepted as ideal.

Last week, the Federal Trade Commission ordered five companies to stop making exaggerated claims about the energy efficiency of their windows. The five companies promised their energy-efficient windows would cut bills by 40 percent to 50 percent, though the claims are unsupported, the FTC said in a press release.

The FTC named Pennsylvania-based Gorell Enterprises Inc., Maryland-based Long Fence and Home, LLLP, California-based Serious Energy Inc., Kentucky-based THV Holdings, LLC and Winchester Industries, also based in Pennsylvania, in its complaint.

"If a company is making big, big claims about how much money their windows can save, (consumers) want to get online and research that company," said Scott Burnett, owner of Burnett Inc. Windows and Siding.

At most, homeowners replacing windows can expect savings between 7 percent and 15 percent - this from the government-backed Energy Star program, which tests products against a set of standards laid out by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Windows alone can't make for those bigger types of savings, Burnett says. But combine other factors like attic and wall insulation and high-efficiency HVAC with window improvements, and the savings will go up.

Ratings matter and so do materials, Burnett says. The best materials for the frame and sashes, he said, are wood, fiberglass, vinyl or a composite of the three. When it comes to the glass pack, shoppers should look for the high efficiency, low-E glass, both business owners say.

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The right window replacement helps keep homes cool

JACKSONVILLE- You walk past it every day, giving it no attention until you're too hot or too cold. Your thermostat. There are programmable ones out therebut many are hard to operate. Nest Labs says it has a solution with its Wi-Fi Learning Thermostat.

I ordereda Nestlast year and tested it in my house for seven weeks. I'll have the results for you but first a little background on the Nest.

The Nest was developed by former Apple executives. The thermostat looks like no other. It's ahigh tech orb-like device with brushed steel.

After I took off my old thermostat, I hooked up the wires to install the Nest. It's a relatively simple process that took me about 30 minutes. Plug it in and the Nest comes to life.

The first thing you do is have the Nest sniff out your homes Wi-Fi. It's very easy to use by turning the outside wheel and tapping on its glass. To raise the temperature, turn theouter ringto the right, to lower it, to the left. When the leaf appears it means you're saving the most energy. But the best feature is the Nest learns every time you adjust the temperature. After a week it sets a schedule. "We had to build this feature to learn your habits, to basically learn your inputs. It solves this core problem of helping people build a schedule to help people save energy and make them more comfortable," says Nest co-founder Matt Rogers.

You can change the schedule anytime you want at home or by an app on your iPhone or iPad. It also has an auto-away mode. Sensors in the thermostat know when you're home. When the Nest doesn't detect anyone in the house for two hours it adjusts the temperature.

Cool device. But it cost $249. So has it saved me money since I started using it since January 7th? My first monthly bill showed I used an average of 63-kilowatt hours of energy per day. But I installed the Nest halfway through the billing period. The real test would come during the next bill. I found I used about two fewer kilowatt hours per day. That's a 26 cents a day savings or an average of $7.80 a month or $93 a year. Was all thatdue to the Nest? That's still too early to tell.

JEA's Conservation & Efficiency Specialist Brian Pippin says the high tech thermostat will likely save you money for one reason, it programs itself. "If you spent $100 for a programmable thermostat that you did have to program and you did it incorrectly, no savings there. If you bought the Nest for $249and it programmed itself, it may take a year and a half but at least you're getting your investment back."

Heating and cooling account for almost 46% of the electricity usage in your home with the rest going to water heating, appliances, lighting andotheritems like computers. If you adjust the temperature just one degree on your thermostat, it will save you 5% on your heating bill. The Nest claims to save its users 15%-30% on their bill.

At a$93 dollar a year savings, it would take about two and a half years to make back the cost of the $249 Nest. My test lasted only 7 weeks. Plus, there are variety of other factors that go into energy usage like the outside temperature and how warm or cool you like your house. The jury is still out if the Nest will feather bank accounts but one thing is certain, it sure does look cool on the hallway wall.

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Can The Nest Thermostat Save You Money?