Roofing Skills

In front of the Expocentre on Krasnaya Presnya breadboard models of different types of roofs - flat and ramp, with elements of flues and ventilating mines - were mounted on a stage for the contestants to roof. They had to show their skills in two nominations: Flat roofs and waterproofing and seamed metal roofs. According to the rules each team consisted of two roofers no older than 30 years and one instructor whose participation was not permitted and could become the basis for disqualification of a team.

The speed of work was not the main criteria for victory - the attention of the judges focused on the quality of the performance by teams in all technical operations, from cutting a metal roof to laying waterproofing.

The winner of the metal roof award went to a team from Moscow company Pokrov, which will represent Russia in autumn 2008 at the World Roofing Championships in the Czech Republic. Incidentally it has been decided by the International Federation of Roofers that the 2009 World Championship will be held in St. Petersburg. The flat roof and waterproofing award was won by a team from Moscow company empStroiIzolyaciya.

The Russian championships for roofing skills is currently the only national competition for experts of this field. It is not just a show, but also a chance to remind proprietors and tenants of buildings of the problems in the quality of roofing work and the responsibility of those who carry it out to them.

In carrying out the competition, the National Roofing Union counted on the attention of experts in the field and the public, without which any construction could not be considered complete or successful.

The current level of assembling and laying the roofs of apartment buildings, city and public buildings and entertainment centers is considered a rather labor-intensive process demanding the corresponding preparation of masters in these skills. And after the declared plans by the government to make habitation accessible mainly due to low-level construction it is possible to say with confidence that there will be new tasks in the development of roofing in Russia.

"Roofing is one of the main specializations in construction,” notes Igor Zhalnin, deputy head of the local authorities in the Presnensky area of the capital. “If a roof does not leak then all the other parts of the building will be ok."

"In Russia, the profession of a roofer has inherent old national traditions,” the National Roofing Union said in a press release. “Today a high level of preparation for work with new materials, attention to engineering-building components and knowledge of modern technologies are required."

The skill to quickly master new technological procedures was obviously useful for the majority of teams as both the teams from the Far East, and St. Petersburg brigades, for example, for the first time had to work with modern brands of waterproofing membranes and mastics.

According to the president of the National Roofing Union Alexander Dadchenko, now in Russia the roofing market has a distinct lack of skilled, qualified workmen. "The overwhelming majority of offers that can be found in advertising newspapers, are offers for the sale of roofing materials, but not services,” he told Vedomosti. “And construction in many respects is not manufacturing, but a service. In a sense, the quality of the product depends in a greater degree on the qualifications of the personnel, rather than the materials."

The Russian building boom has generated a huge deficit of expert-roofers - not only workers, but also technologists and engineers. In the country there are only four state educational establishments, which produce 120 graduate experts as "roofers". Meanwhile for every 1,000 people, living in three average apartment buildings, a minimum of one roofer is necessary for the maintenance of roofs. The math is simple: the country lacks at least 145,000 qualified masters.

Commercial companies, independently engaged in training experts, cannot solve this problem as their own level of preparation as so frequently happens is rather far from perfect.

The market is so small that its main players are well known to each other and, despite existing competition, are always ready to help each other - both in materials, and in personnel. "When realizing big projects it is necessary to organize a consortium from several companies, therefore one of the purposes of the championship is to attract partners and form the feeling that we are partners, and not just competitors,” says Dadchenko. “The roofing skills championship, which is taking place for the fifth time is an effective tool for the improvement of the quality of performance of roofing works."

The National Roofing Union is also engaged in the preparation of a regulatory body in terms based on the practical experience of the members of the Union. The union also has a school of roofers. "Within 6-7 years we can cover the deficit of workers who specialize in roofing," hopes Dadchenko.