Trent Cotney

05/28/2026

Looking forward to speaking today on OSHA defense at the ABC of Central Florida Safety Champions Conference. Adams & Reese

05/27/2026

ICE enforcement remains a critical compliance issue for roofing contractors, particularly where work is performed across multiple jobsites, crews move between projects, and subcontractors or labor providers may be involved.

In my latest CRCA - Chicago Roofing Contractors Association CRCA Today article, I outline a practical compliance framework for roofing companies. The focus is straightforward: maintain accurate Form I-9 records, assign responsibility for document retention, train supervisors on how to respond if federal agents arrive at a jobsite, and avoid informal decisions that can create unnecessary legal exposure.

Good documentation matters. Training matters. Clear internal procedures matter. A contractor that waits until ICE appears at a project has already lost valuable time.

This article is intended to help roofing contractors prepare before an enforcement issue arises and reduce the risk of confusion, inconsistent statements, or avoidable disruption. Adams & Reese

05/26/2026

Preparation is one of the best forms of risk management for roofing contractors.

Thank you to Rooferscoffeeshop.com for featuring my comments in this article on why contractors need current contracts, organized labor documents, safety manuals, and trained supervisors before a legal issue arises on the jobsite. The article highlights a point I regularly make with contractors: waiting until OSHA, an immigration investigation, a customer dispute, or a subcontractor safety issue occurs is too late.

Roofing contractors need practical systems. That means reviewing contracts regularly, updating disclaimers when new risks appear, maintaining clear safety documentation, and training field leadership on what to do when an inspector or investigator arrives.

Preparation does not eliminate risk, but it gives contractors a much stronger position when problems occur.

Read the full article here: https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/post/preparation-is-protection

Adams & Reese

By Emma Peterson. How building systems, training teams and updating documents reduces your legal risk. From immigration investigations to OSHA inspections, there are a myriad of jobsite legal situations that could crop up out of nowhere. The best way to prepare your business for these unexpected sce...

05/25/2026

Memorial Day is a solemn reminder that our freedom was secured by men and women who gave everything in service to this country. Today, we honor the fallen, remember their families, and recognize the lasting obligation we owe to those who served beside them.

I am proud to support Black Dagger Military Hunt Club Inc and its charitable mission to provide meaningful outdoor experiences for veterans and active-duty military members. Organizations like Black Dagger help preserve the bonds of service, create fellowship, and provide needed support for those who have sacrificed for our nation. Learn more at https://www.blackdaggermhc.org/

On this Memorial Day, may we pause with gratitude, remember with purpose, and continue supporting those who carry forward the legacy of service.

05/23/2026

Roofing History: Georgia-Pacific’s FIRESTOPPER Roof Decks

This 1968 Georgia-Pacific catalog is a great snapshot of a different era in commercial roofing. The brochure promoted Georgia-Pacific’s FIRESTOPPER poured-in-place gypsum roof decks, including its Metro-Mix and Metro-Lite systems. The cover tells the story visually: a worker placing material over a roof deck while the catalog emphasizes fire resistance, jobsite application, and engineered roof-deck performance.

Poured gypsum roof decks were once an important part of the commercial roofing market. They offered strong fire performance and low sound transmission, and they worked well with the built-up roofing systems that dominated commercial roofing during that period. IIBEC has noted that poured gypsum enjoyed a “significant niche” in the roof deck marketplace in decades past, although it is rarely used in new construction today.

The product also reflects Georgia-Pacific’s broader role in gypsum building materials. Georgia-Pacific states that it has developed gypsum building products since 1965, and its later Dens family of gypsum products became widely recognized in roof assemblies.

This brochure is a reminder that roofing history is not limited to shingles, membranes, and metal panels. The deck itself has always been part of the story. In many older buildings, understanding products like poured gypsum roof decks remains critical for reroofing and repair.

05/22/2026

My latest article in Florida Roofing for FRSA discusses how roofing contractors can manage the legal, operational, and reputational risks that follow a reported roof failure. The key is discipline: respond quickly, avoid speculation, preserve evidence, control communications, and have a crisis-response plan before a problem occurs. A contractor’s reputation is built over years, but it can be tested in a single afternoon. The companies that prepare in advance are better positioned to protect both the project and the brand. Read more in Florida Roofing magazine. Adams & Reese

05/21/2026

In the steep slope, low slope, and closing board meetings for Western States Roofing Contractors Association Adams & Reese

05/20/2026

Presenting at the Industry Issues committee at Western States Roofing Contractors Association on the latest legal and regulatory issues. Adams & Reese

05/19/2026

At the Western States Roofing Contractors Association board meeting with the West's roofing professionals. Adams & Reese

05/18/2026

Subcontract management remains one of the most important risk-control issues for prime roofing contractors.
In my recent article for Metal Roofing Magazine, I discuss ten subcontract provisions that every prime roofing contractor should evaluate, including flow-down obligations, indemnity, insurance, payment conditions, safety compliance, change orders, default rights, warranties, dispute resolution, and documentation requirements. A subcontract should operate as a risk-allocation tool that protects the prime contractor when labor, insurance, safety, payment, and warranty issues arise.
Vague subcontract language can create serious exposure. Prime contractors may find themselves responsible upstream to the owner while lacking the contractual leverage needed downstream against the subcontractor.
A well-drafted subcontract helps place responsibility where it belongs. It also gives the prime contractor stronger footing when disputes occur.
Adams & Reese