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Posted: Jan 04, 2009 10:01 AM	Sometimes we don't stop to think how dangerous our jobs are! Hi Guys I started not to post anything on the site because I would like to see the post more lighthearted than anything, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that sometimes what we do is not so lighthearted. First off, if you are afraid of heights, roofing may not be for you. If you are claustrophopic, crawling through an attic with a respirator on in 120 temperature may not be your forte either. Tuesday, December 30th, we were finishing up a 5500 sq. ft roof in New Orleans and the contractor who I do a good bit of work, Mike Hall, left the jobsite to go do a measurement on a nearby roof that wanted a quote. Mike does all of the quoting and demo work in New Orleans for me and I do the finish product I was busy finishing off a little bit of detail work, so I didn't even offer to go with him to take a look. After all, Mike has been a contractor for about 30 years and when he tells me something, I know that he knows what he is talking about. Tuesday afternoon went on and no word from Mike. I left several messages for him and New Years Eve, I was spraying another job when I saw that his fiance was calling me. My heart sank and I knew something was wrong before I even answered the phone. My first though was that he had a heart attack or a car accident. What I found out was that he fell through (Not off) a 30 ft roof ripping his splien and severing his aorta. He was pronounced dead at the scene. After a couple of hours of hearing the news, I began to re-realize that what we do is dangerous. Whether it is scaling a gunny wall for a last touch up or laid out in a two ft crawl space trying to get 1/2 pound all of the way to the edge of a roofline. Mike was a good friend, excellent contractor to work for and overall, one of the most cautious people that I had been associated with in the construction business. I have walked countless roofs over the past 6 months and only once or twice was I concerned that I may fall through. Usually if there is a concern, we will bring in a structural engineer to either confirm or deny our concerns. If this could happen to Mike, it could happen to anyone of us. The problem usually doesn't stem from the work that we have to do but rather on the first initial visit to assess the situation. One of the selling points that Spray Foam Roofing has gone by is that we can re-furbish your old roof and give it another 10 or 15 years. Many times, the customer is trying to save money by not having to replace that roof and whether it is a T&G roof or Corrugated metal roof, we are still working with someone elses old roof. I guess that my point is that we all have different levels of experience. Mike Hall had 30 years of roofing experience and was careful almost to a fault. Be careful out there! You never know when your last job may be your last job. Michael Joseph "Mike" Hall HALL Michael "Mike" Joseph Hall, age 55, passed away on Tuesday, December 30, 2008. Beloved son of Culver Bertel Hall and the late Thomas Leroy Hall. Step-son of Edna Hall. Brother of Patrick "Pat" Hall. Step-brother of Lynn Fortier. Father of Ryan Michael Hall, Natalie Navarro and Melissa "Missy" Martin. Father- in- law of Nestor Navarro and Brady Martin. Proud Grandfather of Brendan and Madalyn Martin and Jackson and Olivia Navarro. He was a native of New Orleans, Louisiana and a resident of Mandeville, Louisiana for the past 24 years. Mike leaves behind a host of relatives and friends who will miss him very much. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend Funeral Services in the Chapel of Leitz-Eagan Funeral Home, 4747 Veterans Blvd., Metairie, Louisiana on Monday, January 5, 2009. Visitation will begin at 10:00 AM followed by a Memorial Service at 12:00 noon. Inurnment in St. Patrick Cemetery #3. To view and sign the family guest book, please visit www.legacy.com.
Doug Commette Posted: Jan 04, 2009 08:02 PM	This is Doug from SprayFoamMagazine.com. I just read your post. This is extremely unfortunate. We are so sorry to hear of this tragedy. Please pass along our condolences to his family and all that knew and worked with him. Our deepest and sincerest thoughts and blessings are with you all. Doug Commette SprayFoamMagazine.com
Gerry Wagoner Posted: Jan 05, 2009 09:32 PM	Deeply sorry to hear this. Blessings to Mike's family & you. Gerry
Dennis Davidson Posted: Mar 16, 2009 08:52 AM	My heart goes out to the family. I'm sure we all know of tragedies resulting from our profession. With almost 30 years in myself, I've have known several. No one is immune to unforeseen accidents. Be safe

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Posted: Jan 04, 2009 10:01 AM

Sometimes we don't stop to think how dangerous our jobs are!

Hi Guys

I started not to post anything on the site because I would like to see the post more lighthearted than anything, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that sometimes what we do is not so lighthearted.

First off, if you are afraid of heights, roofing may not be for you. If you are claustrophopic, crawling through an attic with a respirator on in 120 temperature may not be your forte either.

Tuesday, December 30th, we were finishing up a 5500 sq. ft roof in New Orleans and the contractor who I do a good bit of work, Mike Hall, left the jobsite to go do a measurement on a nearby roof that wanted a quote.

Mike does all of the quoting and demo work in New Orleans for me and I do the finish product

I was busy finishing off a little bit of detail work, so I didn't even offer to go with him to take a look. After all, Mike has been a contractor for about 30 years and when he tells me something, I know that he knows what he is talking about.

Tuesday afternoon went on and no word from Mike. I left several messages for him and New Years Eve, I was spraying another job when I saw that his fiance was calling me.

My heart sank and I knew something was wrong before I even answered the phone. My first though was that he had a heart attack or a car accident.

What I found out was that he fell through (Not off) a 30 ft roof ripping his splien and severing his aorta. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

After a couple of hours of hearing the news, I began to re-realize that what we do is dangerous. Whether it is scaling a gunny wall for a last touch up or laid out in a two ft crawl space trying to get 1/2 pound all of the way to the edge of a roofline.

Mike was a good friend, excellent contractor to work for and overall, one of the most cautious people that I had been associated with in the construction business.

I have walked countless roofs over the past 6 months and only once or twice was I concerned that I may fall through. Usually if there is a concern, we will bring in a structural engineer to either confirm or deny our concerns.

If this could happen to Mike, it could happen to anyone of us. The problem usually doesn't stem from the work that we have to do but rather on the first initial visit to assess the situation.

One of the selling points that Spray Foam Roofing has gone by is that we can re-furbish your old roof and give it another 10 or 15 years. Many times, the customer is trying to save money by not having to replace that roof and whether it is a T&G roof or Corrugated metal roof, we are still working with someone elses old roof.

I guess that my point is that we all have different levels of experience. Mike Hall had 30 years of roofing experience and was careful almost to a fault.

Be careful out there! You never know when your last job may be your last job.

Michael Joseph "Mike" Hall
HALL Michael "Mike" Joseph Hall, age 55, passed away on Tuesday, December 30, 2008. Beloved son of Culver Bertel Hall and the late Thomas Leroy Hall. Step-son of Edna Hall. Brother of Patrick "Pat" Hall. Step-brother of Lynn Fortier. Father of Ryan Michael Hall, Natalie Navarro and Melissa "Missy" Martin. Father- in- law of Nestor Navarro and Brady Martin. Proud Grandfather of Brendan and Madalyn Martin and Jackson and Olivia Navarro. He was a native of New Orleans, Louisiana and a resident of Mandeville, Louisiana for the past 24 years. Mike leaves behind a host of relatives and friends who will miss him very much. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend Funeral Services in the Chapel of Leitz-Eagan Funeral Home, 4747 Veterans Blvd., Metairie, Louisiana on Monday, January 5, 2009. Visitation will begin at 10:00 AM followed by a Memorial Service at 12:00 noon. Inurnment in St. Patrick Cemetery #3. To view and sign the family guest book, please visit www.legacy.com.

Doug Commette

Posted: Jan 04, 2009 08:02 PM

This is Doug from SprayFoamMagazine.com. I just read your post. This is extremely unfortunate. We are so sorry to hear of this tragedy.

Please pass along our condolences to his family and all that knew and worked with him. Our deepest and sincerest thoughts and blessings are with you all.

Doug Commette
SprayFoamMagazine.com

Gerry Wagoner

Posted: Jan 05, 2009 09:32 PM

Deeply sorry to hear this. Blessings to Mike's family & you.

Gerry

Dennis Davidson

Posted: Mar 16, 2009 08:52 AM

My heart goes out to the family.

I'm sure we all know of tragedies resulting from our profession. With almost 30 years in myself, I've have known several.
No one is immune to unforeseen accidents.

Be safe

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