Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing considers our Crane Operator, George Castillo, a prime candidate for the 2024-2025 MVP in Outstanding On-the-Job Performance. George has exemplified Chamberlin’s core values of safety, quality, and teamwork in every project he has handled in 9+ years with the company. He is genuinely committed to excellence in his work. Employees at Chamberlin value his readiness to go above and beyond. George inspires his co-workers and those around him to adopt these values and consistently deliver results that surpass client expectations. His standout qualities in Outstanding On-the-Job Performance include foresight, effective communication, dedication to quality, and innovative problem-solving skills.
Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing sets our employees up for success by providing them with high-end skills and knowledge to help them complete each job safely. This process begins with a new-hire comprehensive behavioral-based orientation training, where our safety culture, general jobsite safety awareness, and hazard recognition is taught. Each Chamberlin employee is certified in at least 10-hour OSHA, First Aid, and CPR, and further equipment and project-specific training is available. Chamberlin begins each project by developing a site-specific safety plan and Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) prior to job start-up. They cover each task on the job, potential hazards associated with those tasks, and how to prevent those hazards from causing an accident.
George completed all of Chamberlin’s new-hire training when he came on board and has continued to further his safety training throughout his years with Chamberlin. He has a widearray of knowledge when it comes to the safety protocols required for different job sites and operating a crane. He communicates with his fellow Chamberlin co-workers and the other trades to ensure his crane work is completely safely from start to finish. As a Crane Operator, George is also has his National Commission Certification of Cranes (NCCCO), as well as his Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). He inspects his crane and records the condition it is in before he leaves the warehouse to operate it each day. When he arrives to the jobsite with the crane, it gets inspected again, along with an inspection of the surrounding ground condition. It is crucial that the ground condition where the crane will be operating on is firm and level grounded. George also must check for any powerlines to ensure the safety of himself, those around him, and the crane.
Another important component of safe practices is awareness. George is conscious of hazards around which he and his crew are working. He is quick to point out an unsafe situation or unsafe practice he observes in his crew or other trades working around them. He will also help correct the situation immediately. George has open communication with Chamberlin’s safety professionals, as well as the other trades, to ensure everyone is on the same page to do the job safely.
Forward thinking and planning ahead of time make for a more cohesive job site environment. George utilizes the Safe Performance Self-Assessment (S.P.S.A.) to help reduce the risk of incidents while he is operating the crane and while he is at the job site in general. This is a process Chamberlin developed to encourage all workers to stop before beginning any and all tasks and go through the following mental steps:
1. Assess the risk. What could go wrong? What is the worst outcome if something does go wrong?
2. Analyze how to reduce the risk. Do I have all the necessary training and knowledge to do this job safely? Do I have all the proper tools and PPE?
3. Act to ensure safe operations. Take the necessary action to ensure the job is done safely. Ask for assistance if needed.
Being proactive is a third component important to safe practices. When facing challenges, George has demonstrated numerous times his ability to navigate and create working solutions to execute on a high level. George is prepared, aware, and proactive when it comes to safety. He is strongly committed to following safe practices at all times.
George takes pride in all of his work, whether it is operating a crane, loading and unloading material, or even traveling back and forth between our markets. His commitment to precision and accuracy in all his endeavors distinguishes him from others. No task is too small to do it right. He excels at the large parts of his job just as he excels at the small parts.
In his nine years at Chamberlin, George has been a key team member as our crane operator and has demonstrated strong communication and attention to detail. He is constantly double-checking his work to ensure it is done safely and correctly, analyzing the job and looking ahead to make sure his next move is the correct one to make. In doing so, he has successfully completed crane work on a wide variety of projects. This shows that delivering a successful project is important to him, benefitting not only his team at Chamberlin but also to our customers.
Effective communication is essential for a successful project. While everyone understands its importance, few execute it as well as George Castillo. He excels in thorough project documentation and ensures that everyone is informed at every stage. By collaborating closely with the Chamberlin operations team and the general contractor to develop a robust installation plan, he helps Chamberlin adhere to production timelines. This level of communication is also invaluable for collaboratively addressing any issues that may arise.
George believes in getting the job done right the first time. One cannot take pride in work that has to be done all over again because it wasn’t done properly. He checks his own work and his crews’ throughout the day to ensure everyone is producing the highest quality possible. From paperwork to the smallest application detail to watertight seams, George insists all tasks are done properly and any discrepancies found are corrected immediately. He is regularly found grabbing his tools to demonstrate proper roofing techniques. Combining his vast technical knowledge of commercial roofing systems and his ability to think on his feet, George approaches any challenge like a true MVP. George dedicates numerous weekends to ensuring the projects are completed on time.
George is a one-man show when it comes to the majority of his individual duties. However, he works with others onsite to make sure everyone is on the same page. George has led by example through teaching and mentoring others. He believes that equipping every team member with the necessary skills and knowledge leads to safe and productive projects.
He believes that training, encouragement, and constructive feedback are key for growth and that growing as a team together assures our collective future success. With that, George has spent the last several months training an aspiring Crane Operator named Daniel Brenzki in our Austin Market. Daniel has spent time shadowing George’s work. His training plan has included how to set up the crane, how each of the crane controls work, how to properly and safely control a load with the crane, and the entire process of rigging as well. During that time, Daniel was able to obtain his very own National Commission Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO), making him eligible to perform his position as a Crane Operator on his own.
George is always eager to share with potential employees why they should consider joining the Chamberlin team. He highlights the company’s values and how deeply they are integrated throughout the organization. Additionally, he points out the consistent workload and abundant opportunities for advancement as key factors in his recruitment efforts. He understands that assembling teams of skilled individuals with honesty and integrity is vital for both his success and that of Chamberlin. We greatly appreciate George’s contributions to recruitment, team building, and workforce development. He is an invaluable asset to Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing, and we are proud to have him on our team; he is truly one of our most valuable players.