Tradesmen Targeted in ODPEM’S ‘Strap Up Jamaica’ Campaign

The HEART/NSTA Trust has intensified efforts to train and sensitise tradesmen on the critical importance of using hurricane straps to properly secure roofs.

The training forms part of a national campaign dubbed ‘Strap Up Jamaica’, which is being led by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM).

It aims to encourage safer roofing practices and strengthen disaster preparedness among homeowners, builders and contractors.

Running until March 14 under the sub-theme ‘Build Jamaica’s Resilience, One Strap at a Time’, the initiative seeks to reinforce compliance with building standards, while promoting the proper use of hurricane straps as a critical safeguard against storm damage.

Additional support is being provided by the Incorporated Master Builders Association of Jamaica and the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC).

During a Think Tank session on Thursday (February 26), Senior Instructor at the HEART College of Construction Services, Shalimar Blair, said the sensitisation is a direct response to the widespread roof damage observed in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

“We would have witnessed, over the last couple of months, the devastation from the passage of Hurricane Melissa, and what we saw in its wake is that a lot of houses lost their roofs,” Mr. Blair noted, before highlighting that many post-hurricane assessments suggested that several roofs were improperly constructed, pointing to gaps in compliance and training.

“As a training institution, HEART is being mobilised even further on our mandate of training and certifying tradesmen so that they are able to carry out construction in accordance with the building codes,” he said.

Mr. Blair referenced the 2024 Jamaica National Building Code document, which outlines specific requirements for roof construction, noting that “roof rafter purlins must be fixed to a mechanical support system and that roofs must be constructed to withstand wind speeds exceeding 240 kilometres per hour”.

He said while heightened awareness emerged following the passage of Hurricane Beryl in 2024, enforcement and adequate training for some tradesmen remained a challenge.

This has resulted in the proper installation of hurricane straps now being among the most critical interventions.

While “hurricane straps are the quickest and most appropriate fasteners for securing rafters to the wall plate, we must go beyond that. Training must start from the foundation and the walls, ensuring structural soundness throughout,” the HEART representative shared.

He emphasised the importance of anchoring wall plates using J-bolts and other approved anchoring systems, firmly connecting doors, rafters and other building members, and using hurricane straps to hold roofs securely in place.

Drawing an analogy, Mr. Blair said homeowners should view their roofs like a hat on a windy day.

“If you are able to strap down your hat, it is at less risk of blowing off. Your roof is the same. Without proper strapping, it is vulnerable,” he said.

Beyond tradesmen, the ODPEM is also targeting homeowners and customers through the campaign.

“One of the key things is that customers must know whether builders are following the codes. They need to be empowered to ask questions and to be familiar with what is required. Training and sensitisation, in this instance, are critical,” Mr. Blair stated.

He warned that failure to adhere to building standards carries significant financial and legal risks, which are not limited to the loss of a roof as “contractors can face litigation and legal action if they do not follow the rules”.

“However, with proper standards being followed, we should have fewer instances of homes being left roofless after storms like Hurricane Melissa. Building back better, through compliance, is the way forward, and hurricane straps are a critical part of that process,” he said.