Author: Andy Folmer

If you’re in the painting industry then you probably already know about Coatings Pro magazine. But did you know that they also have an amazing podcast? One of our founders, and the president of PPD Painting, Aaron Moore, discussed the current trends in the commercial painting industry, as well as what we can expect going forward. Learn more about safety precautions, technical improvements, as well as new and old challenges of the industry. You are free to listen to the podcast right here on our blog, or download the complete transcript from the CoatingsPro website.

While it’s great to have a tight-knit team of experienced painters, it is always a good idea to plan for the growth of your staff, as you grow your business and gain new projects. New team members can bring different sets of skills and strengthen your workforce, improve project results and increase your service offering. In order to help managers and business owners to mitigate various challenges posed by onboarding a new employee, we offer five tips that can help you get them up to speed. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through the new employee training checklist with processes that can save you a significant amount of time, decrease turnover and prevent your new employees from becoming unproductive apprentices who lack motivation. Devise a Step-by-step New Employee Training Plan Image Source Once you have clarified rules and regulations, outlined expectations and set a probationary period, it is time to create a solid new employee training plan. Ideally, this would all happen prior to advertising the job vacancy and well before the new employee’s first day at work. One way to do this is to create an employee handbook that is regularly updated and readily available. This step-by-step guide should be provided by the HR department and managers who will walk through procedures with new employees. A handbook of this kind will ensure that no detail is overlooked and new and existing employees alike will have it as a reference guide for all information and resources that are required throughout their employment. Provide Employees With Required Resources Image Source Creating a custom step-by-step training handbook is an excellent idea not only because it will articulate your company culture, values and employment expectations, but also because it can include your practical experience, internal resources and trade secrets. However, if due to a lack of time or other reasons, you are unable to create the guide from scratch, consider using available industry-specific employee training and development resources. One such resource is an online portal called Paint Pro Training built by Sherwin Williams. It is comprised of a series of nine training courses that aim to provide new painters with abundant knowledge and vocabulary, as well as guides for managers on how to focus on practical training. Clearly Present Benefits and Growth Opportunities Image Source Employee development training is an excellent opportunity to present new team members with various benefits of working at your company as well as any opportunities for upward mobility. It is a chance to motivate new employees to work hard and advance in order to achieve their goals. New employees aren’t the only ones that will benefit from this kind of motivation- as they hone their skills, they will deliver higher quality work, boost your company’s reputation and improve revenue. Whether you are offering raises, growth paths or different perks, setting goals and rewards for achievements creates a thriving work environment. Laying out this path at the beginning of an employee’s time with our company makes them aware of what is required to advance and how they can progress within the ranks. Create a Supportive Workplace Culture Image Source Nurturing a supportive, collaborative and a healthy work environment is another essential aspect of providing high-quality employee development training. Your new employees should feel comfortable and invited to reach out to management and their colleagues if they have any questions or need help. This is why you shouldn’t exclusively look for employees who have impeccable skills, but also for those that take initiative and those that are at their best when they are working in a thriving team. Most skills can be taught, but reliability and interpersonal strengths will add value to your organisation. Ask Employees for Feedback After Each Training Image Source One way to show your employees that their opinions matter and that you value them is by asking for their honest feedback. Not only will the training experience be better for future employees, but this will also be beneficial for you since you will know how to improve your training practices and create a truly evidence-based program. Consider providing the new employees with written evaluations after each training. Surveys of this kind will provide you with both qualitative and quantitative insights into training performance, employee satisfaction, and will eventually help you to create a robust training and development program. Join CPIA in order to enjoy many great benefits and other valuable tips from experts in the field of commercial painting and decorating. To find out more, email us at info@commercialpaintingassociation.com or give us a call at 312.725.4802.   Join Now   Featured Image Source

Commercial painting project estimating is a task that requires the evaluation of multiple variables. Contractors have to find a fine balance between providing a competitive price to their clients, accurately judging the exact price of used materials and labor, all while ensuring their pricing is profitable for their company. To help CPIA members and other commercial painting contractors provide their clients with an optimal and accurate price, this blog post provides a step-by-step guide to estimating. Commercial Painting Project Cost Estimation Basics If you ever caught yourself wondering how to estimate a commercial painting job, you probably know that it all boils down to the actual cost of the job- your expenses and your desired profit margin. Based on this, there are three things that need to be clarified when it comes to project cost estimation basics: fixed cost, the variable cost, and profit margin. Fixed costs include administrative expenses such as accounting, project managers, office space rent and maintenance, marketing, insurance. This means that the bigger the company, the larger the expenses will be, simply due to logistics. On the other hand, variable costs include material such as paint, tools and supplies, labor cost, and the cumulative hours spent on the job times the price of labor. Similar to fixed costs, larger companies will have larger costs over smaller contractors, but they can also provide their clients with more value for the said higher price. The profit margin for smaller companies should, therefore, be at least 30% after variable costs, and more than 50% for bigger companies. In practice, this would mean that smaller companies that estimate variable costs of $10,000 should aim to offer their clients with a price of $14,500 or more. That way, the difference of $4,500 will cover fixed costs. Large contractors should aim to offer at least $20,000 for the same commercial painting project. How to Estimate Commercial Painting Cost – Step-by-Step Guide CAREFULLY REVIEW ALL OF THE FACTORS ONCE ON A JOB SITE The first step requires that contractors review the site in person. This allows them to meet the client, align expectations and create a business relationship worth nurturing. This will also ensure that contractors get a proper overview of the condition of the facility and spot any issues that are otherwise difficult to notice on images. Visiting the site is an important step that helps contractors accurately charge for the painting project and we highly recommend not skipping it. ESTIMATE THE TOTAL COST OF PAINT Depending on the brand, supplier discount and quality of the product, the price of paint per gallon will vary between $15 to $80. For a 4,000 square foot facility, 25 gallons of $25 paint will come up to $625. While painting suppliers often provide a discount for their repeat and wholesale customers, it is not always easy to negotiate these deals. Capital One® Spring® is a platform built for business owners with an aim to help them save money. With a mission to support its clients in challenging negotiations, Capital One® Spring® services are free to use, deliver 100% of savings to the businesses, and provided by the procurement experts. Consider joining the marketplace here. ESTIMATE THE COST OF ALL OTHER MATERIALS USED For the same 2,500 square foot facility, the price of materials will depend on the prep work that’s required. For medium prep work, contractors typically need a gallon of primer, 10 rolls of tape, 6 tubes of caulking, 3 rolls of masking paper, and 2 of masking plastic, all amounting to an average price of $115. Just like with negotiating the price of paint, Capital One® Spring® procurement professionals help contractors to obtain the goods and services their business purchases daily. This platform endows CPIA members with an opportunity to achieve savings in paint and materials purchasing, and to achieve higher profits and offer more competitive estimates. REALISTICALLY ESTIMATE THE COST OF LABOR Simple math would suggest that a team of 3 painters can cover the exterior of a 2,500 square foot facility in one or two days for about $800 per day. Yet the math is never simple and painting projects are rarely straightforward. Challenges such as steep roofs, trees, ivy, or pretty gardens, faulty caulking, peeling, embedded windows or contrasting or dark colors can significantly extend the labor and time required to finish the project. Due to this, it is important to surround yourself with experienced professionals capable of spotting time-consuming factors or simply charge more in order to protect the profit margin. REMEMBER TO ADD UP THE COST OF MARKETING Keeping track of marketing efforts allows commercial painting contractors to get an insight into effective and ineffective marketing techniques and to better manage marketing budgets. Usually, marketing costs should make up to 10% of the overall costs. Lead groups, referrals and digital marketing are typically more affordable than traditional marketing channels and are thus worth considering DETERMINE YOUR PROFIT MARGIN After the other costs are factored in, it is time to determine the profit margin. As we mentioned before, smaller or new businesses should add a profit margin of 30%, while established and experienced contractors can go higher and include a markup of at least 50%. CALCULATE OVERALL COST Once the profit margin is added to the cost of labor, marketing, paint, and other materials, it’s time to calculate the overall cost. A rule of thumb is to always round up a total price so that unexpected costs can be accommodated. If you would like to learn more about giving professional estimates from the leaders in the commercial painting industry, join CPIA today! Find out more about the numerous benefits of CPIA membership here.

Steve Hester, President at Hester Painting and one of the founders of CPIA, joined six other commercial painting contractors, two of them being our very own CPIA members, in the Paint Square’s most recent Painting and Coatings Industry Webinar. Seven industry leaders, whose companies are based across the US, gathered to discuss various challenges and opportunities posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. A live presentation took place online on Wednesday, July 22, 2020. Shaping the New Normal Jim McBrayer, CEO at McBrayer & Associates, Inc. opened up the discussion by pointing out many different ways in which COVID-19 accelerates opportunities for innovation in the construction industry and has invited the other commercial painting experts to lead the change and share their recent experiences. In addition to suggesting that the new safety procedures are likely here to stay, McBrayer also warned the contractors to start paying closer attention to contract language and expect more remote work for their staff. Pandemic Painting Challenges The insightful webinar took off with a discussion about challenges painting contractors have been facing since the pandemic changed the industry landscape earlier this year. Walt Bazan, President at Bazan Painting Co. and Tim Kenney, President at W. T. Kenney Company brought up challenges posed by following the new regulations and prioritizing employees’ mental state. Together with Nick Nowak, President at Steinbrecher Painting Company, the industry leaders all agreed that what has helped them overcome these challenges was a recommitment to a new level of excellence and to a 100% customer satisfaction, balancing between customers, employees, and stakeholders, as well as providing a forum for employees to bring up the difficulties they are facing. Communicate, Educate, Plan Steve Hester presented the strategy Hester Painting deployed as soon as it was clear that the pandemic was coming to the US and about to affect the business. “I started educating myself and my team on all the different policies that were being put in place so that everyone is better prepared to make decisions. We also started to plan ahead with ‘what-if’ scenarios, because it’s easier to handle the unknown when you’re prepared. Another thing is to communicate as much as possible between the management team, painters in the field, and the clients.” Steve also emphasized how his company has benefited from being part of the commercial painting industry association (CPIA): “We were very lucky because we’re part of a peer group of commercial painting contractors from across the country. We’ve been having weekly Zoom meetings and have gotten relevant input in terms of best practices.” Every Crisis Comes with an Opportunity John Fisher, President at Long Painting together with Burt Whitenight, Vice President at Service Contracting Solutions proposed several different ways to be as proactive as possible, create opportunities and mitigate the crisis. The webinar panel all agreed that the main thing they all benefited from was focusing on projects and facilities that were temporarily vacant such as schools, empty office buildings, warehouses, distribution centers, businesses that are setting up customer pick-up areas, as well as makeshift COVID-19 hospitals. They also advised that that business owners should listen and honor customers’ and employees’ concerns, pay attention to trade organizations and media outlets, as well as to be aware of stimulus opportunities such as the Payroll Protection Plan (PPP) that the commercial construction industry has benefited from. Find Out More To listen to this webinar, go to the Paint Square’s Webinars section and simply click on the title of the presentation “Pandemic Painting: Challenges and Opportunities”. The Webinar archive is currently open on the Paint Square website. CPIA encourages its members to register and take advantage of these useful resources. Join CPIA today for more invaluable resources for commercial painting contractors and industry-specific training, peer groups, and credentials. If you have any questions, reach out to us at (312) 725 4802 or email us at info@commercialpaintingassociation.com.   Join Now Featured Image Source

Growing a successful painting company means running a client-oriented business. Whether you’re targeting commercial building owners or homeowners looking for contractors, most of them will want to see similar qualities in the company they are hiring. When they are deciding on how to select a contractor for a project, people usually look for one that is transparent, friendly, offers a great quality of work, respects timelines, and has vast experience and industry expertise. Other traits that are a definite plus are things like responsiveness, accountability, adaptability, clear communication, cost-competitiveness, and a good reputation. Maintaining all of these simultaneously requires hard work and dedication, so let’s look at each of the traits closer in order to be able to implement them better. What makes a good contractor? Image Source TRANSPARENCY When people are choosing a contractor, one of the first things they are looking for is transparency. Their stakes are high since their company’s reputation somewhat depends on the appearances of their commercial or industrial facility. One way to reassure them is by being honest and respectful. Make sure to provide them with precise estimates, both in terms of costs and timelines, but also mention potential challenges and how you plan to overcome them. RESPECTING TIMELINES Businesses that operate in commercial or industrial buildings usually have limited time windows dedicated to renovations. This is why adhering to strict time schedules is of utmost importance. Make sure to develop a timeline at the very beginning of the project and include some space for potential delays. Responding to prospective clients’ requests quickly is another thing that may improve your chances of getting hired. OFFERING QUALITY OF WORK Probably the best way to find a good contractor is by looking for one that has a track record of successful, high-quality projects behind them. Building a rich portfolio that features your best work and details impeccable end-products is one way to communicate your dedication to quality. Other ways of showcasing your dedication to excellence are by including a gallery on your website or customer feedback section. Image Source GOOD REPUTATION Investing time in managing your company’s online reputation is one thing that will almost certainly result in the ROI. Just like in any other industry, positive reviews and references make all the difference. Your potential clients want to hear from people you have already done work for, so consider including a section with clients’ testimonials to your website. ADAPTABILITY Things don’t always go as planned, no matter how experienced or savvy a contractor you are. Clients tend to change their minds and get new ideas, suppliers may have unforeseen delays, even the weather may surprise you. This is why adaptability is a highly valued trait in the commercial painting industry. Leave space that will accommodate any unexpected changes, and make sure to be flexible in order to get the job done in the best possible way. RESPONSIVENESS In the age of the internet and social media, clients expect open lines of communication. Make sure to have your company’s contact information as well as working hours during which they can reach out readily available on your website. Responsiveness means going a step further and truly being there for your clients, so ensure to promptly respond to their calls, emails, text messages. Ideally, you should be able to quickly respond to any inquiries through social media too. ACCOUNTABILITY A good commercial painting contractor is the one clients can hold accountable. There are a few things you can do to ensure your accountability in addition to being honest and transparent. Having a solid contract that includes your license number, details about timelines and materials that you use, as well as potential liabilities and ways you will work around them will improve your accountability. So will an insurance policy that protects both or all parties involved. Image Source CLEAR COMMUNICATION If responsiveness is important, clear and open communication is crucial. Whether it’s a brief question through social media or a complex request from a large client, make sure to communicate in a timely and professional manner. Try to answer all your client’s questions and to provide them with as many details as possible. Be honest about what you can or can not deliver, because you don’t want them to be disappointed with the results. INDUSTRY EXPERTISE With sufficient experience and constant training, professional painting contractors can easily stand out of the crowd as industry experts. Don’t shy away from sharing your expertise with potential clients – offer them various solutions and friendly yet professional advice, as this may facilitate trust-building and brand loyalty. VAST EXPERIENCE No matter how talented or hard-working your team is, there is one thing that can lift your business to a whole new level: vast experience. Clients generally tend to judge the quality of business they are looking to employ based on the way the contractor showcases their previous projects, time spent in the business, and monthly workload. COST COMPETITIVENESS Cost plays a big part when it comes to your clients’ decision-making. It might be a good idea to find out what the competitors are offering at what cost because it can give you a frame of reference based on which you can develop your company’s pricing. Make sure that your services are priced honestly and fairly, as well as that your estimates and billing are clear enough so that clients can know exactly what they are paying for. FRIENDLINESS While you want to remain professional with the clients at all times, try not to appear distant and cold. People are looking to hire commercial painting contractors that seem accessible and trustworthy and that they will feel comfortable with. Get to know your clients and get friendly with them – the more you find out about them, the better your chances of understanding their needs are. Becoming a great painting contractor takes a constant adjustment in business practices and education. One way to improve your business further and stay up-to-date with industry trends is by joining the Commercial Painter Contractors Association. If you’re interested in becoming part of our community of successful contractors, learn more about the benefits CPIA members enjoy here. Featured Image Source

When it comes to commercial painting, a rich portfolio of successful projects is not always enough in order to stand out from the crowd of contractors that offer similar services in your area. Clients should be able to find all relevant information in real-time, and there is no better way to deliver it than by increasing the company’s online visibility. So, we’ve compiled a list of useful digital marketing strategies and tips regarding how to improve online presence and improve your company’s ROI.   Stay Active On Social Media With as many as 80% of Americans actively using their social media accounts, platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram are a great way to reach a wide audience and increase revenue. Selecting the right platform is key, which is why you have to be mindful of where your target audience is active. When it comes to commercial and residential painting contractors, the choice is straightforward: Facebook is good for building a community and starting a conversation, while Instagram offers opportunities to visually showcase recent projects. If you are wondering how to improve your B2B online presence, LinkedIn is a way to go. It is an excellent platform for making business connections and posting corporate content. Image Source POST USEFUL INFORMATION Posting informative content that has the potential to draw people’s attention can help you build a following and raise your company’s visibility. One strategy that’s important is to research is when to post and how often, based on your market and audience demographics. Two to four posts per week is optimal for painting contractors since it won’t clutter your followers’ timelines. Make sure that the content is relevant, original, and consistently branded. ENGAGE WITH YOUR FOLLOWERS Social media platforms are a great way to start a conversation with your target audience and feel their pulse. Engaging with your followers can not only help build brand loyalty, but is great for increasing visibility. The sense of immediacy that social networks provide offers opportunities to build lasting relationships and brand loyalty with clients.   Build Your Google My Business Profile Directories such as Google My Business, Yelp, or Yahoo Listings are free tools that offer opportunities for companies to gain exposure by managing how they present their info in search engines. Registering the company’s website is a swift and straightforward process, one that is easily accomplished by novice technology users as much as tech-savvy professionals. The primary benefit of your company’s Google Business listing is that it will be accessible via Google Maps by prospective clients looking to find your services in local markets. OPTIMIZE YOUR PROFILE Once the company’s website is added, it is important to optimize your listing. Managing specific preferences such as location on Google Maps will help smartphone users find you on the go while updating relevant opening hours can help clients clearly see when you’re open for business. Categorizing the company into the right industry, adding appealing visual assets, using a local telephone number and encouraging reviews are a few other things that can help build your online presence. ASK YOUR CLIENTS FOR REVIEWS Customer reviews help companies to build a good reputation, as we all know, the Painting industry is built on the work we do, and the reviews of our clients. Imagine searching for a cake shop and finding two local cafés – one with client comments describing the flavors and how they enjoyed indulging in pastries and another without. The first one may seem more credible, as you can judge based on other people’s experiences. It’s similar when it comes to commercial painting contractors, so make sure to encourage your satisfied clients to share their experiences. You can send a follow-up survey after the completion of the job or even add copy at the bottom of your invoices encouraging clients to leave you a review that links to your Google Business profile. REGULARLY POST UPDATES Sometimes it isn’t enough to do a one-off optimization of your Google My Business profile. Whether your company moved to another location, upcoming holidays affect opening hours or you simply want to improve the content, regular updates are essential.   Explore Paid Online Advertising Options If your company has a dedicated marketing budget, it might be worth looking into online paid advertising options. Platforms such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and LinkedIn Ads have the potential to significantly increase the company’s exposure. And, unlike traditional marketing methods like print ads or commercial spots, digital advertising provides transparent reporting on your ROI. Different online paid advertising channels are suitable for different needs, so clearly define the purpose of your ad campaign to determine where your budget will be best utilized. GOOGLE ADS Google Ads is an online advertising platform that allows companies to display their services, product listings, videos, and brief advertisements in search engine results and other websites and apps. In other words, paid Google ads will likely bring people who are looking for a product or service that you offer to your company’s website. FACEBOOK ADS 1.6 billion people are connected to small businesses through Facebook, and there’s at least a billion more scrolling through their Facebook feeds every day. This means that Facebook ads provide immense opportunities to raise your visibility. Creating and running campaigns is just as simple and intuitive as curating a personal profile and performance reposts are user-friendly. LINKEDIN ADS LinkedIn ads are a great way to reach decision-makers, improve website traffic, and generate leads by targeting professionals based on their industry, job title, or function. With over 675 million professionals using the platform worldwide, LinkedIn is a great way to grow your business and manage the company’s reputation.   Invest In Your Company Website While this step may be pricey, it is one that will have you see a considerable return on investment. A functional and appealing website can serve as the main platform to organize company information; display project portfolios and funnel online leads to your CRM. Investing in an intuitive and accessible user experience means investing in a website that is easy to navigate, mobile-optimized, that loads quickly and has relevant and engaging content. Things like content marketing, guest posting, and link building can bring additional value to your website. MOBILE FRIENDLINESS Two-thirds of all Americans use their phones to open emails, shop and look up information while watching TV or on the go. It only takes a few seconds for most of those users to decide to leave a website that is difficult to navigate and head over to your competitors. This is why having a mobile-optimized website is an absolute must nowadays. VISUAL APPEAL A neatly designed website has the potential to grab the user’s attention and keep them interested. Commercial painting is a visual industry and you’re proud of the work you produce, so visual assets should be in line with your brand identity and communicate the same brand values consistent with your other online channels. WEBSITE USABILITY Having a simple and usable website can help achieve online marketing goals by leading to higher conversion rates. In addition to having a neat user interface, it is important to make sure that the company’s website has navigation and content that are precise and well-formatted. Content should include clear calls to action or CTAs that engage prospective clients and prompt them to reach out to learn more about your services. Images and videos should aim to enhance and support your company’s offering, and the pages should load quickly.   List Your Business On Local Directories Image Source The benefits of listing a company on local business directories include increased local online visibility and search engine optimization, as well as improved business reputation. Just like listing the company on Google My Business, listing it on local directories is a simple process that usually comes free of charge. FINDING RELEVANT DIRECTORIES Local directories usually index businesses by location, category, and niche, and just like Google My Business, they include reviews. As such, they make the entire process of finding a product or a service through local searches convenient. By finding listings that are relevant for their business, companies can greatly benefit not only from increasing the local visibility of their website but also improve sales. OPTIMIZING YOUR DIRECTORY PROFILE Having complete and consistent business information on each directory is essential for the optimization of the company’s directory profile. Due to this, including things such as the company’s name, address, and phone, as well as making it as informative as possible is key. This is called NAP Consistency, which stands for Name, Address, Phone number. If you want to regularly get industry-specific information that can help you further grow your business, join CPIA today. To find out more, contact us at 312.725.4802 or email us at info@commercialpaintingassociation.com.   Join Now   Featured Image Source

A workplace culture that prioritizes safety should be about more than following a list of procedures and policies that ensure compliance. Proper training encourages workers to understand their responsibilities, gives an overview of specific hazards to avoid and helps them to stay safe while performing their job. With decades of experience in the Commercial Painting Industry, we have done our research and rounded up some of the most useful websites with information about workplace health and safety training resources. OSHA – Safety and Health Training Resources The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, more commonly known by its acronym OSHA, is responsible for protecting worker health and safety in the United States. OSHA determines which standards and requirements apply to specific work environments and enforces employer adherence to those standards and requirements. OSHA details the procedures, equipment, and training that employers and workers must use to reduce hazards and ensure safety standards specific to the employers’ workplace and workers’ jobs. Their website also provides helpful resources such as annual inspection data, including employee complaints, referrals, and statistics. You’ll also have access to web-based training tools on occupational safety and health topics, injury and fatality reports, training videos, and more. With the information and resources available on the OSHA website, employees will be well equipped to reduce workplace hazards and to implement new safety and health management systems. They are also encouraged to promote a safe and healthy work environment through cooperative programs, support the development of innovative ways of dealing with workplace hazards, etc. For more information visit OSHA Website. The National Institute For Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is the only Federal agency with a mandate to fund occupational safety, health research and training. This organization is committed to education that prevents workplace injuries and illnesses for over 150 million US workers. The Institute’s website offers information to reduce worker illness and injury; to improve employee well-being. It also outlines how to promote safe and healthy workers through interventions, capacity building, and cooperation. The HHE Program allows NIOSH to respond to evaluation requests from employers, employees, and government agencies. For more information visit NIOSH website. NSC – National Safety Council The National Safety Council is America’s leading nonprofit safety advocate and a mission-based organization that works to eliminate the major causes of preventable fatalities and injury with a focus on the workplace. The NFC and the OSHA have worked together to improve workplace health and safety by sharing information, guidance and access to safety training resources. Both NSC and OSHA seek to advance understanding of workers’ rights as well as employers’ responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. This specifically aims to help prevent accidental workplace injuries and save lives. The NSC website provides a variety of resources including the Safety Operations Benchmarking Study, safety talks, videos, quizzes, posters, PowerPoint presentations, injury facts, and publications for safety professionals at every level of expertise. With the resources available on the NCS website you can evaluate any accidents experienced by your employees or clients, review potentially unsafe practices and review requirements for safe work practices. For more information visit NSC website. American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) The American Society of Safety Professionals is a global association for occupational safety and health professionals. For more than 100 years, the ASSP has supported efforts to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. ASSP provides education, advocacy, standards development, and a professional community to set the standard for occupational safety, health excellence, and ethics. As a community of about 40,000 OSH professionals around the world, the ASSP provides a network of resources in 80 countries. The ASSP website offers a membership program that provides access to the community of OSH professionals. This network provides insights on how to increase productivity and operational efficiency with learning opportunities in a range of formats (including certificate programs, webinars, microlearning, online courses, conferences, OSH publications, and proactive government programs at both state and federal level). By becoming an ASSP member you’ll have access to the latest information and practices that provide members with valuable insight through highly regarded publications, top-quality continuing education and a vast community of peers. For more information visit ASSP website. International Labor Organization (ILO) As a United Nations agency, the International Labor Organization (ILO) handles employment-related issues such as employment standards and problems of exploitation. The ILO is responsible for registering complaints against organizations that infringe rules and regulations. However, it does not sanction organizations or governments. The ILO works with governments, employers, and employees from 187 member states to establish labor standards, improve policies and devise projects aimed to promote fair work for all women and men. Nearly half of ILO instruments deal directly or indirectly with workplace health and safety issues. ILO’s website provides essential resources for economic activity, codes of practice, specific risk protection, and the like. With the resources available on the ILO website, tragedies are preventable through the implementation of sound prevention, reporting, and inspection practices. For more information visit ILO website. Join CPIA today to get access to invaluable resources for Commercial Painting and industry-specific training, peer groups and credentials. We remain vigilant in adhering to and promoting safe practices and lookforward to expanding our network of professionals. Featured Image Source