Roofing came in fourth among the 25 most dangerous jobs in the country due to a higher rate of fatal injuries and risks from falling. Roofers face many dangers, including slip and fall accidents, electrocution accidents, and severe burns. For effective roofing safety, consistently monitor the potential roofing risks in your business and develop appropriate measures to curb them.
Furthermore, to protect roofers from occupational hazards, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has developed safety guidelines for employers in the roofing industry to follow. With that in mind, check these tools and safety measures to ensure that your contractors work safely.
Wearing Appropriate Attire for Roofing & Construction
Wearing the right clothes can prevent accidents and help save lives.
- Comfortable steel-toed boots can help prevent any damage from occurring on a new roof. In addition, lightweight shoes help to keep your traction and footing all day long and provide excellent ankle support to maximize flexibility.
- Heavy-duty gloves protect hands from cuts and ensure keeping a firm grip while climbing a ladder or when holding tools.
- Safety glasses or face shields when cutting metal and other materials or working with chemical substances.
- OSHA approved roofing hard hats to avoid possible dangers of head injury from impact, falling or flying objects, or electrical shock and burns.
- Ear plugs and/or muffs protect eardrums from loud noises like hammering or machinery.
- Knee pads: These give your needs extra protection when kneeling, bending, or squatting on roof surfaces.
Roofing Tools
- Safety ropes and safety harnesses - These can ensure that if you slip, you won’t fall off the roof without no protection. This equipment supports the roofer through a full-body harness connected to a stable pole using lifelines.
- Secure ladders - Ensure your ladder is on a stable, level surface and secured to prevent accidental displacement. Contractors should inspect their ladders for visible defects periodically, as well as after any occurrence that could affect their safe use.
- Have a plan for safe material transportation, e.g., pallets of roofing materials, heating equipment, or disposal bins. A strategy for doing this is key to overall safety.
- Placing guardrails and flag lines - Generally, it’s important to run temporary guardrails or flag lines at least six feet inward from the roof edge.
Roofing is hard work but extremely valuable and rewarding. All you need to do is ensure that you are safely working. Skipping necessary safety steps means there's a greater chance of an accident, causing additional expenses, potential lawsuits, and moving your project deadline.
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