Roofing Safety Tips That Will Keep You Alive

Every June, the National Safety Council encourages employees of all industries and across all types of workforces to be aware of safety standards that exist across the country and endeavor to improve their company’s safe workplace habits. In 2009, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics determined that roofing was the fifth most dangerous occupation in this country. There are a number of ways that organizations can improve their safety standards and keep their employees healthy.

The National Safety Council was developed in an attempt to help improve lives by preventing injuries at work, home, in communities, and in vehicles. The goal has been to prevent 1 million injuries and save 10,000 lives by 2014 with innovations in leadership, education, advocacy, and research. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was created to help set standards for safe work environments and provide on-the-job training, education, outreach and assistance.

In roofing, the most common injuries tend to involve slips and falls from heights. Roofers are naturally spending a large part of their time high above ground and often don’t always take the care required to ensure that they remain safe. There are a few things you can do to prevent slips and falls while roofing. 

Organizations that employ roofers should do the following to keep their employees safe: 
- always use personal fall equipment
- maintain protection around the perimeter of the worksite
- securely cover and label floor openings
- practice safe ladder and scaffold use

Ladders are very common tools required for many jobs that involve repair or replacement of roof materials. In order to ensure your ladder is safe, you should inspect it regularly and retire or repair any damaged ladders. Always extend the ladder at least three feet above the highest point of support. Ladders should not be placed in horizontal positions and utilized as scaffolding. Metal ladders should not be used near electrical equipment.

Scaffolding are types of ladders used to form platforms that employees can work from. Scaffolding should never be adjusted or moved while it is being used. Employees working within a building should always be protected from potential overhead hazards. If a scaffold has to be higher than 10 feet, the employee should be protected with guardrails and toeboards. Platforms on scaffolding should be kept free of tools and debris.

Keeping these tips in mind will keep roofers safe and help prevent many of the slips and falls that occur on the job. While a lot of the prevention strategies seem like common sense, they can often be forgotten or neglected when in a rush.