How dangerous is roofing? For 2019, the latest available year with data, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports roofers suffered the second-highest number of fatalities from slips, trips, and falls (only behind construction workers). How does Allstate Exteriors & Restoration Services protect its workers?
Stay Off!
Before plunging — er, uh, going — further into the safety requirements we use, please take to heart this urgent reminder:
- Stay Off Your Home’s Roof!
Residential roofs classify as “steep-slope roofing,” which means they have a pitch or angle that is much greater than commercial roofs with their low-slope angles. Steep-slope roofing is inherently dangerous.
The human foot and ankle are not designed to navigate the steep terrain of a residential roof, so, please, stay off your roof!
Strap On!
If humans are not really equipped to walk around on residential roofs, how do roofing installers do it? They use tools and gear, lots of protective gear:
- Fall arrest gear
- Heavy work boots
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Fall arrest gear is strapped on as if the roofer were preparing to skydive. A clip harnesses the roofer to ropes anchored to some sturdy object, like your home’s chimney or your roof peak. If the roofer stumbles or slips, the fall arrest gear will bring him (or her!) to a lurching stop before an unfortunate tumble over the roof eaves.
Out Loud
In addition to safety equipment required for every roofer on every job, other safety protocols are also in place. They are expected to talk to each other, check on each other, and ensure one another’s safety.
Platform hoists are often used to send materials up a ladder-like device to the roof. Verbal signals let roofers know where the loads are and when things are going up or down. Roofers work together, supplying the worker laying down shingles, and acting as extra eyes near roof edges.
A roof during installation is a busy but organized place, with every worker aware of one another, where the danger spots are, and how materials are moving on site. Safety is always the most critical part of any roofing job.
Allstate Exteriors & Restoration Services LLC is your trusted, local source for roofing, siding, and gutter projects. Please contact us today to learn more about how we work. Whether for a roof emergency or a routine roof replacement, we know safety is required for all aspects of the job.
