How Do Roofers Stay Safe?

Professional roofers work high off the ground on a daily basis. No matter how skilled a crew member might be, no matter how much experience they might have, they must never become complacent about staying safe.

The safety of a roofing crew, as well as the people on the ground below them, should always be a top priority for a roofing company. Most accidents can be prevented with good preparation and the correct attention to detail. A high-quality professional roofing contractor will always do the following to help ensure safety for all:

Develop a Careful Plan

Every roofing job is unique. Before beginning any roofing project, a professional roofing contractor will learn as much as possible about the job site, identifying any potential safety issues and deciding how they might be addressed. Attention to detail here is key. What’s around the building? What’s inside it? Are there areas of particular risk on the existing roof? Even the tiniest bit of information can impact the plan.

Safety should be a priority for any activity that could impact the residents of the building and the surrounding area, so the safety plan should also include those on the ground or in the building beneath the roof. Areas that present risk should be flagged off. Loose debris should be contained.

A high-quality roofing contractor knows that a safety plan can change as a job progresses. In many cases, as weather conditions, roof conditions, and the requirements of each stage of the project change, so do safety measures.

Regular Safety Trainings and Refreshers

For a roofer, learning how to be safe is just as important as learning the proper technique for a particular roofing application. Regular safety trainings are a good start.

Fall protection is already an OSHA-required training for anyone potentially exposed to a fall, as all roofers are. A roofer should trained to inspect and maintain a job site, recognize any situation that presents a fall risk, and take the right steps to minimize that risk. Roofers should also learn how to safely operate the equipment they use and receive training in areas such as crane signaling and rigging.

Crew members should have refreshers often and retrain as appropriate for projects that require special safety considerations or when a crew member struggles with maintaining safety standards. In roofing, you can never be too prepared.

The Right Safety Equipment

OSHA requires that anyone working at of a height of more than six feet must use fall protection equipment. As with the tools a roofer might use to complete a job, fall protection equipment is job-dependent. In some cases, a project will require a guardrail system; in others, flagging the perimeter is an appropriate measure. For those working near the roof’s edge, a personal fall arrest system (PFAS) and a co-worker watching over them will help keep a crew member safe.

Thorough training  on how to use this equipment is, of course, essential.

Prepared, Just in Case

Every day, on every job, a good roofing contractor will remind his or her crew to be safe. But even with daily reminders, careful preparation, training, and equipment can help prevent most accidents, but accidents still happen. Members of a roofing crew should be trained in how to administer first aid and what to do in case of emergency. Again, training is essential.

Roofing is important work, but it can also be dangerous work. Roofers stay safe by keeping safety in mind all the time, every day, on every job.

Safety First

Ridgeworth Roofing prioritizes the safety of its employees and its clients, so every project decision is made with safety in mind. From the initial project planning to the day-to-day delivery of service, safety is top of mind, all the time. For highest standards in all areas of commercial roofing, contact Ridgeworth Roofing today.