December 14, 2015
4 Steps To Proper Roof Safety
Proper roof safety is essential to keeping your roof in the best shape all year round. Many property owners fail to understand the safety requirements when inspecting their roofs.
A large number of rooftop accidents can be avoided by following a few key steps. This will prevent injury and protect you or any service professional who needs to access your rooftop for inspection or maintenance.
- Set Up a Safe Work Area
Creating a safe work area around your roof is the first step in proper roof safety. Rooftops should only be accessed in ideal weather conditions to avoid other risks such as slipping. Rain and cold weather are factors that raise the safety risks of your roof.
If you experience high levels of wind or heat, your roof may become vulnerable to damage. Keep this in mind when someone needs to inspect and maintain your roof.
Individuals with little experience working on rooftops should avoid them altogether unless under the supervision of a professional. Not knowing proper safety measures or other rules and guidelines can create a hazard for the entire team working on your roof.
You should also protect individuals on the ground by marking off the area that you’ll be working over. This protects any people passing by from falling debris or tools.
- Footwear
Proper footwear is essential to roof safety. Shoes shouldn’t have any loose dirt or other debris on them. Before you or any service professional goes onto your roof for maintenance work, you should make sure that it’s been properly swept to remove any hazardous debris.
Shoes should have rubber soles on them to provide a higher level of traction when walking on your roof.
- Basic Ladder Safety
In some cases, rooftop service professionals will need to use a ladder to access your roof. Ladders should be long enough so that they extend above the edge of the roof and provide the proper support.
The best ladders are made of fiberglass, which is easier to transport and protects you from electrical hazards when working near power lines. The ladder should be placed on a firm and level surface, and an anchor point should be used to secure it in place.
- Equipment Safety
You can ensure proper roof safety by storing and maintaining your tools. They should be secured using ropes in order to keep them from falling, while smaller tools should be contained in a toolbox at all times.
Roof brackets and safety harnesses should be used whenever possible. These will further protect you from any unwanted mishaps and prevent injury to you or nearby individuals.
Proper roof safety is a vital component to maintaining your roof throughout the year. Putting these four steps in place will protect you and others when maintaining and repairing your building’s roof.