What Are The Common Health Hazards Faced By Roofing Contractors?

To protect subcontractors, contractors, and roofers from serious harm and fatal injuries, it’s important to clearly identify safety hazards when working on roofs and follow safety precautions to control these hazards.

This is one of the reasons why roofing contractors insurance coverage is so important in this particular industry.

Roof safety is a safety and preventive system roofing contractors should use when replacing or repairing a roof. It should be practiced during work hours to avoid both structural damage and, of course, personal injuries.

Here are some of the most common roofing hazards.

1.   Fall Hazards

You always need to be aware of fall hazards when doing work on rooftops and prepare yourself by wearing fall protection gear and harnesses before you start your work. Some of the questions you need to ask yourself and your team are;

• Can the roofing structure comfortably support our weight?
• Do we need to watch out for any holes in the roof?
• Have the ladders been placed properly, and are they defective?

Use inspection checklists to identify the right questions to ask and assess the potential fall hazards of the project.

2.   Electricity

The construction industry accounts for over 50% of all electrical injuries and fatalities in the United States workplace. Roofing contractors are some of the most at-risk workers for electrical hazards.

Handling electrical equipment incorrectly can lead to severe electrical shock, fires, burns, and even death. Conducting electrical checks to determine and control the potential causes of electrocution will help you avoid accidents.

3.   Power Tools

Power tools are critical when contractors are working on a roof. However, if they use these tools incorrectly at heights, this equipment can inflict severe damage to roofing contractors and even cause them to slip and fall. Roofing contractors need to be properly trained on how to handle these tools, and they should also know how to ensure they aren’t defective before use.

4.   Extreme Temperatures

Whether it is weather extremes or just the torch heat the contractors use for roofing, workers should always protect themselves from the potential dangers of extreme weather and temperature by determining the risk based on current weather conditions and roofing equipment. A toolbox discussion should be had with the team before any work starts.

5.   Edge Awareness

Surprisingly, roofing contractors’ loss of awareness of the edges can sometimes be a prevalent issue in the industry. Contractors can easily forget where exactly they’re standing on a roof.

Even some of the most experienced and well-trained roofing contractors can lose track of where they’re actually standing when they’ve put their full focus on the work at hand. This can result in them nearing the edge of the roof before they realize it, leading to potential falls and even fatalities.

It’s imperative that you stop working at regular intervals so you can know exactly where you are on the rooftop.

Takeaway

Hopefully, now you have a better idea of the health hazards you need to be aware of when working on rooftops. Some of these hazards could mean the difference between life and death, so always be careful.

Read more – Finding A Good Roofing Company