Safety and prevention

Safety and prevention

Safety and Prevention To ensure that the season is not only busy, but long and successful for roofing contractors, they should start with an emphasis on safety. Thus, there are many ways to work safely on construction sites. Here are some key areas for roofing contractors to remember.

Roofing, unlike many other trades, requires crews to work at significant heights. For professionals, it is necessary to take precautions in order to work safely on roofs. Even small roof repairs require hauling heavy tools and equipment up and down a ladder, often tens of feet high.

To achieve this, roofing teams must be specially trained in tool handling techniques and fall safety, in fact, this is one of the main reasons homeowners are advised to avoid roofing. their own home.

Fall hazards aside, roofing tools such as pneumatic nail guns, roofing-specific axes and knives have their own necessary precautions for safe use. For example, in addition to fall safety gear, many professionals wear protective gear, such as goggles, helmets, and earplugs, to prevent further accidents.

In addition to spending the day at high altitudes, roofing teams are also exposed to sharp increases in temperature during the summer months. For reference, testing of roofing shingle products has found that even in mild weather, at 20 ° C, roof temperatures can quickly exceed 48 ° C by noon.

Exposure to extreme heat can lead to occupational illness and injury. Heat stress can lead to heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, or rashes. Heat can also increase the risk of injury to workers, as it can lead to sweaty hands, foggy safety glasses, and dizziness.

To work safely in high temperatures, professional roofers must have a plan in place, which includes best practices to avoid and mitigate exposure to extreme heat. Roofing crews, for example, can plan to start early and clean up before the day’s temperatures peak. They can also take several breaks per hour to drink water and maintain hydration while working out in the heat.

Replacing roofs on older homes, as with other home improvement or remodeling projects, may present a risk of asbestos exposure. Prior to the 1970s, many types of building insulation products were made with asbestos for heat and fire resistance. Asbestos has also been widely publicized as a cause of mesothelioma cancer and other lung diseases.

This condition can take 30 or 40 years to manifest before showing physical symptoms, so it is often too late to effectively treat the condition once it is diagnosed. Professional roofers must ensure that there is no risk of exposure to asbestos before opening a roof.