How Does A Roofing Company Maintain Safety on A Job Site?

Frederick roofing company

Safety is among the most important aspects on any construction site, being crucial for work performed at heights and often in awkward positions, such as roofing projects. A local Frederick roofing company is well aware of the importance of implementing and maintaining the strictest safety measures during their activity – here are some of these measures.

Wearing the Right Type of Personal Safety Gear

The members of roofing teams are required to wear personal safety equipment at all time. Their gear includes comfortable, but not very loose work clothes, a helmet, non-slip work shoes or boots and work gloves. Safety harnesses are also required – they are essential for preventing slip and fall accidents, especially if the work is performed on steep roofs.

Toe Boards and Roof Brackets

Certain types of roofs, such as gable roofs, are not suitable for standing and walking on. However, even these roofs need repair or replacement and the roofers who work on them need a way to be able to move around on the surface. The solution to ensure safe roof work among such conditions is to use a toe board, that is, a standard board nailed onto the roof to build a safe walkway. When the roofing work is complete, the nails driven into roof to hold the toe board in place can be removed without leaving punctures in the roof.

Roof brackets serve the same purpose as toe boards, but they are sturdier and more complex. Also known as roof jacks, these structures are similar to scaffolding and are composed of a metal bracket and wooden boards fastened onto the roof.

Safe Scaffolding

In some cases, the building on which the roof work will be performed will need to be surrounded with scaffolding to ensure the safety of anyone moving in the area surrounding the building as well as the safety of the landscape or of the sensitive items that cannot be removed from the area for the duration of the roofing project.

The Right Type of Ladders

Ladders come in many types and sizes, but not all of them are suitable for roof work. The ladders used by roofers feature a special design that makes it possible to anchor the ladder to the edge of the roof to prevent the ladder from slipping and tripping – otherwise, roofing ladders are similar to standard extension ladders.

Ongoing Training

Roofing teams regularly participate in safety training. Whenever a new employee starts work in a roofing company, the new team member will receive safety instructions and trainings are held regularly for the entire team, to refresh their knowledge and to increase their awareness of the potential risks associated with their work. The training materials include not only instructions about the safety equipment to be used and about how to climb on and move around on ladders, but also instructions about how to use mechanical and electrical work tools safely. Safety education programs usually include first aid trainings as well as training about the processes to investigate any incidents and accidents.