Roofs have delicate and hazardous locations. They are positioned at elevated levels and this creates unforeseeable circumstances that can potentially occur during a roof installation. With a few safety precautions and a thorough knowledge of the safety laws in home construction, you can still install your roof effectively while remaining in one piece.

Obviously, the most common way to injure yourself while completing a roof installation is by falling off the roof. This is usually caused by the lack of a safety harness or the improper usage of one. Many roofers feel safety harnesses inhibit effective roof construction, however, they are worn around the hips and waist which allows room to move freely. After the harness rope has been safely assembled it should be tied to a heavy object on the other side of the roof to keep it stable.

Additional safety tips include: using hardhats to protect the head from injury, using ear plugs to protect the ears from noise levels, wearing rubber-soled construction boots and limiting hours of operation to daylight hours only. Roofs with asphalt shingles have plenty of traction on them, so there is no reason you can't find shoes that will stick properly. Furthermore, rubber-soled boots are cool because they create great traction on roofs. Wearing long pants is essential because you will have to do some crawling along the roof and will need to protect your body against any protruding material.

Bringing us to our next important point: be sure your roofs are clean and level! Avoid leaving tools and nails lying around and make sure the sheathing is perfectly level as you nail in the roofing material. When working on the roof, try to work horizontally versus vertically, that works much more efficiently. It helps you avoid stepping and crawling over freshly-nailed roofing material and away from the rest of the roof.

Often roofing contractors are hired without any regard for certified training, most homeowners don't think about the importance or contractors knowing roofing safety guidelines. However, professional contractors should always be practicing safe techniques and it's in everyone's best interest to work under the safest conditions possible. This not only includes safety harnesses and proper clothing, but also the employment of insurance and liability for themselves and their labor teams. OSHA, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration is really good about outlining federal requirements and protection plans for roofing contractors, check that out and be prepared to abide by their rules.