No one is exempt from accidents. Any homeowner or professional must be careful when performing preventive roof maintenance or they may have an accident and could be seriously injured. Even when protective equipment is worn, workers remain prone to injury.

Knowing about and understanding safety precautions can minimize accidents and avoid fatalities. Falls are reported by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as the leading cause of death in the construction industry. Ladders are the most commonly used tool in roofing maintenance. A comprehensive study conducted by the Canadian Public Health Agency shows that ladders have the highest incidence of causing an accident during home maintenance. Precautionary measures are vital to prevent serious injuries from happening.

Prior Consideration

Some things need to be identified as ‘red flags’ when considering trying to climb onto a rooftop to inspect for possible damage and these situations should most likely be avoided. Those could include:

• Building Height and Damage - If a building is two stories or more and has sustained severe damage, do not hesitate to call a professional immediately.

• Steeply Sloped - A steeply sloped roof is very dangerous. Extreme caution should be observed and probably avoided.

• Fall Hazards - Loose and damaged shingles are a falling hazard. An accidental misstep on a loose shingle could cause tripping and falling.

• Wintry Conditions - If a problem occurs during the winter, never try to climb up on the roof as any build-up of snow will cause the house-top to be very slippery and dangerous to cross.

• Wet Conditions - Most importantly, do not even walk on a roof if it is wet as it is always slippery when wet.

Climbing up a ladder and walking on a roof is very risky under ideal conditions. Extreme caution should always be observed to avoid possible injuries. If a homeowner is uncomfortable about walking on a roof, a professional in this area should be contacted to handle the inspection.

Personal Protective Equipment

As identified by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), falling is the leading cause of construction fatalities. OSHA recommends the use of personal protective equipment when climbing and working on a roof while performing services such as cleaning, repairing and regular maintenance programs. It is strongly suggested to use a fall arrest system such as a full body harness or safety belt lanyard along with other protective gear such as leather gloves, safety glasses and hard hats.

Careful Ladder Usage

Ladders are important when climbing onto a roofing system. Workers should ensure that ladders are properly grounded and positioned correctly against the wall of the building. Based on OSHA’s standards, the distance of the base from the wall should be a quarter of the length of the ladders. For example, if 12-foot ladders are used; the base should be three feet away from the wall of the building.

Roof repairs and other preventive maintenance programs usually require physical labor and places workers at risk for tripping and falling injuries. There is also the possibility that they could lose their footing and stability while performing these jobs. Safety guidelines and practices must be followed to achieve a risk-free work environment and protect anyone on the house-top from the danger of falling.

No one is free from having an accident; however, risks can be minimized if everyone involved knows and understands the importance of safety while on the top of a house. Safety can be provided by knowing about precautionary measures to be taken while maintaining a roof and prolonging its functional use!