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How roofers can minimize their risk of injury

On Behalf of | May 4, 2020 | Workers' Compensation |

It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to realize that roofing can be a pretty dangerous job. You are, after all, climbing around on top of someone’s home or business at a considerable height while simultaneously handling heavy materials and tools.

Frankly, just about anything can happen when you do a roofing job, but some accidents are more common than others. Falls, heat and sun exposure, electrocution risks and danger from falling objects or dangerous tools can all be a problem.

How do you minimize the danger to yourself and your crew when you’re a roofer? Use these tips:

  1. Make sure everyone knows how to use their personal protective equipment (PPE). What needs to be used may vary from job to job, but PPE can vastly reduce the severity of accidents that occur only when it’s worn consistently and correctly.
  2. Check the stability of the roof before you start. One person should be in charge of this task before everyone on the crew clambers up to begin the job. This is particularly important when dealing with a split-level roof or a roof with a steep pitch. Those increase the height that workers must ascend, as well as their danger.
  3. Understand proper ladder and scaffold placement. Ladders and scaffolds are necessary for the job, but roofers sometimes take an all-too-casual approach to setting them up. No ladder or scaffold should be climbed until it has been secured on stable ground and inspected for its stability.
  4. Know when it’s time to call it a day. Weather conditions can make roofing jobs more hazardous than normal. If it’s windy, wet or icy, it may be time to drag out the tarps and pack the job in until the weather settles down.

Despite your best efforts, you could still suffer a serious injury when roofing. If so, you have every right to expect workers’ compensation to step in and help cover your losses. If you’re having trouble getting a claim approved, find out more about your legal options.