Roofing Safety for "Old School" Roofers

RoofingSafety

My dad was telling me last night - who is an old school roofer - about his trouble adjusting to the new roof safety legislations.

He has worked for over 20 years in construction using homemade welded roof brackets, wearing work boots, a tool belt and rarely a safety hat. That's it.

He has recently come into trouble with the "safety police" with warnings to wear compliant safety gear. He vouches that it slows him down and becomes more of a hazard.

Do you guys/gals have any tips for getting used to using safety equipment? How do you know what the law is and what isn't when being approached by safety parol?

English Roofer

There used to be a sign on a site i worked on,No Hat,No Boots No Hi Vis jacket .....No WORK !

__________________
'I can resist anything but temptation'- Oscar Wilde
www.drroofing.co.uk

daviddeschaine

6 Rope laying all over the roof, while you are trying to install.

It's Dangerous...

__________________
David J. Deschaine
http://www.startmyroofingbusiness.com

http://www.roofingbusinessblueprint.com

Interloc

Safety is 95% common sense,if your in the 5% bracket,..what the hell are ya on the roof for??..who the hell makes these stupid rules anyways? I've been roofin 30yrs now and i know how your dad feels, IT SUCKS!!

RoofingSafety

Contractors that have been in the roofing trade for many years could do this in their sleep. They get into a rountine process and anything new can totally throw them off.

I think whether it's safety gear or another worker - it takes times to get used to the new object. The solution seems to slow down.

But another thing with these safety rules, how do you know what IS the law and what ISN'T. Where do you get your resources or training?

phalanx

I have been a construction safety consultant for many years. OSHA has been around since 1971. There is no excuse for not knowing the safety regulations as it applies to roofers. Look in 29 CFR 1926.500. That is Subpart M -- Fall Protection. Go to OSHA.gov and look up the regulation.

Old school roofers, if they have not been already seriously injured or killed in a fall, are living on borrowed time. The more chances they take by not using fall protection equipment on a roof, the more likely they are to fall and be seriously injured or killed.

Falls in construction account for about 1/3 of all fatalities in construction work every year. Roofers and iron workers are the two trades that account for the majority of fatalities due to falls.

Safety is both a habit and a state of mind. You either work safely or you work unsafely. If you compromise your personal safety during roofing work, then you are letting down those that love and depend on you.

Interloc

Nice talk...just curious, you ever been a roofer? I mean who makes these rules? a Roofer or a desk jockey??..and another thing every time i here someone getting hurt its usually the green horn..not the old skool roofer..

Interloc

Around here its different rules, depends which safety guy shows up...

phalanx

No, I have never been a roofer. I am on construction sites every day trying to persuade construction workers to work safely. You don't have to be a roofer to know what is safe and what is not safe.

In the United States, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) makes the rules in collaboration with industry trade associations, labor unions, safety professionals, and other interested parties. For example, the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) works closely with OSHA.

It is not true that green horns are the ones getting hurt. One fatalitiy that I investigated was a 29 year old roofing foreman who had 10 years of experience. He became complacent about his need for fall protection and fell 32 feet to his death. He left behind a young wife and child. His fall protection harness was in the job box on the roof. He never put it on which was a violation of a company rule and an OSHA regulation.

It's very simple. If you take enough chances with your personal safety, then you are probably going to be seriously injured or killed.

phalanx

When I am trying to educate construction workers on safety, I tell them "Safety is what you do when no one is looking". If you take safety seriously, then you are going to do your work safely whether there are rules or not. Safety is an attitude and a state of mind.

Many people have the attitude that they are going to live forever. However, the longer you live, the more you become aware of your own mortality. If you have a family and loved ones that depend on you, then you owe to them to get home at the end of the day in one piece.