Top 10 Roof Safety Tips and Ladder Safety Guide

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) has stated that falls from height can occur during the simple acts of walking or climbing a stepladder or as a result of a complex chain of events. It doesn't take more than a few feet of height to create the conditions for a critical accident. Reviewing a ladder safety guide can help reduce risks and raise awareness of proper practices.

OSHA (the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration) identifies falls as the leading cause of death in construction. In the US, there were 294 fall fatalities out of a total of 796 fatalities in construction in 2013. By comparison, there were 221 construction fatalities in Canada in 2013, with the number of fall fatalities remaining unknown and undisclosed.

Falls from heights, especially from roofs, are the leading cause of critical accidents and deaths in construction, which is why we’ve put together a list of our top 10 roof safety tips for workers. The intent is to help your organization and your employees work safely at heights.

Top 10 Safety Tips for Roof Workers:

1. Never work alone—constantly try to work in pairs. Should an accident happen, someone should always be there to help you.

2. Use Ladders Properly— When it comes to working at heights, a few basic  Always place your ladder on a solid, level surface. If the roof is uneven, use a ladder leveller. For soft ground like grass or dirt, flip the ladder feet so the anti-slip teeth dig into the ground, or dig small holes. On patios or decks, place a board behind the ladder’s feet to keep it from sliding. And always extend the ladder at least three rungs above the edge of the roof so you can safely step off and back on during your descent.

3. Avoid Wet (or Snowy) Roofs—One of the most important roof safety tips: avoid working on a wet or snowy roof. The surface can be extremely slippery, and wet leaves make it even more dangerous. Always wear safety shoes or boots, since they’re usually designed to provide better traction. And never walk backwards on a roof—it might seem obvious, but many workers do it while measuring, which creates a serious hazard on its own.

4. Understand Your Fall Distance—Whether you are working on a ladder, on scaffolding, or performing any other type of work at heights, the fall arrest system is of no help if you reach the ground before your fall is stopped. It may seem obvious, but one of the most overlooked roof safety tips is making sure your fall arrest system is properly selected and used—unfortunately, we still hear about cases where someone relied on an inadequate system.
   This problem typically results from a lack of fall protection training or a solution developed without the help of a qualified person. Miscalculating the fall arrest distance often leads to the same outcome: injuries or even death. A brief look at a ladder safety guide can help prevent common mistakes. Click here to learn more about fall distance or if your system is right for the job.

5. Choose the Proper Personal Safety Equipment— As fall protection safety experts at Height Works, we believe one of the most important roof safety tips is to always choose personal safety equipment that’s properly rated for the type of work you’re doing. When you SHOP with Height Works, you can find any number of kits to match the type of work-at-height you perform, including the Tempo III Temporary Horizontal Lifeline Kit, the Roofers Kit, the Basic Fall Protection Kit, and the D4 Descender Kit. In addition to these inclusive kits, you can find various harnesses for many work-at-height applications, including the rescue harness, the Kevlar harness, the Elastrac harness, and the Phoenix harness.

6. Wear Your Safety Harness Properly— One of the key roof safety tips is to always wear and correctly use a personal safety harness that’s designed for your specific work-at-height tasks. We often drive by job sites and see work-at-height workers wearing a safety harness, and either they’re not wearing it completely done up, or they are wearing it properly, but it’s not attached to anchors to prevent a fall if one were to occur! Having personal safety equipment is one thing, but if you don't use it properly, it won't help you prevent a nasty fall, serious injury, or even death. One of the most important roof safety tips is to understand how to use your gear correctly. And if you’re uncertain about all the features of your personal safety equipment, see Tip #9 below.

7. Inspect Your Safety Equipment Annually— A competent person should inspect your safety equipment every year. A competent person inspection is in addition to the equipment user’s “pre-use” inspection and should be performed by a competent person apart from the equipment user. Simply said, although you may be wearing your personal safety equipment to work, it’s no good to you if any one part of your safety equipment fails while you’re working at heights. If you’re looking for a fall protection safety expert to inspect your equipment for you, click here to learn more about Height Works inspection services and get professional advice on roof safety tips.

8. Use the Right Fall Protection System—Using the right fall protection system for the job you do is a critical and essential element in preventing a fall, critical injury, and death. Referring to a ladder safety guide can also help ensure you're following the proper steps when working at height.
   Do you have a challenging problem to overcome for your work-at-height employees?
   Discover the solutions available to your organization and working-at-height employees; click to learn more about our consulting services.

9. Train, Train, Train—So you have workers, and they now have personal safety equipment. Do they know how to use it? Just having it and knowing how to use it properly makes a world of difference to the safety of your workers. And remember that training shouldn’t be just a one-time event! As equipment ages and retires, onboarding new equipment necessitates fresh training on its use and handling. Staying up to date with roof safety tips is also essential to ensure everyone works safely and efficiently. Are you interested in learning more? Click to learn about the training services available at Height Works.

Contact the experts when in doubt about anything fall protection related, including personal safety equipment uses and handling, how-to for just about anything, what fall protection system your organization should use, or how to access training.

Contact your fall protection experts at Height Works today! We are passionate about all aspects of fall protection! No other company in Western Canada offers such a complete range and true one-stop shop for all your business’ work-at-height needs. 

At Height Works, you can access custom turn-key fall protection systems and installations; onsite safety systems and equipment use training, inspection, testing, and certification services; safety systems and personal safety equipment sales; and consulting services with our fall protection experts, including guidance on essential roof safety tips. Click to learn more.