Roofing is a dangerous job and without proper safety measures in place, roofers are exposed to serious injuries and even death. According to OSHA guidelines, employers are required to protect their workers on roofing jobs. Workers need to be equipped with various safety equipment, such as ladders, scaffolds, and other safety gears to keep them safe. OSHA’s fall protection standards require roofers to be provided with protective equipment if they need to work at heights of six feet or more.
There are many reasons why workers need to access a roof, including cleaning a drain, maintaining HVAC systems, and more. Regardless of the application, proper fall protection measures have to be in place. OSHA guidelines require every employee working within 15 feet from the edge of a roof to be well-protected. Some of the areas that require roof protection services include:
· Multi-level roofs: When there is a drop of six feet or greater from a roof that is connected to another building, that edge must be protected.
· Skylights: Without proper protection equipment in place, skylights are considered holes; a fall hazard.
· Roof edges: Roofers working near the edge of a roof need to use protective gear.