Steve Payne
A thought on roofing safety
Canadian ContractorSome roofers say they are safer when they are not tied down, because workers can get tangled up in each other's ropes. This line of thinking can be fatal.
By Alec Caldwell, CARAHS
A contractor recently told me that he reckoned that using safety ropes and restraints on roofs does not always bring safety. He said that ropes get tangled while workers crisscross each other, causing slips, trips and falls.
He said the Ministry of Labour would never acknowledge these types of incidents were happening, as it would be detrimental to their whole safety program.
While there’s probably some truth in his comments, isn’t it better that we live with occasional trips and slips with everyone still tied down? With people not tied down, we are looking at crippling injuries or death. Compare that to the less-severe injuries from tied-down workers occasionally getting tangled with each other.
Alec Caldwell is the founder of CARAHS, a non-profit association delivering safety, education and benefits to builders, contractors and trades. Call them toll-free free at 1-866-366-2930 or visit www.carahs.org
We run a small roofing company in Northern Ontario.. We do flats and shingles. We send all new hires to third party fall arrest training. It simply is not enough, in the eyes of the law, to be wearing fall arrest equipment; you must be trained in its proper use. We are always surprised at the number of job applicants that claim to have years of roofing experience but no fall arrest training.
If you are in the roofing business , it is likely that you or someone you know will have nearly fallen off a roof. It is likely that when a person falls off a roof they will be critically injured or killed. It is our responsibility as contractors and supervisors to eliminate that risk. Anyone who thinks differently needs to know that the human and monetary cost of an injury or worse, a death, will wipe you out.
Do you think that working safely slows you down? Just think of what would happen to your job if a fatal fall happened. The investigation, the court appearances and subsequent fines along with the inquest will certainly slow you down. Safe is safe. The rest is just plain stupid.
Professional roofer here. I’ve seen many injuries on a roof, and the majority of them are caused by “safety”, equipment. I’ll use a rope when I feel it’s required for my safety, but never a harness on a sloped roof. The only reliable use of a rope is on high slopes, and used with a belt to hang off of. Try that with a harness and you’re going for a trip, usually on your face. The laws were made for flat roofers; wholly use them for a short amount of time, until the stands are up. A harness is just an accident waitingbtonhappen on a sloped roof.
I think all roofers should be properly trained on safety requirements. I have seen too many accidents with roofers over the years. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
I think all roofers should be properly trained on safety requirements. I have seen too many accidents with roofers over the years. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Thanks for your input