Working as a roofer puts you at risk on a daily basis. As falls are one of the most common types of workplace injuries and you will be constantly working at heights, a fall is a serious threat you must consider.
Fortunately, there are a lot of things that you can do to stay safe. Here are a few tips that can help:
- Always use a harness. It may not prevent a fall but it can save your life if you do fall.
- Before using the harness, make sure you get proper training so that you know you’re using it correctly.
- Whenever you’re going up or down a ladder, do not carry materials or tools in your hands.
- Get ladders that are long enough to stick about three feet over the edge of the roof. This makes it easier to get on and off with handholds, rather than just having the ladder end at the roof’s lip.
- Anchor ladders to the roof when possible.
- Keep an eye on the weather. You never want to work when it’s raining or when the roof hasn’t dried completely after a rain.
- Choose clean shoes with sticky rubber soles.
- Always inspect your harness and other safety gear before entrusting your life to it. Look for red flags like frayed edges and stitching that is coming undone. Remember that gear does wear out and it’s important to update it when this happens.
These tips can help to keep you safe, but accidents still happen. If you get injured, make sure you know what rights you have in Florida.
