
Nov
Roof Safety Tips | Redeem Roofing
As with any home improvement project, safety is always priority #1. And when a roof is involved, this is even more important due to the risk of falls and injuries. We don’t recommend performing DIY inspections or repairs on your own roof, but if you feel like you want to replace a missing shingle or caulk some cracked flashing, then you should follow these essential safety precautions.
Heed these basic roof safety tips to avoid injuries and expensive mistakes.
1. General Safety Tips
These general roof safety tips can apply to any home improvement project, from wearing the proper footwear to organizing your work area before beginning.
- Familiarize yourself with potentially dangerous areas around the roof, such as unsafe roof access and low power lines.
- Organize and clean the work area, and make sure it’s inaccessible to curious pets and children.
- Avoid working on the roof when there are slippery or wet conditions.
- Avoid working on the roof in extremely hot or cold weather because extreme temperatures can damage shingles or prevent them from sealing properly.
- For the best traction, wear soft-soled footwear.
- Utilize safety equipment such as ropes, harnesses, toe boards, brackets, and roof anchors (these secure to the roof structure’s framing).
2. Electrical Safety
Safety around power lines is of paramount importance. If there’s no way to safely avoid them, place a call to your utility company before starting.
- Choose a wooden or fiberglass ladder rather than a metal one.
- Be cautious when working with metal flashing. That’s because electricity can jump to a metal object from several feet away.
- Avoid touching hot wires with hands or tools.
3. Ladder Safety
Making a repair on the roof obviously requires a ladder to access it. However, remember that falls are a leading cause of unintentional injury in the U.S., with 43 percent of fatal falls involving a ladder for anyone working on a structure, according to the CDC.
Check out these important ladder safety tips:
- Keep the ladder on level ground.
- Use the right size ladder to reach your roof; if it is too short, get a taller one.
- Utilize a roof ladder hook to secure the ladder.
- Maintain three points of contact with the ladder at all times.
4. Nail Gun Safety
The use of a pneumatic nail gun is dangerous, so take precautions if you have to use one.
- Do not point nail guns at people.
- Do not tamper with the safety mechanism.
- Wait till you have the tip of the gun pressed against the material before you pull the trigger.
- Before using, clean, inspect, and lubricate the nail gun.
- Avoid misfires by avoiding resting the nail gun against your body.
- Disconnect the air supply when done with use.
- Do not work with the gun when connected to a power supply.
Contact Redeem Roofing
We hope you found these roof safety tips useful. If you find that you don’t have the time, skill, or patience to confidently handle roof work, always call a trusted Elon, NC roofer to do it for you.
Our Burlington, NC roofers would be happy to handle any roofing project you may have, from installation to inspection to repair. We know all about the proper safety procedures to ensure a safe job, plus we come equipped with all the proper materials. For a free quote, contact us today at 336-350-1450.
Redeem is fantastic! We needed roof repairs and they were able to complete the job in a timely manner. The entire crew was very professional. Would highly recommend them! - Cassie
- Category: Roofing