Safety harnesses, heavy treaded boots, rope grabs and ropes, hardhats, thick leather gloves, and edge guards are some of safety gear and equipment that a roofer need and this is for one good reason. Roofing can be an extremely dangerous job.
Almost everyone will need to have a roofing job done at one point in life. However, not a lot of people know and even understand the risks involved with roofing. It is already bad enough that an accidental fall might lead to your death.
However, roofers also need to face many other hazards and challenges while doing their job. Injuries from roofing debris, volatile chemicals and tars, burns, and electrocution from close contact with an exposed power line are only some of the many risks that a roofer faces every time they go up your roof.
Studies have revealed that roofers rank high on work-related death rate in the construction industry with approximately 50 worker fatalities every year.
If you are still wondering what makes roofing a very hazardous and even a life-threatening job sometimes, better read on to know the answer.
Falls
Numbers have revealed that there are almost 50 deaths that occur in the roofing industry and 37 of these are the result of fatal falls. Based from this study, it was concluded that there was a possibility that the workers lacked the essential fall safety and protection equipment while doing their job.
Other cases of falling that contribute to the rather brutal numbers include falling off of scaffolds, ladders, and skylights. Residential roofers are also discovered to have two times the percentage of deadly falls from ladders as compared to all other roofing workers since their work more frequently involve the use of ladders. On the other hand, commercial roofers have the highest number of falls through skylights. Other fatal falls are falling through roof surfaces and roof openings.
To be more specific, most of the fatal falls happen from roof edges that could have been avoided with the help of safety equipment such as safety nets, guardrails, and fall-arrest systems. It is also recommended to use warning lines during roofing projects to allow the workers to indicate roof-edge danger zones as well as safety monitors to alert workers if they are at risk of a potential fall.
Electrocution
There is no doubt that falling is probably the most obvious and concerning hazard when it comes to roofing. However, a lot of people are actually surprised to know that the danger of fatal electrocution ranks second on the list. This is another serious working fatality that all workers must know to keep themselves safe and avoid paying the ultimate price.
Electrocutions make up a significant number in the number of roofer fatalities every year. The specifics involve roofers who come into ill-fated contact with the overheard power lines. Some other cases of electrocutions also involve roofers that got struck by lightning that can pose another dangerous on the job risk.
All roofing works are dangerous so when the time comes that you need to replace your roof or repair your roof, it is best to leave it to the hands of the experts.
Info provided by Skyline Swindon Roofing:
Timing is always critical when it comes to getting a job done. This rings even truer as far as roofing is concerned.
If your home needs a new roof or some repair work is required, it can be very tempting to just get up there whatever the weather may be.
This leaves many homeowners asking one important question – can roofing be done in the rain?
Well, the short answer is a big no. Below are some of the most important reasons why roofing in the rain is not recommended.
An Issue with Safety
Trying to replace or repair a roof in rainy weather can be a very terrible idea because of obvious safety reasons. It is vital to have good traction when doing repairs on top of your house.
If there is rain coming down, it greatly reduces the available traction that can result to increased risks of falls and slips. This is the last thing you want to happen when you are working 20 or 30 feet off solid ground.
One more thing that makes it a very bad idea to work in the rain is the fact that when rain is pouring down, there is also the chance that lightning will occur. While thunderstorms can be a wonderful sight to behold as you sit comfortably on the back porch, these can be fatal if you are outside trying to fix your roof. Needless to say, this is not worth even the smallest risk.
Other Risks of Roofing in the Rain
When it is raining outside and a leak occurs in your roof all of a sudden, it is only understandable that you would want to repair it at the soonest time possible. How can you enjoy the rain if water drips from your pitched or flat roof, right? The worse thing here is that these leaks can occur on almost all types of roof. Unfortunately, trying to fix your roof in the rain will only lead to more harm than good.
First, this can put your house at higher risks of water damage. Most of the time, when professionals replace your roof, they will remove parts of the roof first that will expose the roofing support structure and the underside. This only means that some areas of your house will also be exposed to the different elements. As expected, this can result to significant water damage.
If you need to replace your roof, working in the rain can compromise the roof’s overall integrity. The adhesives used in the roofing materials must cure first in a relatively clean and dry environment in most cases. Your new roof shingles will never be able to stay put if these are installed when rain is pouring down.
What’s Your Next Best Option?
Don’t worry because there are still many other alternatives. If rain is pouring and your roof needs repair, experts can place a tarp over the leaky area as a preventative measure. They will then wait for dry weather so they can get the job done and fix the problem right away.