Daddy be careful!
Dangerous for obvious reasons
Logic clearly dictates the dangers involved in performing manual labor high up in the air. You do not need to use your imagination to understand the likelihood of serious injury should you or a hired hand take a spill off that roof. There are simple standards and procedures roofers can follow in order to minimize those risks but at the end of the day the fact remains that you are risking your life every time that ladder gets climbed.
As deadly as “The Deadliest Catch”
Construction Injury Statistics
With all the dangerous jobs in the construction industry it is hard to believe that falling from a roof accounts for one third of all fall related fatalities a year. The likelihood of death is much higher for a variety of roofing contractors including smaller establishments and Hispanic work forces. Those working in the roofing industry are three times more likely to die from a work related accident then any other laborer. The inherit dangers are quantifiable and clear; the consequent questions you need to ask yourself are fairly simple to identify. How much risk are you are willing to take in order to fix that leak yourself? How much you are willing to pay someone to complete the job properly and safely? How much of a discount makes it worthwhile to risk a roofer losing his life on your roof, holding you liable for the damages because they were uninsured?
Safety First
The results are in and the answer is clear
- Only eighteen percent of all fall related construction injuries resulted in fatalities while roofing has a much higher percentage at thirty four percent.
- When a company is small, having less then ten employees, that statistics show they are much more likely to experience fatal injuries with sixty seven percent from roofs and sixty two percent from other falls.
- Even though Hispanic workers represent only a quarter of all construction related fall fatalities, when it comes to roofing they account for a whopping thirty five percent
Proper safety procedures need to be followed by professionals and amateurs alike. With the statistics proving how likely a fall from a roof is to result in death this is no laughing matter.
The Occupational Safety & Health Organization to the rescue
For those laborers that can read, this is the holy bible
There is no leniency when it comes to enforcing OSHA guidelines if you want to reduce roofing injuries on the job site. Follow this link to read about Fall protection in Residential Construction. Now that being said the most important thing anyone can do to stay safe while on the roof is to use common sense. Respect the environment you are working in, do not horse around up there, and keep an eye on each other to make sure proper procedures are being followed and that no ones reckless behavior is putting the entire team in danger. Keep a close eye on the weather because any rain causes the roof to get very slippery very quickly exponentially adding to the likelihood of suffering a serious fall.
What is most important to you, short or long term price?
Would you hire an unlicensed roofer for the right price?
- Absolutely, the best price always wins
- Never, it is not worth the risk
