Roofing has always been a dangerous industry for workers, and it's not getting any better. Reports of worker deaths or injuries in roofing accidents are commonplace, and the statistics are shocking. Roofers die at nearly twice the rate of the average rate for all U.S. construction workers, 29.9 deaths per 1,000 full-time workers.
However, the questions that arise are important. What is the cause of the high injury rate and what can be done about it? The answers are as complex as some of the projects roofers face on a daily basis. There is no single cause or remedy for injuries suffered by workers.
“I think it's partly due to inexperience, partly due to lack of proper equipment and partly due to the nature of the work,” said Tico Jimenez, president of Haven Fall Protection in Pennsylvania. “It's a combination of everything. Some people are risk takers. You have to have some fear of what could possibly happen, but not too much. It’s all part of the business.”
One of the most common dangers is falls. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration reports that basic fall protection regulations are most often violated and ignored.
“It’s frustrating,” Jimenez said. “Often it’s because people are trying to cut corners. They try to make quick money for the day, but in the end it doesn't work out. It's like seeing someone driving down the highway in a hurry and getting into an accident. You actually didn’t get to where you wanted to go.”
Sobering statistics
Numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics should concern every roofer. The total number of fatal injuries among roofing contractors reached 124 in 2022, an increase from 115 in 2021.
Even more worrying, the vast majority of incidents, 80.6%, were due to falls, trips or slips. Another report found that 76% of residential construction fatalities occurred on roofs and 18% of those deaths resulted from improper use of fall protection.
“We do a lot of training with our programs,” Jimenez said. “Sometimes a general contractor will have their own safety orientation programs. I don't think the workers are unaware of the safety measures. I think most roofers are aware of safety and for the most part follow these protocols.”
Jimenez's company installs fall protection solutions and has a team of experts with decades of experience understanding compliance regulations, access challenges and industry best practice solutions.
Their approach includes site security consulting, risk assessment, and solution design and implementation.
“We have a clear understanding of the site requirements,” Jimenez said. “We design a customized fall protection solution to implement these solutions efficiently and ensure minimal disruption to business operations.”
Safety equipment
Fall protection has made great strides since the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) was founded in 1970. When the law was passed, the number and severity of work-related injuries and illnesses increased. At the end of the 1960s, almost 14,000 people died every year as a result of workplace accidents.
OSHA now requires employers to provide fall protection training to all employees who may be exposed to fall hazards. The training includes the inspection, assembly, disassembly and maintenance of fall protection equipment in the workplace.
Falls remain one of the deadliest workplace accidents in the roofing industry.
Employers must also provide a fall protection system when workers are exposed to a fall of at least two meters in construction and in general industries such as warehouse or industrial workers are exposed to a fall of at least four meters.
In 2017, OSHA also updated its fall protection standards for the height of guardrails, ladders and stairs with construction standards. Fall protection system legislation is addressed in Code of Fall Regulations 1910.29 and requires employers to provide a fall protection system and protection from falling objects before an employee begins work. The legislation provides specific details on center rails, screens, meshes, vertical intermediate elements, solid panels and intermediate equipment elements such as: B. additional center rails or architectural panels.
Follow proper protocols
Jimenez said One of the most popular railing systems installed in many commercial projects is BILCO's Bil-Guard 2.0 roof hatch safety railing system. Manufactured by the specialty access manufacturer, the system provides durable fall protection for roof hatch openings and meets or exceeds OSHA fall protection requirements.
The non-penetrating attachment attaches directly to the roof hatch cap surround and fits all brands of roof hatches with a cap surround. It is made of aluminum rail construction and features a powder coating. The system is easy to install using standard tools. Although BILCO is widely known for its access products, it also offers a variety of security products, including automatic smoke vents.
“Products like BILCO’s safety systems are precisely designed and work excellently in our fall protection systems. “They are an important part of the overall protection plans,” Jimenez said.
Jimenez said fall protection starts with following procedures and installing proper safety measures. Taking shortcuts leads to trouble.
“It's important to think through a step-by-step process and make sure you're doing everything right,” he said. “You have to consciously take steps that people have to follow. Before beginning a roofing project, you need to identify where the hazards lie and create a risk plan. You must find an appropriate way to ensure that these risks are minimized. I think we will get to the point where more people realize that these are dangerous situations and that they need to take the proper safety precautions.”