60581_03.pdf

Roo f Sa f e t y

3C H A P T E R

Safety does not come to the jobsite in the worker’s toolbox. It has tobe carefully cultivated. Whether the roof is to be covered in tiles or

shingles, a good roofer knows that business overview, management,workmanship, skill, the right tools, proper loading equipment, and awatchful attitude go hand in hand to create a quality roofing job and asafe roofer.

Protecting the WorkerConsiderable research has been directed toward improving personalprotective equipment in the construction industry. No matter what thedegree of sophistication of the safety equipment, however, it is effec-tive only when it is used properly.

All workers should wear proper protective equipment that is ingood repair. Roofers working with flammable substances, climbingladders, and handling materials should wear clothes that are comfort-ably snug, particularly around the neck, wrists, and ankles. Thereshould be no loose cuffs, flaps, or strings. Machinery operators shouldnot wear neckties, loose sleeves, rings, watches, or long hair, all ofwhich can be caught in equipment and lead to injury. Other personalprotective equipment should include the following:

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� Safety glasses, goggles, and plastic face shields when workingwith material that might become airborne

� Hard hats approved for potential exposures when there is anypossible hazard from above

� Closed-cuff chrome-tanned leather, or insulated gloves in goodcondition and suited to the handling of roofing materials

� Safety shoes that meet nationally recognized standards

� Approved respiratory protective devices proper for the existinghazard (dust, fumes, smoke, vapors, mist, etc.)

� Safety belts when working at elevated levels that are not pro-tected by handrails or when working from suspended scaffolds

Print out the safety checklist (Fig. 3-1) on the CD included with thisbook to take to the jobsite.

First aid kits and a Red Cross first aid manual should always behandy. When working with roofing chemicals, have these additionalitems available:

� Gauze for burns and eye injuries

� Baking soda to neutralize acid

� Mineral oil, olive oil, or baby oil to help rinse burning materialsfrom the eye

� Blankets for shock

Training for Physical SafetyEvery year, roofers suffer back injuries from incorrectly lifting heavymaterials. Besides being extremely painful, back injuries can be thestart of other recurrent back problems. Lifting improperly can causemuscles to tear and/or ligaments to rupture. A muscle tear is exactlywhat it says: a tear in a muscle from excess strain or stretching. Liga-ment rupture occurs when the tissue breaks from the bone.

To avoid back strain, stop any lifting if you cannot keep your hipsunder your upper body when you begin to stand up. The AmericanChiropractic Association (ACA) offers five lifting rules that a roofer

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ROOF SAFETY 4 7

F I G U R E 3 - 1 Job safety checklist.

� Item

Safety glasses, goggles, and plastic face shields whenworking with material that might become airborne

Hard hats approved for potential exposures when thereis any possible hazard from above

Closed-cuff, chrome-tanned leather, or insulated gloves in good condition and suited to the handling of roofing materials

Safety shoes that meet nationally recognized standards

Approved respiratory protective devices proper for theexisting hazard (dust, fumes, smoke, vapors, mist, etc.)

Safety belts when working at elevated levels that are notprotected by handrails or when working from suspendedscaffolds

First aid kit and Red Cross first aid manual easily accessible

Ample gauze for burns and eye injury readily available

Baking soda available to neutralize acids

Mineral oil, olive oil, or baby oil to help rinse burningmaterials from the eye easy to access

Blankets for shock available


should remember and use in order to help avoid back strain (Fig. 3-2).

� Plant feet 12 to 18 inches apart on solid ground in front of theobject.

� Squat down in front of the object and keep your back straightwhen lifting.

� Lift with the muscles of your legs, thighs, arms, and shoulders,not the back.

� Keep your arms close to the object and have a clear view of thepath to be taken.

� Never try to lift more than you can handle. Use a mechanicallifting device if the load is too heavy.

Guarding against FallsMost roofers love the thrill of working high above the ground, but thethrill can be lost with a single slip. The risk of falling can be signifi-

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Straightback

Weightclose to

body

Legs bent

A CB

F I G U R E 3 - 2 (A) Use leg muscles when lifting any size load, never the back. (B) Theproper way to lift a shoulder-high load. (C) Put down the load as carefully as it waslifted.


cantly lessened if federal regulations developed by the OccupationalSafety and Health Administration (OSHA) are followed.

Climbing Ladders

The ladder, the indispensable mainstay of every construction site, isoften taken for granted. Perhaps the complacent feeling toward the lad-der comes from its familiarity. It is, after all, the most widely used roof-ing tool. But it is probably safe to say that most roofing-related OSHAcitations involve the improper care and use of ladders (Fig. 3-3). It isalso safe to surmise that nearly allthose citations, and the injuriesthat result from falls off ladders,could have been prevented with ahealthy dose of common sense.

An analysis by OSHA of acci-dents involving ladders revealsthat the four principal causes ofsuch accidents are

� Structural failure of theladder itself

� Failure to secure the ladderat the top and/or bottom

� Ascending or descendingimproperly

� Carrying objects in handswhile ascending ordescending

Using Scaffolding

Scaffolding requires frequent safetychecks. Any damaged scaffoldingaccessories, such as braces, brack-ets, trusses, screw legs, etc., mustbe immediately removed for repairor replacement. All scaffolding

ROOF SAFETY 4 9

Basesupport

Top support Tie off

3' m

in.

AD

ista

nce

to to

p su

ppor

t

1/4 A

F I G U R E 3 - 3 Make sure the ladder isabout 1 foot away from the vertical sup-port for every 4 feet of ladder heightbetween the base support and the topsupport.


must have solid footing and should be capable of carrying the maximumintended load. OSHA requires that scaffolding be capable of carrying atleast four times the maximum intended load. Never use unstable objects,such as barrels, loose bricks, or boxes, to support scaffolds or planks.

OSHA regulations require that guardrails and toeboards be used onall open platform sides and ends that are more than 10 feet above theground. Scaffolds that are 4 to 10 feet high with a width less than 45inches must also have guardrails.

Safeguarding Roof Edges

Roof edges should be guarded. Standard guardrails proposed by OSHAshould be constructed from 2 × 4 boards and installed to a height of 36to 42 inches. According to OSHA, guardrails can be counterweighted,mounted on the roof at joists, or attached to the wall or roof of thestructure (Figs. 3-4 through 3-6).

The warning line system offers several advantages over guardrail sys-tems. The warning line system consists of stanchions and rope or wirethat is rigged and supported so that it complies with the OSHA standard(Fig. 3-7). This standard says that flags or pennants are to be 34 to 39inches from roof surfaces. Use the warning line system on all flat roofs,regardless of size, when mechanized roof application equipment is used.

Barricading Open Roof Holes

Not only can a worker fall over the edge of a rooftop, there is also thedanger of falling through the rooftop. During roof construction, many

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200 lbs. safe load800 lbs. ultimate load

10'-0"

F I G U R E 3 - 4 Guardrail counterweight system.


situations require openings. Obviously, holes through the deck arehazardous unless they are protected by some type of barricade.

It is essential to guard all openings in roof surfaces with a standard bar-ricade and toeboard on all exposed sides. A toeboard is a strip of wood ormetal, 3 to 6 inches in height, that is placed along all exposed edges of anydeck opening. Besides helping to keep a worker from falling, toeboardskeep tools from being kicked off and injuring a worker below.

Any opening that has a maximum gap of 3 feet or less can be cov-ered with plywood or material that can bear all intended stress. Anopening that encounters heavy traffic needs extra reinforcement. Asthe size of the opening increases, add extra support to the covering. If

ROOF SAFETY 5 1


10'-0"


10'-0"

F I G U R E 3 - 5 Guardrail wall-attached system.

F I G U R E 3 - 6 Guardrail roof-attached system.


the opening is too big to cover, erect OSHA standard guard rails. Neverplace a board or any makeshift bridge over the opening. This onlyencourages people to walk over the hazardous area.

Specialized barricade options for floor openings and hatchwaysinclude

� A hinged cover, with someone in constant attendance when thecover is open

� Portable railings on all exposed sides except at entrances tostairways

� Standard railings for temporary floor openings

Installing Catch Platforms

Catch platforms are installed at or near the roof perimeter. Whenattached below the roof (Fig. 3-8), the catch platform allows completefreedom for roofing operations. The platform can also serve as a worksurface for perimeter work. The system is technically feasible for somebuildings, but masonry veneers invite uncertain and possibly danger-

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F I G U R E 3 - 7 Warning line system.


ous horizontal anchorage. The system is useless in situations wherewalls have high windows or are constructed with lightweight panels.

The roof-attached catch platform system shown in Fig. 3-9 isinstalled remote from the roof edge. This eliminates the use of lifelines.It can also serve as a work surface for perimeter operations. The catchplatform shown in Fig. 3-10 is hung over the roof edge and attachedonly at the roof deck level. This, in turn, eliminates the need to fasten itto the wall system. This catch platform scheme protects personnel incontinuous roofing operations, but limits perimeter work. Lifelines orother safety systems must be used when installing, removing, andpatching holes in the roofing system left by safety devices.

Curbed openings pose a threat too, though not as much as flushopenings. Rail or cover these openings if they do not extend more than36 inches. A roofer could accidentally back into a curb edge and fallover it and into the opening if these areas are not properly protected.

Falls also occur when workers are setting panels. Keep walking ongirts and purlins to a minimum when this work is being performed.Assure worker control over hoisted panels by using taglines. Also,check roof decking when it is placed to ensure that the panels are sup-ported on all four sides.

Caring for InjuriesA minor slip on a roof can cause a serious accident. Eliminating thecauses of slips is the main method a roofing contractor can employ tosignificantly reduce falls at the jobsite.

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8'-0"

F I G U R E 3 - 8 Perimeter catch platform.


Keep anyone who falls from one level to another still. Have him or herlie flat, even if he or she does not seem to be injured. Do not move the vic-tim. Back injuries are often hidden, and any manipulation of the personcan aggravate the problem and cause serious damage.

Ideally, only trained medical professionals should move anyworker who has fallen. If a worker falls into an awkward position,however, it might be necessary to slowly and gently straighten his or

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8'-0"

10'-0"

Bracing

F I G U R E 3 - 9 Roof-attached catch platform.

F I G U R E 3 - 1 0 Another type of roof-attached catch platform.


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F I G U R E 3 - 1 1 Jobsite safety checklist (on roof).

� Item

All Jobs, Trucks, Warehouse, and Office

Fire extinguisher—with service inspection up to date

Safety glasses—in stock and signage posted

Safety cans for flammable fuels—recently inspected

Industrial-grade first aid kits—on site and in trucks,recently inspected and stocked

Flat Roofing

No mechanical equipment or material within 6 ft of any edges of roofs or large openings

Warning lines or fall monitoring systems in place, checked, and working

Tear-Off

Chute used for disposal at distances greater than 20 ft

Inspected safety glasses and dust masks available and worn by crews

Tear-off box roped off

Special Hazards

Electrical lines shut off or roped off

Roof openings covered or roped off

Unsafe decking properly covered

Flammable vapors discharged

Radiation hazard on roof—see owner

Kettle

Inspected

Face shields and proper clothing worn by crew

Fire extinguisher—inspected and easily reached

Placement reviewed for safety

Propane storage secure and 15 ft from kettle

Guardrails at outlet area

Dangerous areas roped off

Proper signage in place


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F I G U R E 3 - 1 2 Jobsite safety checklist (on ground).

� Item

At All Jobs

Ground fault box at power source

Emergency phone numbers readily available

Hard hats worn by all crews

Steep Roofing—31⁄2 in 12

Scaffolds, guardrails, fences, safety lines—in place and checked

Hoist

Inspected

Counterbalance with pan weights inspected

Line secured at night

Guardrails at hoist area

Hard hats worn on ground

Ladders

Tied off securely and inspected

Safety feet inspected and in place

3 ft of ladder above roof edge

All ladder accesses inspected regularly

Flammable vapors discharged

Inaccessible at night

Scaffolding

All staging and scaffolds secured and inspected

Leveled and inspected

Planks and plywood inspected

Guardrails inspected

All scaffold installations inspected regularly


her back. Do this only if there are other hazards present, such as fallingfurther or trouble breathing.

The victim should always see a doctor after a fall for a full examination.

Initiating a Safety ProgramSafety cannot be accomplished simply by writing a safety policy, des-ignating a safety officer, or performing safety training. There must befollow-through. The only thing that a company can do to enhance itsemployees’ natural desire not to get hurt is to give safety as much pres-ence as possible (Figs. 3-11 and 3-12). The first prerequisite for anysafety program is a commitment from top management. Without thiscommitment, the safety program is going to be handicapped at bestand doomed to failure at worst.

Management must understand that safety can enhance profitability.Safety can lower insurance premiums; reduce OSHA, Department ofTransportation (DOT), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)citations and fines; improve morale and productivity; reduce substanceabuse; avoid negative publicity; and even be used as a marketing tool toseparate your company from your less safe competition.

Look closely at the type of work you do and the equipment you use.Different operations have different hazards. In addition to the infor-mation in this chapter, the National Roofing Contractors Associationand OSHA can also help answer questions about hazards and how toprotect your company and your employees.

ROOF SAFETY 5 7


Documents

60581_03.pdf