Commercial Roofing Safety Standards

Commercial Roofing Safety Standards

The Importance of Safety Standards For Commercial Roofing Services

Commercial property owners regularly need roofing services because the strength and safety of their buildings are connected to the level of roofing and maintenance they get from a roofing company. When a roof is strong and sound, the building and its occupants, as well as their properties are all protected from the elements, whether it is rain, snow, or wind.

While ensuring that the roof of a building is in the best possible state, the roofers also need to be protected and secure, to avoid accidents and injuries. Roofing is one of the riskiest jobs out there because just one mistake or fall can lead to the most drastic accidents that could massively affect the life and well-being of the roofer. It is therefore important to discover how to ensure safety for the roofer and everyone else.

Ensuring Safety in Commercial Roofing Services 

When handling commercial roofing, all safety rules and procedures must be clearly stated and understood by everyone engaged in the job to ensure that they are followed by everyone. The roofing crew should follow these rules from when they first step into the premises and when they leave. Whether the roofing is going on during bad weather conditions, when there are lots of people around, or when the building and roof are higher than the usual height, there are rules to follow. These are the most important commercial roofing safety measures that need to be upheld under any circumstances.

1. Safety before the job

While packing and moving to the job site, there are some safety rules to be followed. All tools to be used for the job must be loaded into the vehicle, and any material that isn’t available must be purchased before the day on which the work will take place. The driver of the crew must be focused and obey every traffic rule on the way to the work site.

2. Safety on the site 

Workers on site need to be very aware of their surroundings and take note of everything around them, including the ladders, decking, skylights, and perimeter walls. They should take away everything in the parking lot to avoid accidents from falling debris and also reduce all forms of traffic by placing orange safety cones around the site.

3.  Safety when using the ladder 

Roofing crew members always get in-depth training on ladder usage safety to ensure that the ladder isn’t fallen by people, equipment, wind, and other factors. Ladders must be placed on a stable surface and must be checked frequently to ensure that they are still secure and safe.

4. Specific Safety Plan When on Site

There ought to be a site-specific plan written down for all roofing workers to follow to minimize risks and hazards. The safety plan should also contain details of emergency services and hospitals close to the site in case of accidents.

No matter the stage of the job, whether during preparations, on the job or after, we at SW Commercial Roofing always make sure that our workers are protected and safe at all times.

Protection against Falls: The Use of Railings and PPE

When working in the commercial roofing industry, it is always important to prepare for the incidence of a fall, and the way to do this is to ensure that temporary failings and retractable lifelines are put in place.

One of the reasons retractable lines are a good choice is that they aren’t dragged on the ground, and they are less likely to wear, which means they are longer lasting. There is also a very small chance that someone will trip on them. The temporary guardrails also offer quick area security to reduce accidents.

In a commercial roofing company investments in guardrails need to be made to ensure that workers never lack protection. Our workers also have Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for their safety.

We admit that it is quite costly to implement fall protection because these sets of equipment are expensive. However, it is worth the investments because the workers are safer, they sustain fewer injuries, and therefore, fewer injury and accident claims are made.

An increase in our PPE and railings have led to a 25% reduction in claims and even higher reductions in accidents. Our team is safer and more confident when carrying out their duties.

Safety Meetings among Crew Members

Teamwork and team building is a very crucial part of every successful company, and it is prioritized within our commercial roofing company. We always carry out large-scale safety training for our employees, and for every new employee that comes on board, we ensure that they get thorough training, including safety measures on site, how to use PPEs, as well as proper usage of all the tools and equipment for the job.

The reason we pay so much attention to training is to avoid accidents and injuries during roofing jobs. Even after our initial training, we also have continuing training and accountability checks monthly, quarterly, and yearly, to ensure that safety awareness is top-notch, whether on the road to the site, while at the site, or on the ladder.

Here are some things we discuss during our meetings with crew members:

  • Daily Toolbox Meetings

This informal meeting happens every day to discuss recent issues about safety hazards and proffer solutions.

  • Monthly Safety Meetings

During these monthly meetings, we review events of the past month, changes in safety policy, new equipment purchase and usage, hazards and injuries, as well as precautions.

  • Yearly Safety Meetings

Every year, we bring our team members together to learn about the newest safety practices and techniques. The meetings are not only educative but fun because we have conversations, eat, and also have casual discussions.

SW Commercial Roofing is one of the largest commercial roofing contractors in the country, serving the entire Southwest. During all of our installations and maintenance services only highly experienced team members will be on the ground. Whether you run a small business or have a large industrial building, we ensure to use quality materials to meet your roofing requirements. Reach out to us today to get a free consultation as well as answers to your questions.


Let’s get started on your commercial roofing project!

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