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Safety Concerns for New Roofs

Aug 19, 2013

Installing new roofs isn’t cheap—and it isn’t safe either. There are a number of safety concerns for new roofs that need to be considered when installing a new roof. You’ll understand just how grave a matter this is when you consider that the roofing profession is one of the most dangerous occupations in the country. This is why roofing companies carry hundreds of thousands of dollars of insurance.

To outline some of the safety concerns for new roofs and their installation, consider the following:

Weather and Its Consequences
Being up on a sloped roof, hovering stories above the ground, is dangerous enough—but add to that weather concerns and you have the recipe for a disaster. Even hours after a storm roofing shingles can still be slick and slippery, and wind can strike in any time from any direction. Any small weather occurrence can mean the difference between stable footing and a dangerous fall.

Roofing Materials
Our years in the business have taught us that when it comes to a new roof—not all building materials are the same. One of the best pieces of advice we can give those with safety concerns for new roofs is to purchase roofing materials with high safety ratings, especially when it comes to fire and storm ratings.

Safety First
When a roof is being installed, especially by those without proper training and experience, it is not only recommended—butnecessary—to equip it with the proper safety equipment. Use roof brackets to create a ‘gate’ around the roof to avoid slips turning into disasters. They can be purchased at most hardware stores. Also ensure that everyone up on the roof has proper safety shoes, complete with more-than-adequate gripping and of course a safety harness. A safety harness is another absolute must and nobody should be on a roof without one firmly in place.

What Do These Safety Concerns for New Roofs Mean to Homeowners?
What this means to you, is that first and foremost—have roofing work done by professionals. Second, ensure your homeowners insurance is fully covered and premiums are paid before any work begins. And third—let the Dillon Bros handle your safety concerns,Newmarket’s top roofers. Put our years of experience and solid safety track record to work (safely) for you.