Fall Protection in the Roofing Industry: Why It Matters and How You Can Protect Workers

01 Roof Fall Protection Why It Matters and How You Can Protect Workers

One of the most vital aspects of any roofing project is roofer’s fall protection. Roof fall protection describes the practice of ensuring all roofing and construction workers are using the proper equipment and taking the right measures to ensure worker safety. Making sure workers are safe from falling is essential for any business. Falls are one of the leading causes of death in the construction industry, so these safety measures are crucial to a safe and successful project. Many roofing accidents that lead to injury or death can be prevented by implementing a strong fall protection safety program for your business in commercial or residential roofing work. Learn how to protect yourself and other workers from injuries sustained from falling off of a roof below.

Fall Protection Violations for Roofers 101

Roofers and construction workers have dangerous careers. Their work environments are significantly more high-risk than other occupations. Some projects are less risky than others, but it’s vital to utilize fall protection measures with all of them. 

Since falls are one of the leading causes of injury and death at the workplace, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has established extensive safety requirements and guidelines for roofers and construction workers. These rules are put in place to try to protect workers on the job site.

Even though OSHA provides safety regulations for businesses and workers, workers still fall and get injured often. That’s why it is part of OSHA’s regulation for employers to establish plans and standard operating procedures to train workers in, so safe work practices are formally trained and followed.

Take a look at the top rooftop potential hazards for roofing work:

  • Wet surfaces

  • Uneven surfaces

  • Ladders that aren’t properly set up

  • Ladders that are damaged or have defects

  • Poor lighting

  • Overcrowded workspaces

  • Threatening weather conditions

  • Failure to provide protection for the face, head, and other areas for fall protection

  • Failure to appoint a safety monitor

  • Insufficient amount of guards on pulleys and belts

Overall, human error accounts for numerous fall protection violations. Workers might use broken ladders, misuse ladders, rush through safety procedures, fail to utilize the right equipment, or make other mistakes.

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Fall Protection Plan

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Inspection Forms

Quick checklists that are perfect for your daily pre-use inspection, or even for a Competent Person annual inspection.

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Training

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Equipment Rental

Have a short-term fall protection need? No problem. We rent mobile fall protection, tripods, roof carts, and more.

Best Roof Safety Equipment

02 Best Fall Protection Products for Roofers

You can easily implement fall protection procedures with the right safety equipment. Some companies cover the basic OSHA requirements for roofer safety, but it’s beneficial to cover all areas of roofer protection to limit injuries as much as possible.

 

Are you looking for some of the best roofers fall protection products? Consider the high-quality items on this list to implement a roof fall protection system:

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New Hire Kits

An excellent way to ensure you're starting off your employees safely is by supplying new hire safety kits. This fall protection kit has all the safety equipment a worker needs in one bag. Your employees will be able to work at tall heights safely, and team members can easily spot workers from far away.

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Build your own kits

To get the equipment you want, build your own roofer's bucket kit with all of the safety products you need to accomplish the job safely. This kit of safety equipment is one of the best in the industry. You can choose the roofer fall protection equipment that best aligns with your projects and your workers' personal preferences. If you don't see an item you want in the selection, you can always ask for more product options.

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Roof fall protection anchor

One of the most important pieces of roof fall restraint systems is a roof anchor. A complete fall arrest system for roofers contains a connecting device, safety harness and a roof anchor. You'll find different types of roof anchors, and all of them are useful for various applications. Using the right roof anchor will keep workers safe and comfortable while completing a roofing project.

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Roof connectors

An important component of the roofer arrest system is a roof connector. Connectors, along with safety harnesses and anchors, are the best way to keep workers safe.

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Roof Safety Harness

You can use a full body harness for numerous applications to stay safe, and they are necessary for roofer fall protection. 

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Guardrails

For some projects, companies may be required to use a temporary guardrail system for worker protection.

PPE

Personal protective equipmennt

Key PPE for roofing includes safety glasses and hard hats, essential for protecting against falling debris and other hazards.

This is a unique guardrail system designed by Malta Dynamics to be compact, lightweight, and easy to install. It’s stackable to not take up space on the job. There are no welds in the guardrail posts, which makes them more durable.

Why Roofers Need Fall Protection

With access to quality roofer safety products and OSHA roof fall protection guidelines, businesses, and organizations can create an effective safety plan. Roofers and construction workers need fall protection procedures because a lot of variables are involved in roofing, and something can go wrong in a second. Severe weather, heat exhaustion, tripping on roofing materials, wet surfaces, and uneven sheathing are all common scenarios that can lead to a fall if workers are unprotected.
So when is fall protection required on a roof? Not every project needs fall protection equipment, but roof projects typically meet the requirements. OSHA states that companies must provide fall protection resources for projects that expose workers to falls of 6 feet or more.

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How Malta Dynamics Can Help Protect Roofing and Construction Workers

Roof fall protection systems are a vital part of completing a successful project. Gathering the proper fall protection resources and tools can be simple if you find a company that provides excellent products, equipment and safety training resources. At Malta Dynamics, we can be your one-stop shop for all of your roofer and construction fall protection needs.

Malta Dynamics specializes in offering the best fall protection solutions to roofing and construction companies to improve worker safety. Our team of engineers, designs and creates an extensive product line that can benefit your roofing projects.

Falls are one of the leading causes of injuries in the workplace, and our job is to supply safety products, equipment and education training to companies and organizations that need a better fall protection system. We manufacture products that protect your company, keep your employees safe and align with OSHA regulations. Roofing and construction workers put in hard work every day to meet project deadlines and boost company value. It’s essential to provide all of the resources you can to ensure their safety at the workplace.

Need Fall Protection Advice?

Are you ready to start improving your fall protection procedures but need some help from the experts? Malta Dynamics is ready to offer knowledgeable advice on how to keep your employees safe on the job. Our products and resources can help your company meet government regulations on fall protection and help your team become educated on roofing fall protection safety.

Become a safer company today and learn more about our fall protection solutions. Contact us today to talk to a team member about our products, equipment and training resources.