Be Careful When Walking On Roofs
In the construction business, roofers usually pay the
most for liability insurance and there is a reason why. Falling off of
the roof, can be extremely hazardous to your health. That's why we need
to be really careful when walking on roofs, any roofs. Even professional
roofers use caution and they're up there every day.
I've probably walked on over a thousand roofs during my entire career as
a carpenter. If the roof was damp or slippery, I would usually wait
until it dried or installed safety boards at the bottom of the roof, if
possible.
The word that I am looking for here is fear. Fear kept me safe and
whenever my feet started to slip, my body usually hit the roof as my
fingers clawed their way into the plywood. The first roof that I ever
walked on was extremely intimidating, by the end of the day I was
physically exhausted. My muscles had been under so much stress for most
of the day, that I had a hard time walking to my truck at the end of the
day.
Fear is one thing, ignorance is another. Just because you see someone
else walking around on the roof, like it's only 1 foot off the ground,
doesn't mean that you can. Don't let these professionals fool you and
forget that walking around on roofs could be hazardous to your health.
Not only can you fall off of the roof, but you could actually fall
through the roof. I've walked on plenty of roofs that were old and ready
to cave in, at any time. Structural damage to the house framing from
roof leaks and termites can weaken the roof structure and make it
dangerous to walk on.
Like I said, a little bit of fear, without ignorance could extend your
life. Be careful walking on roofs and if you don't feel comfortable,
don't even think about going up there.