Construction work can be dangerous when people are not aware of the correct health and safety measures to follow. Especially risky, is working on a roof. Before undertaking any roof construction work, you should carry out a risk assessment and understand the correct procedures for working safely.

Planning

Forward planning is really important before carrying out any roof work. A risk assessment is essential and a written method statement to go with it can be really beneficial. This notifies all members of staff of the exact tasks that need to be done, the hazards that need to be addressed and the steps to working safely.

Safe access to roof

In the written method statement, there should be details of how to access the roof safely. Typical methods of accessing the roof include scaffolds, stair towers, and ladders. Whatever the method you decide is most appropriate for the roof in question, this needs to be passed on to all relevant people.

Roof edges and openings

Roof edges and openings pose another potential risk. Measures should be in place to address the hazards that come with sloping or flat roofs such as edge protection arrangements or scaffolding to prevent people and materials from falling off the edge.

Fragile surfaces

Roofs that are partially weak or fragile require guard rails, fall restraints and safety nets to safeguard against falling through. Skylights also need to be signposted with barriers or covers as they are sometimes difficult to see and should not trusted to hold any weight.

Work safer with Metrotile

Reduce risk where you can, with lightweight materials that are much easier to handle. Metrotile’s lightweight roofing is 7 times lighter than traditional roofing materials, which makes handling materials on the roof much safer. By reducing the weight of materials, employees will avoid excessive strain and movement, allowing them to travel over the roof and scaffolding with ease.

For more detailed guidelines on how to work safely on a roof, please consult the Health and Safety Executive website. If you’d like more information on how lighter materials can make roof work safer, please call us on 01249 658 514 or you can contact us online.