Hiring a reputable roofing contractor has many benefits. The roofers should be courteous, efficient and get the job done in a timely manner. Another thing you should look for in a roofer is safety standards and compliant practices. Roofers should follow safe practices not only for themselves but to make sure they don’t fail a random inspection from OSHA. Let’s take a look at what OSHA is, what they look for, what happens if your roofer receives an OSHA citation and what you should do if you think your workers aren’t following proper guidelines.
What is OSHA?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a division of the Department of Labor. It was formed as part of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and signed into law by President Nixon in 1970. OSHA is tasked with setting safe and healthy working conditions for American laborers and ensuring proper safety standards are met in a number of different job types.
When it comes to roofing, OSHA is tasked to make sure contractors are working in a safe and stable environment. This includes of a number of safety practices, working conditions and equipment. Roofers should always be wearing hardhats, be buckled into harnesses to prevent falls, have guard rails or a safety net if the roof they are working on is higher than six feet off the ground. There are other protocols as well such as covering holes in areas but the majority of OSHA regulations are concentrated on fall protection.
What Happens if My Roofer Gets Cited?
Even the most trusted and reputable roofers can have a lapse in judgement in safety from time to time. OSHA sends out regular and random inspections of roofing companies at the job site to make sure they are keeping within OSHA guidelines and have proper permits. If OSHA catches roofers breaking these guidelines they will normally issue a citation. While one citation may result in a small fine numerous citations could result in a loss of business license or insurance.
What Should I Do if I Feel Workers Aren’t Meeting Safety Standards?
You can help prevent this problem by hiring a reputable and trusted roofer in the first place. Sometimes though workers can be hasty or forget safety equipment during a job, even with the most reliable roofers. When you feel like workers aren’t meeting standards its best to phone the roofing company and express your concern. Supervisors will understand and be grateful for your concern. From there they will usually call the crew at the site to immediately correct the problem.
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