We’ve touched on safety before, but scanning through recent news headlines, we are constantly reminded of how important safety really is. Just in the last 30 days:
“1 pronounced dead, 2nd injured in Havertown roofing accident” - 9/27/2014
“Roofing Company Cited Seventh Time For Safety Violations” - 10/8/2014
“Roofing Company Did Not Protect Workers From Deadly Falls: Officials” - 10/16/2014
“Roofing Contractor Deliberately Failed to Supply Fall Protection, OSHA Says” - 10/20/2014
“Trial set for roofing company supervisor” - 10/23/2014
Injuries and death can easily be avoided by using proper safety precautions. Most roofing accidents are the result of cutting corners and/or not following safety instruction. It’s worth noting that these shortcuts, which do indeed equate to less work, are often one of the elements that allow subpar roofing companies to operate at a reduced rate and offer the lowest roofing bids. Property owners should be aware that it isn’t unusual for unlicensed and uninsured roofing companies to sue for injuries — specifically, injuries that were ultimately the fault of the contractor and could have been prevented.
While it is certainly worth looking for a roofing company that is “licensed, bonded and insured”, it’s a good idea to investigate a bit further. We recommend looking for actual safety procedures and a good safety record over the history of the company. Don’t be afraid to ask how the company protects their workers, as well as your property (and family / employees / tenants etc.), or to check for any OSHA violations.
A reputable roofing company takes safety very seriously. As an example, we at Global Roofing Group have a full-time safety director that keeps us abreast of safety procedures. We, along with other reputable companies believe in training our new hires on safety procedures and establishing project-specific safety plans for every job. Other aspects of safety that we take seriously include site inspections, retraining staff on new safety procedures as they become available, and putting disciplinary procedures in place to make sure employees know how serious breaches in safety are. In addition, some companies partner with a third party safety consultant to ensure all training programs meet OSHA regulations.
Besides avoiding a law suit, here are a couple more reasons why the roofing company you select should be concerned about safety.
