The Dangers of Clearing Snow from Rooftops |
Posted: August 19, 2017 |
The recent accident in Westwood, MA with respect to the fall of a worker who cleans the snow from a business roof, underlines how dangerous this job can be. In this particular case, the worker fell through a window and landed on the crushed. In light of the condition, a snow removal notice urging people to review the Certification. Working on the roof is dangerous enough when all of your hazards are visible, but poorly protected snow-covered fall hazards are a recipe for disaster. If this skylight had been properly protected, this worker could not have fallen, but that does not mean that there are no other dangers. In the past, with regard to workers falling through covers covered lift shafts or even simply sliding over a sloped roof. That is why it is imperative to find safe solutions for clearing snow. This is the first question that must be asked and, without doubt, in many states the response is yes, the situation is essential. Explanations typically range from emergency roof repair and maintenance to prevention of overload and failure. If it is not essential, wait, but if it is, then find the best way to do it. There are many ways to clean snow. The shovel from the roof itself could be the most dangerous. If your concern is that the roof can be overloaded, how is adding the weight of workers and equipment going to help that? Depending on the type of building you have, you may be able to use a snow rake. These long handle devices give the user the opportunity to clear a roof from the ground or from an air lift. These rakes should NOT be used while standing on a ladder. The movement and length of the rake could cause you to lose your balance. As always, with any long handle tool, take into account the surrounding electrical hazards and maintain the required distance. No worker should enter a situation blindly. Before accessing a roof, they should be fully aware of the dangers they may encounter. Are there skylights? If so, are they protected? Is the roof flat or sloping? Is there a parapet high enough to act as a fall defense? What is the cargo volume of the rooftop and how nearby is it to over whelm it? Workers should stay out of the ceiling until these questions are answered. Once on the roof, they should take off the roof evenly, and avoid making snow stacks on the roof to avoid overloading. Simple. There are no less requirements for fall protection during snow removal than during any other type of work on the roof: fall arrest systems, fall protection carriages, railings, whatever is needed. Emergency situations do not give companies the right to waive controlling acquiescence. In fact, alternative circumstances perhaps need greater attention to safety because of their nature: everyone is working quickly to rectify the situation. It is understandable that if there is a concern that a roof will collapse that work has to be done quickly, but it should never be at the expense of a worker's life. In addition, simple planning could prevent injury and death later. Ensuring that fall hazards are properly protected before snowfall is critical. If a snowstorm comes, perhaps going to the roof before it arrives to mark potential travel hazards will be of great benefit after the storm. Be prepared as you would for any other weather event. Know what your plan is and work out that plan. Do not take shortcuts with the well-being of your employees.
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