Roof work can be dangerous business. Whenever possible, you should always seek professional help when completing roofing repairs or building a new roof; but if you have decided to undertake the work on your own, you should take some time to familiarize yourself with proper safety measures. Because roofing requires that you work high from the ground, most workplace safety laws require roofers to wear a full safety harness. So how do you properly use a safety harness?
First of all, a full body harness should be used as protection equipment whenever there is a risk of falling. These harnesses include straps that pass over your shoulders, across your chest, and around your legs so that the force of impact in any potential fall is distributed more evenly over a greater area of your body. Always inspect your body United Roofing Eutaw Al harness, the buckles, webbings, and other attachments before use. If you notice any signs of wear or damage, do not use the harness. Buckles should be free of bends, cracks, or nicks, and couplings should be tested for security. Webbing or straps in your harness should not have any signs of fray, cracking, cuts, burning, or other damage.
In addition, your safety harness will include a flexible lanyard and anchors to secure you to the roof. Lanyards should be no longer than 4ft (1.2m) in order to limit the distance you can fall. Again, you should inspect your lanyard for signs of damage; you do not want to use a lanyard that is frayed, torn, cracked, or otherwise broken. Also, you will require carabiners to attach your lanyard to roofing anchors. Carabiners, oblong-shaped connecting devices, should be self-closing and self-locking and should have a breaking strength of at least 5,000lb. Finally, anchors are a key element of your safety harness. Anchors are attached to a substantial structure of the building, as these devices are what attach you to the roof. Essentially, the anchor is fastened to the roof and the lanyard is attached at either end to the anchor and your safety harness.
When fitting yourself with a harness, you’ll notice adjustable nylon straps that fit around your legs, and straps that go around your shoulders, chest, and back. When adjusting these straps, your harness should be snug, but not so tight as to restrict movement. You will also have a “D-ring” on the back of your harness to which you can attach your Roofing Company In Usa lanyard. Ideally, you will want to install anchors every few feet to a rafter or roof truss; this will allow you to move detach and reattach your lanyard as you move about the roof. Anchors can also be removed and reinstalled, but most professional prefer to have several anchors installed so they don’t have to change anchor positions frequently.
Remember, whenever you are working on your roof, safety is of utmost importance. Even a fall of 4 or 5 feet can have serious consequences, even death. Be sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions on properly installing your safety harness as there are several different kinds.
