Roofing activities must always involve the concept – safe work on the roof.
Therefore, they require the use of properly selected equipment, as well as adherence to certain top-down health and safety rules.
When working at heights, various types of accidents can occur.
This is mainly due to improper use of basic tools, as well as equipment designed for working at heights, and human ignorance or inattention.
Therefore, any roofing company, including those performing mountaineering work, must have properly trained personnel.
Only those with special permits to operate at heights are able to handle these tasks.
Many factors are responsible for accidents in this type of work.
Among the most important of these are:
- Improper use of equipment,
- lack of adequate security,
- human error,
- Use of outdated facilities and equipment.
Occupational health and safety regulations clearly define the obligations of the employee and the employer who performs activities at heights. After Poland joined the European Union, some of the rules, concerning work at heights, were changed to match those in force throughout the community of member states.
Currently, ladders are only qualified as equipment for temporary work at heights, as is scaffolding.
Safe work on the roof – personal protective equipment
When working at heights, it is crucial to use personal protective equipment.
It is what ensures the comfort of all activities. Safety of work on the roof requires the worker to have a complete specialized outfit.
Its basis is a harness or harness, as well as a helmet – the so-called industrial helmet.
The above-mentioned personal protective equipment for work at heights must comply with EN 361 standards.
They should be used to protect against falls from heights.
The helmet, or helmet suitable for work at heights, must meet the EN397 standard and have a four-point attachment system.
This is a convenient solution so that the person doing roofing work will not have restricted freedom of movement or field of vision.
Personal protective equipment for workers at heights also includes properly selected ropes – working and belay ropes.
The former is used for movement, the latter for protection against falls.
Self-assurance devices for work at heights
Roofing companies or those providing mountaineering services often use additional safety devices for their workers.
These are auto-assurance devices, dedicated to all those at risk of accidents at work.
This equipment is designed and manufactured in accordance with the EN353 standard.
Clipped into the rope, the auto-assurance devices move up and down the rope without any obstruction.
When you fall or get snagged, and stumbling is common, the auto-assurance devices lock onto the rope and stop the fall.
This is a great solution, even for experienced industrial climbers, as well as those who do roofing work.
Self-assurance devices are very easy to install and remove.
The equipment has a low weight.
Therefore, it does not cause discomfort during its use for hours, especially at very high altitudes.
It is known that safe work on the roof is also based on the elimination of human errors.
They occur for a variety of reasons, so the better the preparation and experience of specialists performing work at heights, the safer the course of the tasks they carry out.
Protection in the course of work at heights guarantees the protection of health and life of the workers carrying it out.
This is the only way to ensure their full safety when undertaking roofing work or performing the profession of industrial climber.
