Roofers: Do you have fall protection?

Did you know that roofers have one of the highest workplace fatality rates of any occupation? OSHA and the Department of Labor are taking a strong stand against falls in the industry. OSHA's website states the following:

Falls are the most frequent cause of fatalities at construction sites and annually account for one of every three construction-related deaths. Although there are commonly available methods for preventing falls, the number of construction workers who fall to their deaths has increased in recent years. According to preliminary 2007 fatality data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were at least 442 construction worker fatalities during 2007 as a result of falls from all causes.

Of this total falls from roofs are one specific concern at construction sites and the most frequent cause for fatal falls in construction in 2007. In fact, BLS reports that from 2003 to 2007, construction worker falls from roofs resulted in 686 fatalities.

Recently 12 contractors were fined for alleged workplace safety violations after the companies were hired last summer to fix or replace damaged roofs following hail storms in suburban Albany, N.Y. OSHA inspectors found mostly untrained, non-English-speaking workers exposed to construction hazards, including falls from roofs and ladders and lack of protective equipment, said Edward Jerome, OSHA’s area director in Albany.

Let us help you become OSHA compliant! Give us a call to receive a special price on our roofer's fall protection kits- call in special only!

Sources:
www.osha.gov
"OSHA Cites 12 Contractors." The Business Review (Albany). 25 Mar. 2010. Web. Read the full article: http://bit.ly/c5vfUH Thanks to @elcosh (Twitter) for sharing this article!