Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is an agency whose aim is to "assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education, and assistance." In its study of the common fatalities in a construction site, it has found out that falls are the leading cause. The culprit of one-third of all construction deaths, falls are usually due to unprotected roof and unstable ladders.
Homebuilders and other construction workers are required to observe the standards of safety set and enforced by OSHA. Roof installation, repair, and maintenance are some types of construction jobs in which these standards apply the most. Workers must use the protection systems that OSHA specifies in any workplace, particularly when installing or repairing roof, to avoid falls.
The three types of systems OSHA usually specifies are guard rails, safety nets, and personal fall arrest systems.No matter how high a structure is, setting up guard rails, safety nets, and personal fall arrest tools is essential in keeping a safe workplace. Guard rails are systems installed along the perimeter of a certain working area to prevent workers from straying into dangerous or off-limit zones. Without guard rails, both workers and civilians walking alongside the structure are at risk of fall accidents.
A safety net system is almost similar with guard rails in the purpose of protecting workers from falling off the sides, except that this system consists of nets that can catch even falling debris.
Personal fall arrest systems, on the other hand, consist of lifeline support connected to anchors usually built-in on the roof. Any of these systems can be used but incorporating all of them will increase safety.In fast developing places like Arlington and Alexandria in Virginia, there are construction projects here and there. To prevent interrupting civilians from using walkways alongside construction sites, Alexandria roofing and construction companies install either or both safety nets and guard rails. They also provide lifeline support systems for workers. They employ workers who have undergone training provided by OSHA to ensure their personal awareness of the safety standards.
Ladder and ground safety are also a primary concern in any construction project, particularly in roofing. The roofers must know how to correctly position a ladder on an existing structure, especially the minimum angle of inclination toward the eaves of the roof. Experts in roofing Arlington residents recommend observe the standards also to minimize the risk of tools falling off the roof and hitting workers or civilians.
More information about Alexandria roofing safety can be found in RoofingTalks.com. This website provides forums and blogs about roofing, including updates on safety standards.