FACTS

Primary Cause of Rooftop Falls

Edge Awareness – Losing the edge of the roof can be a problem when you are engaged in roof work. Some workers get so wrapped up in their project that they forget where the roof edge is.

Improper Training – If there is someone on the roof who has not been properly trained, they are a rooftop safety hazard and could cause serious injury to themselves or others.

Improper Use of Fall Protection Equipment – Such as poorly anchored railing, lanyard too long, or a weak tie-off point. Understanding and training on how to properly use fall protection equipment are critical.

Poor Line of Sight – Ridge vents, chimneys, shingle bundles may block egress on a roof. Maintain a good line of sight so that you know where you are in relation to the roof’s edge.

Pitch – The steeper the roof is, the risk of falling increases. Ensure that the fall protection and shingle bundles are secure before setting foot on the roof.

Split Level Roofs & Fall Heights – Employees engaged in roofing activities on low-slope and split-level roofs with unprotected sides and edges 6 feet (1.8 meters) or more above lower levels should have proper fall protection equipment.

STATS

• The roofing profession is over 15 times more hazardous than any other sector. As a result, roofing jobs have a fatality rate of 54%, one of the highest job-related fatalities.
• OSHA reports that falls are the number one cause of deaths in the construction industry.
• OSHA also reports that falls from roofs account for 34% of all fall deaths in construction.
• In 2020, there were 351 fatal falls to a lower level out of 1,008 construction fatalities.
• The Center for Construction Research and Training reports that “roofers have the fifth-highest work-related death rate in construction, 29.9 deaths per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, about twice the average for all construction of 15.2.
• About 50 roofers are killed on the job each year, most by falls.
• For roofers in residential construction, falls from roof edges accounted for 70% of work-related-fall deaths and 90% of roof fall deaths.
• Residential roofers had almost twice the percentage of fatal falls from ladders compared to all roofers.