Roofing work clearly can be dangerous, and hazardous conditions can be costly. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), falls account for 78 percent of roofing-related fatalities, and workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths cost construction businesses $170 billion every year.
During 2004, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported there were 95 fatalities involving roofing workers—75 of those fatalities resulted from falls. However, the record is improving; in 2005, there was a 9 percent decrease in fatalities from falls.
Although this decrease is encouraging, it still is crucial you establish a safety program that will minimize injuries and their costs.
Costs
OSHA reports implementing an effective safety program can save $4 to $6 for every $1 invested because injuries decline and medical and workers' compensation costs decrease.
When considering the cost of an injury, you should address direct costs and indirect costs. Direct costs are the more obvious financial costs, such as medical costs, indemnity payments and OSHA fines. Indirect costs include lost production time by an injured employee, fellow workers and foremen; unhappy customers; cleanup time; schedule delays; training new employees; overhead costs; and increase in insurance costs (accidents will increase your experience modification rate—anything more than 1.0 is a debit to your premium).
Make a commitment
Studies by OSHA have found a vast majority of falls from roofs occur when workers are performing their typical job activities, such as installing roofing material, walking from one work area to another, moving materials and equipment, and working at the edge of a roof. In addition, an increase in skylight installations has increased workers' exposure to falls.
For example, a few years ago, OSHA fined a roofing contractor $112,700 for several safety violations after a 14-year-old worker was pulling material from a roof by hand and lost his balance. He fell backward through an unguarded skylight and 12 feet to the concrete floor below. He died the next day. After the accident, the roofing contractor covered the skylight at the scene of the accident but left five other skylights unguarded and allowed employees to continue working in those areas and near unguarded roof edges.
You can avoid these hazards by committing to provide a safe work environment for your employees that includes information, education and training. More important, the government requires you to do so.
OSHA regulation 1926.503 requires employers provide a training program that teaches employees how to recognize and minimize fall hazards. In addition, insurance companies may require you to have a safety program in place, and building owners may require you to have an experience modification rate below 1.0.
But following the regulations is not enough. You want to improve your employees' behaviors regarding safety. This begins by building a strong safety culture in all areas of your company.
"Culture" can be defined as the development or improvement of the mind by education or training. Effective safety cultures work when every employee of a company believes in his safety program and takes it seriously. Small infractions should not be tolerated or overlooked. (For more information, see "Offering safety incentives," October 2001 issue, page 79, and "Disciplining safety violations," November 2003 issue, page 15.)
Companies with successful safety cultures truly believe in their safety programs; have a goal of zero injuries and reflect this in their daily activities; involve their employees in the process; and build strong educational and training programs, measuring the results.
Set an example
Successful roofing contractors realize safety efforts affect not only the well-being of their employees but also their companies' bottom-line profits. Educate your employees—the result will be a safer work environment, as well as money saved.
Leslie Kazmierowski, CPCU, is NRCA's insurance programs manager.
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