Working on Roofs
Roofers have one of the highest fatality rates in construction, and many other trades work on roofs too: HVAC techs, electricians, solar installers, inspectors and maintenance crews. Falls off edges, through skylights and through roof openings are the main dangers. Many of those falls are from one- and two-story houses.
- Construction
- Residential
Low-slope vs. steep roofs
| Roof type | Slope | Acceptable fall protection (6 ft or more) |
|---|---|---|
| Low-slope | 4 in 12 or less | Guardrails, safety nets, personal fall arrest; or a warning line system combined with one of those or a safety monitor. On roofs 50 feet or less wide, a safety monitoring system alone may be allowed. |
| Steep | More than 4 in 12 | Guardrails with toeboards, safety nets, or personal fall arrest |
“4 in 12” means the roof rises 4 inches for every 12 inches across. Steep roofs are harder to walk and easier to slide off, so warning lines and monitors aren’t allowed there.
Warning lines
- Set at least 6 feet back from the roof edge. When mechanical equipment (like a roofing kettle cart or felt layer) is used, at least 10 feet back on edges perpendicular to the direction the equipment travels.
- Rope, wire or chain flagged at least every 6 feet with high-visibility material, 34 to 39 inches high.
- Stanchions that won’t tip over when bumped.
- Workers between the warning line and the edge need other fall protection.
Safety monitors
A safety monitor is a competent person who watches roofers and warns them when they get near the edge or work unsafely. The monitor must be on the same roof, within sight, close enough to talk, and must have no other duties. A monitor is a last resort, not a substitute for equipment when equipment can be used.
Residential roofs
On houses, roof anchors with personal fall arrest are the most common solution. Since 2011, OSHA has required conventional fall protection for residential roofing unless the employer can prove it’s infeasible and uses a written fall protection plan.
- Install the first anchor from the ladder or a safe position before stepping onto the roof.
- Nail or screw anchors into framing (rafters or trusses), not just sheathing, following the manufacturer’s fastener pattern.
- Use roof brackets with planks or slide guards on steep pitches.
- Keep the rope or SRL short enough to limit free fall, and check clearance. Single-story roofs may not have enough clearance for some lanyards.
See Anchorage Points and Roofing.
Skylights and roof openings
Skylights and smoke vents are among the deadliest roof hazards. Workers step back onto them, sit on them or trip into them. They will not hold your weight. Cover, screen or guard every skylight and opening, or use personal fall arrest. See Holes & Floor Openings.
Roof hazards to watch for
- Unprotected edges, including gable ends and rake edges
- Skylights, smoke vents and roof openings
- Weak or rotten decking on older roofs; check before walking
- Wet, icy, frosty or dusty surfaces, loose shingles, granules and underlayment
- Ladder access points: extend 3 feet above the edge and tie off the ladder
- Overhead power lines near the roof edge and service drops to the house
- Material stacked near edges or on weak areas
- Heat: roofs can be much hotter than ground level. See Heat Illness
- Wind, which can catch sheets of plywood, panels and solar modules
Trades who only visit the roof
HVAC, electrical and solar workers often go up for a single task and skip fall protection. The edge is just as deadly for a 20-minute service call. On general industry rooftops, OSHA requires fall protection within 6 feet of the edge, and limits work between 6 and 15 feet from the edge to designated areas or infrequent, temporary tasks under a work rule.
Standards & references
- 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(10)–(11): Roofing work on low-slope and steep roofs
- 29 CFR 1926.502(f) and (h): Warning lines and safety monitoring systems
- 29 CFR 1910.28(b)(13): Work on low-slope roofs (general industry)
- OSHA: Fall protection in residential construction
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