To someone not involved in the roofing industry, it may seem obvious that proper steps would be taken to ensure safety when working at any height, up where a fall or slip could take place easily and result in injury or worse. However, it is often more a group than an individual effort to ensure safety on the job, and the necessary checks are not always performed before work.
The Price of Recklessness
After a tragedy or incident, the problems do not end. Hospital and funeral expenses can be astronomical and can take a toll on insurance costs that people are not prepared to face. Funerals can cost anywhere from five or six thousand dollars to ten thousand and the medical bills from a fall-related spinal injury can be a lifetime’s worth of costs. Another consideration are the less “serious” falls: “Even an 80 percent disability injury (e.g., shattered heels, compound fractured legs, knee and hip damage, torn ligaments, etc.) resulting from a short fall can result in expensive medical treatments. These injuries can drastically limit your earning potential and lead to future arthritic complications.” Of course, there are also the emotional repercussions; a death has no price tag associated with the great loss to those related to the worker and an injury can change the victim’s life forever.
The obvious risks associated with neglecting appropriate safety practices are bodily harm, the potential of death or long-term injury, and the consequential grief of the family and friends. However, there are other factors to consider when deciding to act, or not, in favor of ensuring the prevention of roofing accidents. One of the primary ones is a financial concern, something that plays a huge role in the life of the worker and his/her family following a mishap.
“Fatal falls for roofers average about 73 percent of all of their work-related deaths. More than 90 percent of these fatal falls originate from the roof’s edges. The study found that fall protection was either neglected or omitted in almost 100 percent of these cases.” Clearly, there is a major issue within the roofing industry regarding proper security and strength of equipment when working; it is easy to neglect these practices, but it can lead to disastrous results. There is no way to predict what might happen in a split second and a few moments’ preparation can ensure that a potentially horrific day will only be a tiring, boring one.
Make sure that your roofing experts are employing safe practices when doing any work and always be prepare and cautious when undertaking any projects of your own. For advice, services, or for a free estimate for your roof, get in touch with Cox Roofing today.
Cox Roofing:
Cox Roofing is a full-service, certified roofing contractor providing residential and commercial roofing services to the state of Maryland, with particular focus on Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Harford County and Howard County. We pride ourselves on our personalized service which transforms your property into the residence or business of your dreams. Get in touch for your free estimate today.
