Do You Need Scaffolding Before You Work on Your Own Roof?
Posted on: 8 March 2022
If you consider yourself to be a handyman or woman and often tackle maintenance jobs around the house, you may be looking at some work that needs to be tackled on your roof. While you may have no experience here, you may think that you can nevertheless save some money and perform the work without bringing in professionals. Be that as it may, you certainly need to think about safety before you go ahead. In particular, you need to figure out whether you need scaffolding, and there are several factors to consider here.
Working from Height
As a general rule of thumb, it's always best to work with scaffolding whenever height is involved. Even though this is a private, domestic project, it pays to conduct a risk assessment and, if necessary, talk with experts for their advice. Unfortunately, there are many deaths each year associated with a fall from height. Some of these people may fall through fragile roofs or simply lose their balance, especially as they are not used to this environment.
Sloping Work
If you have a sloping roof, you should definitely consider scaffolding designed to prevent people and materials from falling from the edge. If you share a roof structure with adjoining properties, you should also consider scaffolding, as this may also help prevent unwanted damage elsewhere.
Fall Through
Never assume that your roof is capable of taking your weight. At the least, you may need planking to safeguard anyone from the risk of falling through. Ideally, you will need systems to arrest any potential fall and should consider putting safety nets around the periphery.
Don't think that flat roofs are any simpler simply because of their configuration. Here, you should install guardrails around the edges and a network of planks that rest on sturdy beams.
Chimney Work
Some people need to work on a chimney either to re-point some damage or even to remove it. In this case, you should consider purpose-made chimney scaffolding. This will be built up in such a way that it will give you a horizontal platform to stand on whilst you work. Again, this will be fitted with guardrails to keep you in place should you ever suffer from a monetary lapse of concentration.
Ground Protection
Remember, you are responsible for people who may be passing below, and a scaffolding system should always be fitted with a sturdy edge. You may also need netting depending on the level of traffic you expect beneath.
First Things First
So, before you get work underway, talk with your local scaffolding contractor. They will have a solution for your specific property and give you advice at every stage.
For more information on scaffolding, contact a professional near you.
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