Roof Cleaning company fined by OSHA

[Kleen Roofs]

I seen in the news that a roof cleaning company was fined by OSHA for safety violations. A rather substantial amount.  Make sure you are following OSHA rules while working on roofs.

 http://www.northjersey.com/news/business/roof-cleaner-facing-fines-1.1465060

[Tennessee Soft Wash]

Wow...$108k would bankrupt most anyone. I got an $1800 OSHA fine once for lack of fall protection, but that was when I was running a roofing crew and we were on a commercial job (should have known better).   I remember seeing the truck across the street and a guy watching us.  Next thing I knew, he pulled into the parking lot and made all my guys stop working and sit down on the roof until he filled out his report.  Then he told them to come down. Guilty as charged.  We didn't fight it.  Maybe a good case for spraying from the ladder. I hate nailing anchors into the shingles since you've got to repair the roof to remove them.  And the vent pipe device SWS sells is a bad idea, in my opinion. I've seen too many times where the plumbers don't glue the vent plumbing in the attic and messing with the pipe pulls the joints apart. 

[PeakOfPerfection]

How many times do I have to post this guys? Guardian Ridge It Anchors. They are nailed in UNDER THE RIDGE CAP. NOT THROUGH THE SHINGLES. This is the only anchor we use. We charge $75 each for them installed. My crews are incentivized to install them. Pop the ridge cap up, nail it to the trusses, put the ridge cap back down with nails and some adhesive. Takes all of 5-10 minutes to do. Fully OSHA compliant and they are permanent so they will be there for the next time you need to clean the house/gutters/etc. In several years of installing these, not ONE customer has ever objected to having them put in and they have saved several crew members from falls.

 

 

[San Diego Roof Cleaner]

How many times do I have to post this guys? Guardian Ridge It Anchors. They are nailed in UNDER THE RIDGE CAP. NOT THROUGH THE SHINGLES. This is the only anchor we use. We charge $75 each for them installed. My crews are incentivized to install them. Pop the ridge cap up, nail it to the trusses, put the ridge cap back down with nails and some adhesive. Takes all of 5-10 minutes to do. Fully OSHA compliant and they are permanent so they will be there for the next time you need to clean the house/gutters/etc. In several years of installing these, not ONE customer has ever objected to having them put in and they have saved several crew members from falls.

 

 

All of the roofs we clean here in San Diego are tile roofs, how can I install the, Guardian Ridge It Anchors, where do i nail it to?

[Roof Cleaning Jacksonville FL 904-304-0810]

Good question. I'm seriously thinking of doing something like this. 

Tell us more about how you sell this. Do you do it on the phone during the initial contact? Do your guys sell it to them? Or maybe you can cover the sales part of it in the members only section?

[PeakOfPerfection]

Guardian makes a Ridge It anchor specifically for tile roofs. Check with them on how to install it properly. 

[PeakOfPerfection]

Good question. I'm seriously thinking of doing something like this. 

Tell us more about how you sell this. Do you do it on the phone during the initial contact? Do your guys sell it to them? Or maybe you can cover the sales part of it in the members only section?

One of the first things I ask the client once determining the roof pitch and height is whether they know if there are safety anchors installed on the roof. If they say they don't know, I describe what they look like and where they are located. Many actually go outside and look. If they don't have them, I tell them they are there for attaching our fall arrest safety equipment to and we will have to install them. They are only $75 each and they are permanent, so once they are up there they will be there for any future service needs. I tell them no professional would get on their roof without proper full protection and safety equipment. This is one question you, Mr./.Mrs. customer, can use to differentiate a professional roof cleaning company from an amateur. They never object. I've landed plenty of jobs just because of our commitment to safety...including many where we were higher in price. 

Think about why people call a professional  to clean their roof. A very common reason is a very legitimate fear of falling. They are often scared of being on the roof. Not a week goes by that I don't get a call from an older lady who says "my husband is too old and I don't want him on the roof anymore." Unfortunately, one roof we did this summer was owned by a lady who actually had her husband fall from the roof while cleaning it and pass away. Point is, people already have safety concerns so showing them you are a professional by installing a piece of safety equipment is a no brainer. Plus if you have employees,you have a moral responsibility to make sure they are working safe.

I have anchors on my roof and my painter used them this past fall when she painted the exterior of my house. I got more use than just cleaning out of them too. 

Edited December 2, 2015 by PeakOfPerfection

[Roof Cleaning Jacksonville FL 904-304-0810]

Thanks for explaining how you go about it, that helps a lot for those of us looking to implement something like this.

[garyw]

This is from the OSHA violation article;

The company was cited for two repeat violations, and four serious violations, that occurred during work on jobs in Ridgewood and  OSHA said it conducted two separate safety inspections of the company, the first in May, after receiving a complaint, and the second in October after an OSHA compliance officer observed a violation

I know several companies from this area that would probably be that low.

 

[Apple Roof Cleaning (813) 655-8777]

This is from the OSHA violation article;

The company was cited for two repeat violations, and four serious violations, that occurred during work on jobs in Ridgewood and  OSHA said it conducted two separate safety inspections of the company, the first in May, after receiving a complaint, and the second in October after an OSHA compliance officer observed a violation

I know several companies from this area that would probably be that low.

 

It is a pretty dirty thing to do to bring the law down on a competitor.  

[PeakOfPerfection]

This is from the OSHA violation article;

The company was cited for two repeat violations, and four serious violations, that occurred during work on jobs in Ridgewood and  OSHA said it conducted two separate safety inspections of the company, the first in May, after receiving a complaint, and the second in October after an OSHA compliance officer observed a violation

I know several companies from this area that would probably be that low.

 

Well...yes and no. If it was obvious the employees were working unsafely, then a call might be justified. Anybody who is in this business for any length of time knows of somebody who exited the roof unintentionally. There are fatalities. I've called companies who had employees power washing 3 story roofs unharnessed while we were on a second story rigged up. In that case the employee was violating policy. Next time I saw them, the guy was fully rigged up on a tile roof. If I'd seen the same thing again, it might would show a pattern.

As a company owner it is your responsibility to make sure the employees follow company safety policy. I've fired guys who didn't rig up when the clients reported it. It is better now that they are paid to install the safety anchors. 

[Tennessee Soft Wash]

...Anybody who is in this business for any length of time knows of somebody who exited the roof unintentionally.

Great way to say that. I've "exited a roof unintentionally."  1992 and I had never even seen or heard of a safety harness.  Saw one in a catalog six months later.  I broke my back and was out of work for four months.  I fully recovered, but it could have been much worse.  12/12 pitch and I slid from the ridge then fell a story and a half. 

[Apple Roof Cleaning (813) 655-8777]

I am sad to say I actually walked off a roof before, backwards. Large Shrubs kept me from being hurt too badly, but my Balls almost became earrings .

 

[Roof Cleaning Jacksonville FL 904-304-0810]

I am sad to say I actually walked off a roof before, backwards. Large Shrubs kept me from being hurt too badly, but my Balls almost became earrings .

 

Whew, close call! 

[PeakOfPerfection]

I am sad to say I actually walked off a roof before, backwards. Large Shrubs kept me from being hurt too badly, but my Balls almost became earrings .

 

I train my guys to never walk backwards on a roof. It is really easy to do this but super dangerous. It is something you have to consciously fight as you are maneuvering around on a roof and even I have to catch myself taking steps backwards. Hoses, vent stack pipes, vents, skylights, there are all sorts of things sticking up on a roof and it is so easy to walk backwards and trip on one.

 

[Roof Cleaning Jacksonville FL 904-304-0810]

I train my guys to never walk backwards on a roof. It is really easy to do this but super dangerous. It is something you have to consciously fight as you are maneuvering around on a roof and even I have to catch myself taking steps backwards. Hoses, vent stack pipes, vents, skylights, there are all sorts of things sticking up on a roof and it is so easy to walk backwards and trip on one.

 

I remind myself every day. No walking backwards...it's so easy to walk backwards, but you can't do that up there. It's a natural behavior that has to be curbed at all times on a roof.

[Bergman Roof Cleaning]

I train my guys to never walk backwards on a roof. It is really easy to do this but super dangerous. It is something you have to consciously fight as you are maneuvering around on a roof and even I have to catch myself taking steps backwards. Hoses, vent stack pipes, vents, skylights, there are all sorts of things sticking up on a roof and it is so easy to walk backwards and trip on one.

 

WOW! You'd think after 25 years, I'd have thought of that? Gotta train my worker over again!

Since being in a bad car crash Aug 4th 2015, I only water plants now and can only work 2 days a week-because of the wreck and all my health problems. I HATE IT AND I'M GOING BACK IN DEBT AGAIN!! :-(

[Tennessee Soft Wash]

WOW! You'd think after 25 years, I'd have thought of that? Gotta train my worker over again!

Since being in a bad car crash Aug 4th 2015, I only water plants now and can only work 2 days a week-because of the wreck and all my health problems. I HATE IT AND I'M GOING BACK IN DEBT AGAIN!! :-(

Here's hoping 2016 is a better year for you!  

[Advantage Roof Cleaning]

Kevin,

Thanks for the suggested use of the Ridge-it anchor. I went on their web site and read the instruction sheet. It is supposed to be nailed to a support beam / truss. Do your guys look for a truss to nail it to or just nail it anywhere on the deck?