Roofing Ranks 4th Among Most Dangerous Jobs in U.S.

By WSRCA.

There were 5,250 fatal job-related injuries in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a slight increase from the previous year.

While no job is completely free of risk, most jobs are relatively safe. Yet there are quite a few professions that are far more dangerous, and where the risk of dying is more than 10 times higher compared to the average American occupation.

Roofing came in fourth among the 25 most dangerous jobs in the country, due to a higher rate of fatal injuries and risks from falling and working outside in hot weather.  Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, found that roofing is one of four professions in which the annual rate of fatal incidents was 50 or more for every 100,000 full-time employees.

Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry, accounting for over 3,500 fatalities between 2003 and 2013. Falls from roofs accounted for nearly 1,200, or 34%, of the fall deaths during that period. Roofers encounter many hazards on the job, including hazards associated with working at heights and from ladders, power tools, electricity, noise, hazardous substances, and extreme temperatures. Unless these hazards are controlled by the employer, roofers risk serious injury, illness and death. To protect workers on roofing jobs, employers must identify the hazards present and take steps to address them.

OSHA Standards Top 10 Frequently Cited During Inspections of Roofing Contractors (NAICS 238160) Rank by Number of Citations Issued Categories Standard:

1. Duty to have fall protection 1926.501

2. Ladder safety 1926.1053

3. Fall protection training requirements 1926.503

4. Eye and face protection 1926.102

5. General scaffold requirements 1926.451

6. General safety and health provisions 1926.20

7. Head protection 1926.100

8. Hand and Power Tools 1926.502

9. Ladder training requirements 1926.1060

10. Hazard Communication 1926.59 which refers to 1910.1200

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 these laws were put into place “To assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women; by authorizing enforcement of the standards developed under the Act; by assisting and encouraging the States in their efforts to assure safe and healthful working conditions; by providing for research, information, education, and training in the field of occupational safety and health...”

For additional guidance on what OSHA requires for protecting roofing workers, check out this resource from OSHA.

- Western States Roofing Contractors Association

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Original article source: WSRCA