GAF sponsors this event. Think you are up to the challenge of the fourth-most dangerous job in America. That’s exactly what you would do if you decided to install your roof.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest statistics, police officers have a lower chance of being killed on the job than professionals roofers. Many do-it yourselfers are still trying to save money or prove that they know how to use a pneumatic nails gun.
“There’s no better way to meet an orthopedic surgeon – or an undertaker – than by spending an extended amount of time on your roof,” cautions PopularMechanics.com. “One small slip or misstep, and it’s a long way down.”
Let’s not forget this caveat: Before you make a commitment, ask these three questions.
* Are you comfortable with heights?
While you might have enjoyed hot air ballooning with your friends it is a completely different experience being 40 feet up on a roof knowing that even after you have removed all the roofing and checked for damage, you still need to install roof deck protection and leak barrier before you can start putting on new shingles.
You can see the entire thing from 40 feet above ground.
Rubber-soled boots will keep you from slipping on a slick area, safety glasses will (hopefully), keep you avoiding injuring an eye from an errantly hammered nail, as well as a harness to prevent you from falling to your knees on steeply pitched roofs. * Are you as strong as you think?
It’s best to hope so, as you’ll be carrying what seems like a lot of roofing material up a ladder.
The equipment includes an air compressor and a circular saw, hack saw, an electrical drill, an electric saw horse, a roofing tool, a clawhammer, framing hammer as well as a chisel. “basically a weapon.”
What about that ladder? It is important to place it correctly for safety purposes (extension of 36 inches above landing or roof eave), and it is also vital that it be made from a certain material.
“It’s crucial to use a non-conductive ladder made of wood or fiberglass when working near wires to avoid electrocution,”Jason Joplin, the GAF Center for the Advancement of Roofing Excellence (CARE) program manager, advises. “Far too many roofers have died because they were using metal ladders.”
* Do you already have the necessary tools?
This was only a small portion of the list that you just read. Angie’s List also says: “If you have to go out and buy a power saw but don’t plan to use it in the future, it’s probably not a good investment.”
Are you having second thoughts? GAF (gaf.comNorth America’s largest roof manufacturer , has made it simple to search its website for the best-respected and fully insured professionals in your locality. GAF Master Elite ContractorDatabase.
For those who are curious, the three most dangerous jobs in the world are loggers and fishermen, as well as pilots of aircraft. Incrediblely, cops did not even make it into the top ten.
