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While roof work in many parts of the country is slowing down or confined to winter repair projects, in California there are still roofing projects in full swing. Because I work for a safety company I can't help but look to see what safety equipment (if any) they're using when the work is happening in my neighborhood. So far, even since the OSHA rule changes earlier this year, only about half of the crews I see working are wearing the mandated fall protection. This is probably due to …

Spring has sprung in about two-thirds of the contiguous United States at this point. And while North Dakota and Montana are both shoveling snow and dreaming about a 45-degree day, in the southern states it's time to stock up and start using sunblock. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the best way to prevent skin cancer is to prevent sunburn. The best way to prevent sunburn is to stay indoors or possibly underground. Unfortunately, that's not an option …

Residential roofers are scrambling to find an affordable roof safety system that keeps them compliant and lets them get on with their work. Horizontal systems are a great choice because once in place, they allow a greater area to be covered in safety. The problem with using a single fixed point roof anchor is the danger of swing falls. Once a worker moves away from the vertical line from the anchor, any fall will include not only the vertical forces, but the slapping, whip-you-around …

September 15th, 2012 is the date compliance with 29 federal OSHA regulations for residential builders will be required. Under 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(13) any roofer or residential builder working in an area 6 ft. or more above lower levels must be protected by conventional fall protection. In the past, roofers were allowed to work under the 25 ft. ground to eave threshold. No longer. These federal requirements, as most professional residential workers have heard about by now, also prohibit s …