Safety Should Always Be Your "Plan A": 5 Tips on Safe Roof-Raking
Posted on Sun, Feb 06, 2011 @ 05:43 PM
Tonight, after watching a 40 lb, 3 ft long, 10 inch thick block of ice come barreling down my roof and directly hitting the 24 foot extension ladder upon which my husband was standing, almost causing him to fall straight backward, I asked him ever-so-politely:
"Whyyy didn't you move the ladder before you broke off that chunk of ice like I had suggested?!"
to which he replied:
"Umm.. Well... that was my Plan B..."
LESSON (hopefully) LEARNED:
Safety should always be your PLAN A!!!
Some roof raking tips after a snow storm:
1. If possible, do not clear the roof alone. Have someone below assessing the situation for you while you are on the ladder
2. If you must use a ladder, buy one that is long enough and has spikes in the legs in order to secure tightly into the snow on the ground so it does not move
3. Watch out for electrical wires and telephone lines, especially if you have an extra-long roof-rake. (Oh, and it's better in general if you do have an extra-long roof rake!)
4. Know where the snow is going to fall before clearing the area
5. Finally, if you are afraid of heights, deconditioned, or you just have that gut feeling that the job is too big for you - hire help or ask a neighbor!!
**Again, be careful everyone while clearing off your roofs!**
Register now for our February 17th Matheson WorkSafe webinar about identifying and quantifying ergonomic risk factors! It's free, but seats are limited so sign up quickly!
Also, there is space available in our Hardcore Ergonomic Evaluation course where you will get the chance to shadow a Certified Professional Ergonomist on an actual ergonomic evaluation! This workshop takes place from May 3-6, 2011 in Keene, NH and is acceptable as a course requirement for the Certified Ergonomic Evaluator Specialist (CEES) designation. Check it out today at the link above!
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