Painting Your Home Safely: The Importance of Using Roof Anchors
“You are going to put holes in my roof?”…YES
As we start our 26th year painting St. Louis homes, we want to reach out to our valued customers about the safety processes we use when working on exterior projects.
At Kennedy Painting, we take pride in our commitment to not only maintaining the integrity of your homes but also ensuring the safety and well-being of our craftsmen and women. Each year, we apply for and achieve our Summit Safety Certification, spend many hours training Safe Working Standards, and contract with National Safety Consulting to help with that training and auditing of job sites to hold not only Kennedy Painting field employees accountable but upper management as well to keep the safety culture we have created. This is a dangerous profession after all; it is my responsibility to ensure that we are doing everything possible to make sure our people go home to their families each night.
Other than driving to and from work, falls from ladders or off of roofs are a painter’s biggest danger. These are the places on your home where we have to get off a ladder onto your roof and climb to an area that needs painting or repair. In many instances, we have to set up another ladder on the pitch to reach the higher points of a house. We currently use a variety of safety gear to do this, such as window brace harness points, ladders with gable hooks, roping off around a chimney, and even aerial lifts so we don’t have to stand on the roof if possible. The last resort is always installing an anchor point on the roof, but this is sometimes the only option we have to safely access certain areas of your home.
Here is where the “gray area” is. In some instances, the roof isn’t “that” steep or the 20-year craftsman has done that ladder move “a thousand times,” is comfortable, and “it will take more time to put fall protection in place than to just paint it”. And that is the problem with ladders; comfort makes you careless and can cause you to get hurt. However, we feel strongly that this ‘gray area” is where the most accidents can happen, and our safety policies ensure that this is not the case.
Accidents happen constantly with no one ever waking up in the morning planning to fall off a roof!
During exterior painting projects, we plan to use all the safety tools we have been using for years, but we continue to make a clear safety standard across the board. When our estimators meet with you, they will discuss how we will need to access certain areas of your home and if we need to install an OSHA-approved roof anchor under a shingle. You will decide to leave it in place for future use or if you would like it removed. In either instance, any breach point will be sealed with a roof patch sealant and if left in place, a butyl weatherproof strip will be installed over the fasteners. When you meet with your Job Leader or Field Supervisor, they will confirm the plan. If they determine nailing into your roof will be needed, they will let you know, show you where, and share their installation picture with you (we do not want you to be climbing on the roof unprotected to feel comfortable with our weatherproofing!). Don’t worry, your estimator will discuss the need for anchors upfront and obtain your permission before installation.
If you are looking for a professional and safe painting contractor to work on the exterior painting of your home, look no further! With safety as our top priority, our experienced team is fully equipped and prepared to handle your exterior project with precision and care. Contact Kennedy Painting today to discuss your project further.
D-Minus anchor, a cost-effective solution for fall arrest. Installation is hassle-free. Designed specifically for asphalt shingle roofing, its low profile ensures minimal visibility on the roof.
