Expert Tips from the Experts at Franzoso Contracting
Any homeowner planning to have work done on their home’s roof owes it to themselves to be aware of best practices that roofers should follow to in ensure safety – both for the Contractor’s employees and for the homeowner.
Roofing safety is serious business, and it is especially critical to follow established safety protocols on steep-slope roofs.
What kind of work are we talking about? Everything from roof leaks, damaged or missing shingles, faulty flashing, roof punctures and ponding water, to ice dams, clogged gutter cleaning, tree damage, and aging without proper maintenance. Even a Roof Inspection demands SAFE practices.
There are two sides to the story of ensuring safety when work is being done up on the roof: the Customer’s side and the Contractor’s side.
First, before any work is contracted, the customer needs to confirm that the Contractor carries the correct Workmen’s Compensation and Liability Insurance. According to law firm Rivkin Radler, “If you are embarking on a home construction, renovation or improvement project, it is wise to request a copy of your Contractor’s insurance policy.”
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At Franzoso Contracting, we have noticed over the past five to seven years, because of the skyrocketing cost of having the proper insurance, some of our competitors started carrying Landscaper insurance. This type of insurance does not cover the employee for a fall/accident above the third rung of the ladder.
That’s a perfect fact that homeowners who have their Landscaper clean their gutters in the fall need to know! Never hire a Roofing contractor who will not provide you with the entire policy for review. Franzoso not only will show you the policy but will highlight key language in the policy for comparison. Homeowners need to know where the exclusions are! The days of providing a one-page policy listing the homeowner as “Additional Insured” are over! You need to know what protection you are getting. Homeowners need to be prepared if an accident or injury occurs while work is being done on your property.
The importance of optimal safety precautions for roofing workers is highlighted by SafetyCulture.com, which says roofers “are currently ranked #5 in a recent list of the 25 most dangerous jobs in America. Hence, the importance of roof safety inspections is reinforced to help ensure roofers’ exposure to risks and hazards is minimized or completely eliminated.”
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According to OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), the checklist of safety measures and equipment that roofers need to keep in perfect working order to protect both workers and customers include a fall restraint system, ladders, scaffolding, electrical safety, safe debris disposal, and personal protective equipment.
Franzoso employees working a job will treat your home as if it’s their own. They are trained to avoid damaging shrubbery, for example, and will check in with the customer every day of the job to make sure all is going as planned, with no surprises.
From roof to ground, safety is Job One every day when Franzoso is on site. Our best practices include moving at a safe, steady pace, because going too fast increases the risk of something going wrong. Stay away from a Roofing contractor who says he can do the job in one day. That Contractor more than likely uses Sub-Contractors and therefore will not perform the best job!
Our job sites are clean and organized, which minimizes risk. We methodically identify all danger areas, from power lines to unsafe access areas to underground hazards, such as cesspools and power lines.
A question for every homeowner – if something should happen on your property during a roofing job, what, if any, is your liability?
The logical advice to homeowners is to play it safe and ask the right questions. Most important, hire only proven professionals with a stellar reputation, like Franzoso Contracting, and let us do our thing to keep both you and our workers safe.
Franzoso Contracting has been chosen Westchester’s BEST ROOFING CONTRACTOR seven years in a row!
And don’t forget Mark Franzoso’s motto … “If you can find a Contractor with better credentials, we will do the job absolutely FREE!!”
