Safety Tips Shoveling Snow Off The Roof

Check with a structural engineer before using water or a heating device to melt the snow.

Safety tips shoveling snow off the roof. Don t use mechanical snow removal equipment. Take it slow and stretch out before you begin. Last night i noticed about an 18 inch overhang of snow ice mix. This morning it was all on the ground.

There are potential dangers of shoveling or raking snow from a roof besides the collapse danger. That s why i prefer to have my father or even a professional come over to my roof and shovel away the snow. This can be extremely dangerous and is best left to professionals. But if you do have to get the snow off the roof here are some tips from fema for removing snow safely and effectively.

To that end here are 8 tips on how to safely handle the rooftop snow removal process. Workers performing snow removal operations are exposed to many serious hazards. Clearing the snow off your roof from the gutters or eaves upwards of three to four feet after each winter storm can help prevent ice dams from forming. It seems like the roofers that taught me sure knew about this from their height safety class as well as from personal experience.

Probably 12 inches in thickness when it was up there. Deep snow on a roof can bury a gas appliance flue causing the exhaust to enter the home. Safe roof snow removal can be achieved only if you combine thorough preparation with trained workers proper protection well maintained equipment and a healthy respect for the outdoor elements. Excess snow on the roof can weaken and potentially collapse a structure particularly an older building with a shallow pitched roof.

Roofs that are flat also have a maximum snow load they can carry. My neighbor has a low pitched 4 12 roof that is steel. Do not shovel after eating or while smoking. Shovel only fresh powdery snow.

Workers may also be injured or killed by a roof. Workers may fall off roof edges through skylights and from ladders and aerial lifts. From a couple of roofers i was taught about the safety of shoveling off snow from the roof. Remember to avoid using a ladder in snowy and icy conditions.

The threat of costly repairs and significant safety hazards will sometimes require removing excess snow from your roof. Leaks roof collapse ice damming and more can result from too much snow and ice staying too long on your roof. There are the dangers of a person sliding off the roof falling from a ladder overexertion or falling snow sliding on top of them. Shoveling snow off your roof.

What s the final word. Melting the snow in lieu of removal may cause localized overloading of the roof. Push the snow rather than lifting it. This condition can introduce carbon monoxide a colorless odorless poisonous gas in the building.

National safety council recommends the following tips to shovel safely. If your flat roof is easily accessible from an interior stairway you may want to shovel the roof but be careful not to damage the roof covering. If you do lift it use a small shovel or only.