The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) oversees and regulates safety-related matters for employees within the United States workforce. In terms of OSHA commercial roofing regulations, there are both mandates and guidelines offered by OSHA relative to safe practices within the roofing industry.
Just as with other legal matters in the U.S, OSHA should be taken seriously because ignoring them can have serious consequences. Roofing employers are responsible to familiarize themselves with applicable OSHA standards and ensure their workers and worksites are in compliance with them at all times. Failure to do this can result in hefty penalties for companies—and serious injury or death for workers.
A Breakdown of OSHA Roofing Guidelines
Free Guide: How to Switch to Commercial
- Fall Protection: It is an OSHA requirement that workers who are exposed to the risk of falling 6 feet or more—if protections are not in place along the edges of the surface they are on—must have fall protection. Such fall protection equipment must be in good working order and properly set up.
- Fall Protection Training: Employers must also provide training relative to fall protection for all workers who might be exposed to a fall hazard. Workers must additionally be retrained if prior training has become obsolete, whether due to alterations in work conditions or changes to the fall protection equipment itself. Employers must further certify and properly document that this training has been completed.
- Roof Holes: Another facet of fall protection relates to roof holes, including skylights, that are 6 feet or more from the ground or the next level of a building. The coverings over such holes are not typically sturdy enough to hold the weight of a person. Such holes and their attendant coverings should be appropriately covered and guarded to prevent falls.
- Surface Safety: An employer is accountable for making sure a roof has enough structural integrity to support workers before the workers are permitted to walk on the roof. Roof surfaces should also be inspected for slip hazards that may be present due to water, snow, ice or other causes.
- Weather: Weather conditions should be monitored by an employer, and the employer should consider suspending roofing work in the event of unsafe weather conditions. Examples of hazardous weather conditions include high winds; rain and snow, which can make surfaces slippery; and extreme cold that can cause workers to become clumsy due to numbed hands and feet.
- Impalement: Any impalement hazard located on the ground beneath roof edges or other places workers could fall from should be removed or secured.
- Location of Materials: For workers performing carpentry work on a roof, OSHA stipulates their work-related materials should be kept “conveniently close” to them. In the cases of other kinds of roofing work, materials cannot be kept less than 6 feet from the roof’s edge.
Regarding work-related matters for which OSHA has not put specific standards in place, an employer is responsible to adhere to the mandates of the Occupational Safety and Health Act’s general duty clause. This clause states that employers must provide “a place of employment which is free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees” (www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_id=3359&p_table=OSHACT).
Safety-Related Support
Within the Choice Roof Contractor Group, we care deeply about the safety of our member companies and their employees. We strongly advocate that our members and their workers obtain OSHA training and stay current on OSHA guidelines. We also encourage open dialog within the group regarding how members are efficiently keeping their crews safe on a day-to-day basis.
The subject of safety is one we cover during the private dinner we host for our members at Conklin’s MR roof systems training. For more information, visit Commercial Roof Training with Support & Knowledge from Successful Contractors.
Searching for the perfect commercial roofing company is a bit like looking for the fountain of youth—success is impossible because what you’re looking for doesn’t actually exist.
We’ve already established that there is no such thing as the perfect roofing contractor. One contractor may have proficiency in servicing metal roofs, while another has particular expertise in attending to the various types of flat roofs, and still another is adept at working on other specialty types. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could combine the knowledge of various contractors into one proficient roofing technician? Well, in a way, we have done just that.
Not only does our membership comprise a group of exceptional roofing experts across the nation, but our members are among the best in the country! 
Built-up roofing, or BUR, is a popular choice among commercial building owners for various reasons. It is comparatively inexpensive, for one thing. BUR roofing is also composed of various layers, making it an effective insulator. BUR roofing is additionally an attractive option, usually featuring an aesthetically pleasing gravel top coat.
Ethylene propylene diene monomer roofing, commonly known as EPDM or rubber roofing, is a single-ply rubber compound used for flat roof application. EPDM roofs are known for their durability and have a respectable life expectancy.
Modified bitumen is another single-ply system that is among the more environmentally friendly flat roof options, helping reduce energy costs by reflecting the sun. Modified bitumen is typically rolled onto the surface of a roof. Formerly, applying modified bitumen required laying the material on a roof and then using a blowtorch to heat it, but newer systems employ a safer installation method of peeling the material and then adhering it to the roof.
PVC roofing is known to be one of the best options for a flat roof, boasting easy installation, high reflectivity and outstanding durability. PVC roofs are also able to resist water ponding—a common problem for flat roofs.
Perhaps the best flat roofing option of all is a roof coating system. These systems, especially the ones manufactured by the Conklin® company, offer an array of benefits that make them highly desirable.
The roof that presides atop your commercial building acts as its first line of protection from Mother Nature’s elements and represents a significant financial investment. Your roof is also the most vulnerable part of your building and is daily exposed to elements that foster deterioration and decay, increasing the likelihood that your roof—and everything below it—may become damaged.
So, what do you do if a disastrous storm or other catastrophic event has ravaged your area? When there is a huge spike in roofing claims that local firms can’t accommodate, are you just out of luck? Not at all!
Flat commercial roofs are a popular choice for commercial and residential buildings, and there are 
Among the metal roofing materials used for commercial application, some of the most common include:
If the roof on your home doesn’t fit the cookie cutter mold of being a peaked roof with shingles, you may have a difficult time locating a willing contractor when you find yourself in need of roofing services. The reason is that many residential roofing contractors don’t know how to install or perform repairs on unique roof types, such as flat roofs. So when you’re in need of residential flat roof replacement, for instance, you may find yourself up the proverbial creek without a paddle.
Did you know that, statistically, roofs are replaced prematurely as much as 70-80 percent of the time? An expert roofing contractor with a good reputation will never advise roof replacement unless there is absolutely no other viable option.
Since the launch of Choice Roof Contractor Group, our online marketing has been handled by Top Roofing Marketing, which is owned by our founder.
When building owners and facility managers go to our website, they are given much more than a “free local quote” (i.e. the only true offering provided by lead generation websites like HomeAdvisor). With the Choice Roof Contractor Group, they get group-wide accountability, a group of independent contractors who share their knowledge with each other, and much more.
One of the core benefits of group membership is the incredible association our members have with one another. When you encounter a problem you’re not sure how to address, for instance, there is almost always another member who has been there, done that and can advise you.
The credibility of our group of contractors and the peace of mind they offer customers are key components of why we’re leading the industry and why our reputation is so solid.
The age-old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” has definite application to commercial roofs. Keeping up on routine inspections and maintenance for your roof is the wise—and less expensive—route, while neglecting your roof will only lead to costly headaches down the road.
Flat roofs are a common choice for commercial and industrial buildings—unfortunately, they are prone to a common set of problems. The following commercial flat roof repair tips can help building owners reduce their flat roof repair costs and extend the life of their roof. After all, it makes much more sense to protect the roof you have than to pay for an expensive roof replacement because it wasn’t properly cared for.