Equipment Review: Cover Those Holes

One of the most dangerous conditions on a commercial roof deck is an opening for skylights, stair openings, roof hatches, plumbing accesses, etc. Unfortunately, many roofers have fallen through deck holes because of shoddy protection, inadequate protection or no protection. Fines can be severe and accidents can be deadly!

All OSHA state codes require roofers to protect these openings. The most common method on a wooden deck is to place a piece of plywood over the openings. However, you must secure the plywood adequately with screws or nails. Just placing the plywood over the opening and not securing it is almost as dangerous as leaving it open. I'm sure we've all heard stories of the plywood covers being kicked or accidentally moved and roofers walking right through the opening.

Remember when it is time to remove the cover, if you must put something in the opening immediately. Also, any roofers working around the opening must be protected with personal fall arrest kits or a guardrail system. On a concrete or metal deck secured plywood will not work and alternate safety methods will be required.

Another method of protecting openings is to set up a temporary moveable guardrail system. This is usually a steel or aluminum rail or fence system consisting of sections (usually 5', 7.5' and 10') that should be 44" high and able to withstand a 200# tip-over impact. The tubing is usually 1.5" to 2" in diameter and comes with a heavy steel base (125# to 135#) to prevent tip-over.

The guardrail system can be the most expensive option, but the guardrails can be used to protect all areas of the roof, including perimeters. These guardrails will be a one-time investment! Because of their heavy-duty construction, they will give you many years of usage on multiple projects.

Another method of opening protection is perimeter warning systems with a spotter. Consisting of a set of stanchions and a set of red flags this system provides warning protection, but is not totally effective or legal unless you have a worker guarding the flag system to verbally or physically warn workers of the pending danger. This can be an expensive option considering the spotter should be dedicated to that one function.

If you have a building with a large number of skylight openings your protection task becomes even more critical. You are going to need a lot of protection and the proper equipment to do the job safely. Divide your roof deck into manageable sections and only work one section at a time. Your workers will need to wear personal fall arrest kits when working in these sections and around the skylight openings.

Deck openings are dangerous and must be handled correctly and according to OSHA codes. Don't skimp on good equipment to provide good protection for your workers and yourself!

This article was submitted by John MacLaughlin, National Marketing Manager with Roofermaster Product Company. Roofmaster offer over 8000 roofing tools and equipment and safety products, including fall arrest kits and movable guard rail systems.