OUCH! On the Roof
Safety challenges on the rooftop are sometimes unseen and unexpected. Are you ready?
I recently walked the roof of an impressively large automotive plant with safety consultant Tammy Clark and roofing contractor Ruben Gonzalez as we filmed some safety videos for RC viewers. John D’Annunzio, president of Paragon, was gracious enough to set up the roof walk for us and guide us. Before we even went up, the veteran consultant took the time to walk us through every safety detail in place—the access points, the scaffolding, the guardrails, and even what to do in case something went wrong. That walkthrough made a huge difference for me. Since I’m not on rooftops like this very often, it gave me confidence and trust in the process. John also explained that on this jobsite, safety meetings happen three times a day! That kind of commitment sets the tone for everyone working there.
Still, even with all that preparation, the unexpected showed up. A yellow jacket decided to crawl up my jeans by my boot, and of course, it stung me! I did the kind of awkward hop-and-dance you’d expect, screamed out loud enough for everyone to hear, and dropped my phone, which and actually caught part of it on video. Looking back, it was pretty funny. In the moment though, not so much!
But here’s the thing, even in a huge, secure environment like that, surprises happen. What if I’d been allergic? What if I couldn’t walk down the scaffolding stairs on my own? What should be your plan in those situations for your crew?
Ironically, that’s exactly why we were there, to record safety training videos! We all know safety isn’t just about hard hats, harnesses, and checklists. It’s also about being ready for the unexpected and making sure everyone knows what to do if something goes wrong.
As I was talking with Trent Cotney recently, he reminded me that it’s not just yellow jackets. Contractors have run into bats, birds, raccoons, and even snakes on jobsites. The truth is, you really do have to expect the unexpected.
So here are two questions for you:
- Do you include insects and wildlife in your contracts for legal protection?
- And more importantly, is your safety plan prepared for the unexpected?
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