A roofing contractor was rescued after sustaining an injury on top of an under-construction house outside of Huntley, Ill.

On Oct. 21, the Huntley Fire Protection Department and Prairie Grove and Countryside Fire Protection District responded to reports of an injured person. The Lake & McHenry County Scanner says it took place at a construction site in a new residential development.

When firefighters arrived, they found the roofing contractor had suffered a leg injury while working on a new roof. He was unable to climb down safely, so firefighters used a ladder truck and set it up in front of the home. They reached the injured roofer, secured him and lowered him to the ground. 

The roofing contractor was transported by a waiting ambulance to a local hospital for further care.

“While ladder trucks are often associated with fire suppression efforts, this incident serves as a perfect example of how they are also critical tools for high-angle rescues and technical operations,” Huntley Fire Protection District Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said in a written statement.

The nature of how the worker received his injury was not reported. The incident serves as a reminder that, while falls are the most common cause of injuries and death in construction, incidents can happen while on a rooftop. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that approximately 6,500 nonfatal injuries occurred to roofing contractors in 2023, or three per 100 full-time equivalent workers.

As OSHA notes, something as simple as ensuring workers know the address of the project can help expedite medical attention and treatment should an accident occur.

"Workers should always know the street address of where they are working in case they need to give emergency services their location," OSHA states. "Post the site street address and emergency contact information in prominent locations. This will allow workers to quickly contact emergency services with necessary information."

OSHA says if there is no infirmary, clinic, hospital or physician within a reasonably accessible time and distance, employers must ensure that someone is "available at the site with first-aid training verified by documentary evidence."