Protecting Slate Roofing While Walking On Them

This shortens the roof s lifespan and degrades the shingles.

Protecting slate roofing while walking on them.

Don t wear open toed shoes like sandals or flip flops since they don t offer protection if you accidentally slip or fall down. Even just being tired can lead to a slip or fall so always stay sharp when walking on a roof. Walking on slate roofs can also be extremely damaging. We needed to walk it to install rain flow so we lost the sale.

More advice from osha. Walk on between the tile sections on the uncovered valley area. Employers can elect to protect their workers from falling while engaged in roofing activities on low slope roofs by a combination of warning line system and guardrail system warning line system and safety net system warning line system and personal fall arrest. Slate roofs are fragile and are likely to be damaged by foot traffic.

The hook is tapped into the gully between tiles and the new tile slides into place resting on the hook below. Osha warns not to allow safety equipment to make you complacent. 3 climb a ladder to access your roof safely. Use of alcohol or drugs even over the counter drugs such as antihistamines can lead to accidents while walking on roofs.

It is not a good idea to walk upon a roof for any other reason. Even the most careful roofer could accidentally break tiles by stepping on them the wrong way. Upon walking on these shingles shoe tread tears away these granules. Advice about walking on inspecting slate roofs.

Try minimizing the pressure of your body by keeping your feet step on separated tiles. Compounding this issue is that each slate tile has a different shape and size. Set your foot so it arches according to the tiles curve on each of them. The roofing contractor said that it was super easy to break and they use some kind of sandbag system when they have to work on it to make a repair.

It s best to stay off of slate roof surfaces during a building inspection. We recently did a house with a new slate roof and the homeowner and roofing contractor both told us to keep off of it. Keep your weight balanced and evenly divided between your both feet and stark to walk slowly. See slate roof inspection procedure for details.

Yes the ladder distributes the weight of the person tools and slates evenly along the length of it from ridge to eaves you don t need to pad it further in a rare instance you might break a slate on the front slope which you can easily repair while there your point about the back slope is well taken it is more common to have one break there because of the concentration of weight there again it s easily replaced if your going to be in that spot for awhile you might want to install a foot long. Even when absolutely necessary it should only be done by a professional. There is no need to walk on the roof unless it is for the rare and occasional repair.