Tips for Removing Snow From
Roofs in the Workplace
Workers who do not take safety measures expose themselves to certain dangers: falling from a height, being buried in snow, discomfort caused by intense physical effort, or the cold. Employers, building owners, managers, and the workers themselves have a responsibility to ensure that work methods comply with safety rules.
Precautions To Follow Before Snow Removal
It is important not to let snow accumulate. Although roofs are constructed to support these loads, homeowners must remain vigilant and remove snow with commercial snow removal company whenever there is too much build-up, mainly if the load is not distributed evenly.
Before removing snow from a roof, take a few moments to assess the risks related to weather conditions, the amount of snow, and the place of work (location, dimensions, roof slope, accessibility, strength, and grip). Ensure you have all of the relevant lifting equipment, protective clothing, and snow shovels that will be required ready to go. In addition, a warm-up period is desirable before starting. The pace must be adapted according to the physical condition of the workers and the weather conditions.
Tips To Follow
- Snow removal from a sloped roof: Whenever possible, work from the ground to clear snow from a sloped roof. It is often sufficient for the worker to keep both feet on a solid foundation to remove the snow using a long-handled rake designed for snow removal from roofs.
- Lifting device: When the layout of the premises on the ground allows it, use a lifting device for people (lifting platform, aerial basket, or articulated mast platform) to limit the danger of falling
- Guardrails: As soon as they are exposed to a fall of more than 3 meters (10 feet), workers must be protected: use guardrails or other means to prevent the fall. For example, on a flat roof, there can be spill zones and buffer zones where workers will not have to move within 2 meters of the roof's edge.
- Protective equipment: If nothing better, each worker must wear fall protection equipment consisting of a safety harness, a lanyard of a maximum length of 1.8 meters, and an absorber of energy attached to an anchor point with a resistance of at least 18 kN
- Rescue: Plan for rescue measures in the event of a fall
- Delineate the spill area: Radiant, delimit the zone T and deny access with signals of danger and a boundary rope to ensure that nobody takes the snow or ice on the head, with a threat of serious injury
- Temporary canvas shelters: Temporary canvas shelters must be cleared of snow with a roof rake. Snow removal should never be done by pushing the canvas from the inside, as the cover could collapse on the worker
Signs That Don't Lie
If you see any of these signs in your home, be alert! Your roof could be in danger of collapsing:
- Deformation and sagging of the ceiling
- The appearance of cracks in the ceiling or on the interior walls
- Leaks from the roof
- Unusual cracking or popping sounds
- Doors and windows that no longer close or that are not easy to open
- Utility piping that appears to bend or warp
- Rain, snow, warm weather, ice in winter, no chance to take.
- Regular inspection of your home is essential to detect any problem that may arise quickly.
Prevention Tips That Will Save You Big Money
To remove snow from your roof, it is recommended that you call on qualified professionals who have the right tools to do the work safely. Important information to remember: make sure the company you hire has good liability coverage. You can never be too careful!
If, however, you decide to remove snow from your roof yourself, here are some tips:
- Use a shovel with a telescopic handle explicitly designed for this operation and allow operation from the ground.
- Secure the house perimeter to ensure that no one is injured by snow or ice falling from the roof.
- Leave a few inches of snow to avoid damaging the waterproofing membrane or the coating.
- Regularly clean and unblock roof sewers, gutters, and downspouts.
Removing snow with commercial snow removal company from your roof in winter is indeed an essential chore to avoid many problems. However, you can also use these same tips to protect other structures on your property, such as the garage, balcony, carport, parking lot, above-ground pool, and even recreational vehicles (trailer or motorized).
