Most of our work requires us to get up on roofs. Commercial work is a no-brainer and relatively safe since they are flat tops. It is residential that becomes a problem-solving puzzle. The pitch, layout, and material all come into play. We try to avoid getting up there if at all possible. For soft washing, when we cannot see the roof from the ground, we need to actually get up there. Some gutter cleaning forces up on top of houses as well. Most Christmas lighting work is on the roof.
Shingle Roofs
The material determines the footwear for the job. A worker should wear anything sticky for shingle roofs. Invest in Cougar Paws Estimator or Performer, which has replaceable soles for when the soles get worn down. Regular construction boots can work as well such as Keen. Some roofers just wear tennis shoes but personally, I prefer stickier boots.
Stepping on two shingles at a time reduces the risk of a shingle falling off. Some look like they are thinned out with missing granules so avoid those. Six-pitch roofs are easy to walk around with but 10 and up require more safety equipment like fall protection.
Pitch Hoppers are excellent as a mobile platform and can work for up to 12 pitch roofs. The bottom sticks to the granules of shingles. One can stand on them securely while doing work on the roof. We often use these for gutter cleaning or putting up Christmas lights.
Metal Roofs
Cougar Paws has a boot called SteelWalker and Steel Walker II that has magnets inside the sole. This sticks to the many galvanized and galvalume roofs in East Tennessee. Unfortunately, this does not apply to aluminum. The soles require cleaning and maintenance. Walk with the feet diagonally touching the ridges and above the screws. While wearing Steelwalker boots, the whole bottom should be in contact with a smooth part of the roof.
No one should be traversing a wet metal roof or high-pitch metal roof without fall protection. If possible, avoid wet metal roofs even with fall protection. Make sure all coworkers are on the same page. If one worker sprays water on a metal roof with another person still on it, there is a big problem.
Technique
A safety tip is to walk facing downwards and not across. The weight of the body will go towards the bottom slant of the feet which has more support lengthwise. Crab walking sideways is safer than just walking across. The person should always look at what they are stepping on instead of looking elsewhere.
Walking up High Pitch Roofs
I recommend the Goat Steep Assist for walking up steep roofs. This is for both metal and shingle roofs. We use these to get to the ridge of roofs for soft washing, Christmas light hanging, or hard-to-access gutters. It is an adjustable, lightweight ladder. The slim design makes it easy to fit on roofs where access to an evenly pitched peak is narrow. The hook only works if the peak is equally pitched on both sides. Make sure the top is firm before using and this is not fall protection. Fall protection should be added with any of these products if the roof is too steep.
Fall Protection
Ridge Pro has an adjustable hook to match different roof pitches to hook onto the ridge. My only complaint is that the pole that places it on the ridge is usually not long enough. However, when stationed at the top, it provides great fall protection. A full-body harness, lanyard, and rope stop a fall to the ground. One should never stand more than 45 degrees from the anchor point. Time should be taken to move the anchor point around if starting to work too far. Also, making sure the rope is short enough to stop one from hitting the ground is very important. The worker should constantly adjust the rope grab while working.
Situational Awareness
No amount of equipment will help if the user is not aware of his/her surroundings. Stepping on mold, leaves, or water can make a roof very slippery. Or stepping on a screw or ridge on metal roofs can trip someone. Always watch your step and make sure your emergency plan is in place. Someone should always know you are working on a roof. Have a cell phone on hand to call in case of emergencies.
If you would like a professional to take care of your exterior cleaning needs, please contact us here. Billy Goat Gutter Cleaning LLC is insured and gives free estimates.