Nail guns are our friends?
You know, sometimes the stuff your mom tells you is just plain true. In this case, I always go back to "a nail gun is not a toy". You'd think this would be basic, but the amount of times I've repeated it is an amazing number.
I'm really not kidding. You turn your back for a second, and some of these people will be yukking it up with sensitive hydraulic power tools that are as dangerous as some murder weapons. Just like at a public pool, a roofing crew needs signs in big letters, with rules like "NO HORSEPLAY" stencil on them. Regrettably, one does not usually bring that type of equipment, so the signals have to be spoken.
Periodically, I like to shout out safety information from wherever I happen to be working. At other times, I go around and monitor the crew. I search for employees that are unhappy with the job. An enemy to a roofer is boredom. It tempts workers to screw off with the equipment, run on the roof; this puts people at risk of serious injury.
Sure, I provide injury free incentives just like any other business, but sometimes it's not a question of incentivizing safety, it's just that people aren't thinking about what they're doing. That's when they need those verbal shout outs to keep them in the right frame of mind.
The number of times that I have driven one of these guys to the hospital with an impromptu piercing is flat-out ridiculous. It also drives up my insurance costs in ways that I can scarcely afford. That's another reason why it's good business policy to keep putting the safety warnings out there, even at the cost of repeating yourself. I admit out loud that I'm repeating myself - but I continue to stress the reasons for that repetition, because what I do is based on experience. A lot of it.
All workers need another that is very motivated by his work. You can think of it like a buddy system, or like the surveillance at a prison (which is sometimes what it feels like). But in the end, safety is all about working as a team, working together and staying in the right frame of mind, working smarter and identifying challenges, and generally being on top of your game.
Some people are always at the top of their game, and some seem like they're never going to get it. Identifying workers who need the most help is another part of this equation. A great leader is like that, and discover new methods to encourage the workers. It's not an easy journey keeping an entire crew of people from injuring themselves, but with experience and patience, it gets a little easier.
Anyway, safety training is an important part of any business that deals in this kind of work. It does not matter where the training takes place, all that matters is that you employee understand all of the safety tips.
About the Author:
Scott Rodgers stopped actively roofing in 2005, but he still gives tips for other roofers. See more of his work at http://www.eLocalRoofers.com