Roofing Safety Case Study: High Risk Project at University

Roofing Safety Case Study: High Risk Project at University

At Premier Safety Partners, we work with business owners, property managers, and a variety of other stakeholders to oversee projects of varying sizes and scopes through to safe completion. We offer a long-term, value-added service that adds to the bottom line.

By managing incidents and accidents, Premier Safety Partners will help avoid both direct and indirect costs associated with safety incidents. We specialize in providing health and safety services for firms within the following sectors: educational facilities, manufacturing firms, energy sector, field services, defense and space, as well as the construction industry.

Continue reading to learn more about how Premier Safety Partners helped a large university complete an expansive roofing project on budget, on time, and without any injuries to contractors, faculty, or students.

Raising the Roof on Safety at Educational Facilities

Recently, a large university asked us to provide day-to-day safety management on a vital roofing project. With a total of an expansive 20,000 square-feet, the roof covered the science and technology building on the campus. The client identified 8 roofs in phase one, which were based on the highest risk. These roofs were not scheduled to have permanent handrails installed in the near future so the portable handrails systems was required to protect employees.

While there were a variety of factors to consider, time was one of the most extenuating circumstances. The university needed to complete the roofing project during the summer, which is a time when the number of students on campus is low. If a safety incident were to prolong the project, it could easily run over into the fall semester.

Needless to say, it was imperative the project was complete before the student deadline. In spite of a variety of extenuating factors, Premier Safety Partners developed an intuitive and comprehensive plan to execute installation of roof rails for the university.

Safety Planning and Contractor Coordination

The first step was to meet with a variety of stakeholders to coordinate an intuitive safety plan. During this meeting, our experts reviewed the lifting plan by working with the roofing contractor and the crane company. These parties were responsible for lifting more than 5,000 lbs of material, which increased the potential risk exposure.

Simultaneously, we provided our safety expertise on a student cafeteria and sports complex. Both of these roofs were approximately 15,000 square-feet. These roofs also required a crane company and roofing contractors to lift approximately 2,000 lbs of materials critical to the project.

To further complicate the project, the campus was littered with six story dormitories and an 8-story parking garage. A state-of-the-art solar panel system was installed on top of the parking garage. In the process of planning the installation of the roof rails, it was necessary to plan for virtually everything as well as the unexpected.

The Cost of Neglecting Roof Fall Protection

When it comes to risky business, roofing and construction are among the top risks. In the process of conducting any type of roof modification or alteration, it's vital to have proper safety measures and safety planning in place. A few harrowing statistics involving roofs are:

  • Falls from the roof are accountable for ⅓ of all fall-related fatalities in the fatalities.
  • In 2014, almost 40% of every fatality in the construction injury can be directly related to a fall.
  • Within the roofing industry, falls account for ¾ of all fatalities.

Considering the inherent risks and prevalence of roof-related injuries, the university was faced with the very real risk of an accident derailing the project.

Keys to Completion of Roof Rail Installation

In the end, Premier Safety Partners worked closely and coordinated contractors, heavy equipment operators, and employees. Our efforts were integral in the successful completion of the roof guard rails. The project was completed on time, on budget, and without any safety incidents involving contractors, employees, students, or faculty.

We utilized an extensive array of state-of-the-art planning tools and industry expertise to effectively navigate the barrage of hazards present on virtually any college campus. In the beginning stages of the project, we developed an intuitive plan and risk analysis to identify these hazards as well as a clear plan for mitigating the associated risks.

Contact Premier Safety Partners for a Consultation

As one of the leading health and safety experts, we bring an immense level of understanding on what it takes for successful project completion. Our experts are detail oriented and dedicated to ensuring the day-to-day operations ensue without incident, which results in successful projects.

Contact Premier Safety Partners today to request a comprehensive safety consultation.