We often refer to safety ladders as a means of safely accessing a roof for maintenance work and other similar reasons, but in some circumstances the same ladder can become a valuable escape route.
The National Federation of Roofing Contractors has issued an urgent message to its members, warning of the risks associated with torch-applying membranes to combustible roof details.
In one recent case, a membrane was being torch-applied to a detail alongside a tiled roof, which caught on fire, causing extensive damage to the building.
What’s worse, the contractor involved was not insured against such a mishap, and faces covering the costs involved as an out-of-pocket expense.
The NFRC is now warning against torch-applying membranes where combustible decks and details are located nearby, and urging members to check their insurance cover.
But it is also a timely reminder of the importance of being able to evacuate a roof if any such risk – from a fire to a structural failure – should occur.
Safety ladders are an ideal way to prepare for such risks as, unlike freestanding ladders, they remove the potential for the ladder to slip or fall as workers evacuate in haste.