In Canada, November is fall safety month. While W.S. Safety helps employers and companies in rooftop safety, being safe around your home is just as important. Here’s a reminder to be safe around the Festive season.
Year-round rooftop safety is essential, but sometimes the most dangerous time of year for residential rooftop safety, can be November and December. These months bring clearing leaves from eavestroughs and hanging Christmas lights.
The Christmas season brings joy and celebration, but it can also bring some painful injuries if care is not taken to safely maintain your home.
Here are simple but helpful tips for staying safe, so you enjoy the festive season.
- Put your lights up in November or early December. The best time for hanging Christmas lights is earlier in the season before a lot of snow and ice make it harder to navigate.
- Plan a mild weather day. Never go up if it’s windy, icy or snowy.
- If you must venture out and up a ladder:
- Have someone hold the ladder while you ascend and focus on you.
- Make sure the ladder is evenly supported, and the ground is not slippery. Add salt or put down a non-slip mat.
- Don’t carry heavy objects up the ladder. Get someone to pass them up to you and ensure you are safe before reaching for the object.
- Test lights on the ground before putting them up. Ensure wires are not visible and bulbs are all working.
- If you are putting lights or objects on your roof, consider getting a professional roofing company with fall protection gear to do the job for you.
Taking just a little time to ensure you are safe before going up on heights can make all the difference to your future health, so put rooftop safety first and enjoy the festive season.
