Health and safety paperwork for roofers

The hazards that actually matter

Every trade has a long list and a short one. The short one is what the task documents have to deal with properly, because it is where the serious harm comes from.

Falls from the edge

The dominant risk, and the one the hierarchy addresses in a specific order. Edge protection or a scaffold first. A harness is the last option, and it brings a rescue duty with it.

Falls through the surface

Fragile roofing, skylights, translucent sheeting, corroded cement sheet and purlins at spacings that do not support a person. A fragile roof looks the same as a sound one from the ground.

Asbestos cement roofing

Common on pre-2000 buildings. Cutting, breaking or walking on it releases fibre, and it is fragile in the structural sense at the same time.

Weather

Wind loads on a sheet being carried, rain on a steel surface, and heat on a dark roof in summer. Wind is the one that changes fastest during a day.

Manual handling of sheets

Long, sharp and large enough to act as a sail, handled at height by two people who cannot always see each other.

Hot work on membrane

Torch-on membrane in close contact with combustible substrate, with the fire developing after the crew has moved on.

Overhead power lines

Approaching conductors with a sheet, a ladder or a crane during loading out.

Falling materials

Offcuts, fasteners and tools reaching the ground, the public and other trades below.

What applies beyond the general duties

The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and the General Risk and Workplace Management Regulations 2016 apply to every business. These sit on top of them for this trade:

• Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016, identification before work on pre-2000 roofing
• Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995, reg 26, falls of 5 m or more and scaffolding erection
• Building Act 2004, where the roofing is restricted building work on a house

Competence and licensing

Erecting, altering or dismantling scaffolding from which a person could fall 5 m or more requires a certificate of competence. Removal of asbestos cement roofing above the quantity thresholds requires a licensed removalist, generally Class B. Roofing on a house can be restricted building work requiring a Licensed Building Practitioner in the roofing class.

Notifying WorkSafe

Work where a person could fall 5 m or more, and erecting or dismantling scaffolding from which a person could fall 5 m or more, both require 24 hours' notice to WorkSafe. The full list and its exclusions are in notifiable work: the 10 categories.

What a main contractor will ask you for

• A Task Analysis for each roof task, not one for the whole roof
• Your edge protection or scaffold arrangement, and who verifies it before access
• A fall rescue plan wherever a harness is used
• Asbestos identification for any pre-2000 roof
• Your controls for materials and tools reaching the ground

A document per task, not one for the job. The crew doing one task should not have to read past three others to find their controls, and a site manager checking one task should not have to either.

Where to start

If you are writing from scratch, how to write a Task Analysis sets out the order. If you have been asked for something and are not sure which document it is, which document do you need covers the difference between a site plan and a task document. Our prepared documents for this trade are the Roofing Task Analysis Pack, or single documents from the catalogue.

Sources

• Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, s22 (reasonably practicable), s34 and s36
• Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations 2016, regs 5 to 8
• Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995, reg 26 (particular hazardous work requiring notice)
• Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016, identification before work on pre-2000 roofing
• Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995, reg 26, falls of 5 m or more and scaffolding erection
• Building Act 2004, where the roofing is restricted building work on a house
• WorkSafe New Zealand, Identifying, assessing and managing work risks

This guide is general information about New Zealand health and safety law as at the review date. It is not legal advice and it does not describe your site. Confirm what applies to you with WorkSafe New Zealand or your adviser.