Whenever we hear about life-threatening accidents, it’s common for us to think, “That’d never happen to me.”
And even if there’s a low chance of the accident happening, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do everything in your power to prevent it.
What we’re talking about specifically isn’t something with incredibly low odds like a plane crash or a shark attack. We’re talking about something a lot more common – roof accidents.
Today, we’ll run you through the facts to answer the question: how common are falls from roofs in Australia?
On paper, not that common…
You might be surprised about this answer. Falling from the roof isn’t that common on paper. Thousands of Aussies climb ladders to access roofs every day, and not many of these instances result in falls or injuries.
…but who’s doing the climbing?
However, think about what type of people are accessing roofs the most. These are tradies who are more often than not younger than the age of 50, have the right training for working on roofs and the correct safety equipment too. We’re talking high-grip boots, gloves, tool belts, purpose-built ladders – the works.
What age group are most vulnerable to falling off the roof?
It’s well known that people over 60, men in particular, are most vulnerable to sustaining roof and ladder injuries. Yep, this still applies to you even if you’re fit as a fiddle and haven’t stopped working.
In fact, it should apply to you even more if that’s the case. If you’re in this category, then you clearly value your health and independence. Imagine what would happen to both of those things if you were to sustain a serious injury from falling off your roof or ladder?
How often does falling off a roof result in serious injuries?
Falling from a roof or ladder is one of the biggest causes of unintentional injury and fatality. In fact, roof and ladder falls account for nearly 20% of workplace injuries – a huge proportion. And for ‘do-it-yourself’ injuries, like cleaning the gutters at home, they’re the #1 cause.
Brain injuries
Roughly 1 in 10 roof and ladder falls result in brain injuries. That’s not a risk that anybody should be willing to take, excluding trained professionals.
What you can do to avoid roof falls
Avoiding roof and ladder falls is simple: don’t climb on top of your roof. It’s important to ask yourself, particularly if you’re over 60, ‘How do I want to spend the rest of my life? Living freely and ably, or suffering due to one avoidable mistake?’
Don’t risk it all just to save a few dollars by doing roof work yourself. Contact the pros at Royce Roofing. Not only are they experts in all aspects of roofing, but they’re an honest bunch of workers with affordable rates. They care about doing the best job possible on your roof, for the best price, as well as keeping you safe. Grab a quote from Melbourne’s finest at Royce Roofing today.
