HSENI issue safety message for roofing work

The HSENI has issued an important safety message to all homeowners thinking of engaging contractors to carry out roofing or other work at height on their premises.

People have been urged to be extremely cautious when engaging contractors and to ensure that the contractors have taken into account the necessary precautions to carry out the work safely. Failure to do this may have serious repercussions on the homeowners themselves.

The warning follows a number of cases when re-roofing work on private housing has had to be stopped as a result of a lack of proper scaffolding, which provides edges protection. HSENI is extremely concerned about the number of builders who are prepared to gamble with their lives and those of their employees.

Ken Logan, Head of Construction Group at HSENI, said: “It is essential that home owners ensure that contractors are prepared to take the necessary safety precautions prior to engaging them to work on their property. Roofing and other work at heights can be dangerous, if proper regard is not paid to safety. Sadly in the past this type of work has resulted in serious injuries, and the potential is always there for someone to be killed. It is important to remember that if the contractor is not properly insured, you, the homeowner could find yourself liable to pay substantial damages if an accident occurs. Any reputable contractor will carry out insurance cover in respect of liability to his own workpeople and to members of the public, and will be prepared to produce evidence of that cover when tendering for a job. Ask to see it, and ask what safety precautions have been planned for working at heights on your premises. Always remember it is people’s lives that are at stake.”

The Construction Employer’s Federation and the Federation of Master Builders have fully endorsed this advice from HSENI saying that their members are committed to high standards of workmanship and safety. (SP)