6.5 Hoisting & Lift Equipment, Fire Prevention, PPE, Barricades, Debris & Recycling

Getting Materials onto the Roof

Keep the loads within the structure's capacity. The roof structure must support the roof covering system plus the material and equipment loads during installation (MRC R908.2). While roofing work is performed, no materials or equipment may be stored within 6 feet of a roof edge unless guardrails are erected (R 408.40810(7)).

Hoisting and Tar Kettle Rules (MIOSHA Part 24)

Hot asphalt is common in Michigan built-up and repair work. MIOSHA Part 24 sets these requirements:

• Attendance: a qualified, experienced operator must be in attendance at all times while a kettle or tanker is fired, and must stay on the ground close enough for immediate attention.
• Controls: a working temperature gauge. The kettle vat is of welded construction, the other parts except tires are noncombustible, and the cover is hinged, close-fitting, and able to smother a fire.
• Fuel: a fuel tank less than 10 feet from the kettle must be shielded by a rigid noncombustible barrier.
• Fire extinguishers: dry-powder extinguishers with a total capacity of at least 40 pounds, located 10 to 25 feet from the fired kettle. None may be smaller than 10 pounds.
• Location: at least 20 feet from combustible materials unless separated by a fire-resistant blanket, at least 10 feet from a structure that rises above the kettle, and not in or on a building without permission from an authorized department representative.
• Hoisting hot material: rope pulleys, thrustouts, and hoisting jacks must support at least 3 times the load. Counterweights must be secured. No one may stand or walk under material being hoisted.

Fire Prevention (MIOSHA Part 18 and Roofing Practice)

• Every employer needs a fire protection program, including exits kept clear and housekeeping that limits combustible debris.
• At least one 2-A extinguisher is required for each 3,000 square feet of protected building area, with travel to the nearest one no more than 100 feet.
• A 10-B extinguisher must be within 50 feet wherever more than 5 gallons of flammable or combustible liquids or 5 pounds of flammable gas are being used. That covers a propane cylinder feeding a roofing torch.
• LP-gas storage areas need at least one 20-B:C extinguisher.
• Keep solvent waste, oily rags, and flammable liquids in fire-resistant covered containers until they are removed from the site (R 408.40831(7)).
• Torch-applied roofing: never torch directly on a combustible deck or into cavities and openings. Use a base sheet or a self-adhered underlayer where the manufacturer requires one. After torching, keep a fire watch. Industry torch-safety training (the NRCA's CERTA program) calls for at least 2 hours after the last torch is shut off, because smoldering fires can break out long after the crew leaves.

Personal Protective Equipment (MIOSHA Part 6)

Part 6 adopts the federal head and eye protection rules and requires employers to ensure appropriate PPE is used:

• Head protection where there is a danger of falling or flying objects or electric shock. This includes ground workers under the roof edge and loading zone.
• Eye and face protection, with side protection for flying particles. Required for tear-off, nailing, cutting metal, and power sawing, and a face shield for hot asphalt.
• Hand protection for sheet metal, hot materials, and solvents, based on the SDS.
• Footwear with slip-resistant soles on the roof, and hearing protection for loud tools.
• Respirators only under a respiratory protection program when required by the silica, lead, or asbestos rules or the SDS.

Barricades, Signs, and Tags (MIOSHA Part 22)

• Provide a barricade to keep people out of a hazardous area of the job (R 408.42224).
• Use "Danger" signs and tags for immediate hazards, "Caution" for potential hazards, and "Do Not Operate" tags on equipment that must not be used. Remove or cover signs when the hazard no longer exists.
• Follow the Michigan traffic-control manual when placing cones, signs, or flaggers on a street.

Debris Drop Zones and Chutes (MIOSHA Part 8, R 408.40831)

Protecting the Public and the Property

• Keep the public, including children, pets, and neighbors, out of the drop zone and away from ladders.
• Protect landscaping and HVAC condensers with covers, and protect driveways under dumpsters.
• Run magnetic sweeps for nails on lawns and driveways daily and at completion.
• Secure ladders and materials at the end of each day so they are not an attraction or wind hazard.

Recycling and Disposal

• Separate scrap metal (aluminum, copper, and steel flashing and gutters) for recycling.
• Recycle clean asphalt shingles where a local processor accepts them. Asbestos-containing felts, mastics, or shingles must never go to a shingle recycler.
• Dispose of solvents, adhesives, and coatings as the SDS disposal section and local rules require. Do not pour them out on site.
• Keep lead-paint debris from trim separate and bagged, under the EPA lead-safe rules.