You are pretty handy; you know your way around your toolbox. You can fix your leaking sink, so when your roof needs attention, why not add another project under your belt?

There are many reasons why your roof should never be a DIY project, but your safety is the MOST important reason.

According to OSHA, there are over 1,000 fatalities every year in the construction industry, and almost 1/3rd of those injuries are a result of a fall. That number is actually incredibly low because of OSHA’s strict standards that require employers to ensure the safety of employees. Construction workers are extensively trained and use equipment to ensure their safety. Roofers especially undergo special training to ensure that they go home everyday injury and illness free. But you – you probably have not had that training. You likely do not have years of daily experience navigating a roof – you may even be a little shaky climbing up a ladder. (side note: do you know the appropriate way to set up a ladder?).

There are more than 164,000 emergency room injuries related to falls from a ladder every year, and most ladder deaths come from falls under 10 feet. The bottom line is: roofing is incredibly dangerous and should be left to professionals.

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