Roofing Guide for First-Time Facility Managers
Being a facilities/plant manager is a big job. You need to know a little about a lot of things and the list of responsibilities can be tremendously long. If you’ve never managed roofing assets before, you simply don’t know what you don’t know. D. C. Taylor Co. offers this list of basics to make managing your roof areas easier and safer.
Understand Roof Safety Requirements
Your roof poses numerous hazards. If you venture onto the roof, don’t violate OSHA’s Walking-Working Surfaces rule for General Industry; you’ll need fall protection and personal protective equipment (PPE). The same goes for your team members. If you have individuals working on the roof (e.g., changing filters, servicing HVAC units, repairing motors, etc.), you need to protect them. The U.S. Department of Labor outlines the requirement in OSHA’s 29 CFR 1910 Subpart D – Walking-Working Surfaces.
To reduce the risk of injury, limit who goes up on the roof. When anyone (employees or contractors) is about to service equipment on the roof, have them review the dos and don’ts for working on the roof, as well as rules and requirements to prevent roof damage. Your roofing contractor can assist you with creating this document. Also consider restricting foot traffic to designated areas and protecting the worksurface (e.g., with flag stands and flagging, guardrails, pathway marking tape, walkway pad, and/or an elevated walkway).
Gather Roof Information
Hopefully, your predecessor was good at recordkeeping. If not, start building a file on each roofing asset, including the following:
- Site map and CAD drawings of the roof(s) with square footage and roof areas named/labeled, along with the placement of rooftop equipment, skylights, penetrations, etc.
- The year the roof was installed (either known or estimated).
- Roof system materials.
- Roof access points.
- A record of work that was performed in the past and by whom.
- The roof system manufacturer warranty.
This information will help you make better decisions about your roofing assets (e.g., when to replace, common problems to look out for, how to make a warranty claim, etc.).
Get a Roofing Contractor Now
When a roofing emergency arises, the complexity of the need usually warrants more than a quick internet search for a contractor. You want a company that has skills, experience, and safety. Taking the time to do that evaluation now, before you have an urgent need, means that when a dire situation hits, you’re more likely to get quality workmanship, job site safety, and a fair price.
Create a Roof Maintenance Schedule
Proactive maintenance is critical. A routine of roof maintenance activities will catch and fix problems when they’re small and prevent them from getting worse (and more expensive). Consider the weather, the age of the roof, and the amount of foot traffic it gets when determining the frequency and timing of roof inspections. General Preventive Maintenance will perform repairs and clean the roof, preventing environmental debris from clogging roof drains, downspouts, gutters, and scuppers. Aside from extending the life of your roof, proactive maintenance is also a warranty requirement.
Partnering with the right roofing contractor can assist you with each of these tasks. Lean on them for expertise, help create records and a maintenance plan, and gain an understanding of roof safety requirements. The right roofing contractor provides peace of mind that you don’t have to know everything about managing your roofing assets; they can fill in the gaps and shoulder some of the responsibility.
Contact D. C. Taylor Co. today at 319.731.4118 or [email protected] for help managing your roofing assets.
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