Why Roofing Contractors Wear Long Sleeves?

We know what you’re thinking.

It’s 90+ degrees and the roofing contractors working on your roof are wearing pants and long sleeves.

You’re in short and already dying of heat, so how could they possibly not be?

Turns out there are some really good reasons why roofers wear long sleeves and pants.

It’s Safer To Be Fully Covered

As you can imagine, roofing is a fairly dangerous profession. In fact, Time magazine did some research on the most dangerous profession and roofing ranks at #4.

But it’s not the long clothing that can prevent falling injuries (strapped down ladder and safety harnesses are best for that).

What most people may not realize is that OSHA requires safe apparel. This includes having proper footwear, however, the actual apparel requirements are up for interpretation. Many roofers interpret this as they see fitting and that includes wearing long apparel.

The obvious? It helps protect against scrapes and scratches from working around nail and other sharp materials.

Additionally, being covered prevents against sun burns when you’re spending 8-12 hours in direct sun.

It Can Be Cooler?

Contrary to popular belief, there have been some studies that say wearing long sleeves can keep a person cooler.

Why? The heat absorbs to the clothing material and not the skin.

Additionally, with proper hydration, some roofers insist that the sweat produced by the extra clothing makes it easier to stay cool.

A bit gross, but likely true.

These are reasons why roofing contractors wear long sleeves.

Summary

Do you have any other questions you’ve been dying to ask the roofing industry?

Let us know and we will do our best to answer them!

As always, if you’re in the Omaha area and looking for a FREE roof inspection give us a call at (402) 889-3381.