Safe Ways to Shovel a Roof

Buddy System

• Never go it alone when it’s time to shovel snow off the roof. Always use a buddy system. Having a trusted person on the ground to hold the ladder for you, hand you the shovel and generally keep an eye on you while you scale the shingles is a good idea. Your buddy can tell you if there are unseen dangers on the roof, and should there be an accident, someone will be there to get help for you in a hurry. Shoveling the roof with no one around could be a terrible mistake should an accident happen.

Proper Footwear

• You should put some serious thought into what to wear on your feet when you go up to complete this slippery task. Although keeping warm and knocking off the winter chill with warm clothing is important, there is no more important article of clothing than your footwear. You should wear insulated, well-fitting, thick-soled boots or shoes with a good tread. The footwear should have gripping soles that will give you the best possible foothold while you are walking on the roof.

Safety Rope

• No matter how good your boots are and how good your balancing skills are, slips happen, so use a safety rope to prevent falls as you shovel the snow off the roof. Use a rope that is suitable for rappelling and rock climbing. Wear a safety harness or belt to which you can fasten the rope, then tie the other end of the rope to a sturdy object on top of the house, preferably something permanent like a well-built chimney. This way if a slip occurs and you completely lose your footing, you’ll only slide a short distance before the rope stops you. Make sure there is just enough slack in the rope to get you to the edge of the roof and not over the edge.

Proper Equipment

• Don’t take heavy equipment up with you. Get a snow shovel that is lightweight and has a telescoping handle so that you can reach a long way without having to move around much. Gently scoop the snow off the roof. You don’t want to damage the shingles below, so use the shovel carefully. Use a broom to sweep off any snow that you can’t gently scoop with the light shovel. You may even choose to invest in a roof rake, which is a long-handled tool designed to let you reach most of a roof while you're still on the ground.