Clearing Snow from the Roof
INSTRUCTOR GUIDE
Safety Talk Overview
Safety Talks are a method to refresh an employee’s knowledge and skills, maintain their interest in safety and
illustrate the organization’s commitment to creating a healthy & safe work environment. Safety Talks can be
performed on a weekly basis or before the start of a new scope of work and should be about 15 minutes in
duration. Generally, these Safety Talk meetings are led by a supervisor and should be mandatory for all crew
members to attend. The content should be centred on a single topic (e.g. a safety rule, safe job procedures,
recent incident, Joint Occupational Health & Safety Committee (JOHSC) meeting minutes, inspection results,
etc.).
Topic Overview:
Clearing snow from the roof can be a dangerous job if you’re not properly equipped and trained to do so. This
safety talk will review some safe work practices and techniques that will help aid the workers in this task.
Demonstration and Discussion Topics
 Discuss the hazards of clearing snow from the roof.
 Tour the work area with workers pointing out where the accidents can occur.
 Distribute the “Do’s & Don’ts” section of this handout.
 Use the “Instructor Guide” section of the handout as your discussion guide
 Discuss how accidents can happen.
 Remind employees that they are required to wear adequate personal protective equipment.
 Explain what can be done to minimize the risk of accidents (Do’s & Don’ts in handout)
 Emphasize that following safe work procedures is mandatory.
 Make it real by telling at least two true stories of injuries from your experience.
 Discuss the attitude of “it won’t happen to me”. Remind them that an injury can and will happen if they take
shortcuts or are careless.
 Answer any questions or concerns they might have.
 Set a good example by working safely at all times.
 Document the Safety Talk by completing the “Safety Talk Record” section and filing it.
Clearing Snow from the Roof
SAFETY TALK RECORD
Discussion Leader:
Date:
Department:
Time:
Attendees (Please print your name and sign beside it. If you are a contractor, also include your
company name):
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Near Miss/Incidents and Investigations Reviewed: (None this month )
(Industry alerts can be discussed here as well)
Safety Topic Discussed:
Title:
Date:
Any questions or concerns from workers?
Action Needed:
Person responsible:
Due Date:
Reviewed By:
Supervisor/Manager Print Name & Sign:
Date:
Completed Date:
Clearing Snow from the Roof
Hazards: Environmental, MSI injuries – lower back strain, muscle strain, fall from heights
Equipment: Ladder, rope, shovel, long handled rake, fall protection equipment, stanchion, caution tape
Personal protective: Clothing should be appropriate for the weather conditions, fall protection harness
Training required: Fall protection training, proper ladder use, safety talk
Tasks
Clearing snow on roofs can be very dangerous and will sometimes require manual removal. Flat roofed
buildings and lift terminals can become overloaded with snow and can cause roof collapse. The buildup of
snow on a roof can also cause leaks and damage to the roof. Sloped roofs can cause snow to slide off, falling
onto pedestrians and vehicles below. Removing snow from a roof can pose a number of hazards and being
aware of these hazards is an important step in preventing injuries.
Safety practices

Assess the scene prior to beginning the task. Look for hazards within your work environment, e.g. snow
overhangs, members of the public, buried objects, icicles, etc.

Ensure a good line of communication is maintained at all times when working in a team.

Establish a perimeter on the ground, using fencing. Use this area for depositing the shoveled snow.
Consider whether snow removal from the ground is an option.

Use a long-handled snow rake, if possible.

Use safe ladder climbing techniques (3 points of contact) when accessing the roof.

Use proper shoveling techniques when clearing the snow. Push small amounts towards the edge to
maintain control.

Be aware of roof vents, sky lights and other roof structures that may be buried under the snow.
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If the snow removal is occurring from the ground, be sure to wear proper personal protective equipment
(PPE), eye protection, and a hard hat.

Depending on the size of structure, a 2-person team can effectively “saw” snow slab off roof by:
o
Assessing load-bearing weight of snow once fallen off structure – clear landing of any worker or
equipment.
o
Throwing rope over bottom edge of snow lip (top apex of roof) (i.e. A-frame roof).
o
With standard climbing rope (60 metres), the 2-person team will be on either side of the
structure with a minimum 5-metre distance from edge of the roof, then begin to saw back and
forth, and effectively, cutting slab off roof while being in a safe distance from falling debris.
Clearing Snow from the Roof
DO’S:

Create a safety perimeter around the area you will be working in

Evaluate the conditions to determine the safest and most efficient way to remove the snow.

Work as a team and communicate.
DON’TS:

Don’t take any chances. Make sure you have created a clear safety zone to prevent staff or guests from
getting hit by the falling snow.

Don’t cut corners. If you need to go up on the roof to clear the snow, make sure you have put together
a proper fall protection plan for the job.

Don’t rush.