Saw a solar panel installer fall through a roof in Austin last summer

I was working a job site in East Austin last August when a guy putting up panels stepped on a rotted skylight and dropped right through. He was fine, just bruised, but it made me rethink how I check roofs before starting any project. How do you guys handle unexpected hazards like that when you're already on the clock?

3 comments

3 Comments

rubyshah22d ago

Tbh I read somewhere that a lot of those older Austin houses have these crappy skylights from the 80s that are practically invisible under shingles. That's terrifying though, dropping through a roof is like one of those things you don't think about until it happens. I heard one guy say he always carries a long pole or a heavy tool to tap ahead of himself on flat roofs before stepping. Sounds simple but probably saves a lot of ER trips.

harperg7622d ago

No way, @rubyshah, actually through the roof?? Thats wild I never even thought about that. Skylights from the 80s under shingles sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

lopez.quinn22d agoTop Commenter

Whoa wait, someone actually fell through one of those? @rubyshah that tapping thing sounds smart but also kind of paranoid... I guess if you've seen it happen you'd do the same though.