How can I review a roofing company’s fall protection and safety records?

Start with the paperwork. Request the written safety program, sign-in sheets from crew meetings, certificates for fall protection training and logs showing when harnesses, lanyards and ladders were inspected or replaced. Then ask for any incident reports, including minor ones. A company that records near misses is usually learning from them.

Next, ask about contact with workplace safety authorities. Has an inspector visited, issued orders or reviewed an accident? Your lawyer can tell you which obligations might follow the business to a new owner. Also talk to the insurer about claims history, since it shows how past injuries were handled.

Finally, go on a job site if the seller allows it. Watch how the crew sets up, whether anchors are used, and whether the foreman enforces the rules when no one is watching. Habits on a roof tell you more than a binder. Plan how you would keep or improve the program after closing, and who would be responsible for it day to day. Ask also how the company handles a worker who refuses an unsafe task. A calm, supportive answer is a strong sign of a healthy safety culture. Keep written notes of everything you see, and raise any concern with the seller before you commit, not after.

Key takeaways

• Request training records, equipment logs and the full incident file.
• Ask whether safety authorities have ever visited or issued orders.
• Visit a live job site and watch how the crew actually works.