'If you fall you're fired before you hit the ground': Roofer refuses to do dangerous job 35-feet in the air and gets written up, starts gathering photos for OSHA

Author image for Elna McHilderson
Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor
Sep 8, 2023 10:00 AM EDT

Roofing is an extremely dangerous job that is completely underrated in just how dangerous it is. Roofers are another breed, man. It's not only dangerous because you're literally working on something where if you make one false move or bad step, you could lose the use of your legs. But it is also dangerous because often times they don't even have benefits, pensions, healthcare, etc. It's absolutely absurd. The leading driver for OSHA fines as been the lack of fall protection for several years now. So why is it still not being taken seriously by some entitled foremen??

A roofer from Montana recently took to Reddit see what he should do after getting written up for refusing to do a very serious OSHA violation. The company doesn't allow phones on sight, so he is having trouble getting proof. Though after getting in an argument with his foremen, he was able to sneak a few phone photos. Many people who work in construction have taken to the comment section to give this roofer advice. The top advice is to absolutely leave this company who 100% does not care about his safety, and to definitely, in the meantime, keep gathering evidence of OSHA violations to use against them. 

What would you do?

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  • 01
    Sky
    via Ralmonline Alm via Wikimedia Commons
  • 02
    Font - Posted by u/Holiday_Director2556 17 hours ago Refusal to do a massive osha violation and got written up.
    via u/Holiday_Director2556
  • 03
    Font - So I work for a construction company and was informed upon hire that not wearing fall is a single offense protection immediate fire non eligible for rehire. We'll got into an argument today with a foreman because i was
    via u/Holiday_Director2556
  • 04
    Font - unwilling to do steel roofing 35 up in the wind with out a tie off. Got written up for arguing and told if I didn't sign it I'd be fired. The rest of the crew never ties off btw. And what initially started the argument was were using 32' steel sheets well to get them to the roof
    via u/Holiday_Director2556
  • 05
    Font - were using the sky jack to bring a stack up and from there i swing then on to the roof 1 by 1, the door to the lift is broken and doesn't latch so it opened and the sheets went to slide off and to the ground while up in the air. I caught
    via u/Holiday_Director2556
  • 06
    Font - them and am preventing them from falling, instead of coming off the roof and stepping on to the lift to help prevent a disaster they stood there and watched and refused to help. I'm wondering if I should file a federal complaint. Or just let everything blow over
    via u/Holiday_Director2556
  • 07
    Font - Edit: we didn't roof today but did end walls. Was able to get some photos of people climbing trusses and strattling the top railing of the lift to nail stuff. All untied off.
    via u/Holiday_Director2556
  • 08
    Font - bmx13 13 hr. ago You working for Cleary or Morton? Also good luck getting OSHA anywhere in Montana, been building here for 15 years and never seen them.
    via u/bmx13
  • 09
    Font - Holiday_Director2556 OP. 12 hr. ago It's cleary. F you ● know the company by the complaint. I need to leave
    via u/Holiday_Director2556
  • 10
    Font - I want to but the boss makes sure everyone leaves their phones in the work truck before starting. I think they do it for this reason. And we're In bfe montana right now with no service. We travel alot. Like we're finishing up montana then headed to
    via u/Holiday_Director2556
  • 11
    Font - arizona, we're from Oregon. We build barns and shops. So alot of middle of nowhere jobs. Where "no one sees sh". And I don't know if me just saying something would Warrent an investigation
    via u/Holiday_Director2556
  • 12
    Font - z-eldapin 17 hr. ago ● Lack of fall protection has been the leading driver of fines for OSHA for several years running. Time to make a call.
    via u/z-eldapin
  • 13
    Font - 5+2 5 Used_Ad_5831. 8 hr. ago Hey man. I've jumped out of airplanes and roofs scare the sh outta me. If I screw up skydiving, it's not my problem anymore.
    via u/Used_Ad_5831
  • 14
    Font - If I screw up on a roof, will I walk again? I know way too many young cripples who were on a roof when they landed in that situation.
    via u/Used_Ad_5831
  • 15
    Font - I say go work for someone competent. Broken gate on the lift is enough to make these guys OSHA's unwilling little toy. Let alone the tying off.
    via u/Used_Ad_5831
  • 16
    Font - Unusual-Thing-7149 Whenever I get calls from police charities telling me how dangerous it is being a cop I tell them they need to look at people working on roofs. Especially as they don't get free healthcare and pensions . 44 min. ago
    via u/Unusual-Thing-7149
  • 17
    Font - Lughnasadh32 - 9 min. ago I work IT for a construction company. On day 1, no matter your position, the safety training starts. If any supervisor at my company made a request like that, and the head of safety found out, that super would be out before he could even ask why.
    via u/Lughnasadh32
  • 18
    Font - bmx13 11 hr. ago You genuinely do. I did a stint with Morton years ago during the 2012 construction crash and pole barn builders are f In savages. I'm an experienced carpenter and I'll do pretty sketchy sh so long as I feel comfortable
    via u/bmx13
  • 19
    Font - with it. At 20 I did sh there I absolutely shouldn't have because I desperately needed the job. They even joked when I was hired, "if you fall you're fired before you hit the ground.". I bailed the second I found another job.
    via u/bmx13
  • 20
    Font - Basoran 9 hr. ago · edited 9 hr. ago I love the "you are fired before you hit the ground" safety culture. Funny story, I know several lawyers in Montana (please capitalize my home state from now on)
    via u/Basoran
  • 21
    Font - Gimme a company name and a job address please. Start recording dates and times. Also track your work time, perdiem, and travel expenses. There is no reason for this behavior in this job market.
    via u/Basoran
  • 22
    Font - Unhappy-Attitude5220 4 hr. ago My boss was cited by OSHA because workers didn't maintain 3 points of contact on a ladder. I do construction, and that can be difficult. If I'm helping put the ridge or rafters up, only my feet are on the ladder,
    via u/Unhappy-Attitude5220
  • 23
    Font - hands rarely are. That's worthy of fines, no doubt what you described would entice them to investigate. I work for a small company, OSHA dude was still watching. What you described is irresponsible, the foreman isn't worried about your safety.
    via u/Unhappy-Attitude5220

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blue collar worker construction worker failblog roofer OSHA-violations osha roofing Reddit
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