Safety Tips by Cotney
The silica citation nobody sees coming
By Cotney Consulting Group. Why roofing crews are getting flagged, and how you can avoid it. Many roofing contractors are surprised when an OSHA inspector brings up silica exposure. After all, most roofers don’t think of themselves as “silica trades.” They’re not mining, blasting or pouring concrete, silica citations are appearing ...
When wildfire smoke reaches the roof
By Cotney Consulting Group. Wildfire smoke has become an operational concern that many Canadian roofing contractors can no longer treat as an uncommon event. By mid-July 2026, hundreds of active wildfires were burning across Canada, with elevated fire danger affecting several northern and central regions. Smoke from those fires ...
Building safety that sticks
By Cotney Consulting Group. Turning compliance into culture on roofing jobsites. Safety isn’t just a program, a manual or a meeting. It’s what happens when leadership, training and accountability come together on a jobsite day after day, without exception. Yet, too often in roofing, safety culture gets reduced to slogans and paperwork. ...
Routine doesn’t mean risk-free
By John Kenney, Cotney Consulting Group. Tips for staying alert in building maintenance. There’s a unique mindset that comes with building maintenance work. Unlike construction crews who move from project to project, maintenance technicians return to the same properties day after day. They know the buildings, understand the systems and learn the ...
More than a meeting
By Cotney Consulting Group. How toolbox talks shape roofing culture. If you want to know your company's safety culture, listen to a toolbox talk. This is not the scripted version, where everyone nods politely while thinking about the day ahead, but the honest ones, where supervisors lead by example, crews participate and ...
Extension cord safety for roofers
By Cotney Consulting Group. An extension cord is a simple piece of equipment, but like everything on a roof, it can hurt you if you are careless with it. Every roofing crew uses extension cords for power tools, compressors and generators. But they’re also one of the most overlooked hazards on a ...
Stop the snap: Hose whipping hazards on roofing sites
By Cotney Consulting Group. Roofing crews who take hose safety seriously work faster, cleaner and with fewer surprises. Roofers work with compressed air and fluid hoses every day, from pneumatic nail guns and spray rigs to compressors and cleaning tools. These hoses make the job faster and more efficient, but they can ...
Protecting roofers from falls — One step at a time
By Cotney Consulting Group. Six steps to protecting your crew when they’re working with steep heights. Falls remain the leading cause of death in the construction industry, and roofing is one of the highest-risk trades. Whether a simple repair or a large-scale commercial installation, roofing professionals face daily exposure to ...
General construction safety principles: The core practices every outdoor trade should follow
By John Kenney, Cotney Consulting Group. Getting the fundamentals right is what separates disciplined contractors from the rest. Across the outdoor living industry, every contractor has their specialty — tile setting, hardscape, pool and spa, landscaping, lighting, sports surfaces, agronomics and general maintenance. Each trade has its own techniques, tools and ...
Clean sites prevent falls and fines: Housekeeping essentials for roofing crews
By Cotney Consulting Group. On a roof, there's no room for clutter — only for safe steps, sharp work and solid results. In the roofing industry, conversations about safety often focus on fall protection equipment, weather conditions or material handling. However, one of the most consistent and controllable hazards across any roofing ...
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