A Levin roofer has picked up a safety leadership award for helping protect his peers from serious injury, earning him the title of “New Zealand’s god-damn best roofer”.
Protech Roofing director Ben Clisby created a series of injury prevention videos for roofers called “Pain Free Roofing With Ben”, based on what he had seen and learnt from 20 years in the industry.
Clisby was presented with an award as part of Site Safe’s 2023 Construction Health, Safety and Wellbeing Awards for the videos he created with CHASNZ for its Work Should Not Hurt programme.
Other tradies, including builders and plumbers, had started watching his videos and visiting an injury prevention website he had created. The message was “don’t do it”.
Site Safe chief executive Brett Murray says Clisby’s passion and knowledge stood out.
“I’ve had my share and sprains and strains, but I’ve learned small changes can make a big difference,” he said.
“We want people to have long healthy careers as roofers.”
Ben Clisby.
Common injuries among roofers include problems with backs, elbows and wrists. And roofs are dangerous places to work.
More than half of falls reported by the construction sector occur from less than three metres and most of these falls are from ladders and roofs. The cost is estimated at $24 million each year.
It’s not only roofers who work on roofs. Other tradespeople include builders, air conditioning installers and maintenance people, satellite dish installers, and home owners themselves.
Murray said the safety leadership award recognises those making workplaces safer.
“Ben has brought a very real, pragmatic approach to health and safety, one that combines his passion, his extensive knowledge and experience in a way that really connects with workers in the roofing industry.
“What the judges loved about his nomination was that it’s all about a tradie reflecting on years of experience and knowledge and sharing what he’s learned with the rest of the industry. And doing it passionately, knowledgeably and humbly.”
Clisby’s message to anyone thinking of doing their own roofing repairs is simple: “Don’t do it. You don’t need to fall from very high to hurt yourself.”
Roofing is a job for professionals and a big investment that needs to be carefully made.
“Make sure you use a certified roofer – ask for references, make sure they have a licence and are members of the Roofing Association of New Zealand.”
He says roofing companies face a massive amount of work thanks to the increasing number of new builds, ageing roofs and climate change.
“New weather patterns are a double-edged sword for our industry. Record-breaking rain is falling on roofs and running into gutters not designed to cope with the amount of water we are now seeing.
“While that might seem like good news for us, at the same time more wind and rain is restricting our ability to get on with jobs.”
- Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ on Air.
