Roofing Height Safety: Choosing the Right Protection for the Job 

What does it truly take to keep workers safe on a roof? In Episode 4 of The Height Safety Standard, host Mel Moss sat down with JT Thomas of QXO for a wide-ranging conversation about roofing height safety. JT has been in the roofing industry since 1977, and his experience offers a unique window into how the trade has evolved and what it means to look out for the next generation of workers. 

Watch or listen to the full episode 

Here are some of the most important lessons from our discussion. 

How Safety Became Personal 

JT started roofing in 1977, young and searching for any job that paid better than minimum wage, before today’s safety standards existed. He still remembers the accidents that happened when those protections were missing, and those experiences still motivate him.  

JT wants young people entering the trade today to avoid the risks his generation faced. He believes that responsibility is shared across the industry, from manufacturers providing the right equipment and distributors helping customers make informed choices, to supervisors building competent teams and workers following the safety plan.  

Reading the Roof  

Roofing height safety starts before anyone puts on a harness. JT assesses each new job site before deciding what protection is needed. He weighs potential hazards, identifies entry and exit points, analyzes potential worker movements to determine how work will be completed safely. Also, as part of this assessment, roof slopes and surface conditions are critical as they shape very decision as no two roofs are the same, and the conditions underfoot affect how crews move and which safety systems will work. 

The takeaway: Good height safety starts with understanding the job, not simply choosing the equipment. 

What Height Safety Excellence Looks Like 

When asked what excellence looks like on a roofing job; JT's answer focused on people rather than gear. It comes down to following the safety plan every time, having knowledgeable leadership on site, building competent teams, and treating safety as part of the work - not something separate from it. 

JT also highlighted Guardian’s work helping companies develop competent people who can apply height safety in the field.  

Fit Is Everything 

The right fall protection equipment needs to fit the worker and the job. JT believes companies should have enough options to fit every worker as people come in all shapes and sizes. With so many options to consider, JT’s decisions always revolve around fit. 

A proper harness fit requires attention to: 

A harness can feel snug while still being worn wrong, which makes the problem easy to miss. 
JT is glad to see more young women joining the trade, a shift that has made individual fit even more important, and the goal is never to force someone into equipment but to find the right protection for their build. 

Partnership Is the Future 

JT's most confident bet is on people finding new ways to work together, moving the industry away from policing safety and toward teaching it, so the next generation is reached before tragedy strikes rather than after. 

That sense of urgency comes from experience, since JT has seen the heartbreak of someone not coming home. It's part of what keeps manufacturers, distributors, safety professionals, supervisors, and workers all working toward safer habits together. 

Watch or Listen to the Full Episode 

Mel and JT discuss much more in Episode 4, including roofing height safety, equipment choice, proper fit, and safer jobsites. 

Watch or listen to Episode 4 now and subscribe to The Height Safety Standard.  

At Guardian, we've spent 30+ years building not just the right equipment, but the systems, training, and tools that make height safety simple. 

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Let's set a higher standard for safety. Starting now.