Research and development are important at Epilay for a broad variety of reasons. We want to make sure that our underlayments provide the best protection possible for a roof deck, and we also want those products to be durable and long lasting. But there’s one part of the research and development process that stands above all others, and that’s safety. Here at Epilay, we’ve taken extra steps with our underlayment products so that the job is as safe as possible for the roofers installing it.
Roofing Safety Statistics
For construction workers, the roofing industry is the most dangerous of all the construction trades. Falls account for 76% of fatalities incurred among roofing contractors—and the majority of those fatalities happen when contractors are carrying bulky, heavy objects on slippery surfaces. For instance, carrying a bundle of shingles across slick, dew-wet underlayment. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, people in the roofing industry are three times more likely to suffer a fatal work related injury than workers in other construction trades.
Research and Development Keeps Contractors Safer
Those high rates of injuries and fatalities are the biggest focus behind our research and development. We want to create a product that helps minimize these incidents as much as possible. And that’s why Epilay underlayments take a three-pronged approach to safety.
First off, our underlayments are as lightweight as possible while maintaining the durability that roofers, homeowners and local building codes demand. These lighter weights are important because carrying bulky objects up ladders or across steeply sloped roofs are one of the largest causes of on-the-job accidents. The light weight makes Epilay’s underlayments easier to maneuver and easier to install, thus reducing the incidence of accidents.
Slippery surfaces are problematic, too, particularly on steeply angled roofs. This is another common source of injuries and fatalities—worker skidding or falling from a slick rooftop. To combat this, we’ve developed GripWalk, which is featured on all of our underlayment products. This is a textured walking surface that helps prevent slips and falls, even when the underlayment’s surface is wet.
Last, there is slippage between the underlayment and the roof’s deck to consider. A lot of underlayment products shift around on the roof deck as they’re being installed, and some even require extra fasteners just to prevent this slippage. This increases ease of installation, and it also works to help prevent slips and falls, both of which contribute to safety on rooftops.
Our Customers are an Important Part of the Process
Research and development doesn’t happen behind closed doors here at Epilay! Customer feedback is a big part of the process. Improvements to safety, durability and ease of installation—after speaking with contractors throughout the industry, these are all responses to the needs of the roofers who are installing the underlayment. Because of this, we always love hearing from contractors about potential ways that we can make underlayments safer, more durable, and easier to install.
If you’ve not yet had a chance to try Epilay’s underlayments, we definitely recommend giving them a shot. Of course, trying new products can be risky business—and that’s why we offer two free samples to all new customers. All you need to do is contact us, and we’ll make sure you get the chance to try our synthetic underlayments before you buy!
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