Safety Month
The new National Snow Guards Safety Month in March highlights the importance of snow guard usage for property owners living in areas with snowfall, along with educating roofing contractors on the safest ways to install snow guards. Created by Rocky Mountain Snow Guards, Inc., a leader in the snow retention industry, the month-long awareness campaign will be held every March, starting in 2025.
“Safety and education are two areas we intend to shine a spotlight on during National Snow Guards Safety Month,” says Lars Walberg, president of Rocky Mountain Snow Guards out of Englewood, Colorado. “The proper installation of a snow guard system can help save lives and prevent property damage.”
According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, five people have lost their lives in roof avalanches in Colorado in the last 30 years. There have also been many more injuries and close calls. The last roof avalanche fatality in Colorado occurred on March 16, 2023, when two children and a father were buried in a slide. Tragically one child died.
In a joint statement from the National Avalanche Center and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center in support of National Snow Guards Safety Month, leadership related, “Roof avalanches pose a serious risk every year in mountain communities. It’s critical to stay aware of snow-loaded roofs, minimize time spent beneath them, and keep a shovel nearby in case of an emergency.”
Snow guards, which are usually installed on rooftops in specific patterns to help prevent snow from avalanching down in a snow blanket as the snow melts, can be made of plastic, metal, copper, aluminum, or even rubber. They can be attached at the time a roof is installed or retrofitted years after the roof is in place.
According to the experts at Rocky Mountain Snow Guards, density of and placement of a snow retention system is determined by the snow load anticipated per unit of roof, which is determined by several factors. The roof slope, roofing product, roof snow load, drift snow loads, and potential exposure all influence the snow retention plans.
“The free layout and quote service we provide takes individual roof specifications and provides the perfect layout for a snow retention system,” says Walberg. “It’s customized specifically for each roof, taking into account the snow load for a region, pitch of the roof, roofing materials involved, and other factors. This allows us to create a layout resulting in a safe snow retention system.”
Walberg explained that plans are available for both residential and commercial properties. “Snow guard systems are just as important for commercial properties where you have workers and visitors near a structure continually,” says Walberg. “In many cases a snow retention system may be an insurance requirement for a commercial building.”
Rocky Mountain Snow Guards, Inc. manufactures snow guards and fence-style snow retention systems designed to protect people and property. The company provides free shipping of products to the 48 contiguous United States and offers free layouts and quotes for product placement, with metal products that are warrantied for 50 years. For details visit www.rockymountainsnowguards.com.
