Roofing is work at height — which means fall protection is not optional, and for a full re-roof a harness alone usually is not enough. It is also the trade with the worst reputation problem (storm-chasers), so differentiating as a legit operator is part of the job. Here is the year-one reality.
Fall protection — the part that gets you shut down
Roofing is work at height, controlled by the hierarchy of controls (eliminate → fall-prevention → work-positioning → fall-arrest). The rules:
- A SWMS is legally required for a risk of falling 2m or more, and regulators often treat residential roofing as high-risk construction work by default — so assume you need a SWMS for re-roofs (see SWMS & High-Risk Construction Work and Working at Heights).
- Scaffold vs harness: the reg says use a fall-prevention device where reasonably practicable — and for a full re-roof or new roof, that means perimeter scaffold or proprietary roof edge protection, not just a harness. A harness (travel-restraint) is fine for short-duration small-area maintenance or work from an EWP basket, but for an unprotected edge with a 2m+ fall, a harness alone is not enough.
- Fragile roofs (old metal decking, skylights, asbestos cement) need walkways, crawl boards, guardrails or safety mesh — not harness-only — and electrical near the roof must be de-energised or risk-assessed.
The first SafeWork inspection on a re-roof is often a work-at-heights blitz: the inspector checks access (tied-off ladders, scaffold bays), edge protection (guardrails, toe-boards), the roof condition and housekeeping, then the paperwork (SWMS, height-safety training, harness and anchor inspection records). Serious risk — workers on a steep roof with no edge protection — gets an on-the-spot prohibition notice stopping work. But with scaffold up, a written SWMS, in-date harness gear and workers actually using it, the first surprise visit is more coaching than shutdown.
Starter kit and hire
A realistic first-year kit runs ~$3,000-5,700: hand tools and tile cutters ($700-1,200), a cordless platform ($1,000-1,800), ladders and roof access ($800-1,500), and a harness/anchor height-safety kit ($600-1,200). Hire, do not buy: scaffolding ("unless you are also a scaffolder, you rent scaffold and let someone else own the liability"), EWPs (hired per day — you need the HRW licence and training, not ownership), and occasional cranes, hoists and tile elevators. See Tooling Up.
The reputation problem — and how to beat it
Roofing has a real trust problem: "storm-chasers" door-knock storm-hit suburbs, pressure on-the-spot agreements and large cash deposits, offer to "manage your insurance claim", then do rushed or incomplete work and disappear. The ACCC and state regulators tell homeowners to check the licence online, insist on contracts and home-warranty insurance above thresholds, and avoid operators who cannot produce a licence and insurance. A legit new roofer differentiates day one:
- Visibly licensed and insured — licence number and ABN on quotes, invoices, signage and website, with copies provided proactively and a link to the regulator's licence-check.
- Anti-storm-chaser by design — never door-knock post-storm; build local presence through referrals and reviews; and when storms hit, publish a scam-warning checklist — be the roofer who tells people not to rush.
- Written processes — detailed quotes (labour/materials/GST split, inclusions and exclusions), proper contracts above the threshold, and home-warranty compliance.
- Visible safety — branded PPE, scaffold and harness on show, and a plain-English SWMS front page you will show the homeowner.
- A trustable digital footprint — real local before-and-after photos, a Google Business Profile and reviews (see Building Your Reputation).
Common mistakes
- A full re-roof on harnesses alone instead of scaffold or edge protection (a prohibition-notice risk).
- No SWMS, or a generic one that does not match the actual roof.
- Walking a fragile roof without crawl boards or mesh.
- Looking like a storm-chaser — no licence on the quote, pushing a cash deposit.
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