The short version
- Falls caused 31 worker deaths in 2025/26.
- Check height limits and hot-work conditions.
- Ladders are for short, low-risk tasks.
Roofing combines gravity, weather and sometimes a naked flame. Insurers know it. Expect fewer providers and tighter terms.
Height comes first
Falls from a height caused 31 worker deaths across all sectors in 2025/26.1 The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require work to be planned, supervised and done by competent people with the right equipment.2
HSE says ladders can be used for low-risk, short-duration tasks. As a guide, it suggests other equipment if someone would be on a leaning ladder or stepladder for more than 30 minutes at a time.3
Clauses to read twice
- Maximum working height.
- Hot-work conditions for torch-on felt.
- Rules for leaving a roof open overnight.
- Requirements for scaffold inspection.
- Whether you can work on listed or thatched buildings.
The cover to look at
- Public liability. Falling objects and water getting in are the common worries.
- Employers' liability for your team.
- Contract works for the roof in progress.
- Personal accident cover, because a fall can stop your income.
Sources
- Workplace fatal injuries in Great Britain, Health and Safety Executive. Accessed 11 November 2026.
- Work at height, Health and Safety Executive. Accessed 11 November 2026.
- When and how to use ladders safely, Health and Safety Executive. Accessed 11 November 2026.
General information only. This is not legal, insurance or financial advice. Your own policy wording decides what is covered.