As we discussed in a previous blog post, rooftop grease spills are a major health and safety hazard – from attracting pest and rodents to posing a serious safety hazard every time a contractor or employee is on the roof. In fact, slip and fall accidents can cost thousands of dollars in workers’ compensation claims and personal injury claims each year.
Additionally, rooftop grease saturation causes:
- Roofing material deterioration
- Roof leaks and structural damage
- Health code violations
- Runoff water pollution
Maintaining a grease-free roof is the simplest way to avoid all of these problems, and the first line of defense is installing a grease containment system on your kitchen exhaust fan. However, you may still find oil spills that need to be taken care of as a result of routine cleaning and maintenance.
If you find oil on the roof or notice it leaking from the containment system, it is essential that you hire a certified professional to properly clean up the spill. The company should be well-versed in all federal and state environmental regulations and understand how to properly dispose of the oil.
The first thing a professional should do is try to contain the spill and keep it from moving into nearby storm drains or water sources. Next, an oil absorbing product or degreasing chemical agent is laid down to remove the accumulated grease and oil from your roofing system. Finally, the professional will completely remove the degreaser before the area can be cleaned using hot water pressure cleaning.
Most importantly, don’t overlook your roof top. The cost to replace the roof is much higher than the cost to simply maintain it with a proper service schedule. A thorough rooftop cleaning, followed by the installation of a grease containment system, will help eliminate roof deterioration, costly roof replacements, unsafe work areas and voided roof warranties.
