Slip Slidin' Away

Introducing a new monthlong safety awareness campaign in March. This initiative is dedicated to educating property owners, roofing contractors and builders on the critical role snow guards play in protecting homes, businesses and pedestrians from the dangers of heavy snow slides.

A snow guard is a metal or plastic device installed at intervals on the roof to prevent snow and ice from sliding off the roof in a single avalanche occurrence.

"Metals roofs are one of the slipperiest surfaces when the sun comes out and snow starts to melt," say Lars Walberg, president of Rocky Mountain Snow Guards. "Unless there is a deliberately thought-out snow retention system in place, there is nothing to stop the thawing snows from simply sliding off the roof in mass quantities."