Site Logistics Planning for Roofers: A Practical Guide

A bad site setup loses a roofing crew an hour a day. Multiply that by a 5-day reroof and you've eaten the profit margin on the job. Site logistics is the cheapest productivity lever in roofing — and it's done on a desk before anyone arrives on site.

The 5 things every roofing site needs

For a typical residential reroof, you need locations for: crane (if applicable), site office or break-out area, material storage, toilet, and skip bins. On commercial sites add: car parking, exclusion zones, and emergency access.

Step 1 — Place the crane

Tower or mobile cranes need clear airspace for the boom and a stable footing. Key rules:

• Swing radius must reach all parts of the roof you need to lift to.
• No overhead power lines within the swing arc (PUL clearance is 6.4 m horizontal in NSW; check your state).
• Outriggers need 1.5–2 m of clear space on each side.
• Ground bearing pressure: a 12 t mobile crane can punch through soft turf — use load-spreading pads.

In RoofMate, place the Crane marker on the map and the swing-radius circle appears automatically (default 25 m). Drag the circle's edge to match the actual reach quoted by your crane provider. The circle overlays the roof so you can see clearance at a glance.

Step 2 — Site office / break-out area

Even on small jobs, a designated meeting point reduces accidents. Place the Site Office marker:

• Out of the crane drop zone
• On a hard surface (driveway or paved area)
• Within sight of the work zone for supervision
• With shade where possible — long days in summer matter

Step 3 — Material storage

A pallet of Colorbond sheets is heavy and awkward. Plan the storage zone:

• Close to the crane (ideally inside the swing radius)
• Hard standing, level ground
• Far enough from the house that customers and pets can't walk through it
• Tarped or under cover if storms forecast

Step 4 — Toilet

WHS regulations require one toilet per 20 workers, accessible within 100 m, with privacy. Place the Toilet marker:

• At least 6 m from food preparation areas (if catering on site)
• Discreet location — neighbour goodwill matters
• On the truck access route so it can be serviced without disturbing the job

Step 5 — Skip bin placement

A 6 m³ skip needs roughly 6 m × 2.5 m of clear ground plus an extra 1.5 m for the hook-lift truck to drop and pick up. The Skip Bin marker plots this footprint.

• On the verge if council permits (free) — or on the driveway (private property, no permit)
• NOT under power lines (truck hoist height ~5 m)
• NOT in front of neighbouring driveways
• Reachable from the roof side for direct chute or sling-down disposal

WHS pre-start checklist

1. Roof access plan — ladders, scaffolding, fall arrest anchor points marked
2. Exclusion zone around crane and material drop area
3. First aid kit location flagged on the plan
4. Emergency vehicle access path identified (kept clear at all times)
5. Adjacent property hazards noted (pools, gardens, fragile features)
6. Power isolation points marked if working near solar / antenna
7. Weather contingency plan — what triggers a stop-work

Customer communication

Email the site plan to the customer 48 hours before the job. Mark where the skip will go, where the crew will park, and how long noisy work runs each day. Sets expectations, reduces complaints, and gets you a 5-star review when the job is done.