Onboarding plan
Roofer Onboarding Plan (30-60-90 Days)
A practical, printable plan to take a new roofer from first day to full productivity.
Roofer onboarding at a glance
Week one covers orientation, safety and shadowing. Days 1–30 build vocabulary and supervised practice on core procedures; days 31–60 move to independent work with competency sign-offs; days 61–90 focus on full productivity, cross-training and a credential plan.
Before day one
- Confirm start date, schedule, pay and supervisor in writing
- Verify required credentials: OSHA 10-Hour Construction, Fall protection training (as applicable)
- Prepare equipment and access: pneumatic roofing nailers; roofing hatchets and utility knives; harnesses, lifelines and roof anchors; metal brakes and snips
- Assign a buddy or preceptor
- Enroll the new hire in Roofer training so foundations are covered before or during week one
Week one: orient and protect
- Workplace tour, emergency procedures and incident reporting
- Use fall protection whenever you work on a roof or near an edge
- Keep ladders secured, extended three feet above the landing and set at the right angle
- Stay hydrated and take breaks in hot weather
- Watch for overhead power lines when moving ladders and materials
- Shadow an experienced roofer through a full shift
- Training modules 1–3: role foundations, a day on the job and essential vocabulary (15 terms)
Days 1–30: learn
Goal: perform core tasks safely under supervision.
- Supervised practice: install architectural shingles
- Supervised practice: set up personal fall arrest on a sloped roof
- Supervised practice: flash around a chimney
- Training modules 4–7: duties, step-by-step tasks, tools and safety
- 30-day check-in: confidence, questions and early wins
Days 31–60: contribute
Goal: handle a regular workload independently.
- Tear off old roofing and inspect the roof deck: independently
- Replace damaged sheathing and install underlayment: independently
- Install flashing around chimneys, vents and valleys: independently
- Lay shingles, metal panels, tile or membrane roofing: independently
- Competency sign-offs completed (see checklist below)
- Training final knowledge check and certificate of completion
- 60-day check-in
Days 61–90: own
Goal: full productivity and a growth plan.
- Meet productivity and quality targets for the role
- Begin cross-training on a secondary task
- Agree on a credential goal (for example, OSHA 10-Hour Construction)
- Discuss the career path: Roofing Helper → Roofer → Lead Roofer or Foreman
- 90-day review
Competency checklist
| Skill or task | Trained | Observed | Signed off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Install Architectural Shingles | |||
| Set Up Personal Fall Arrest on a Sloped Roof | |||
| Flash Around a Chimney | |||
| Shingle and membrane installation | |||
| Flashing and leak prevention | |||
| Fall protection setup | |||
| Roof measurement in squares |
How to measure onboarding success
- Weeks until the new hire works without close supervision
- Recordable incidents and near-misses in the first 90 days
- Rework caused by new-hire errors
- Apprentice retention through year one
How Roofer training maps to this plan
- Introduction to the Roofer Role
- A Day on the Job
- Essential Roofer Vocabulary
- Core Duties and Responsibilities
- Common Tasks, Step by Step
- Tools, Equipment and Technology
- Safety, Compliance and Professional Standards
- Skills Employers Look For
- Launching Your Roofer Career
- Final Knowledge Check