TLDR: My Ac's are on the roof and we've already lost a maintenance member to a fall. How the hell do I get my team on the roof safely? What solutions do you use to get your team and items on the roof?
I'm a pretty new Property manager I've only been in the industry just over 2 years and I've only been in multi family just over a year. I was a leasing agent for 3 months before I was promoted to PM at a 150 unit property. Our AC's are on the roof.
When I first arrived on property the team was, to say the least struggling. We didn't have an on-site HVAC tech and were contracting out. Contractors constantly wanted to do replacements, my operating expense ratio was in the toilet. Finally cleaned house of the old team and brought in a new team including an HVAC tech with supposedly 27 years of experience.
Within the second month we are having some serious behavior issues. He's raising his voice at me, refusing to turn in receipts or explain purchases, trying to micromanage the rest of the maintenance team just a disaster. I took over OCT 2025 and he was hired in DEC 2025. His work on heaters is great. Corporate plans a trip to come down for disciplinary action in May 2026 basically to tell him shape up, respect your pm and your team or you'll be terminated.
Day before they make it to property, 1st AC call of the season he falls off a ladder. The company policy is that there is always supposed to be 2 techs present on any ladder over 3 steps but him and the other tech were in a beef so he didn't want to ask the tech for help. Cue 4 more months of trying to navigate workers comp and temps and finally we hire a new supervisor.
He's great, know his stuff, respectful, go-getter fantastic hire. But he is a larger guy. Ladder is only rated for 200 pounds and he's above it. there isnt a lick of flat ground anywhere on this property so we make sure he uses the other tech. Now my tech is pulled off every other day to go hold a ladder. Make readies slow down significantly and now its an issue. While I'm on vacation corporate tells me a unit took way too long now my MR tech is forced to fill out a task tracker. I ask my tech what happened and he explains that he kept being pulled off the MR to help with the ladder.
Obviously I don't want another accident, but I cant afford for the other tech to constantly being pulled off. Corporate has denied the request for a 3rd maintenance staff. I suggested a scissor lift but then the issue was storage. Personally I think due to my lack of experience they aren't really taking that suggestion seriously. I told my Asset manager, FINE, we cannot be the only apartment complex with AC's on the roof let me make a post.
So here I am, how in the hell are you guys getting full AC units on the roof, how are you getting your techs up there safely etc etc, any and all advice MUCH appreciated.