Roof safety systems are a critical component of any construction or renovation project. The law requires systems to be in place and properly installed, certified and maintained.
It’s essential to be aware of the different types of roof safety systems available and the benefits they offer to make an informed decision when installing edge protection on your roof.
This blog post will look at the different types of roof safety systems and why they are essential for protecting personnel working at height.
The Different Types of Fall Protection
Fall protection encompasses three categories to ensure safe access: elimination, prevention and arrest.
What is a fall protection system?
A fall protection system is any equipment designed to ensure worker safety at height or eliminate the need for it.
They also can be defined as either active or passive, personal or collective fall protection systems.
What is fall prevention?
Fall prevention is any system designed to prevent a fall from ever occurring. These include things like guardrails and fall restraint systems.
Fall restraint systems are a form of PPE typically designed to prevent the worker from ever accessing an edge where a fall could occur.
What is fall arrest?
Fall arrest systems are shock-absorbing equipment specifically designed to stop a work reaching the ground or level below in the event of a fall.
These typically consist of a full-body harness with a lanyard attached to an anchor or lifeline, but can also include things like safety nets or other soft-landing systems.
Fall arrest is vital in projects that require access to the facade of a building for maintenance or in suitable construction areas.
What is fall elimination?
The preferred solution to all fall hazards is elimination. This can be achieved by assessing the need or requirement for working at height and challenging it. This is done (as in all cases) by evaluating the fall hazard against the hierarchy of control. For example, relocating equipment such as air conditioning units to the ground or into a plant room is one example of hazard elimination.
Best Practice
The hierarchy should be applied to any fall hazard before creating a solution. The correct solution is often very obvious when evaluating a fall hazard using the hierarchy of control.
Personal vs Collective Fall Protection
When designing your roof safety systems, you need to consider the types of protection potential workers may need for safe access.
Collective fall protection – (also called passive protection) – should always be your priority if elimination cannot be achieved. Collective fall protection provides safety to multiple personnel exposed to the risk of falling and does not require PPE or additional training.
Examples of collective fall protection are guardrails, such as the Kee Guard system from Kee Safety, scaffolding and access platforms.
Personal fall protection – (also called active protection) – are personal systems that ensure user safety.
They require special training and can need specialised tools and equipment to operate. These often include a full-body harness, belt, and a lanyard that fastens to an anchor or lifeline.
Roof Guardrail Systems
Guardrail systems are designed to provide workers with a physical barrier between them and the roof’s edge. These roof safety systems typically consists of several horizontal rails connected by posts installed along the roof’s perimeter.
Kee Guard guardrails can be combined with other types of fall protection, such as walkway systems, creating completely safe access and collective fall protection solution across any part of the roof, not just the edge. it also acts as a protected demarcation solution. To add even further safety assistance, step-over units such as Kee Step, can also be combined with a walkway and guardrail solution, offering up-and-over assistance where there are barriers such as pipes and air vents, as well as up and onto raised roof areas, or multiple roof heights.
The primary benefit of guardrail systems is that they offer personnel working on roofs peace of mind and extra security against falls from height and is considered to be the safest, most practical of all roof safety systems.
They also don’t require any special equipment or training for installation, making them an ideal solution for many construction projects requiring regular access to building roofs.
Guardrails can also be fixed or free-standing, providing permanent access where needed or a highly efficient temporary roof edge solution.
Roof Anchor Systems
Anchor points are another rooftop safety system designed to secure personnel working at height. These anchor points can be installed using either chemical anchors or mechanical anchors, depending on the type of surface you’re working with (concrete, wood, etc.).
The benefit of using anchor points is that they provide a stable point from which a worker can secure themselves, offering opportunities for both fall restraint and fall arrest solutions, depending upon the work required.
Additionally, anchor points can easily be adjusted or removed due to changes in the job site layout or conditions. Mobile man-anchors are another steadfast option for personnel performing maintenance in multiple locations.
Rooftop Lifeline Systems
When it comes to roof safety systems, lifelines are one of the most effective solutions available.
A lifeline system consists of a cable strung between two anchor points at either end and secured with shock absorbers to protect against slips and falls from height.
Our Kee Line safety lifeline systems offer both fall restraint and fall arrest solutions. giving personnel safety and security whilst having the freedom to work hands free on top of a roof.
Additionally, lifelines can be easily adjusted if needed due to changes in conditions or layout on a job site.
The Importance of Recertification
Recertifying all roof safety systems is a legal requirement under the Safety, Health and Welfare Act at Work Regulation 2007 Part 4: Work at Height.
More importantly, in 2019, the amendments made to BS 7883 substantially increased the certification standards, so systems certified before 2019 risk being well below the new standards.
No matter the quality of the equipment or type of roof safety systems, regular usage will cause deterioration and general wear and tear, which in turn can cause failure and jeopardise users’ safety. Inspection and recertification are crucial aspects of determining whether the equipment is safe to use or not.
If an accident occurs and it is found that your equipment was not properly inspected and recertified when needed, you could find yourself in legal trouble.
A competent third party should thoroughly inspect equipment. Our engineers are fully-trained and highly experienced in inspecting and recertifying equipment and systems. They can ensure the system is safe and provide you with all relevant documentation.
Failure to comply with these new standards places business owners at risk of legal problems and workers at risk of life-threatening injuries or death. As such, the annual inspection and recertification of your systems are necessary to ensure your and your workers’ safety.
Work With Harcon
Whether it’s a quick one-time maintenance job or a much larger project, roof safety systems are integral in keeping personnel working at height safe on rooftops and other elevated surfaces.
Different types, such as guardrail systems, anchor points and lifelines, offer unique benefits to safety on your roofs depending on your needs and budget constraints.
Understanding these differences allows you to make an informed decision when selecting which type best fits your job site requirements so that you can ensure maximum workplace safety for all involved parties at every stage throughout your project’s duration.