School Roof Safety Systems: How to Protect Staff and Students from Fall Hazards
Schools are supposed to be places where pupils can be taught in complete safety. The need for safety also extends to everyone who works there, whether permanent teaching, administration or maintenance staff, or contractors employed for specific tasks.
Although pupils may not access roofs in the normal course of events, they may occasionally do so to retrieve lost balls or for some other reason. Additionally, a number of schools have rooftop sports courts and other outdoor areas, so ensuring the safety of those who use them is essential. Which is why the provision of school roof safety systems is necessary.
Providing Safety Systems that are Effective
Ensuring rooftop safety systems are fully effective means being able to predict the actions of pupils, staff and contractors. Once this is done, proper measures can be put in place, and these can include:
- Mesh barriers that enclose sports courts and other outdoor areas at height. To be able to withstand weather conditions, these should be constructed of stainless steel and be fire and UV-resistant and non-corrosive. They will ideally allow unrestricted views, permit natural light and air to flow through, but must be strong enough to withstand high impact. At lower levels, at least, they must have a mesh size that prevents hand and foot holds from being gained so they cannot be climbed.
- When regular access to roofs is required, permanent ladders with safety cages, rest platforms and non-slip rungs must be installed. If this is not practical, secure attachment points for portable ladders should be available instead, providing a stable base with no movement.
- Static lines with continuous anchor points allow safe access to roof areas and are essential for maintenance staff and others to be able to work safely.
- Skylights and other roof hazards must be protected so that no one on the roof can fall through.
- Guardrails and permanent walkways clearly indicate the safe routes and keep everyone away from areas they should avoid.
Ensuring Ongoing Safety
Safety is a priority in schools, and this is particularly vital if anyone needs access to the roof for any reason. But simply installing guardrails and other safety equipment is not enough because the issue of safety must be taken very seriously.
Before installing any safety equipment, undertake a thorough risk assessment. This will indicate any hazardous areas and potential dangers so you can determine what needs to be done, which will be to install adequate equipment of the appropriate type in the correct places.
Installing the right equipment will have limited effect unless people know how to use it. So, comprehensive training is essential so that everyone who needs to use the equipment knows how to do so. This has to be ongoing, with periodic refresher training and induction courses for new pupils and workers. Some equipment, such as mesh barriers, will be self-evident, but training will be necessary in other cases.
Safety equipment on rooftop areas is exposed to the weather and may be subject to harsh treatment so it can deteriorate over time. Regular safety checks and maintenance are necessary to ensure continuing effectiveness and compliance with regulations.
Ensuring school roof safety is an essential but complex subject. The good news is that at Workplace Access & Safety, we can help you keep everyone safe. We can conduct a thorough risk assessment to establish what you need, install the correct equipment and provide training in its use, then inspect and maintain periodically to keep it in perfect condition. Get in touch to ensure your practices are safe.
