Roof access risks: Do you know where to look?
Roof access is essential for maintenance and service. But are you sure your maintenance team or contractors have safe roof access? And when did you last check your drop-down ladder leading to the hatch or the fixed ladder on the side of your building?
If your roof access is considered unsafe or non-compliant, contractors and workers can refuse your maintenance or service request. This could be because of a physical hazard, unsafe ladders or height safety system, or impractical (or inadequate) access, causing you downtime as well as money.
Be in control of your maintenance and service and book a risk assessment and audit with our independent, certified experts. We can identify hazards and non-compliance issues that could put your business at risk, minimising the impact to your business.
Sadly many anchor points can be non-compliant from the moment they are installed. With so many systems on the market, some inspectors may not be across specific requirements or spot a potential risk caused by incorrect installation. This poses danger to users and your business for being non-compliant.
With specialists in anchor and static line systems, you can be confident our inspection services will help you uncover any potential dangers and ensure your anchor points and static lines are compliant.
Read More
Roof Access Solutions for Effective Accident Prevention
Accidents are an unfortunate part of industrial and commercial life and can have disastrous consequences. They are particularly common when working on roofs due to the hazardous conditions. However, nearly all accidents can be prevented with proper planning and preparation and, even if they do occur, serious consequences can be avoided.
To keep everyone safe, well designed roof access systems are necessary. These will allow workers to easily access the roof and move about safely without risking serious injuries or death from falls. However, systems are only effective if they’re properly designed, manufactured, installed and maintained.
Comprehensive Roof Access Equipment for Every Need
As experienced roof access engineers, we are aware that all roofs are different, and the needs of individual companies can vary. Consequently, we treat every job as unique and start with a full consultation and survey that will establish specific roof access requirements. This will produce a bespoke roof access design that may have a combination of components to meet every need. These can include:
- guard rails that provide an effective barrier to prevent falls; these can be available in fixed or fold-down formats, so they are unobtrusive when not in use
- access hatches have a range of formats and allow access to the roof by fixed or removable ladders
- anchor points are securely fixed to the roof and are used to attach lines and lanyards for abseiling or fall arrest purposes
- static lines are attached between anchor points and allow people to move safely and freely without having to detach and re-attach between anchor points
- access ladders can be vertical or angled and be caged in or have other safety measures
- walkways and platforms are slip-resistant and allow easy and safe access across all roofs
- rail systems provide fall protection and arrest with simple transition from horizontal to vertical rails.
Compliance with Legislation
All the components we use are of the highest quality so they’re totally reliable, weatherproof and require minimal maintenance. To comply with legislation, however, they have to be inspected and re-certified at prescribed intervals. In addition to designing and installing your system, we are able, as a competent third party, to inspect and re-certify so you’re always compliant.
Whatever size and type of roof you have and however you need to use it, we can supply a fully customised access system that will meet your needs exactly and conform to Australian standards and legislation. We’ll also carry out height safety inspections and re-certifications at the required time, so you won’t forget and run the risk of legal penalties. Our aim is to protect your workers so they’re always safe when in hazardous situations. With the help of our experienced team, you won’t have to worry about non-compliance and will keep your workforce safe. Our other services include:
- cooling tower inspection
- guardrail testing
- fall protection equipment inspection
- rope access inspection
- roof safety inspection
- anchor testing
- harness inspection
- height safety equipment inspection Sydney
- working at height risk assessment
- height safety engineers Melbourne
- height safety audits
Accidents aren’t inevitable and you can reduce the risk and the consequences by a considerable margin if you install adequate safety systems. Ours are cost-effective as well as dependable and are much cheaper than the cost of fines and compensation if you don’t take the correct precautions.
Read Less
Could your height safety equipment be putting you (and your workers) at risk?
While your height safety system may be compliant, the height safety equipment you have available may not be efficient for the task or damaged in some way. The way it’s used may also be hazardous, increasing the risk of injury.
Knowing what equipment you need – and how it should be used – can be a challenge, especially if you don’t use it yourself or the system isn’t used often. Our height safety experts can assess your current equipment and provide recommendations on what you need, how to reduce your level of risk, and improve compliance and safety.
Fact: Height safety system design can increase your level of risk
A height safety system that’s compliant with manufacturer requirements doesn’t necessarily result in a safe system. It may be the wrong design (or system) for the application, such as an anchor point system in place where a guardrail should be.
As experts in height safety, our team can identify and recommend changes to systems to ensure your team is safe and the level of risk is reduced. Creating a safer environment for your workers and business.
Our risk assessment approach
Through 45-years practical experience and industry knowledge, we’ve developed a comprehensive four-step risk assessment and audit process. By assessing each task that requires roof access, we can provide expert recommendations to minimise and manage height safety risk. To support you with internal conversations, our reports automatically include budget estimates, scopes of work and layout plans to best implement our recommendations.
All our risk assessments are developed in line with Australian standards and the hierarchy of controls, and are provided by certified experts who specialise in risk management and identification. When booking your roof access risk assessment, we recommend aligning it with a full-site risk assessment and audit to simplify your preventative maintenance schedule. This in turn will provide you with a full view of risk requirements and be more cost effective.
Identify areas and tasks
Identify hazards and risks
Verify compliance
Reporting & Recommendations
Our 4-step approach
This comprehensive approach is used for all our risk assessment and audit services. Whether we’re assessing roof access or a facade, you can be confident your assessment will be provided to the highest standard by independent experts.
1. Identify areas and tasks
We’ll step through each task associated with your roof access, defining how, when and where your team (or contractors) perform maintenance or service at a height. Using this approach, we can identify systems, equipment and associated documentation as well as where the task is performed and any training required.
2. Identify hazards and risks
Hazards come in all shapes and sizes, and can be created by something as simple as using the incorrect height safety equipment for the task at hand. That’s why we assess all tasks and areas (and their associated systems and equipment) for potential hazards and immediate dangers. We assess each task according to your risk matrix and against the hierarchy of controls to determine the level of risk it could create.
3. Verify compliance
We assess all height safety systems and associated equipment against Australian standards and industry regulations. Being trained in the latest compliance requirements, our experts will be able to identify and verify what is compliant (or non-compliant) for both your systems and equipment. Our NATA accreditation also means we can do on-site testing of systems and equipment as required.
4. Reporting & Recommendations
We’ll collate all our risk assessment findings and develop expert recommendations to decrease your level of risk and better manage risk for each task. All these recommendations will be formulated into a full risk management report, and will include an action plan to ensure compliance, decrease risk, or improve risk related to height safety and fall prevention.
All of our reports automatically include budget estimates, a scope of work and layout plans to implement our recommendations, providing you everything you need to start internal risk discussions. These can then be added into a business case, funding proposal or provided to construction groups as part of a tender process.
Looking for another assessment service?
Access to serviceable plant and equipment
Ensuring safe access to plant equipment and HVAC.
Access to gutter
Reviewing how safe your gutters can be cleaned and accessed for maintenance.
Access to solar panel cleaning
Solar panels take up so much space. But can they be safely accessed?
Access to Facade
Assessing all the ways your facade is used for building tasks and maintenance.
Cooling Tower Maintenance
Are you providing easy and safe access to your cooling towers?
Fragile and Brittle surfaces
How your workers safely interact with surfaces such as skylights or laserlite.
Other areas
Need another area assessed? Our team can provide expert recommendations.
Do you know your current level of risk?
Working at heights can be risky business, not only to workers and contractors but also your business. Take our online height safety tool to assess potential risk to your business.
Use Our Risk Meter
Workplace Access and Safety:
Your height safety and fall prevention experts
Independent height safety experts
- Independent height safety experts
- 45 years’ industry experience
- National certified specialists, inspectors and engineers
- Height safety advice, risk assessments and consulting
Combining years of practical experience and industry expertise, you can be confident in the compliance and safety of your system.
From site assessments and system design to testing, inspections and certifications, we’re here to provide expert advice to keep your business protected and workplace safe.
Decrease your level of risk
Expert tips, tricks and advice from our height safety experts, straight to you.
