Rooftop Access - Safety Considerations
Rooftops can be a dangerous place. Unless you know what to look out for! The first consideration should be access. The most common forms of rooftop access are either by a doorway or ladder. However, before stepping onto a rooftop, it's essential to think about the potential risks involved. The key questions you should be asking yourself when assessing these risks are: What is the primary form of access? (Ladder/Doorway/Skylight/Hatch) Is the area properly lit? Proper lighting is crucial, especially if access is needed during darker hours or bad weather conditions. Is there secondary metalwork in place such as handrails, platforms, or ladder rungs? These features provide added stability and safety for workers. Is this area properly maintained? Maintenance is a critical aspect to ensure that safety features are working as intended. At this early stage, it’s vitally important to question or highlight areas you feel are dangerous. Address the issue immediately before someone is injured or worse.
Even though you’re now able to establish a safe means of access, you’re by no means out of the woods. It’s not uncommon to find that the access hatch you’ve used is less than 2m away from the leading edge, with the hatch opening directly to the edge. The parapet could be less than 1.1m, ladders may lack sufficient handholds, and entry and exit points might not have a self-closing gate. Do any of these scenarios sound familiar? If so, address the issues head-on to ensure the safety of workers at risk. Read more about our roof access solutions. We offer fall arrest ladders, caged access ladders, and more. Here at Altus Safety, we pride ourselves on our extensive knowledge of common—and uncommon—WAH (Work at Height) issues that people face every day. We can offer completely impartial advice on a broad range of solutions to suit your needs. Please do not hesitate to contact our team today.