Safety is the top priority when working on rooftops. And yet, today’s rooftops present a number of potential hazards. Across Canada, commercial and industrial roofs are becoming crowded as businesses add more and more rooftop units (RTUs) to install infrastructure advancements and evolve their physical spaces.
Ahead are the five most common hazards that Skyline Group’s team of safety specialists encounter on rooftops.
Roof edge awareness
Whether you have all the time in the world to finish the project, or just a few minutes before closing time to get home, there is always a risk of losing track of where we are on the roof. As such, roof edge awareness means ensuring you are aware of how close you are to the roof’s edge at all times.
Whenever you need to travel close to a roof’s edge to access an area of the roof or conduct service/work while remaining close to the edge of a roof, a permanent safety solution like a roof barrier may be required. There is also the option of setting up a warning line system to help roof workers quickly identify a hazard, be it a roof edge or skylight.
Weather and visibility risks
Always keep a lookout for weather changes that can reduce visibility while on the roof. Rooftop surfaces like TPO membranes can become very slippery when wet or blinding on a sunny day. Depending on where you are located in the country, you might also be subject to high amounts of snow, which can easily cover access points and hazards (e.g., skylights) overnight. Weather hazards aside, it’s always important to ensure you have safe passage to and from rooftop access points.
Skylights, hatches, and other RTUs
As a safety precaution, you should always take the time to review the roof plan before stepping onto the roof. A roof plan will display the location of various rooftop units you are possibly looking to service that are close to the edge, along with vents, ducts, gas lines, and more. Knowing this in advance will help ensure you take the safest path to your destination on the roof and that you are aware of where roof guardrail systems are located. If you are required to work close to the edge of the roof, you will at least know if it is a safe environment.
Often, a roof safety hazard is only brought to the attention of a building owner once a contractor or service provider visits the roof to service an RTU, like an HVAC system. At this point, addressing the hazard becomes an urgent request so maintenance can continue, as work may be temporarily suspended until a roof guardrail is installed.
Roof access ladder placement
There is a perception that many rooftop fall accidents and injuries occur on the roof itself. In reality, these accidents often occur when attempting to access the roof. Understanding this, employees who require routine access to the rooftop should undergo training to safely ascend and descend.
Secondly, before using a fixed hatch or roof access ladder, it is important to check the integrity of the ladder and ensure it’s safe to climb. Whether it is the first time and only time you require to access the ladder or it’s a daily routine, the process of reviewing points of failure is about putting safety top of mind. A fixed access ladder should have its feet secured to the wall and possibly the ground, and the top of the ladder must be secured to the roof. Annual access ladder inspections should be well documented to ensure your ladder is always safe and compliant.
Roof stability and structure
You may be working on a degrading roof to improve its stability and integrity (of course, this is assuming you have assessed the roof structure and are standing on a compliant and safe roof). One thing to note in this scenario – and when working on any older structures – is that it’s vital to assess the roof and understand its load ratings and structure. Doing so will help you better understand what can and cannot be installed as a safety solution on the roof. Some solutions can be manufactured in steel, adding a lot of weight to certain parts of the roof, while also requiring a secure location to fix the solution. We at Skyline have encountered many projects where the structure of the building yields an aluminum lightweight, non-penetrating modular roof guardrail, like our RoofBarrier solutions.
What about changes in elevation on the roof? Portions of the rooftop may be higher and/or lower than the roof access point. Such drops in roof elevation can also include narrow walkways, making it that you are always walking or working near a fall hazard. These environments will need careful consideration as there is a mixture of crossover ladders, access ladders, walkways, and guardrails that may need to be considered when creating a safe working environment.
Don’t discover safety by accident! Reach out to our rooftop safety specialists to learn how you can create a safe and compliant rooftop environment. Ask about Skyline Group’s complimentary lunch & learn program and virtual roof safety assessment to help with your height safety training needs.
