Guest Post: Roof safety solutions: the equipment your team needs in their arsenal

Roof work, as with other work at height, can be a dangerous business. Falls and falling objects pose a real problem for any roof working team, but, there are steps you can take as an employer can take in order to minimise these risks. New safety equipment is coming to the market all the time and it is important that your business provides your team with the very best.

The type of safety equipment your team requires will depend on the manner of roof they are working on. Here is a run down of the different products available and how these can help your team get the job done.

Personal anchors
Personal anchors are exactly what they sound like. Anchor points will be fixed to the roof, and your staff will be attached, by cable to the anchor points. These work in conjunction with harnesses and will stop workers from hitting the ground if they fall from the roof. Whilst providing protection, the personal anchor will still allow the worker a full range of movement and will not impede their work.

Personal anchors are best suited to steep roofs where the risk of slipping is greatest.

Roof walkway systems
Roof walkways provide a safe, level, non slip surface across roof surfaces. These are useful for high traffic areas as they not only provide safe access, but prevent damage to the roof surface itself. Walkway systems can have added safety measures such as guardrails included in the design.

These can be combined with personal anchors to provide a completely safe working environment. They can also be bought in a range of colours, in order to blend in with the building they are installed on.

Ladder fall arrest cables
A large amount of accidents happen when workers are climbing ladders. Some kind of ladder safety device is extremely important. Ladder fall arrest cables are the most common. Working along the same principle as person anchors, an arrest cable will stop the user from falling. A guide rail can also be installed to increase security even further

Safety rails
These are most commonly used when working on flat roofs. Guard rails are placed around the edge of the roof. These prevent people and objects from falling from the roof. Safety rails are an effective method of preventing accidents are are the most cost effective of all the products i have spoken about.

As an employer you should always be looking to increase safety levels within your workplace. One or a combination of these devices will provide additional safety for your employees. Additional safety measures will not only provide you with peace of mind, but will improve conditions for your workers.

This piece was written by Mark Enright, a writer for Beddard Roofing, a specialist roofing contractor.