The Most Important Tools You Need For Safe Roof Access

When it comes to safely accessing the roof, there are a number of considerations you have to keep in mind before you begin any work. Keeping yourself and your employees safe should be the number one most important thing when it comes to working at height.

When it comes to roof access, these are the tools and considerations you must keep in mind to mitigate any potential safety risks.

What Are The First Steps?

The first thing you should do when you are beginning to undertake a job on a roof is to carefully consider the type of work you’ll be doing and the equipment you’ll need. The tools you’ll need to access the roof safely depend on several different factors, including the height of the roof, so it’s imperative that you look into the height first and foremost.

You’ll also want to check the roof access points so that you can determine the types of equipment you’ll need for the job.

What Other Tools Will I Need For Safe Roof Access?

There are a number of tools you’ll want to invest in for safe roof access. These are some of the most important ones:

Fall Protection

You’ll want to ensure you have tools and equipment that can protect you from falls or accidents. These may be things like harnesses, guardrails, safety nets, and even soft landing systems. Investing in fall protection equipment, first and foremost, is the most important thing you can do to prevent injury in the event of a fall.

Edge Protection

This comes into a similar category as fall protection. You want to ensure that you are taking all the necessary precautions to minimise the risk of anyone falling from the roof. This may mean implementing guardrail systems, toe boards and more so that your employees can walk on the roof without running the risk of falling from the edge.

Access Equipment

This is probably the most important thing that you need to have when it comes to undertaking work on any roof. Roof access ladders, scaffolding and stair towers are some of the most vital pieces of equipment for safe roof access. When using roof access equipment, you want to ensure that everything is secured correctly before you begin. Make sure you’ve got properly secured access ladders and ensure the equipment has been thoroughly checked over and tested before any of your workers attempt to use it.

Platforms

This depends on the type of work you’re going to be undertaking. If you’re working solely on the roof, you won’t need to worry about platforms, but if you need to elevate, you’ll need to invest in a mobile elevating work platform to ensure safety at all times.

Minimise Falling Materials

Working safely on the roof doesn’t just mean protecting those at height, it also means protecting those that are working or walking down below. You’ll want to ensure that you have rubbish chutes or secure containers and bins on top of the roof you’re working on to minimise the risk of falling debris injuring anyone down below.

The Right Clothing

Wearing the right clothing is something that is often overlooked when working on a roof, but it is a crucial component that you should consider. PPE is especially important when working at height, this could include hard hats, glasses, non-slip footwear and gloves. You should also be considering the weather when it comes to wearing the right equipment.

You’ll want to ensure waterproof clothing especially if you are working during a UK winter where there may be heavy rain or snow.

Weather Protection

No matter the season, you want to ensure your workers are protected from the elements when they’re working on the roof. You may need to invest in sun shades for the summer months and shelter for the colder months to protect from the rain.

Safety Is Key

Ensuring your employees are safe when working on the roof is crucial. Ensure you have the right equipment and that it is regularly inspected and maintained so that you can mitigate the risks of any accidents or falls.

Protect yourself and your employees by investing in quality safety equipment for working on the roof.