Roof edge protection is essential when working on roofing. Working at any height can risk a person’s safety and increase the risk of falls and accidents. While the best way to eliminate falls is to eliminate the need to work at height, this isn’t always possible, especially as roofing requires you to be off the ground, so introducing roof edge protection becomes essential.
If your trade involves working at height, you can trust in our expertise at Rapid Height Safety. We are not just another safety provider but seasoned professionals in all aspects of edge protection, be it scaffold. Our adaptable and secure solutions are designed to guarantee everyone’s safety, regardless of the height of their work.
What Is Classed As Working From Height?
Working from height is any type of work carried out above ground level where a person is required to work on a platform or raised surface and is at risk of falling.
This can be working from a roof, accessing a building by climbing scaffolding, or any raised surface at all.
OHS states that,
“If any personnel or contractors are at risk of falling 2 metres or more from a flat edge, such as scaffolds, stairs, landings, etc., then you will need “edge protection” in place.”
What Is Roof Edge Protection?
Roof edge protection is not just a structure or enclosure but a crucial safety measure designed to prevent falls and injuries when working at height in Australia. When installed, it serves domestic and commercial purposes, providing safety to anyone needing to access the roof for any reason.
Roof edge protection is placed around the roof’s perimeter where working at height can be avoided. The scaffolding structures then provide a barrier for all persons, equipment, and materials to help prevent them from falling over the edge.
This type of protection can be used on a wide range of roof sizes and shapes and is essential for any contractors or people who need to access a roof area to carry out repairs, replacements or inspections.
If you’re unsure what type of roof edge protection you need for your project, we can help you determine the correct safety equipment edge protection to ensure that all workers are always safe.
When Is Roof Edge Protection Required?
Roof edge protection is required when people are working at a distance of 2m from ground level. Because working on a roof involves working at elevated levels and often on sloping or uneven surfaces, roof edge protection is essential and a legal requirement at all times to ensure the correct measures are in place to reduce or minimise the risk of falls or injuries.
Working on roofing is a hazardous job. Before anyone accesses the roof space, you need to consult with edge protection experts to construct the scaffolding structure around the edges of the roof for increased safety. All roof work must be carried out with the correct precautions for the risks presented to those carrying out the work.
As a contractor, if you need to carry out work on a roof of any kind, you must have fully assessed the risks and installed preventative measures to comply with laws surrounding working at height.
Working at Height Laws
It’s of utmost importance to understand that Australian law mandates the installation of edge protection or fall arrest devices before accessing a roof above 2 metres in height and with a slope of greater than 26°, as per The Work Health and Safety Act 2011. This underscores the seriousness of the issue and the need for strict compliance.
Before undertaking any work of this kind, you need to do the following,
- Put fall prevention controls in place, e.g. a travel restraint system. But if this isn’t feasible,
- Fall arrest controls that arrest a person fall, e.g. a fall arrest harness or a catch platform, and that prevent or minimise the risk of death or injury when a fall is arrested.
Rapid Height Safety Roof Edge Protection Equipment
At Rapid Height Safety, we understand all the laws pertaining to working at height, and all of our compliant roof edge protection equipment is designed with safety in mind.
Rest assured, we can provide cost-effective edge protection solutions for a wide range of uses to suit your specific requirements and building. Our aim is to enable you to offer your employees a safe working environment, no matter the nature of your work at height. With our safety measures in place, you can feel secure in your operations.
Whatever your requirements for working at height, we can help; contact us today to discuss our range of edge protection products and see how we can help you meet your safety responsibility for roof repairs and above-ground level work.
