Musculoskeletal system
Working on a Roof
When working at height, a good preparation is vital. About 10 percent of work-related accidents reported to the Administration of Occupational Safety and Health are due to falls from height, and the consequences of such accidents can be very serious. Therefore, it is important to ensure that all equipment to be used is in good condition and used correctly for the task at hand.
Risk Assessment – Take Five
A risk assessment must be carried out for all work. If the work involves conditions that change from day to day, or if it takes place in different locations with varying circumstances, it is especially important to pause and assess the situation. Take the time and “take five” for the safety of yourself and others.
The steps are:
Stop and think about the job ahead. Does our current work plan still fit? Is there anything that calls for a change in the risk assessment for this job?
Look around and identify possible hazards. What if someone trips on the roof or on a work platform? What if someone drops a tool?
Assess the risk and consider who might be at risk. What is the worst that could happen? What has already been done to reduce the risk? What more can you do to reduce it further?
Control the risk: Can you eliminate it completely? If not, can you reduce it by rethinking the job or adding necessary personal protective equipment?
Proceed safely and continue to watch for potential hazards in the work environment.
When working on a roof or at height, weather conditions can have a significant impact on the level of risk involved. It is therefore important to stop and assess the risks associated with the work in regard to the weather conditions.
It is important that employees who must work at height, as well as their supervisors, receive proper training so that everyone has the necessary knowledge to ensure worker safety.
If employees face significant hazards while working at height, measures must be taken to ensure their safety. If it is not possible to implement general safety measures, such as working from a lift or installing guardrails, then safety must be ensured by using fall protection equipment. It is also crucial to use fall protection equipment correctly and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
Ladders, scaffolding, man baskets, and lifts are all examples of equipment used for working at height. Such equipment has built-in safety features designed to prevent falls. If these safety features are deemed insufficient, personal fall protection should be used. When working in man baskets, on booms, or in lifts, it is good practice to also use personal fall protection.
Personal fall protection includes any equipment intended to prevent a fall or reduce its consequences. There are two main types of personal fall protection:
Restraint lines that prevent the worker from moving beyond a set limit, such as reaching the edge but not going over it.
Fall-arrest lines with shock absorbers that protect the worker from the serious consequences of a fall.
It is essential to choose the equipment that best suits the specific conditions and the work to be carried out.
Preventing Falls or Reducing the Impact of a Fall
One of the first things to decide when selecting equipment for working at height or on a roof is whether it is more suitable to use a restraint line or a fall-arrest line with a shock absorber. When equipment is used to reduce the impact of a fall, the forces involved place high demands on the anchor point to which the equipment is attached. To put this into perspective, such an anchor point must be able to withstand the equivalent of suspending a mid-sized car vertically from it.
Regardless of the equipment selected, it is essential to use it exactly as it was designed to be used by carefully reviewing the manufacturer’s instructions. It is also important to consider whether a single restraint line is sufficient, given the location of the anchor point. Always ask yourself: What happens if a worker falls?
Serious hazards can arise if equipment is not used correctly or if the chosen anchor points are not strong enough to withstand the forces that will inevitably occur in the event of a fall when using fall-protection equipment.
Fall Distance and Lifeline Length
Let’s take an example: A worker is using a two-meter lifeline with a shock absorber that allows a maximum extension of 1.75 meters. We decide that the worker must never come closer than one meter to the ground in the event of a fall.
If the worker attaches the shock-absorbing line below their position instead of above, a serious hazard arises because the total length of the line will then be greater than the distance to the ground. As a result, the worker will hit the ground before the equipment can arrest the fall.
If the fall distance is shorter than the length of the line plus the shock absorber, the fall-protection equipment will not function, and the worker will hit the ground.
What Do the Instructions Say?
Harnesses and all associated equipment intended for use as restraint or fall protection must be of an approved type. Harnesses and all related equipment must be accompanied by instructions. It is the responsibility of the foreman/employer to ensure that these instructions are available to those using the equipment. The Administration of Occupational Safety and Health places strong emphasis on following the manufacturer’s instructions in every respect.
Use
It is very important to use the equipment exactly as specified in the manufacturer’s instructions. Using the equipment in any way other than intended by the manufacturer can create serious hazards for workers.
Storage
If fall-protection equipment is not stored correctly, it may become damaged and pose a significant risk to workers using it. Therefore, the manufacturer’s instructions for storing the equipment must always be followed.
Emergency Plan
Workers suspended in fall-protection harnesses can sustain injuries within a short period of time. Therefore, an emergency plan must be in place in case a worker falls while using fall-protection equipment. When creating a plan, it is important to assess how far away specialized assistance is, should it be needed after a fall.
A template for an emergency plan can be found under the safety and health plan.
Key Safety Points
When working on a roof or at height, it is important to develop and maintain safety practices that are consistently followed.
A risk assessment must always be in place.
Take five and review whether the risk assessment is still relevant for the task and the weather conditions at the worksite.
Review the risk assessment if conditions change.
Always use approved equipment and use it correctly.
Always use equipment that is in good condition, and ensure that the manufacturer’s instructions for storage, maintenance, and inspection have been followed.
Never work alone on a roof or at height.
The Administration of Occupational Safety and Health emphasizes that supervisors and all those involved in working at height or on roofs should acquire sufficient knowledge to be better equipped to ensure safety at the workplace—so that everyone returns home safely.
Service provider
Administration of Occupational Safety and Health