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There are obstacles and trip hazards almost everywhere you look (more so if you are not looking), and the consequences of a trip and fall while on the job can be severe. Bodily harm or injury, and even death, are not unknown. Lost time and insurance claims from a fall hurt the bottom line.
Fall protection can be incredibly challenging when confronting roof hazards, not just at the roof edge or near openings. Slippery surfaces from snow and ice during cold weather seasons and puddles or spills during the rest of the year. Changes in roof levels and slopes. Pipes, conduits, cables, and ductwork can get in the way. The slightest hazard can be amplified by a worker carrying tools and equipment. Fortunately, there are several intelligent solutions to provide rooftop fall protection and overcome these obstacles.
It does not always have to be a straight line, but a slip-resistant roof walkway provides safe, efficient paths to areas on the roof that workers need to access for maintenance, repairs, inspections, and other tasks. It should have nylon, aluminum, or galvanized steel treads for strength and corrosion-resistant durability.
The walkway not only protects employees; it protects the roof sheet from foot traffic and defines the safe route workers need to take. Easy to install and reconfigure, a modular roof walkway can traverse flat, barrel, or sloping roofs.
If the roof walkway takes a path near the roof edge, lower level, or an off-limits area, a walkway with guardrails provides a critical and compliant roof fall protection system. Depending on the site and situation, the guardrails can be installed on one or both sides of the walkway.
Ideally, the guardrails will be pipe-fitted aluminum or galvanized steel with a modular design that requires no welding, drilling, or threading to install. Such a safety railing system can provide “collective” fall protection that helps safeguard multiple workers at once without the need for extensive training.
Permanent obstacles on the roof, such as ductwork and changes in level, can be met by using a “crossover.” A rooftop crossover is an ingenious adaptation of a roof walkway with guardrails that adds steps at both ends. It is typically two feet wide and up to 10 feet high, though other widths and taller heights can be accommodated. For piping, conduits, and small obstacles that do not require a full-size crossover, a “mini-stepover” offers a simple and economical solution.
For tasks performed at elevated heights—elevated from the rooftop—and to service larger equipment, roof platforms provide optimum worker safety and accessibility. They employ the steps, platforms, bases, and guardrails of walkways and crossovers with added supports and frames, plus customization (e.g., adjustable height) as needed. The three categories of roof platforms include:
The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development identifies a wide range of slips, trips, and fall hazards in the workplace, not only on rooftops but throughout a facility. Solutions for fall protection on the roof can also be applied inside the plant, notably guardrails for mezzanines, walkways for confined spaces, and platforms to reach working heights. No matter where you look, you should find fall protection where you work.
Our platforms are OSHA/ANSI/CSA compliant and suitable for hard to access areas such as elevated machinery, shelved warehouse inventory, tall vehicles, construction, or any application requiring a protected elevated work surface with railing. Our full range of access platforms and work stands are offered as either permanent fixed structures or with wheels so they can be deployed where needed.
Kee Safety: Your Fall Protection Experts
Kee Safety is the world’s leading fall protection expert. We engineer, manufacture and install fall protection solutions that safely separate people from hazards. Our OH&S-compliant products and systems are third-party tested and trusted to ensure consistent performance at the highest level.