How to Stay Safe When Working Around Fragile Roofs

Working on a roof comes with risks, and one of the biggest is falling through a fragile surface. It can happen in seconds, even to someone who has worked in roofing for years. A roof might look solid enough to walk on, but that does not mean it can safely support a person’s weight.

For roofing contractors, knowing what to look out for and planning the job properly can make a real difference. Taking a few extra minutes before starting work could help prevent a serious accident.

In this article, we will go through the following:

• What makes a roof fragile?
• Plan the job before going onto the roof
• Choosing the right safety equipment
• Never assume rooflights are safe
• Keep checking conditions during the job
• A few minutes of planning can save a life

What makes a roof fragile?

A fragile roof is any roof surface or section that could give way under someone’s weight, an impact or an additional load. Some roofs are fragile because of the materials used when they were built, while others may have weakened over time.

There are several things to watch out for when working on a roof, including:

• Rooflights, skylights and roof domes.
• Old fibre cement or asbestos cement sheets.
• Thin or corroded metal sheets.
• Damaged roof coverings.
• Timber decks or other roof structures in poor condition.
• Weak areas hidden beneath coatings, debris or other materials.

The difficult part is that damage is not always easy to spot. A surface might look fine from above but still be too weak to support someone. If there is any doubt about the condition of a roof, it should be treated as fragile until a competent person has confirmed it is safe.

Plan the job before going onto the roof

Before work begins, contractors should consider whether they need to access the roof at all. If the job can be completed safely without going onto it, that may remove the risk altogether.

Where roof access is necessary, the roof should be checked by a competent person, and any fragile areas should be identified. The team also needs to know how they will move around safely and what protection will be in place.

It is important not to rush this stage. Taking a shortcut to save time can have serious consequences, particularly when working on older buildings or roofs where the condition of the materials is uncertain.

Everyone involved should understand the agreed working arrangements before the job starts. If the right safety measures are not in place, work should not go ahead until the problem has been addressed.

Choosing the right safety equipment

There are different ways to reduce the risk of falling through a roof. Wherever possible, priority should be given to measures that protect everyone working in the area, rather than relying on each person to protect themselves.

Depending on the job, this could include safety netting beneath the work area, fully boarded working platforms, guardrails, covered rooflights or suitable scaffold access. Crawling boards, roof ladders and access boards may also be needed to help workers move across supported areas safely.

The equipment used should be suitable for the roof structure and the work being carried out. There is no single solution that works for every roof, so the risks need to be assessed for each job.

Harnesses and lanyards can also form part of a fall protection system, but they must be used correctly. Suitable anchor points, proper fitting, supervision and a rescue plan are all important. Simply wearing a harness does not guarantee that someone will be safe if they fall.

Never assume rooflights are safe

Rooflights are a particular hazard because they can be difficult to distinguish from the surrounding roof covering. They may also become weaker as they age or deteriorate.

Workers should never stand, kneel or place materials on a rooflight. Each one should be treated as fragile, regardless of how it looks. Where work takes place nearby, rooflights should be properly covered or guarded, with secure and visible covers.

Making sure everyone on site understands where these hazards are can help prevent someone from accidentally stepping onto an unsafe surface.

Keep checking conditions during the job

Safety checks should not stop once work has started. Weather conditions can change, equipment can move, and access routes can become unsafe. Lanyards may also snag or create trip hazards.

Contractors should keep checking that the agreed safety measures are still working and that everyone is following the plan. If anything changes, work should stop while the situation is reassessed.

It is also essential to have emergency arrangements in place before starting. This includes suitable rescue equipment, a clear rescue plan and making sure the team knows what to do if someone falls. Calling the emergency services should not be the only rescue arrangement.

A few minutes of planning can save a life

Fragile roofs are not always obvious, and even one wrong step can lead to life-changing injuries or death. Roofing contractors should never rely on appearances or assume that a surface is safe without proper checks.

Before starting the next job, take the time to assess the roof, identify potential hazards and make sure the right protection is in place. If something does not look right, stop and get it checked.

When it comes to fragile roofs, taking a step back and planning ahead is always better than taking an unnecessary risk.