Who is responsible for roof safety?


In the first instance the owner of the building or the building manager on his behalf. They have to provide safe access to the roof and ensure roof safety for contractors. 

In general every company is responsible for the safety at height of their workers or subcontracted service personnel. The question is: can they work safe on the roof?

If the roof is safe, they will have to follow the rules for working safely, this includes, using the safety systems, wearing safety harnesses etc. More interesting is the question what they will do if the roof is not safe? Do they execute the work before facilities are placed? Or do they wait for them to be arranged? The answer must always be that work is only to be executed on safe roofs.

Besides the responsibility of the building owner or building manager, the financial consequences of this legal obligation can be substantial. Financially, it is often more attractive to provide roof safety. If every contractor would ensure safe working environments for their personnel, eventually the costs will be higher.

Due to the fact that many roofs have not been provided with fall arrest protection, it is advisable to assess the risks and act accordingly when work on the roof has to be done. At existing buildings roofing renewals are excellent opportunities for placing fall arrest systems. In some cases architects may even specify the maintenance requirements for the roof area.

Subsequently, the decision regarding permanent or temporary systems can be done, and the recommendation regarding personal or collective protection can be further developed. For safety reasons it is always recommended to provide roofs with the necessary systems like fencing, cage ladders etc. Only then, competent personnel can access and work on the roof safely for short or long periods of time.

Hütter Safety can provide you professional advice about roof safety systems and also take care of supply and installation.