Why Rooftop Fall Protection is Critical

Commercial rooftops pose potential risk to any employees working on them, whether they’re, performing repairs, cleaning drains and gutters or servicing an HVAC system. Skylights, equipment access points, multi-level roof drops, HVAC systems, and the roof’s leading edge all pose fall risk if certain safety measures are not put in place. These safety measures are known as fall protection systems and are vital to maintaining safe rooftop working environments.

Safeguard Employees and Company Assets

When it is possible to prevent dangerous accidents on a jobsite, it’s in the building owner’s best interest to employ fall protection measures and employee safety training. Falls from heights are among the leading causes of serious work-related injuries and deaths. In fact, falls are the number one leading cause of death in the construction industry (OSHA), and these falls can be prevented.

Fall protection will help safeguard valued employees working on your roof systems. In addition, these solutions will also protect you, the building owner, safety manager, or facility manager, from serious and extensive legal implications that come with workplace injuries.

When you partner with Technical Assurance for regular fall prevention assessments as part of a condition roof assessment, all assessment data is stored in our web portal technology solution for building system asset management, ON-PNT^®. This data is useful to prove OSHA compliance and a company’s dedication to safety. The final report will include:

• Existing Fall Protection Maps
• Existing Fall Protection Inventory
• Roof Anchor Compliance Report
• Fall Protection Hazard Maps
• Fall Protection Anticipated Cost Report
• Fall Protection Detail Reports

Comply with Fall Assessment Regulations

Every establishment covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act is subject to inspection by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliance safety and health officers.

OSHA 1910.28(b)(1)(i) requires employers to provide fall protection for employees performing work at heights of four feet or more.

In November 2016, OSHA published the final ruling to Walking-Working Surfaces (1910 subpart D) to better protect workers in general industry from fall hazards by updating and clarifying regulations and adding training and inspection requirements.

According to OSHA’s 2018 Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Violations, fall protection was number one (1) on the list of violated standards. If violations are found by an inspector, OSHA may issue citations and penalties within six months of their occurrence. Any violation that has a direct relationship to job safety and health may require a penalty. A violation for which there is a substantial probability of death or serious physical harm could result in a penalty of up to $13,653 for each violation.

As you can see from the potential downfalls of putting off fall protection requirements and regular assessments, it’s ethically, legally, and financially responsible to perform these assessments and to implore updated solutions as necessary.

Request a Consultation and Assessment

If you are already partnered with the Technical Assurance team for roof asset life cycle management, we can easily incorporate this service into your plan. If not, request a consultation to see how you can benefit from complete roof asset management, including regular fall protection assessments.