How to specify a fall protection system

There is no escaping the need for high-level maintenance work – indeed; it is a growing requirement in many instances. No matter how technically advanced or well installed, any roofing system needs periodic inspection and maintenance and manufacturers’ warranties generally demand this.

For the last decade, legislation and regulations have required consideration of safe maintenance as an integral part of the design of any construction project. The Work at Height Regulations (NI) introduced in 2005 and the Safety Health and Welfare at Work (Work at Height) Regulations introduced in 2006 in the Republic of Ireland consolidate a complex array of earlier regulations to give a straightforward framework for safe work at height. It places a duty on employers, the self-employed and anyone who controls the work of others at height including facilities managers and building owners.

Fundamentally, WAHR takes a hierarchical approach. Where possible, the need to access areas of risk should be ‘designed out’, but if work at height cannot be avoided, measures should be employed to prevent the possibility of falls.