Roof Access Survey
Design is Everything
We can work at any height and are insured to do this. With height comes risk.
All access surveys are focused on identifying risk and resolving these risks by minimising access onto the roof, making the access as short in distance or duration as short as possible, and managing resources to make best use of the time on the roof while we are there so a further visit is unnecessary or infrequent as possible.
Carrying out access surveys is based on our experience of surveying the access to the roof and across the roof safely from thousands of jobs completed safely since 2010 when we started working.
Using our extensive knowledge of roof maintenance we provide detailed planning of roof works which are followed in our RAMS. We can survey your building for safe repeat access and comply with permitting requirements routinely.
Our access methods are generally via MEWP but we have quick stage and fixed scaffolding options to consider.
Access Extremes
If it isn’t access to the roof, then it is often access to the site that is the problem.
Access to site can require specialist trakmat boards across soft ground, all terrain MEWPS including ‘spiders’ or even cranes to lift materials on the roof and vertical staircases.
While we haven’t done everything we haven’t been defeated in the search for an access solution so far. From simple internal access with electric equipment to Haki staircases, or erecting temporary edge protection on roof 25m above ground, the safe access challenge is always first, and the repair job follows. If access is easy, usually the job is easy.
Access Across the Roof
Getting to the roof should be the safe part- but from there the risk of the roof access is always upper most in the mind as the works must be carried out safely and to a high quality despite these risks.
There are hidden pitfalls from leaking roofs – leaking roofs cause structural failure – of the sheet, the the purlins and the fixings to some degree. Sheet and purlin failure are potentially fatal – but relatively unlikely compared to walking on rooflights by mistake.
And access damage by walking across a roof incorrectly causes more need for repair than corrosion and incorrect design and installation by far. In our experience traffic damage is very high from:-
- From the use of the wrong MEWP
- Not accessing correctly
- Damaging roofs by travelling over the roof repeatedly in the same place
- Standing on short sheets with no purlin
- Gutter cleans
- Accessing an area for repair without considering the best route to the job.
We can help prevent this by advising over the most appropriate access method and route.
