Stepover platforms for roof maintenance access
Location: Slough, UK
Products:
Stepover platforms, walkway system, KeeGuard
A complex fall protection system was installed on the roof of this factory building in Slough. The system includes two large stepover units, a walkway system and a roof guardrail around the edge of the site. The aim was to allow for a quick and safe access to the roof for maintenance purposes.
Assessing the fall protection needs
This busy roof section presented a series of overcrowded obstacles that required navigating around and over: air-con units, ducting sections, cable trays and changes in level.
These units would require frequent maintenance, therefore a collective fall protection and safe access solution was preferred. A collective system can be used by anyone without training and it ensures that several people can utilise it at the same time.
Following a site survey, the Simplified team identified the areas that required fall protection and safe access as follows:
- The edge of the roof. This was very close to some of the air con units and other areas that would require regular maintenance. This meant that there was a real danger that workers servicing the units could accidentally fall over the roof edge.
- Ducting. Several ducting sections were present on the roof as well. These required a bridge structure that would help users avoid potentially jumping over these obstacles. For maintenance teams, this would also be particularly important if they carried tools with them. Potentially jumping over ducting would also damage the structure.
- Roof areas with differences in levels. Some sections that required servicing or maintenance had different heights to the rest of the roof. This meant that, without a suitable solution in place, users would have difficulty accessing the area.
- Low level cable trays. These represented a tripping hazard for anyone navigating the roof and required a step platform to ease access.
Addressing the fall protection needs
For this project, we implemented the following solutions:
Custom stepovers for easy access
Stepovers are a safe and straightforward means of navigating roof obstacles. For this project, our team provided a couple of bespoke platforms that were designed following our site survey.
The non-slip treads and walking surface ensure that users can traverse obstacles in any weather conditions.
Roof edge system for fall protection
Any roof that requires frequent access to needs a barrier system to protect users from potential falls over the edge. KeeGuard ensures that workers are kept safe while going about their tasks.
For this project, approximately 30 linear metres of freestanding KeeGuard standard were installed all around the roof edge.
Non-slip walkway system
To indicate the route that users need to follow for servicing the AC units and other areas, we also installed a 9m run of 300mm high raised walkway with freestanding rubber feet. The walkway also acted as a connection between the various platforms installed on the roof.
Thoughts on installation
For this project, our team provided a full turn-key package: this means that we organised a site survey to better understand the customer’s requirements, discuss potential solutions and take measurements.
Following the site survey, we designed the solutions and constructed them. We then shipped them to the site address and installed them, ensuring that the entire system is compliant and safe to use.
If you are looking for a full fall protection system for your roof, why not get in touch with our team? We will discuss your requirements and work with you throughout the entire process to ensure that anyone working on the roof is safe and sound.
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