After graduating from the University of Birmingham (England), Keith Roberts worked for Taylor Woodrow Construc¬ tion on several major construction sites, followed by periods with Allot and Lomax Consulting Engineers and the Science and Engineering Research Council. He is a qualified civil and structural engi¬ neer and a director with the independent practice Rollinson Glanville Consultants based near Oxford, England, which spe¬ cializes in the investigation of building defects and provides professional ser¬ vices to the building envelope industry. He was a speaker at the International Waterproofing Association Congress held in Amsterdam in April of 1995. n January 16, 1991, a well respected British roofing consultant was killed carry¬ ing out a roof inspection. Four weeks later, I was asked to step into his shoes and carry on his work. It was a salutary experience meeting his clients who knew him well and being told how careful and cautious the chap was — and yet he fell to his death. Roof inspections, by their very nature, usually require access to selected parts of a roof for a relatively short peri¬ od of time to observe and record its con¬ dition. There is a large quantity of writ¬ ten advice dealing with safe methods for roof construction work. However, for short duration non-extensive inspection work, these recommended safety mea¬ sures may not all be appropriate. In the United Kingdom, roof inspec¬ tion is not ‘construction work’ within the context of the “Construction (Working Places) Regulations 1966”. Therefore, requirements such as the provision of comprehensive roof edge protection do not apply. Other occupational health and safety legislation, particularly relat¬ ing to fragile roofs, may be applicable but only so far as is “reasonably practi¬ cable and safe”. Likewise, the U.S.A, has a similar situation in that the revised OSHA “Rules for Protection in Construction” will not apply when employees are doing investigation or assessment of workplace conditions before the actual start of work or after the work has been completed (P.A. Cook, Interface, October 1995). This paper brings together simple inspection rules and good advice under seven discrete headings (stages), each with its own safety checklist. Stage One: Inquiry 1. Is there a need to go onto the roof? Could the roof survey be carried out using binoculars and cameras with zoom lenses? This question is espe¬ cially important if the roof has a steep pitch. 2. Establish the type of roof and pre¬ pare a first assessment of risk con¬ sidering the following: a. Roof pitch. b. Weak and fragile materials (asbes¬ tos sheet, wood wool slab, roof lights, corroded steel deck, rotted timber boards). c. Edge protection. d. Fire e. Other hazards (gas releases, other works in progress). 3. Consider the means of access to the roof. Access could be via a per¬ manent staircase, a fixed ladder, a temporary ladder secured at the top, a tower scaffold, a mobile platform, or a mechanical hoist. 4. Establish whether there is a safety officer for the site. This is most like¬ ly to be the case on larger establish¬ ments. Arrange to make contact on arrival at the site, especially when future periodic inspections are also required. 5. Never work alone. Arrange for an escort who could be a member of the client’s site staff, a contractor in atten¬ dance or another member of the inspection team. 6. Contractor to be in attendance. When opening inspections are required, arrange for suitable trades¬ men to be in attendance to remove and later reinstate elements of roofing and cladding in a safe manner with 30 Interface the correct tools. 7. Always take a positive approach. Safety comes first. Plan ahead and allow for safety provisions within budget proposals. Stage Two: Arrival on Site 1. Allow time for preparing to go up onto the roof. Do not rush; adopt a methodical, unhurried approach. 2. Dress Properly. a. Footwear should be flexible and have non-slip soles. b. A jacket should be worn over trousers if wet weather is expected. c. Wear a hat for warmth in the winter and to protect from the sun in the summer. d. Avoid loose ties and scarves when working near a mechanical plant. e. A safety helmet is essential on operational construction sites. 3. Take the correct equipment, including: a. A day sack or holdall that can be carried on your back while keeping both hands free. b. A strong nylon rope to lift larger items of equipment. c. A small first aid kit including an antihistamine cream for wasp or bee stings and sun cream. 4. Make contact with the permanent site staff and sign in. Establish whether there are any others working on the roof and whether any special precautions are required. Who will check if you have not signed off at the end of the day? Larger or more sophisticated occu¬ piers may operate Permit-to-Work systems to regulate high risk activities including roof work. The precautions which you take should be no less than those specified on the permit issued to you. 5. Inclement weather. Be aware of the weather forecast and, where appropri¬ ate, rearrange site activities to suit. Consider wind, rain, frost, ice haz¬ ards, and extreme heat. Take particu- January 1996 lar care in blustery conditions. A gentle breeze at ground level is usual¬ ly a strong breeze on the roof of a tall building. 6. Make yourself comfortable. There is a good chance that you will be on the roof for three or four hours. There¬ fore, eat, drink and use the wash room before going up to carry out the inspection. Consider taking a bar of chocolate to boost your energy level on long inspections. Stage Three: Internal Inspection 1. Assess the composition and condi¬ tion of the roof soffit. Is it safe to walk on? Look for evidence of severely corroded decking or notable deflections indicating that the struc¬ ture may be unsound. This inspection must be thorough in order to identify all potentially weak or fragile areas before going on the roof. 2. Don’t fall. In the attempt to get closer to the roof soffit, perhaps to inspect an interesting feature, be aware of the height to which you have climbed. Keep your head. 3. Do not leave the safe access route. Stick to the permanent walkways or, alternatively, to the prepared and approved access scaffolding. 4. Wear a safety helmet. This is mandatory on operational construc¬ tion sites. They must also be worn where there is a risk of falling materi¬ als or low-head hazards such as scaf¬ folding. Stage Four: Going Up 1. Check the condition and adequacy of the ladder, platform, or hoist. a. Is it properly footed? b. Is it at the correct angle? c. Is it restrained at the top? d. Does it project at least 3 feet, 6 inches (1.05 m) above the landing platform? 2. Keep to a minimum the number of times you actually go onto the roof. Climbing up onto the roof and subse¬ quently coming down is often the most dangerous part of an inspection. Therefore, it makes sense to reduce the number of times to a minimum by planning ahead. 3. Keep both hands free when climb¬ ing a ladder. Use a backpack or satchel to carry survey equipment. 4. Use a rope to lift heavy pieces of equipment. Stage Five: Moving Around 1. Before moving from the access point, identify the major hazards by sight and notify others present. Major hazards could include the fol¬ lowing: a. Fragile areas. b. Edge protection. c. Slippery surfaces. d. Weather conditions. e. Other contractors at work. 2. Fragile areas. Above fragile areas, ensure that suitable protection is in place before you walk on or pass near. 3. Follow these general workplace safety rules: a. Always step forward, never bacward. b. Walk — don’t run — at a steady pace. c. Keep a minimum of two people on the roof at any one time. d. Keep an eye on your partner and warn him or her of impending dan¬ ger. 4. Edge protection. In general, stay at least two meters away from an unpro¬ tected edge. When there is a need to inspect the roof edge, take off any backpack, approach with caution, crouch down keeping your body weight back from the edge, and move away as soon as possible. 5. Opening Up. a. Before removing any elements of roofing and cladding, ensure that the structure will remain stable 31 and secure. b. When opening up a roof construc¬ tion, be aware that the opening is effectively an unprotected edge with potentially a long fall to the floor below. 6. Louvers. When inspecting the inside of louvers and other mechani¬ cal devices, ensure that there is no risk of the unit being accidentally switched on. 7. Take time every 15 minutes to review the major hazards. Have any factors changed in the past 15 min¬ utes and is it safe to continue? Stage Six: Coming Down 1. Check that there are no loose materials left on the roof. These materials may blow off and strike somebody below. 2. Check that the roof is left in a watertight condition. This will ensure that others will not have to go back onto the roof unnecessarily. 3. Check that there are no other people left on the roof prior to removing temporary ladders or locking access doors. 4. Ensure that all means of access are secure to prevent unauthorized people from going onto the roof. Stage Seven: Leaving the Site 1. Sign off with the permanent staff on-site and follow Permit-to-Work protocol if a permit was issued to you. 2. Report any dangerous hazards that need urgent attention. Confirm these reports and agreed corrective actions by letter following return to the office. Conclusion These guidiance notes were not writ¬ ten to be prescriptive but rather are intended to promote safety awareness in everyday practice. I am sure that there is more good advice which other experi¬ enced roofing consultants may wish to share through the pages of this journal. Alternatively, not all of these rules may be appropriate, considering the wide variety of roof construction traditions and practices in the western world. What is important is that we regularly remind ourselves of the dangers we face while inspecting roofs, which are often in an unknown condition. By taking a positive approach to the adoption of a safe system of work for short-term roof inspections, we can reduce the number of tragic accidents such as the untimely loss of a fellow roofing professional. RCI surpassed the 1,000 member plateau in September of 1995. 32 Interface
