Frequently Asked Questions

When do I need to consider using a fall protection system?

If a roof requires regular access for maintenance or inspection of a short duration, such as cleaning gutters, checking and cleaning roof lights or attending to roof mounted plant and equipment. Fall protection systems can also be used in conjunction with other means of protection for longer duration works.

When should I specify a fall protection system?

Once you have been through the hierarchy of controls and decided that a fall protection system offers the best means of risk mitigation. You should then conduct a risk assessment and document your decisions for future reference.

How can I specify a fall protection system?

Contact Uniline Safety Systems or our System Integration Specialist and we will provide you with all of the necessary information and help you through the process. Uniline are also a RIBA CPD provider and have full specifications available through NBS Plus in the UK.

When should an installation be permanent?

If roof access is predictable or has a certain pre-determined frequency associated with it, then installations should be permanent. For example a caretaker in a school might expect to have fetch balls down from the roof once a week. The duration of the work is short, but is predictable. Erecting scaffolds or hiring Mobile Elevated Work Platforms in not practicable and may in fact carry a greater risk. Similarly, annual roof inspections are carried out at a pre-determined frequency.

Why can't I use temporary fall protection?

You can, but temporary fall protection systems require a lot of discipline and management controls to ensure that they are used and rigged correctly. The owner will be required to maintain certain skill levels within their business. Suitable anchor points need to be installed for the attachment of the temporary solution, usually a rope or cable system. Alternatively edge protection such as scaffolding can be erected.

Is it acceptable to use a fall arrest/restraint system in isolation?

Yes, providing that a risk assessment has been conducted and the system effectively mitigates the risks associated with the work to be undertaken. Other products such as walkways, temporary walking boards, demarcation systems and roof ladders may need to be used to further reduce the risk. Personnel should always be trained and management controls should be put in place.

What is a fall restraint system?

A restraint system is intended to restrict access, egress and work, to areas that do not present a risk of falling from height. This is achieved by positioning the anchor point at least 2m from the fall hazard and providing a lanyard of a fixed length of < 2m in length. It should normally be considered as the preferred option for a roof top installation.

What is a fall arrest system?

A fall arrest system is positioned so that when the user is attached to the anchor point with a lanyard or other fall arresting device, access to the fall hazard is possible. The selection, design and installation of a fall arrest system should be clearly justifiable; and the reasoning behind it should be recorded via a formal risk assessment process.

How would you rescue a worker if they fell and their fall was arrested?

If there is a risk that a person can fall from the roof, a rescue plan needs to be put in to place and responsible persons trained in how to affect a rescue. Rescues can be affected in many ways and it is best to seek expert advice. Uniline and a number of its Systems Integration Specialists can offer assistance and provide equipment and training in this area.

What loads might be applied to my structure if someone falls on a system?

This is influenced by a number of factors including:

• How many workers fall
• How heavy they are
• What PPE they are wearing
• How far they fall
• How long the safety system is

Uniline's Force Management Systems limit the forces to within tolerable levels for the roof structure. Typically less than 1kN/sq.m distributed load. Where Force Management Anchors are not used, Uniline provides detailed calculations that accurately predict the forces that the system and structure will be subjected to. The maximum force at the anchor point in an 8mm wire system will not exceed 18kN and this can be reduced further by using energy absorbing components.

Where should I position the fall protection system?

On a roof it is best practice to position the system in such a way that it offers a restraint solution. For example, if a wide gutter needed to be cleared regularly, a system should be positioned 2m from the centre of the gutter. The roof worker would then be issued with a 2m lanyard, which would allow access to the work area, but prevent access to the fall hazard.

It is also good practice to never take the system right up to a leading edge, unless it is an area of dedicated access, with additional safeguards.

Uniline Safety Systems or it's System Integration Specialists can advice on design layouts for specific projects.

Below are some examples of typical roof system layouts.

How many people can use the fall protection system?

System designs should always allow for a minimum of two workers and additional workers can be accommodated following verification by Uniline's system simulation software.

What controls should I put in place with regard to the use of the fall protection system?

• Only use competent persons trained specifically to work at height on roofs
• Produce a risk assessment and method statement for the tasks required to be carried out and implement it thoroughly
• Operate a safe system of work and permit to work system
• Only use specified harnesses and lanyards with the safety system
• If necessary have a rescue plan in place
• Managers and supervisors should familiarise themselves with the systems instructions for use and ensure personnel using the system are trained
• Guard beneath the work area to protect others in the event of a fall or equipment being dropped

How should workers gain access to the fall protection system in safety?

It is extremely important that means for safe access to the roof is provided. This could be by way of:

• A temporary ladder suitably tied in to the building and stabilised
• A permanent ladder
• A roof access hatch
• Scaffolding
• Opening through a plant room or similar

When advocating the use of ladders other control means such as vertical climbing systems to arrest a slip or fall should be used. Hooped ladders do not offer any means of protection from a fall.

How often does the fall protection system need to be maintained?

Depending upon the frequency of use and the environment in which the system is installed the minimum requirement is for an annual inspection by a competent person approved by the manufacturer. If a system is going to be used very infrequently, then inspections could be made before each occasion of use, thereby reducing exposure to risk for no good reason.

How long will the fall protection system last for?

In a normal environment, where the system will get washed down by rainwater, it should last for 25 years, providing that it is maintained and looked after. If the system is very near to the coast, this will reduce to around 15 years. In adverse environments advice should be sought from Uniline Safety Systems. Further details on system maintenance are provided in the users instruction manuals for Uniline's products.