Fragile Roof Examples

Work on fragile roofs should be avoided if there is a safer method to do the work.

Fragile roof examples.

Falls through fragile surfaces particularly fibre cement roofs and rooflights account for 22 of all fall from height fatal injuries in the construction industry. Common on older or industrial buildings such as warehouses and factories fragile roofs come in many different types and it may not always be obvious that a roof is fragile at first glance. Workers such as electricians plumbers pest. Fragile surfaces skylights holes or vents weather conditions such as wind and rain for example being blown over the edge or slipping on a wet roof surface trip hazards for example roof components and protrusions and overbalancing or losing grip on steep pitched or sloping roofs.

Falls through fragile roofs and fragile roof lights cause death and serious injury. Fragile roofs are typically found on industrial buildings e g. For example where possible try to replace roof sheets or lights from underneath using a suitable work platform. Fractures can occur so rapidly that a worker could easily fall through the roof suffering serious or even fatal injuries.

A significant rise in the number of fatalities involving working on roofs particularly involving fragile roof materials has prompted the health and safety authority to issue this safety alert to highlight the need for stringent health and safety procedures when carrying out this type of work. Working from underneath the roof using a working platform to carry out roof repairs. Almost all of these fatalities arise from construction work in some form or another. Safety alert for working on fragile roofs.

It explains which surfaces present a particular risk and what you should do as a building owner or occupier. Roofs can become fragile over time due to natural wear and tear or they might have been fragile from the start. Workers undertaking roof work and building maintenance can die or be permanently disabled when they fall through fragile surfaces. Anyone carrying out roof works needs to have suitable training skills and experience.

They account for almost a fifth of all the fatal accidents which result from a fall from height in the construction industry. What you need to know. This leaflet is for building owners and occupiers construction businesses and workers in the construction refurbishment and building maintenance sectors in short anyone working on fragile roofs or having work done. Fragile roofs pose a serious risk to both life and limb throughout the uk with nine people falling to their deaths each year.

A roof is considered fragile if it is unable to take the weight of a person stepping onto it. No sheeted roof should be relied on to bear a person s weight. All roofs should be treated as fragile until a competent person has confirmed they are not.