Flat roof fall protection is incredibly important, because falling from a roof can be deadly. The latest HSE statistics show that falls from height are still the most prevalent cause of death among workers in Great Britain, accounting for 50 work-related deaths in 2023/24. This amounts to 36% of work-related deaths for that period.
Even workers who manage to survive large falls from roofs may end up with life-changing injuries. Many are unable to return to their former profession as a result. Employee falls come at a cost to negligent employers, too. For example:
- An engineering company received a £14,000 fine (plus an order to cover costs of over £6,500) after an employee fell through a fragile roof while working at height, resulting in head and arm injuries.
- A construction company that had failed an inspection just eight days after a worker had fallen from a flat roof at the same site was ordered to pay a £48,000 fine plus £3,443 in costs.
- After one of their workers fell 12m to his death through a damaged skylight, a roofing company was fined £20,000 plus costs of over £12,500. The company’s director was also give an eight-week prison sentence (suspended for 12 months) and ordered to do 15 days of rehabilitation activity. All of this, because they failed to provide sufficient flat roof fall protection.
Roofs in particular can be highly dangerous working environments because they typically are not designed to be walked on or worked on. There’s a risk of falling through gaps or fragile roofing materials, and of course, falling off the edge of the roof is a major hazard—especially when working on a flat roof.
Working on a Flat Roof: Recommended Precautions
By law, you must properly plan and prepare for flat roof work to ensure a safe working environment. Here are some precautions you should take for flat roof fall protection:
- Plan and provide a safe way to get up and down. Depending on the particulars of the work site, this may involve scaffolds, stair towers, ladders, mobile access equipment and/or roof access hatches.
- Assume all flat roofs are fragile until a competent person has confirmed otherwise. If possible, work using a platform below the flat roof instead of standing on the roof itself. Do not assume that the roof material is able to bear a worker's weight.
- Flat roofs must have secure edge protection in place to prevent falling. This can be in the form of a toeboard or a double guardrail.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has more information on their website. They also provide a detailed roof work guide which you can find here.
Fall Protection for Flat Roof Work
Find some examples of fall protection equipment for flat roof work below:
Anchor systems
Also known as mansafe systems, these mobile man anchors can be used on flat roofs where no anchor points are available. Connect your fall arrest / fall restraint equipment to one of these anchors to minimise your risk of injury while working at height. Our mansafe anchors are portable, easy to install and conform to EN 795 E standards.
Mobile Man Anchor Systems
Safety harnesses
A core component of virtually any fall arrest or fall restraint system, safety harnesses are a key for working safely on a roof at height. They can be connected to a mobile man anchor system or a permanent anchor point in order to carry out flat roof work. SafetyLiftinGear offers a wide range of safety harnesses at competitive prices. Click the link below to browse our full range of safety harness kits (which include lanyards and connectors as well as the harness itself).
Safety Harness Kits
Permanent fall protection systems
Sometimes you need a more permanent fall arrest system in place for your flat roof work fall protection. SafetyLiftinGear can supply and install all sorts of bespoke solution to suit your height safety needs. These include permanent anchorage systems to fit your requirements, as well as edge barriers and accessories.
Safety Lines & Fall Arrest Systems
Not sure how to proceed? Feel free to contact the SafetyLiftinGear team for expert advice on flat roof fall protection systems.
0117 9381 600
