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Fragile roofs 鈥� what you need to know
24 January 2023
Do you know what a fragile roof is? Do you know what they mean to you? On average 9 people are killed every year from falling through fragile roofs or fragile roof lights. Many others suffer serious or permanent injuries. UCL takes fragile roofs seriously.
What is a fragile听roof?
A fragile surface is one that cannot support the weight of a person听and any materials they may be carrying, such as:
- Old roof lights (sometimes painted/dirty).
- Non-reinforced fibre cement sheets.
- Asbestos cement sheets.
- Corroded metal sheets.
- Glass (including wired glass).
- Slates and tiles in poor condition.
At 皇家华人, in line with the instruction from the HSE, all roofs are considered fragile unless they are proven to support a person. Don't assume that just because a roof doesn't听state that it's a fragile roof, it's safe to stand on.
Controlling the risks
Work on fragile roofs should be avoided if there is a safer method to carry out the work, such as:
- Working from underneath the roof using a work听platform.
- Working from the ground level.
- Working from a tower scaffold or rather than on the roof.
If the work cannot be avoided:
- All work at height must be risk assessed by a competent person.
- A Safe System of Work for working at height must be produced and implemented.
- Anyone carrying out work on a roof must have suitable training, skills and experience.
How to mitigate the risk of a fall from a fragile roof:
- Use听staging or boards with guard rails.
- Use听nets, air bags听or bean bags.
- Use听a fall-arrest harness.
What can I do?
Continued growth in towns and cities has opened up spaces in听previously unused areas such as basements and roofs.听You may not be aware听that you are standing on a roof over a听newly built underground space. You should assume that all roofing materials are fragile unless confirmed otherwise by a competent person.
- Be aware of your surroundings 鈥�听do not dismiss signs for fragile roofs, even if other people are.
- Report any cracks on damaged lights or windows听鈥� they听are designed to be difficult to break听but should be checked as soon as possible when听they have been damaged. How to raise an Estates service request.
- If you need to work on a known or potential fragile roof always follow the correct process:
- Carry out a听risk assessment.
- Follow the Safe System of Work.
- Ensure that the hierarchy of control measures are all in place for the entire task including any fall-arrest equipment.
Enforcement action
Over the last 5 years the Health and Safety Executive has issued 210 enforcement notices that included issues with fragile surfaces.
Company fined 拢200,000听after employee injured in fall
A property management company was fined 拢200,000 after an employee was left in a wheelchair after falling eight metres through a roof light.听The HSE investigation found there had been an inadequate assessment of the risks involved for the work at height carried out on the external roof areas of a听community centre. While a generic risk assessment had been done, no specific risk assessment had been done.
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