There are many different ways to access the roof of a warehouse or commercial building. Here are a handful of some common ones that suit different needs.
There are many different factors that can influence what type of access system is needed to get on to the roof of your commercial building or warehouse. In many cases, the decision will have been taken during the building’s design stage.
But for older buildings in particular, needs may arise long after construction that necessitate access to areas that had previously been left to their own devices. It is in those situations where a building owner or designer needs to consider all the possibilities that exist.
The best choice may often not be the first choice, or even on the list of choices. So, it is worth spending the time to consider all the available options. The most appropriate one will depend on where access is needed, how often, by who and what is in the vicinity of the access point.
Internal access systems
Internal access systems are those that require a worker to be inside the building in order to then move to the roof. This is common in many commercial and warehouse buildings where there is a desire to limit the ability of unauthorised people to gain access to areas like roofs.
The easiest form of access is one where a doorway leads out onto a flat roof. In industrial warehouses door often leads out onto the roof of an attached administration or office annex. From there, access can be made via a fixed ladder or other means onto the main warehouse roof.
This is also useful if items like air-conditioning other plant are located on the roof of the annex. This means that only a single point is needed to gain access to both that roof and the warehouse roof.
Depending on other aspects of the height safety system or building design that are present on site, it may also be possible for this system to be used without workers needing to wear a harness or connect to any other type of fall protection equipment.
Hatches and ladders
In areas of a warehouse or commercial building where there is no direct access onto the roof, the installation of a hatch may be required. Many hatches are often also paired with a ladder to provide access to the roof that can be stowed out of the way when not in use.
A hatch is simply a lockable door that is placed into a hole cut into a building’s roof. There are many different types of hatches, each suited to different purposes and different environments.
Having a hatch and ladder system in place for roof access also provides another level of inhibiting the ability of unauthorised people gaining access to a high-risk area. Keys to unlock the hatch can be kept separate from the hatch itself, requiring workers wanting roof access to seek approval before doing so.
Hatches are useful for situations where access to the roof is infrequent and likely only ever to be undertaken by a worker experienced in working at heights.
There is one important safety aspect of having access to your roof through a hatch that every building owner and worker should be aware. When a hatch is open, the presence of that hatch on the roof is itself a fall risk that needs to be assessed mitigated.
Depending on what else is present on the roof, a hatch may require additional protection measures to be taken in order to ensure workers are best protected.
External fixed ladders and stairways
In situations where roof access is required without having to enter the building, an external ladder or stairway are often common choices.
Both external ladders and stairways can have their entry points isolated, which prevents unauthorised access. However, a suitably motivated person would still bypass these and make their way onto the roof.
External ladders come in two main varieties, vertical and angled. Both can also have either a vertical ladder line or ladder cage attached to it for additional protection.
Ladders are generally the preferred access method when workers do not frequently need to access the roof and do not need to take significant amounts of tools or materials with them when they do.
Alternately for commonly accessed areas, especially where guardrails are installed to provide harness-free access, a stairway may be installed.
In order to prevent unauthorised access both fixed ladders and stairways can have different security mechanisms installed.
The lower levels of a stairway can be fenced off, with a locked access gate placed across the entry. This simple method ensures only those given the key for the gate can gain access to the stairway and, from there, the roof.
Ladder brackets
On smaller single-storey buildings a fixed ladder bracket is often the preferred method of access.
A fixed ladder bracket allows a worker to place a portable ladder and tie it into place. This prevents the ladder from slipping sideways or being accidentally kicked away from the roof. This significantly reduces the risks faced of a fall from ladders. These falls are some of the most common falls from height.
An additional benefit of ladder brackets is that depending on the building design and access needs, more than one can be placed around the edges of a building which then minimise the need for workers to traverse across roofs to reach work areas.
Choosing the best solution
The team at Height Safety Engineers can assist with the design of a compliant, effective, safe and easy to use roof access no matter the design of your commercial building or warehouse. With over 20 years’ experience in fall protection, HSE are the experts in height safety.
Start your safety journey today by calling 1300 884 978, emailing enquiries@heightsafety.net or filling out the contact form at the top of this page.
