The compliance certificate for your system may contain the phrase “restricted access” or “full access”. In this blog post we explore what those terms can mean.
Safe access and fall protection can be designed to provide two main types of access – full access or restricted access.
But what do these terms mean? And how can change your system from one to the other?
What is a full access height safety system?
A full access system, as you might be able to tell by its name, provides for complete access to the roof or other area where the system is installed. Workers can move to all parts of the area while remaining protected from the risks of a fall from height.
These systems are sometimes referred to as unrestricted, edge access or gutter access systems. They are often installed when workers require access to a building’s gutters or roof edges for cleaning or maintenance work.
What is a restricted access height safety system?
By contrast, a restricted access system only allows access to specific parts of a roof or work area. If a worker ventures outside of where the system allows, then they may be placing themselves at significant risk of a fall.
These systems are often installed when access to a specific area only is needed. This could be HVAC plant, a solar panel array, lift motor or similar.
The restricted access system is designed such that the worker can gain access to the area safely and then move to where work is needed to be completed while maintaining protection from the risks of a fall.
Compliance inspections and restricted access systems
On occasion, systems that were designed to be full access when first installed may become restricted access after the completion of a regular compliance inspection.
There are a handful of different reasons why this may be the case.
The most common reason our compliance technicians will downgrade a system from full to restricted access is because part of the system has failed the inspection.
For example, a roof anchor point system has been installed to allow workers to access the gutters for cleaning. During the compliance inspection it is discovered that one of the anchor points has become damaged and no longer compliant.
In many cases, the entire system would be assessed as being non-compliant. This means that no worker can access the roof and use the system until repair work or replacement of the broken anchor point is completed.
What can be done instead is issue a certificate for restricted access. This can allow workers to continue to access the compliant parts of the system and keep up maintenance work, while rectification of the non-compliant anchor takes place.
Once the non-compliant anchor is rectified, a certificate for full access can be issued for the entire system again.
System design principles
One important thing to remember when it comes to restricted access systems that being restricted access does not necessarily mean the system has non-compliant components in it to be aware of.
While in general best practice in height safety is to create a safety method of accessing every part of a roof – that is, designing for full access – there are many situations where a conscious choice is made to not do that. This decision could be influenced by any number of factors.
The most common influence is the outcome of the risk assessment that is considered when undertaking design of the system. In some situations, it is considered less risky to simply not provide a method of access to roof edges when access to those edges is not needed. Typically, edge access is needed for undertaking rope access work or cleaning guttering. If neither of those activities will be undertaken, then there is no need for access to be provided to the edge. Not accessing the edges is the safest way to prevent a fall from those edges.
Understanding the system is critical
No matter what type of safe access or fall protection system your building has, it is vital that workers understand how to safely use it. For full access systems, this can mean knowing how to safely position yourself along the roof edge for gutter cleaning. For restricted access systems it can be understanding what areas the system does and does not allow safe access to.
All height safety systems should be comprehensively documented, with safe work procedures and limitations of the system clearly explained. Workers should also be inducted into the system prior to starting work.
Partners in protecting people
Height Safety Engineers are your partners in protecting people. No matter what your access needs, our team can design and install a compliant, easy to use and practical height safety system.
Start your safety journey with us today by calling 1300 884 978, sending an email to enquiries@heightsafety.net or by filling out the contact form at the top of this page.
