When you are choosing the best equipment to access your roof, there are plenty of different points that need a high level of consideration. Not only are you at risk of damaging the structure itself, but you also need to think about how you can offer fall protection that makes it less likely that personal injury is going to occur. After all, the number one rule of creating a work environment high up is to prevent falls.
Think about suitability
First of all, you need to think about the suitability of the equipment in ensuring mobile access to the roof while also ensuring that it is high quality enough to do the job in question with the minimal number of potential issues along the way. Whether you are looking at a hold open arm or something else, fall arrest needs to be put at the top of your priority list.
Decide on the length of usage
Think about how long you are going to need roof access for. Are you going to put in a roof hatch, or are mobile work platforms going to be more suitable? For example, ladders are best-suited to the jobs that are going to take place over a shorter period of time, while those longer jobs may require mobile working platforms and something similar to them.
Look how fragile the surface is
When you are looking to prevent injuries and deaths, one of the biggest factors here is bound to be a fragile surface. So, if you can avoid having your workers set foot on it all together with mobile work platforms and other solutions, this is obviously going to be a highly useful and safe approach to take on.
Is electricity going to be involved?
When there are other risk factors involved, such as electricity, it is even more vital that proper personal protective equipment is provided as this can really help out in ensuring that the highest level of safety is offered.
Look at the height you will be working at
The height that you are going to be working at can really make a big difference here as well. If you are going to be needing something that is only for usage at low levels, a step stool or a small step ladder can really make a difference here. However, if you are going to need to reach greater heights, something like an extension ladder, a work platform, or a mobile scaffold may prove to be the most appropriate solution.
Has the access equipment been designed properly?
Whether you are choosing ladders or mobile work access platforms, there is no doubt that choosing the ones that have been designed and built with safety firmly in mind can go such a long way towards ensuring that you create a working environment in which people feel both highly comfortable and extremely protected. Obviously, this is the type of decision that is worth taking your time over rather than rushing into.