Along with the obvious risks of falls and slips near the roof edge, there are also a number of hazards which exist on the roof itself, which carry risks to both the workers and the building in question. Many flat roofed buildings have equipment such as air conditioning units and solar panels mounted to their surface, which can easily be damaged, or present health and safety risks to workers.

 

In order to ensure that workers are not put in danger when working on roof-based equipment and surfaces, an efficient system should be put in place in order to ensure that potential dangers are clearly marked.

 

Here at SafetyLiftinGear, we provide a huge selection of safety systems for working at height, including products to point out hazards efficiently. Included in our range of equipment is our Steel Demarcation Safety Post, a product designed with the specific purpose of marking safe working areas on flat rooftops:

 

 

Used in combination with other posts and a system of chains, this hazard demarcation product can help to ensure that off-limits areas are clearly pointed out, and that safe passages to work areas are created. It is suitable for use on a number of roof surfaces, including single-ply, bituminous and concrete, making it a highly flexible product for working at height across a variety of locations. It can also provide additional safety benefits thanks to its robust design, which has the ability to withstand wind speeds of up to 80 miles per hour!

 

Looking for chain products to use in combination with our hazard demarcation posts? See our full selection of safety posts and accessories here!

Next week, the SafetyLiftinGear team will be travelling to Germany for Prolight + Sound, the international trade fair of technologies and services for entertainment, integrated systems and creation. This event is extremely popular because of the opportunity it affords visitors to network with manufacturers and service providers from many different countries. There will be a staggering array of products on show, so if you work in the live entertainment industry we'd strongly recommend that you attend!

When? 4th - 7th April, 2017

Where? Messe Frankfurt Exhibition Centre, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

What to expect? A range of lighting, sound, stage and media technologies, plus production/broadcasting equipment

Our cylinders can be used for a range of projects in garages, construction sites, workshops, and many other environments; and if you're worried that your load that needs lifting is too heavy, you'll be happy to know that we have hydraulic cylinders that can lift loads as heavy as 100 tonnes. So, no matter what your lifting requirements are, we're confident you'll find a hydraulic cylinder that can meet them.

If you're interested in purchasing a hydraulic cylinder to help with your project, you can view our entire range of hydraulic jacks and cylinders by clicking here. If you have any specific requirements that our comprehensive range doesn't meet, please do not hesitate to call us on 0808 123 69 69 - we're more than happy to discuss a bespoke solution for you. 

Last week, a judge at Manchester Crown Court sent three people to jail. Why? Because they failed to follow the rules for working safely at height, and because they attempted to cover up their negligence after disaster struck.

Back in 2014, two men - Benjamin Edge and Peter Heap - were working on the roof of a shed in wet and windy conditions. There were no height safety measures in place to prevent Edge and Heap from falling and injuring themselves; they weren't wearing safety harnesses, and no other safeguards had been provided for their protection. During the job, Benjamin Edge fell from the roof and sustained severe head injuries. He was pronounced dead at Salford Royal Hospital that night.

If this were the end of the story, Mr Edge's employer - SR and RJ Brown Ltd - would still have been in very hot water indeed. Companies who commit corporate manslaughter by failing to identify and address on-the-job hazards are routinely punished with large fines and even jail time in some cases. In this particular case, however, the firm's wrongdoing did not end with Mr Edge's death.

After the accident, Mr Heap was ordered to bring a set of safety harnesses to the work site to make it look as though proper safety precautions had been taken. Furthermore, James Brown - one of the directors of SR and RJ Brown Ltd - created fake risk assessment forms and handed these to the authorities investigating the incident. All of this was done to create the impression that the firm had followed the rules and that they were not at fault for Mr Edge's death.

Eventually, the cover-up was revealed and the two company directors were sentenced to 20 months in jail, plus a fine of £300,000. Mark Aspin, who contracted the job to SR and RJ Brown Ltd, has been jailed for 12 months.

When preparing to carry out a routine task, it can sometimes be tempting to ignore health and safety law and just get it done as quickly as possible. However, as the story above demonstrates, any time you save by skipping the safety precautions will pale in comparison to the possible consequences. Not only can you face hefty fines and jail sentences for putting your employees in danger, you also risk ending lives, wrecking families, and causing damage that can never be undone.