CareHomeDeskCareHomeDeskWAHR 2005 obligations, roof access equipment and contractor management for roof maintenance activities.
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR) require that all work at height is properly planned, supervised and carried out by competent people using appropriate equipment. As the premises owner, you have a duty under WAHR as a client engaging contractors for roof work. You cannot delegate this duty -- you must satisfy yourself that the contractor has a safe method of access and that the risk assessment and method statement (RAMS) for the work is adequate before you allow work to begin. Failure to do so can result in enforcement action by the HSE and personal liability in the event of an accident.
Where roof maintenance is required regularly (at least annually), it is worth investing in permanent safe access provision. This may include fixed roof ladders with safety hoops (BS 5395-1), permanent walkways across the roof surface to reach plant and drainage outlets (EN 13374), and permanent anchor points for fall-arrest systems. These should be specified in consultation with a competent person and should be inspected annually. Permanent anchors must be load-tested on installation and recertified periodically -- check the anchor manufacturer's requirements.
Where permanent access is not installed, contractors must use mobile access equipment. Common options are: mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs, colloquially called cherry pickers or scissor lifts), scaffolding, tower scaffolds and roof ladders with cat ladders. The choice depends on the roof height, the duration of the work, and the space available for access equipment. MEWPs are fast to deploy and are appropriate for short-duration inspection and minor repair work. Scaffolding is required for any project involving extended periods of work or where materials need to be lifted to the roof. All mobile access must be used by trained operators.
Many care home extensions and outbuildings have fragile roof coverings -- asbestos cement sheet, glass rooflights, or thin corrugated steel. Fragile roofs must be identified before any roof work, and no person should walk directly on a fragile surface. The contractor must use roof boards or crawling boards to distribute the load. Asbestos cement sheets must be assumed to contain asbestos until tested -- check your asbestos register before authorising any roof work on older buildings.
CareHomeDesk gives you compliance checklists, maintenance logs, and contractor management tools built around exactly this kind of knowledge.