Edge protection systems and safety mesh must be installed either from below or using temporary working platforms (such as MEWPs or scaffolding) and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

Safety mesh and edge protection must be inspected by a competent person to verify it has been installed as per the manufacturer’s instructions before roof access is approved and roof sheeting can commence. The Roof Safety Mesh/Edge Protection Handover Certificate (linked below) must be used to document this.

The safety in design review should consider the roof design to ensure safe access is provided via MEWPs or a solid platform (e.g. scaffold stairs).

In particular:

• The insulation system used - avoid spacer systems if practical as they are a trip hazard and incompatible with progressive dry-lay of roof sheeting methodology
• The widths and supports of box gutters - consider these carefully so they are safely trafficable
• Expansion Joints - eliminate these where possible or consider their locations carefully as they increase the exposure to falls when loading and laying roof sheeting

Scaffold access stairs to roof

A methodology must be developed that provides a safe work area of stable and sound structure. One way this can be done is by progressively laying the sheets out so that installers and workers are working off the laid sheets.  Roof purlins should not be used as a permanent working platform for workers.

The methodology should detail:

• Installation method for edge protections and safety mesh
• Hold points for safety mesh and edge protection inspections and sign off
• Roof access points and controls to prevent unauthorized access
• Edge protection / guardrails
• Laydown areas for materials and means of securing materials
• Locations of exclusion zones
• Laying sequence of insulation and roof sheets
• Emergency rescue arrangements

Develop a roof loading plan highlighting:

• Where roofing material will land so that workers do not have to walk on the purlins while laying roof sheets
• Provisions for workers to dry lay the first pack of roof sheets without standing on unstable or narrow structures
• After the first pack of roof sheets has been dry laid and screwed off, workers must be able to access subsequent packs without standing on unstable or narrow structures

Consideration should be given to landing packs along the roof in increments that do not exceed the amount of cover in that pack (e.g. 10 x 700mm cover sheets require packs to be spaced at 7m intervals).

Alternatively, sheets may be walked out over areas which have already been fixed down, however, this will increase the manual handling exposure.

When laying roof sheeting, consideration must be given to the width of the insulation material and spacers compared to the width of the roof sheeting.

When laying roof sheets, work from a principle of laying forward (from the leading edge) rather than backwards so workers are always standing on a solid platform.

There are a number of initial tasks that may require workers to walk on beams or purlins, however, these must be designed out if possible. These include:

• Landing of roof sheets
• Setting up string lines along the ends of roof sheets

Installation of purlin spaces – design out wherever possible by using other insulation systems (e.g. safe bridge).

If initially walking beams or purlins can not be eliminated, handrails must be provided to steady the worker.

2mm ring fixing used to secure safety mesh side lap. This exceed Australian Standards and minimises the risk of falls through the side lap.

Rolling out insulation from the dry laid roof sheet.