Fall protection failures on roofs

1. You forget about the pendulum effect

An important part of roof work som många dessvärre glömmer bort är pendeleffekten. Men vad är det egentligen och vad innebär det? Tänk dig att du har kopplat in dig i skorstenen som finns mitt på taket och börjar arbeta. Till slut kommer du till bortre änden av taket och din support rope står i en vinkel på över 30°. Men nu börjar det blåsa på rätt rejält. Det blåser så mycket att du tappar balansen och faller.

The angle of the support line now means that you end up in a pendulum as you are stuck further away. Not only can the pendulum give you a big bang if you were to hit a wall, but your support line is also at risk of breaking as it slides towards the edge of the roof, which in turn can result in you falling to the ground.

How to avoid commuter falls

Vad skulle du ha gjort istället då? För att undvika pendelfall rekommenderar vi att du använder dubbla linor som fästs diagonalt från takets motstående hörn. Om du har möjlighet kan du även minska risken genom att flytta förankringspunkten till ett mer centralt läge.

2. You use poor anchor points

Unfortunately, it is not possible to attach to just anything. An anchor point should be able to withstand 10-12 kN depending on the choice of equipment and standard. This is a large force, roughly equivalent to the weight of a giraffe. This means that ventilation pipes or ventilation hoods are not a suitable anchor point. Choose something large and stable, such as a chimney.

So anchoring yourself to a car or a tree is fine. But remember that if you're going to anchor yourself to a car, you need to have the key on you so that no one accidentally drives off with the car while you're stuck. If you don't have something stable enough, you can choose an anchor on the opposite side of the house.

3. You work alone

According to the Swedish Work Environment Authority lone working on roofs is strictly prohibited. There is also a requirement to always have a rescue plan ready in case of an accident. If you fall from the roof and become suspended, the idea is that you can be rescued within 10 minutes to avoid life-threatening injuries. The blood supply to the brain is severely restricted by the harness, which can lead to oxygen deprivation, which in the long run (10 minutes) is harmful1.

4. You use unsecured tools

Det är inte bara du som måste vara säkrad när du jobbar på höga höjder. En skruvdragare som faller från ett tak gör ont att få i huvudet. Skulle du tappa en skruvdragare från 14 meters höjd så kommer den att nå en massvikt på ca 73,5 kg, vilket ger dödlig utgång. Att personen som får den i huvudet har skyddshjälm på sig kommer alltså inte att hjälpa. Därför är det superviktigt att du säkrar dina verktyg.

5. You forget to cordon off the area

Although some tools cannot be secured with tool locks, such as a screw, it is important to take steps to prevent them from causing injury. One simple way is to cordon off the work area, so that dropped tools do not risk hitting someone in the head.

Identify the risks in your workplace

Sometimes it can be difficult to judge for yourself whether the environment is safe enough before starting work. That's why we offer professional fall protection inventory to ensure that your workplace fulfils all safety requirements. We will visit you on site, identify potential risks in your work environment and make recommendations on how to improve it.

Avoid these common mistakes with