Roof fall protection equipment takes on many shapes and sizes, especially for roof anchor systems. There are several types of roof safety anchors, and they all are designed to provide a roof tie-off system—a connection point—for a worker using Personal Fall Protection System (PFPS), notably a harness with a lanyard and lifeline. Anchor fall protection is often used when a collective fall protection system, such as a railing system, is not installed.

A proper fall protection anchor is not just any point on a roof to which a rope or lifeline can be attached. It must be strong enough to have a Safety Factor of 2. That means it must withstand twice the force of a fall in any direction or double the potential impact of a falling worker.

Most commercial, institutional, and industrial (CII) buildings—including standing seam metal roofs—have flat or low-sloped roofs that are conducive to planting roof anchors. Most residential (and some CII) buildings have steep-sloped roofs.

There are a host of roof fall protection anchors for residential buildings that clamp or fasten to wood frames. Some are reusable, and some are designed to be thrown away after one use.

This review will focus on engineered roof fall protection anchors for flat, low-slope, or standing seam metal roofs. They usually require a Qualified Person, someone with the knowledge, experience, and capability to ensure the proper design, installation, and training for rooftop safety systems.

Keep reading this article on KeeSafety.ca

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