More and more flat roofs are becoming public recreational areas. The transformation of flat roofs from mere building envelopes to workplaces is increasingly presenting safety coordinators, company safety officers, building operators, architects/planners and other trades with special challenges. Today, flat roofs are more than "just" roofs: outsourcing of technical building systems, such as air conditioning, ventilation systems, solar technology, antenna technology, skylight domes, maintenance routes, advertising technology and other technical equipment. The greening of industrial roofs is also on the rise.
For this reason, the frequency of roofs has increased significantly: regular maintenance, inspection or repairs carried out on roofs. In addition to the risk of falling from the edge of the roof, there is also the risk of falling through domelights, continuous rooflights, light panels and other non-load-bearing components located on the flat roof.
A risk of falling exists - according to the ArBStättV Workplace Ordinance paragraph 12 "Protection against falling" - if there is a fall height of more than 1 m.
The increasing greening and creation of living spaces on the roof surface require new practical solutions for the safety of users. Countless health and safety requirements must be taken into account in order to optimally fulfil the requirements of laws, regulations, technical rules, BG regulations, DIN standards and architectural features in the long term. ASR A2.1, TRBS 2121, DIN 4426 - all legal frameworks boil down to the same thing: permanent collective protection takes precedence over individual protective measures (PPE). In a nutshell: the roof danger zone must be secured by law. In the event of inadequate fall protection, your company is liable under Section 823 BGB "Liability for damages".
Constructional and technical measures have priority over organisational and individual protective measures
No compromises when it comes to safety, responsibility and liability! Regulations and codes of practice from legislators and professional associations contain clear specifications for the use of safety equipment in the "flat roof workplace". Precautions for fall protection are a legal obligation not only during installation, but also during subsequent care and maintenance work on technical equipment or greenery on flat roofs. Permanent, collective protective measures always have priority, as stated by the legislator in the Occupational Health and Safety Act §4 and in various regulations and ordinances. Any deviation from this requirement must be justified and documented accordingly. Permanent collective protection takes precedence over individual protective measures and offers decisive advantages:
Collective hazard protection must be prioritised over individual hazard protection when determining protective measures
Once a guardrail has been installed on the flat roof as a side protection system, it allows unrestricted freedom of movement and offers safety on the roof surface. Self-supporting guardrail systems are best suited for retrofitting fall protection, as there is no need to penetrate the sensitive roof waterproofing. For example, the Barrial "self-supporting" safety railing from DaniAlu is, as the name suggests, a load-bearing construction. This means that it is not necessary to penetrate the roof waterproofing to install the safety railing. The system is given the necessary stability by means of stabiliser rails and counterweights. This also eliminates the problem of thermal bridges that could arise due to fixed installation. In addition, aluminium safety railings are a good investment for many years due to their durability and resistance to weather influences.
Example solution for roof edge protection: The Barrial® self-supporting standard system from DaniAlu for non-publicly used flat roofs. Advantage: Non-penetrative installation - without interfering with external trades - also possible with round geometry. The counterweights are made of 100% recycled PVC with a 10-year guarantee.
Roof edge protection with Barrial® self-supporting standard
An alternative to DaniAlu roof edge protection is offered by Innotech with the BARRIER railing protection system.
Is a parapet available? Yes/no? If there is no parapet or it is extremely low (less than 150 mm), a skirting board must be installed as roll protection in accordance with DIN regulations. Without a parapet, the following must be taken into account:
New build or existing structure?
Is it a new build or will railings be retrofitted?
What type of roof (metal roof, ... is there a height difference to compensate for?) Space conditions on the roof, due to placement and length of cantilever rail. Green roof?
These factors, among others, play a role in the selection of the right system component feet (= fastening options) depending on the conditions on the roof.
In order to reduce the hazards associated with the use of fixed ladders, which can nevertheless result from slipping and falling, the ladders must be fitted with safety precautions. Falling should be prevented or at least the effects minimised, e.g. by using back protection or climbing protection. If back protection is used, it must start between 2.20 m and 3.00 m above the access level and be continuous. If back protection is not possible or desired, travelling fall arresters including a fixed or movable guide are possible as an alternative. If the possible fall height exceeds 10.00 m, back protection is no longer permitted and PPE (including a guide) is mandatory. Irrespective of the fall height, this also applies to fixed ladders that are intended for personal rescue (not for emergency ladder systems!) and are located in confined spaces such as silos and shafts or in water management systems. This also applies to fixed ladders on masts and scaffolding of electrical switchgear and overhead line networks.
The self-supporting (load-bearing) Barrial® self-supporting TTV guardrail system was developed in accordance with the technical regulations and standards for the maintenance and care of green flat roofs. Tested and certified in accordance with DIN EN 13374:2019.
With the Barrial Shed, DaniAlu offers a railing system for shed roofs (also known as sawtooth roofs). This system ensures safety during maintenance and inspection work on flat roofs that are not in public use. The railing system is mounted on the glazed side walls of shed roofs and fulfils all legal requirements for permanent collective protection. The DaniAlu Barrial Shed railing system consists of a handrail, an intermediate rail and a post. The pre-assembled clamp brackets facilitate the installation of all components and ensure easy adjustment on site.
Although the components for collective protection are prefabricated parts, the exact dimensions, fastening options, etc. must always be determined in advance during an on-site inspection.
Collective protection also includes skylight dome defences, escape, rescue and maintenance routes, fixed ladders, cable net systems for fall protection or temporary collective protection such as net systems on construction sites.
The material is lightweight, easy to clean and maintenance-free. It is resistant to corrosion and weathering and therefore very durable. It offers individual design options (e.g. powder coating in individual colours). It is 100% recyclable.
