Don’t fall for bad testing

04 July 2012

Too many businesses are being put at risk by not having their roof systems on their buildings tested and inspected regularly reports Eurosafe Solutions.

John Boyle, Director of Eurosafe Solutions, said: “Some businesses still don’t realise how much of a risk they are taking by not keeping their fall protection systems fully tested and up to date with inspections. Different fall protection systems have different requirements and frequencies for their testing and inspection and failure to keep these up to date can mean huge risks to employees and contractors accessing the roof. The best approach is to use a planned approach to maintenance as with other building services – it’s equally as important and could save someone’s life.”

He added: “Regular testing and inspection also helps to avoid unnecessary downtime for heating or air conditioning, which are services that often need to be accessed via the roof. If the testing and inspection certification is not in place when there is a need to access these services via the roof, this could lead to costly delays in waiting for the certification to be arranged. A planned programme of testing and inspection means building owners and facilities managers don’t need to worry about arranging tests and re-tests as we project manage the whole thing.”

John Boyle continued: “Training is another important aspect of ensuring safety at heights and workers need to be trained to the correct level and this may need to be regularly refreshed. We assess individual requirements of workers within a business and recommend an appropriate training programme. The result is a much safer working environment where risks are minimised and there is much greater peace of mind for the building owner or operator.”