Clean & Polish

Roof anchor certification is the process of evaluating roof top exterior building maintenance installations. OSHA requires that all building owners of installations must have them inspected, tested and maintained to ensure a safe environment for all workers performing tasks at such a height. Roof certification demonstrates that the building owner has provided this safe environment. If a liability claim is made, the owner has a strong defense that the building meets requirements set forth by OSHA.

Roof installations should be inspected on an annual basis to ensure compliance with safety standards. Timely certification can reduce a property's insurance costs. When coordinated by Clean & Polish, initial roof certification and subsequent annual certification are provided to the client at cost.

An initial roof certification provides an evaluation of the building's engineered and permanently installed anchorage support system. The evaluation is performed by a structural engineering company.

An annual inspection includes a visual inspection of the building's engineered and permanently installed equipment. As defined by OSHA, any "competent" person can perform an annual inspection, providing the initial inspection has been performed by an experienced inspection company and all the proper documentation is in place, and that the inspection is performed within one year of the initial roof certification or previous annual inspection.

The roof certification evaluation process requires an on-site visit and inspection of all existing anchorage support systems. The inspection includes:

Proper location of lifeline and safety line support anchors
Structural condition of eyehooks, davits, sockets, outrigger assemblies and attachment hardware
Condition of protective coating on the assemblies and degree of any ferrous metal corrosion
Structural strength at the roof edge that uses exterior building maintenance lines
Engineered drawings, including proper anchorage design, strength capacity and structural safety
System logbook and operation manual
Photo-documentation of existing anchorage and equipment
Recommendations for load testing, if required

Once the evaluation process is complete and the site is rendered satisfactory, an inspection report and safety certification is issued by a structural engineer, indicating that the exterior maintenance support complies with all building codes and regulations. The report will include a sketch of the roof and acceptable roof anchorage points, and will be delivered to the building owner or property manager. If after careful evaluation, a site does not meet compliance standards, the inspection report will include recommendations to correct the current inadequacies.

Since many buildings do not have dedicated installation, roof structures such as penthouses and cooling tower supports can serve as acceptable anchorage. If no roof structures exist, a contractor must bring mobile equipment to the job site or install exterior building maintenance anchorage.

Installation

The process of installing roof anchorage on a building is as follows:

Review architectural and structural drawings of the building and photograph the roof
Design and lay out primary equipment and fall protection anchorages
Engineer design details, showing secure equipment and structural load capacities (approved by a professional engineer registered in the state in which the building is located)
Budget pricing for supplies and installation and list technical specifications for bidding purposes
Ensure compliance with applicable OSHA, ASME/ANSI or other standards or regulations.

For more information about roof anchor certification please contact Scott Gould, President, Clean & Polish, 800.811.4989 or 301.424.1516, or via cellular phone, 301.252.1509

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