Current workplace legislation requires that any person working at height should be properly protected against the risk of falling. This is especially important for people required to work on roofs for maintenance, inspection and construction tasks, as they can be exposed to significant risks. Changes in weather, fragile roof elements, slips and trips, wind and steep inclines can all add to the dangers, so providing a safe system of work for anyone required to access a roof is essential and ensures compliance with regulations and the safety of employees and contractors.
Roofs are also used to provide access for other regular building maintenance and inspection tasks, such as rope access work or access to cradles and suspended gantries, where the need for a secure and sometimes comprehensive anchorage system is essential.
With all of these considerations in mind, Uniline developed Roofsafe, an extruded aluminium rail system which combines a simple, functional anchorage system with very high levels of user safety and great aesthetics. It is the perfect compliment to any building and mitigates many of the risks associated with roof work.
The Roofsafe Rail System offers the very latest in fall protection technological development. The extruded aluminium rail system can be fitted to built up and composite metal pitched roof systems and a variety of standing seam roof systems, providing an extremely aesthetically pleasing and practical safety system.
Roofsafe can be used to facilitate roof inspections, routine maintenance, gutter cleaning, façade access, access to roof plant and any number of other roof top work procedures.
Roofsafe for built up and composite roof systems
The system is fixed to the outer skin of the roof system using aluminium bulb type rivets. The use of this type of rivet in the correct sequence ensures safety, without compromising the integrity of the roof. The small penetrations are further sealed using approved roofing products and rivets are supplied with caps. Fixing holes are drilled on site to suit the roof profile, ensuring installation is quick, easy and cost effective.
Key features and benefits of the system
- Roofsafe is the only direct to roof rail system that can facilitate changes in direction and roof slopes, ensuring continuous safe roof access where it is needed
- Roofsafe’s low profile and discreet design provides an unobtrusive safety anchorage solution, ensuring a buildings appearance need not be spoilt by anchor points and cables
- Roofsafe provides a safety anchorage system for multiple users, allowing more complex maintenance tasks to be undertaken in an efficient manner, including suspended rope access work
- Even load distribution through the fixing system ensures complete safety in the event of a multi-user fall without damaging the integrity of the roof system
- The solid nature of the anchorage ensures no deflection or unnecessary loading of anchor points during use and makes the product especially beneficial on roofs with a pitch of more than 15 degrees.
- This gives the user a high level of confidence
- The simple and robust design of the Roofsafe product reduces the requirement for annual inspections under normal conditions, which in turn reduces the need to expose people to the risks associated with work at height. Typical maintenance periods extend to 5 year intervals, providing the additional benefit of reduced cost of ownership
- A four wheel attachment carriage runs effortlessly along the extruded aluminium rail, making the system extremely user friendly. An important factor when promoting the use of a roof safety anchorage
- The light weight modular rail system comes in 2.5m sections, making it easy to transport and handle on site
- The Roofsafe System eliminates many common hazards associated with cable based fall protection systems including cable fretting, cable tension, cable deflections, accidental roof anchor deployment, passing of intermediate cable supports, roof sheet abrasion and roof traversing.
Roofsafe for standing seam roof systems
A range of non-penetrative clamps enables the system to be fitted to a variety of standing seam roof systems. The low profile, aesthetic benefits of the product lends itself especially well to this type of roofing system, which is often used on high profile and distinctive buildings.
Product integration
Successful safety system design requires early input from trained safety professionals. Uniline’s team is on hand to provide you with design input, identifying system layouts, fixing detail, structural suitability and discussing how the system will be utilised. This is an important feature of Uniline’s product offer and it ensures that system designs are both safe and practical, providing complete functionality for future users.
For architects, Uniline can provide technical drawings and specification details to help with the inclusion of its products in building specification documents and tenders. Local design assistance, site visits, installation and training is facilitated by our network of Approved Contractors, all of whom are trained and audited by Uniline to ensure our end user customers receive the best possible service.
Key components of the Roofsafe system
- Base Plate
The one piece base plate's unique profile facilitates ease of installation and directs water away from fixing points. Each length is joined with a spigot pin to provide additional strength and to help with alignment. Standard lengths are 2.5m.
- Spreader Plates
The spreader plates incorporate the same fixing features as the base plate and facilitate attachment of the system 'upslope' to a variety of wider roof profiles.
- Corners
The Roofsafe System is available with 90 and 45 degree corners as standard and ridge and valley rail joints can be formed to allow continuous attachment.
- End Stops
Stops incorporated at each end of the system provide a buffer for the attachment carriages and keep users a safe distance from the roof edge during use.
- Attachment Carriage
The 4 wheel carriage, can be left permanently on the rail or removed for storage. A parking facility makes it ideal for work positioning activities on steeper roofs. The carriage's design allows it to glide easily along the system no matter what the angle of take off.
All components are made from 6082 T6 Aluminium and can be anodised or powder coated to provide additional resistance to environmental conditions or enhance the products aesthetic appeal. All stainless steel parts are manufactured from grade 316 or higher for good corrosion resistance.
Testing and approvals
When selecting a safety system for your building or structure, you need to feel certain you are providing a well engineered and totally safe solution to future access requirements, giving you peace of mind. Uniline go to great lengths in the design and development process to ensure that the products you buy are robust, functional and offer good value for money. Uniline operates comprehensive product testing programmes in conjunction with major roof manufacturers to ensure Roofsafe offers the highest standards of safety, without compromising the roof systems performance. Roofsafe conforms with International Fall Protection Standards including EN795, OSHA, CSA and AS/NZS and is CE Marked to the European PPE Directive.
A complete solution
As well as Roofsafe, Uniline also offer steel wire and synthetic cable fall protection systems, roof anchors, other horizontal rail systems, rescue products and vertical climbing systems for permanent applications. All of Uniline’s systems provide hands free continuous protection and offer a wide range of fixing solutions for modern buildings and structures.
For more information on RoofSafe Rail Systems, please click here.
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