If you have fall protection equipment installed on your site, then regular maintenance and compliance testing and inspections should be something you’re already aware of. But if your site or building needs new fall protection equipment, then you might not be aware of exactly how often your system should be inspected.
The truth is, each piece of personal fall protection equipment has different compliance testing requirements. Some require inspection from a competent person (an individual with the appropriate training and experience to ensure a piece of fall protection equipment actually meets the latest height safety regulations and standards) every 6 months, some every 12.
There’s also some nuance to consider here, too. Inspecting your fall protection equipment doesn’t always refer to the fall protection compliance testing and inspection carried out by a height safety company like Altus Safety. There are things you and your team can do to ensure your system’s safety between inspections, too.
In our blog today, we’ll talk about the different compliance testing requirements for various fall protection systems and their personal protective equipment and give some helpful tips and tricks about how to look after your equipment between inspections.
Why Regular Inspection Is So Important For Fall Protection Equipment
Regular fall protection inspection services are vital if you want to keep your workers safe when they are carrying out work at height. Here are just some of the key reasons:
- Remaining compliant – In the UK there are strict compliance laws associated with working at height equipment that must be adhered to at all times to protect workers. These are relevant to the design, installation, maintenance and compliance testing of a range of fall protection equipment. Failure to comply will result in costly penalties.
- Extending lifespan – Your equipment will perform better and last longer when it is well cared for and regularly inspected for early signs of damage.
- Catch wear and tear early – Leading on from the last point, these inspections are designed to nip small problems in the bud to keep your system in use and protect your workers before they become a bigger problem.
- Increase worker confidence – Working at height isn’t exactly a walk in the park, but when workers know they’re carrying out tasks at a compliant site, they feel safer and are more productive as a result.
- Improve site safety – Having a system that is regularly inspected proves its safety, and therefore improves the safety of your entire site.
- Ensure it works as it should – This might seem an obvious one, but fall protection equipment needs to be regularly tested to ensure its functionality too. Even away from a safety perspective, improperly functioning equipment only serves to make your site less efficient, so it’s important that the systems you have in place are regularly tested to ensure they’re doing the best job they can.
Different Types Of Fall Protection Equipment & Their Testing/Inspection Requirements
At Altus Safety we design, install, maintain and inspect a full range of fall protection equipment and systems, so we have experience with all of the systems below:
- Guardrails & handrails
- Safety line systems – vertical & horizontal lines
- Overhead safety systems
- Mobile man anchors
- Skylight protection systems
- Eyebolts & anchor points
Below we’ll take a look at the legal requirements regarding these systems and their testing and inspection requirements. If you require fall protection system inspection support for your personal fall protection systems and height safety equipment, then contact our team today.
When Is Guardrail/Handrail System Inspection Necessary?
Handrail and guardrail systems are excellent forms of edge protection, designed to skirt around the edge of a roof to prevent falls from happening in the first place. They’re designed with robust materials and offer a bespoke design to suit any roof – sloped, flat or otherwise.
They are, however, designed to support the weight of more than one worker should a fall occur, so they need to be regularly inspected and compliance tested to ensure no part of the system is weakened and to protect workers from harm.
There are several key regulations which dictate how and how often guardrails must be tested and inspected:
- Working at Height Regulations (2005)
- Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (1998)
- BS 13700:2021 – explains how freestanding guardrails should be tested
- BS EN 13374-2013 Class A & BS EN ISO 14122-3:2016 – explains how permanent guardrails should be tested
According to all regulations though, it’s vital that guardrail systems be inspected and compliance tested by a competent person a minimum of every 12 months and after any fall or incident involving the system on site.
How Often Do Safety Line Systems Need To Be Inspected?
There are two main types of safety line system – horizontal and vertical. Both work in the same way, by offering a track or route for a worker to attach themselves to, using a lanyard, safety line, anchor point, and body harness.
In horizontal systems the system runs alongside an individual and in vertical systems they move up and down. Both are excellent forms of fall protection – vertical systems for ladder usage in plants and for roof access, and horizontal systems for plant access and roof work.
They both are designed to prevent falls and can even act as fall arrest should a fall occur, preventing more serious injuries and holding a worker in place until a rescue operation can begin.
To meet current legislation, both vertical and horizontal safety line systems have to be inspected a minimum of every 12 months by a competent person (like a member of our team at Altus Safety).
What Are The Testing Requirements For Overhead Safety Systems?
Overhead safety systems also run on a track like the safety line systems above, but the track runs overhead and you attach yourself to the track above you. They’re great systems for construction sites, warehouses, or for plant access.
They work very similarly to safety line systems and are also legislated by BS EN 795:2012. According to this piece of legislation and the latest industry standards, overhead track safety systems should again be tested and inspected a minimum of every 12 months.
When Should Mobile Man Anchors Be Inspected By Professionals?
Mobile man anchor safety testing is again legally required every 12 months, but should be carried out sooner if any issues are spotted. Mobile man anchors are portable solutions that provide a secure attachment point for workers carrying out tasks at height.
They’re safe and convenient to use, but their regular maintenance, inspection and testing is vital to help ensure the system remains safe for all users.
Do Skylight Protection Systems Need A Detailed Inspection By A Competent Person?
Yes. This might seem odd, because if you’re familiar with skylight protection systems, you’ll know that they essentially just act as a physical barrier on the roof to prevent workers from accidentally standing on the fragile surface of a rooflight or skylight.
But it’s precisely because they act as a physical barrier that they need to be tested. Skylight protection systems can be made of uPVC or galvanised mesh, but both need to be positioned correctly and of the correct strength to ensure protection.
That’s why it’s recommended that skylight protection is compliance tested every 12 months by a competent person. This is the minimum recommendation. For roofs with high footfall, more regular testing may be necessary because of the risks that skylights and rooflight pose to individuals working on roofs.
When Do Eyebolts & Anchor Points Need Inspecting?
Eyebolts and anchor points are designed to be secure attachment points for workers carrying out tasks at height. Without them, the worker is at risk of falling; and often falling great distances which threaten serious injury or death. Anchor devices conforming to the latest height safety standards is vital to protect workers and contractors on site.
Eyebolt and anchor point safety testing must be carried out every 12 months, generally, according to PUWER 1998 and BS EN 795 & BS 7883 2019 standards. However Class A eyebolts (those that are suitable for rope access) MUST be inspected a minimum of every 6 months due to their increased load bearing and frequent use.
What Can Your Team Do In Between Inspections To Protect Themselves And Ensure Proper Asset Management?
Whilst a compliance test will need to be carried out at the frequency suggested above, there are things you and your team can do between inspections to improve the safety of your fall protection equipment.
Before and after each use, every piece of fall protection equipment should be inspected by a member of your team. Here’s what to look for:
- Pre-use checks: Involving a tactile and visual inspection of the equipment. Make sure all parts function as they should and are inspected prior to use.
- Signs of wear and tear: Any signs of wear and tear should be recorded and if in doubt, the system should be taken out of use until a competent person can carry out a detailed inspection and compliance test.
- All inspections recorded: Whenever any inspection is carried out, this should be recorded to provide accurate records of recent inspections.
- Post-use checks: All tactile and visual inspections carried out before use should be carried out after use, too.
By encouraging your team to take ownership over their own safety, you can improve the overall safety of your site and reduce fall risks greatly between inspections.
How Often Should Fall Protection Equipment Be Inspected: Final Thoughts
Fall protection equipment should be inspected by a competent person every 12 months. There are exceptions, however, and so it’s important that you know the requirements for your specific equipment.
At Altus Safety we never let our customers forget their compliance appointment. We provide each client with a dedicated account manager who will make sure you stay on top of your compliance tests and inspections.
Work with our team and we’ll ensure your fall protection equipment is fully compliant, helping you protect your workers and improve the safety of your site.