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During winter, even a thin layer of snow can render skylights completely invisible to rooftop maintenance crews, just as they must also contend with increased slip hazards. It gives safety managers increased pressure to secure the most reliable guardrail systems on the market, both for skylight fall protection and general rooftop fall safety requirements in freezing weather.
Unguarded skylights are a major rooftop hazard, regardless of whether the skylight itself is being used or operated on.
The first plan of attack for any winter skylight or adjacent rooftop work is determining if alternatives exist to placing workers directly on the roof. Even though elevating workers from inside a structure doesn't eliminate the existence of fall hazards, it does mitigate many additional hazards related to the elements.
Of course, if rooftop work will occur at any point in the year, workarounds will in no way reduce the requirements for roof safety railings and related measures. The most secure and efficient strategy is choosing an OSHA-compliant rooftop guardrail system with proven functionality in all-weather conditions.
Take the time to implement the following strategies for unavoidable skylight and rooftop maintenance in the winter.
In freezing conditions, OSHA 1910.23(a)(3) requires taking action to ensure walking-working surfaces are free of snow and ice. This often creates additional time pressures, just when there's greater risk of slipping at height – yet it's a challenge that must be overcome with even more patience, especially considering:
Trip hazards of all kinds become less visible, due to snow and overcast conditions
Snow and ice create inherent slip hazards, the second-leading cause of workplace injuries
Because falls are the leading workplace hazard, winter rooftop work combines the top two most common workplace hazards in one
OSHA explicitly makes no lesser distinction for the "temporary nature" of a given slip hazard
Roof safety railings that conform more closely to the surrounding environment and restrict access to interior openings can help mitigate fall and slip hazards at once. It's an extremely important consideration, given the higher likelihood of more severe, compounding citations in the event of multiple unaddressed hazards in the same location.
Inspect and Upgrade Skylight Fall Protection as Needed
Skylights carry the same standards for leading edge protection as any interior opening. As always, consider skylight safety as though the glass isn't even there – because it practically isn't, if impacted by several hundred pounds. That's exactly how regulators look at it; OSHA 1926.501, for example, places the same requirements on skylights as for holes.
Yet unlike most other interior openings, skylights require periodic access. This creates additional considerations for roof safety railings around skylights, primarily:
Easy accessibility for authorized skylight technicians
Unencumbered adaptation with other fall protection measures
Sufficient space for maneuvering glass panels and long metal trim
Reduced wear and tear where rooftop guardrail balusters connect to the surface
Bright and visible rail coatings that contrast thick snow cover
It's possible to meet all the above considerations with adjustable, non-penetrating rooftop guardrails. Compared to individual fall-restraint systems, like lanyards, modular roof safety railings extend passive fall protection to all workers in the vicinity.
Non-penetrating guardrails are also easier to maintain, as safety managers only need to periodically inspect a single set of less complex components. Even when work on the skylight requires moving beyond a guardrail's boundaries, modular railing is much easier to modify. It's thus much more compatible with personal devices than standard, fixed railing.
In such cases, customizable skylight screen protection can maintain passive fall protection even after moving the railing aside. If you choose this route, it's important to ensure skylight screens are compatible with the roof material (e.g., standing seam or corrugated metal roofs).
For numerous reasons, it's important to select the most adaptable, user-friendly skylight fall protection system(s) to maximize safety during complex tasks.
If your rooftop has multiple access points, safety managers and crews should prioritize routes that minimize exposure to the elements while changing elevation. This often boils down to prioritizing interior access points whenever possible.
Like skylights, hatch openings must be surrounded by reliable guardrail systems, but with additional considerations:
Full integration with swing gates that carry the same standards as handrails (set in OSHA 1910.29[b])
Hatch covers must allow easy access to and from the ladder; for example, OSHA 1910.23(d)(9) requires counterbalanced hatch covers to reach at least 70° from horizontal
Grab bars, even when not required, are very important to mitigate slip hazards at hatch openings
In icy conditions, workers need all the help they can get maintaining their cadence while exiting or entering a hatchway. To this end, ensure grab bars conform to the following dimensional and spacing standards:
Grab bars must not protrude past ladder rungs (see OSHA 1910.23[d][3])
They must extend 42 in. (1.1 m) above the access level (per OSHA 1910.23[d][7])
Install grab bars the same width as the ladder rungs (OSHA 1910.23[d][8])
It's best practice to space grab bars the same width as the ladder's vertical railings (or rung length)
What about the roof itself? Roofing materials of almost any kind are notoriously vulnerability to freeze-melt cycles, where ice/snowmelt works its way into small openings, then expands and loosens materials when it refreezes. Once begun, it's an incredibly hard cycle to mitigate.
By choosing non-penetrating roof safety railings, you'll achieve equally effective fall protection, compared to permanent systems, but without breaching the roof's outer surface. This protects your structure in two all-important ways:
Prevents the onset of roof damage around anchor bolts
Protects any material warranties, which penetrating systems often void
Note it's similarly possible to protect your roof's aesthetic qualities using folding "stealth rail" systems. Between rooftop maintenance tasks, stealth railing can fold neatly out of the way to preserve your roof's sight lines. Technicians can then quickly and easily lock the railing into its upright position when work begins.
Additional Winter Precautions for Rooftop Work
OSHA also recommends employers take the following added precautions when handling or moving along ice and snow:
Use only high-tread, well-insulated, and water-resistant footwear
Take shorter steps and walk more slowly
Evaluate all snow removal tasks beforehand to determine the safest method – remembering that not all snow conditions are the same
Have a specialist vet surfaces with questionable structural integrity
Be mindful of additional electrical hazards (e.g., power lines or snow removal equipment)
Always verify equipment like snow blowers have proper grounding – and never clear jams by hand or refuel while powered up
Consider aerial lifts and/or personal fall arrest systems when standard equipment, like fixed ladders, are unsafe
In the end, heeding the full range of safety regulations is the responsibility of safety managers, building owners, and boots-on-the-ground crews alike. Always refer to your OSHA or CCOHS regulations to ensure you're meeting the right safety standards for your area and industry.
The best, and perhaps only, way to achieve these aims is working with an industry leader well-versed in numerous fall protection strategies. Skylight fall protection in the winter often depends on reliable guardrail systems. More innovative designs can fulfill numerous leading edge protection requirements in general, especially when combined with additional environmental hazards.
BlueWater is leader in innovative, easy-installation passive fall protection, designed and tested for the widest possible range of common safety standards. To optimize your skylight and overall commercial rooftop protection using rooftop guardrail or other solutions, complete the "Contact" form in the upper right corner of the screen.
