The essential roof fall protection equipment

• The self-supporting guardrail

A self-supporting guardrail is an essential piece of equipment for preventing the risk of falling from a height. This element complies with all CNESST and National Building Code standards. As a self-supporting element, the guardrail is also a fast, effective, and inexpensive way to eliminate fall risks in a specific area and along the entire perimeter of a roof. The self-supporting system acts as a counterweight and makes it so that no perforation of the roof membrane is necessary for its installation. Designed for permanent use, the perforation-free guardrail can also be moved and used temporarily.

• The warning line 

The permanent warning line installed on a roof is an essential element intended to prevent falls from a height. Simple and effective, this element lets you mark off a safety perimeter on a roof and can be installed along with a self-supporting guardrail to secure the premises as much as possible. The warning line is ideally manufactured from rubber for its base, cables, and high-visibility flags. Its manufacture with high-quality materials helps prevent rust and therefore gives it a long lifespan while complying with CNESST standards. The warning line is a means of collective fall protection used to mark off a work area. It must be installed continuously on all sides of the work area and be located 2 or more metres away from any place from which a worker could fall. It must consist of a rigid band, a chain that can’t sag, or a cable equipped with flags made of high-visibility materials.

• The lifeline

The lifeline is a piece of equipment that helps prevent falls from heights in certain specific cases. When other collective protection measures aren’t applicable to the situation in the work area, the lifeline is a solution. This is therefore a means of individual protection, unlike the other two previous methods. It is made up of three parts. The first is the harness, which is a strap system that will be put on and adjusted for the worker in case of a fall. The second is the fall arrest lanyard, which serves as a shock absorber. This element makes it possible to prevent an excessive fall by the worker. The final part is the attachment point, which will be attached to an element with a breaking strength that complies with the standards.

Roof fall protection must be a significantly important point within any company confronted with fall risks in their workplace. To make your task of procuring the essential safety elements easier and for their fast and simple installation, you can work with qualified professionals. You will receive advice and safety information concerning roofs as well as the installation of your elements in total security.

MSK Canada has been a Quebec leader in industrial development for 30 years. Working in the automotive, industrial and commercial fields and fall protection systems, MSK Canada's team of experts will advise you on the best products to maximize your space, increase your productivity and safety when working on roofs. Visit our website at www.mskcanada.com.