When a building is 10 feet (3 metres) high or more, workers working on the roof must be equipped with fall protection devices. The law thus stipulates that wearing a safety harness is mandatory for any worker exposed to a fall of over 10 feet from their working position, unless the worker is protected by another device that provides them with equivalent safety or by a safety net, or when they’re only using a means of access or exit.

Delineating the work area: defining the safety perimeter

Before installing guardrails or performing a snow removal operation, or to protect the access to an opening, it’s mandatory to install – 2 metres from the edge of the roof or an opening – a safety perimeter with a minimum height of 0.7 metres.

When should you use self-supporting guardrails?

When the configuration of the premises makes installing guardrails on the acroterion or terrace complicated or impossible, it’s wise to use self-supporting guardrails. This protection system is more economical and practical than fixed guardrails, anchor points, and life lines. It lets you avoid drilling into the roof membrane, and some models of self-supporting guardrails are even designed to be used permanently.

What do workplace health and safety regulations say about guardrails?

Any guardrail incorporated into a building, except one outfitted with equipment, must comply with the National Building Code as it reads at the time of its installation. Other guardrails must be designed, constructed, and installed to withstand the following minimum loads:

• a horizontal point load of 0.55 kN applied to any point along the upper handrail;
• a vertical load of 1.5 kN per linear metre applied to the upper handrail.
• These guardrails must also have an upper handrail located between 900 mm (35 inches) and 1,100 mm (43 inches) from the floor and at least one intermediate handrail attached midway between the upper handrail and the floor.

Fall prevention is commonly considered to be the responsibility of the employer. This is incorrect, because since the Criminal Code was modified by Law C-21 in 2004, any person who demonstrates negligence, from the administrator to the employee, including supervisors and subcontractors, can be held liable in the event of an accident. In effect, the person responsible for directing a job must take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of workers and the public while complying with the applicable standards.