What is the Right Roof Anchor Point for your Roof?
Anchor Points or Roof Anchor Points can consist of Rope Access / Abseil Anchor Points & Fall Arrest Anchor Points. They form a part of the Working at Height Personal Protection Equipment which also includes Safety Harnesses, Lanyards and Static Lines. The main types of Anchor Point fixings are Surface Mounted (Directly to the metal roof using screws or rivets), Purlin Mounted (Directly into the Purlin Itself), Concrete Mounted (Glue in or Friction Fixed) and Steel Fixed.
Most Roof Anchor Points have a rating of 15kN and can be used for either fall arrest, abseil or both. It is ideal to always work in fall restraint where possible. Anchor Points must be inspected and certified every 12 months by a competent and licensed individual as required by AS 1891.4. Most types of anchor points only need to be visually inspected although Concrete mounted Glue In and Friction mounted anchors need to be load tested to 50% of their marked capacity for 3 minutes.
How Can We Help You?
Height Safety Central provides a wide range of roof anchor points with varying methods of attachment, such as timber frames, steel purlins, chemical concrete and metal roof profiles for both fall arrest and abseiling . All of our supplied safety anchors comply with AS 5532 and are certified to AS 1891.
What are the different types of roof anchor points?
There are different anchor points depending on how they provide protection. Fall Arrest systems are made to protect you during free falls, They come with an attachment point that 'arrests' you mid-air, preventing you from hitting the ground.
Rope Access Anchor Points are made to make it easier to ascend, traverse, and descend heights and surfaces while being suspending in a safety harness. These are used mainly by Rope Access technicians doing building maintenance and window cleaners to access high-floor windows.
You can also go for fall restraint anchors that protect you from falling any distance by keeping you away from unprotected edges or sides.
Roof Anchors are usually made of stainless steel due to its high strength and resistance to extreme weather conditions, like those in Australia.
Temporary Roof Anchor Points.
Temporary anchorage points provide protection in situations in which fixed anchors do not exist or are not efficient to be installed for one off jobs. A temporary anchor point may be placed prior to use and removed after work, ensuring no damage to structure.
Temporary roof anchors can be fastened to a wide variety of roof structure types with the most common being metal clad roofing like Corrugated and Trim Deck Colorbond profiles as the original screw fixings can be removed and the temporary anchor can be fastened using these fixing points.
Permanent Roof Anchor Points.
Permanent roof safety anchor points are an inexpensive, easy installation component that is found in many height protection systems. Permanent anchoring is ideally suited for clients who require periodic maintenance such as air conditioning maintenance, skylight cleaning, solar panel cleaning , roofing & gutter maintenance.
The permanent mounting anchor point system enables workers to secure themselves from edges with work positioning lanyards and harnesses. Permanently mountable fall arrest systems can handle the forces needed to arrest the falling.
Some of the most widely used permanent roof anchors are the Hi Safe RA 10 Purlin Anchors, The Ferno Roof Lok, Top Lok, Purlin Lok Anchors, the Sayfa 3Sixty Rapid and 3Sixty top mount anchors.
Concrete Mounted Roof Anchor Points.
Designed to attach to a concrete surface either using chemicals or torque. It is much subtler than a standard mount. Usually used in concrete-covered buildings as abseiling devices or for fall control.
Common types of concrete roof anchors are 316 stainless steel long tapered design eyebolts, shorter abseiling type eyelets, collared eyebolts, stainless D-rings and concrete inserts so the eyebolt can be removed and or repositioned.
Surface Mounted Metal Roof Anchor Points.
If you are working on metal roofs, surface mount anchor points are the ideal option. They are versatile, and you can easily install them into the roof sheeting using Bulb Tite Pop rivets or in some cases Fab Lok expanding sleeve fasteners. The correct gauge 316 stainless steel screws can also be used going directly into the substructure.
Variety's of these have inbuilt shock limiters or shock absorbers like the ANCHOR Safe Shock Limiter system from Ferno which is a 360 degree swivel attachment device that provides the user with uninterrupted access to their work area. Other manufacturers have a Frog Link spring style absorption system or specifically cut out slots in the material to allow for the energy absorption with additional overload indicators.
Tiled Roof Truss Mounted Anchor Points.
Anchor points for tiled roofs are specially made to ensure you can easily install them without any damage or holes made through the roof tiles or through the Sarking.
They have unique energy-absorbing properties that allow you to fix them to a timber rafter with the attachment point protruding below the tiles making it unobtrusive.
Two of the most common would be the Sayfa Cobra and the SafetyLink TileLink.
Anchor Point Testing And Certification
The building owner and or body corporate have a duty to comply with prevailing standards in regards to height safety. Australian standards (AS/NZS 1891) require an inspection and certification of all roof anchor points, regardless of the type and application, every 12 months by certified and competent personnel.
This ensures that they meet the stringent safety requirements. These strict standards were established due to the inherent risks associated with working at height are significant. Anchor points are susceptible to damage by a natural element or modification to their construction.
Your Responsibility as a building owner or an employer.
Roof work and working at heights is a challenging work environment with significant risk, Uneven surfaces combined with steep roof pitches make it even more difficult. Employers are responsible for maintaining their employees safety by adopting adequate safety procedures. An employer can be sued under Australian law for noncompliance.
If your job involves working on a roof for installation purposes, roof maintenance, gutter cleaning, air conditioner installation or for rooftop solar you know how risky it is regardless of the height you work at. Surveys shows that approximately 26 workers die and 7,700 sustain serious injury falling from heights annually in Australia.
Safety should be one of your top priorities, which is why you may need roof anchor points for you and your employees.
Considerations when choosing a roof anchor point.
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The type of work you want them for
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The amount and type of loads and forces you want the anchor point to withstand
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The part of the roof you plan on installing it to
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The type of lanyard and the anchor points it can connect to safely
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The Cost
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The Manufacturer
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The Sellers
Why Choose Us?
There are numerous roof anchor point companies to choose from in Australia. However, the following aspects set us apart, making us one of the best.
Experience
We have been in the anchor point business for years and have worked with clients with different needs. This has given us extensive experience in determining which anchor point is best for your installation and maintenance needs.
This experience has also familiarised us with all the codes and standards our anchor points must meet.
Reputable Manufacturers
Your safety is our number one priority, so we only supply the most researched and tested height safety systems from brands that look at the key considerations such as the harsh environment, load bearing capacity, safety standards, batch tested products, uniform load distribution and different materials.
Warranty
As we only sell the leading brands of roof safety anchor points whilst also only giving honest guidance regarding installing of roof anchor points or a fall arrest system our suppliers stand by the best warranty's in the market.
Affordability
We want to ensure you get the best quality height safety equipment without breaking the bank, which is why we offer the best prices possible on your anchor points system.