This project at Grange Road Industrial Estate in Shoreham provided safe edge protection for contractors working on the roof.
Unlike a traditional scaffold, which is erected up the full face of a building, the main requirement here was protection around the open roof edges. The building has a large metal sheet roof, so we installed a handrail system along the front and rear elevations to create a safer working area while the roof works were undertaken.
We installed approximately 80 linear metres of double guardrail, along with toe boards, to help prevent tools and materials from rolling off the roof. Our team also provided fixed ladder access and a safety ladder gate as part of the setup.
The scaffold was supplied for three weeks for £2,800.
For other roofing, repair and maintenance scaffolds in the area, our scaffolders in Shoreham provide safe access solutions for houses, commercial premises and construction sites throughout Shoreham-by-Sea.
Access to the roof was provided through a single scaffold access tower, giving workers a designated point for getting on and off the roof rather than accessing it from different areas around the building.
The tower incorporated fixed ladder access, safety access gates and fall protection, providing a protected route up to roof level. From this access point, workers could move onto the roof, where the handrail scaffold provided edge protection along the required elevations.
This arrangement combined one controlled access point with continuous guarding around the exposed roof edges, providing safe access without additional access towers around the building.
Protection was also needed at roof level to reduce the risk of loose materials travelling over the edge.
We fitted toe boards along the front and rear elevations, creating a low-level barrier beneath the guard rails. On a large sheeted roof such as this, tools and materials can easily be knocked or roll towards an exposed edge while work is taking place.
The toe boards help contain these items within the working area rather than allowing them to pass underneath the handrails.
This complemented the double guardrails above, with each part of the scaffold serving a different purpose: the handrails protected those working on the roof, while the toe boards helped contain materials at a lower level.
We included a designated access point so workers could reach the required level safely.
We installed fixed ladder access, removing the need for workers to use an unsecured ladder or find another route onto the scaffold.
We fitted a safety ladder gate at the access opening. This allowed workers to enter or leave the scaffold while maintaining guarding around the access point when the gate is closed.
We also provided double handrails on the boarded platform, maintaining protection around the scaffold access area.
These details are relatively simple parts of the overall installation, but they are important for providing a practical route onto and off the scaffold without creating an unnecessary opening in the edge protection.
The scaffold was supplied on a three-week hire period for £2,800, giving the contractors the access and protection required while the roof works were completed.
With the handrail system in place along the required roof edges and a dedicated access tower providing a controlled route to roof level, the completed setup was designed around the practical requirements of the job.
The photographs show the finished installation along the perimeter of the metal roof, leaving the main roof area clear for contractors to work safely throughout the hire period.
We also provide access scaffolding for complete roof replacement projects throughout the local area. See another recent example of our re-roofing scaffold in Erringham Road, Shoreham-by-Sea, erected to give roofers safe, practical access while working on a residential property.
