Safe roof access is a prerequisite for any height safety system. Here's what AS 1657 demands for ladders, hatches, and walkways, and how to choose the right configuration.
Before any worker sets foot on a roof, specific competency units and site training must be in place. Here's what employers need to verify.
AS/NZS 1891.4 sets a maximum interval of 12 months between inspections. But frequency is only part of the picture. What gets inspected, who is qualified to do it, and what happens when something fails are equally important.
WHS Regulations require PCBUs to apply fall protection measures in a specific order. Understanding this hierarchy is not optional. It determines what systems your building needs and how regulators will assess your compliance.
Solar installations change everything about roof access. Panels create new trip hazards, restrict movement paths, and complicate fall protection geometry. Getting the height safety design right before solar goes on the roof saves significant cost and disruption.
Both systems prevent falls, but they work differently and sit at different levels of the WHS hierarchy of controls. The right choice depends on your roof configuration, maintenance frequency, and budget.
The 2025 revision of AS 5532 updates the manufacturing requirements for single-point anchor devices. If you are specifying, installing, or inspecting anchor points, you need to understand what has changed and what it means for existing installations.