Free information – green roofs- Living it up

According to fall-protection supplier, Latchways, there is a common misconception that extensive green roofs are maintenance-free. In fact, says the company, they require full access over the whole planted area for a range of maintenance tasks, at least twice a year, while maintenance of building elements may also be needed.The company’s new document – Living roofs for life, a guide to designing-in safe access and maintenance for green roofs – has been prepared with help from other organisations and experts directly involved in green-roof development. It includes requirements for access and maintenance of green roofs, and covers alternative fall-protection solutions when accessing them.Provision for safe access should be designed-in rather than left until the building is complete, says the company. Collective measures such as guardrails are preferred, particularly where more frequent access is needed by workers with limited high-level operational experience or training.However, there may be architectural, technical, or cost reasons why guardrails are unsuitable for perimeter protection, warns Latchways. In such situations, it suggests, cable-based fall-restraint or fall-arrest solutions are the least invasive alternative.The guide is available at www.latchways.com/greenroof