Falling through a fragile roof can be a catastrophic incident for workers with any level of experience, but walkovers may be particularly useful in protecting newcomers who are less familiar with a particular site.
Walkovers don’t just safely span weaker parts of a roof; they clearly demarcate the route to be taken, avoiding any skylights and so on; and they can also offer a flat walking surface on uneven roofs.
In one incident in August 2014, a 25-year-old man on his first roofing job fell through a fragile roof light on a farm building in Bristol, sustaining broken ribs, a spinal fracture and a brain injury.
His employer has since been fined £26,000 with almost £4,000 in costs.
Inspector Sue Adsett from the HSE said: “The young man who fell has had life-changing injuries which have severely affected him and his family.”
Clearly, any such incident is an avoidable tragedy, and experienced workers should also be safeguarded; but it serves as a reminder that injuries can be sustained within weeks of starting work.
Walkovers, edge protection and similar safety devices help to minimise risk on an ongoing basis, so first-time visitors to a site are not put at risk of a fall from height.