Rooftop Safety

Best Practices in Designing & Building Tomorrow’s Sustainable Rooftops

Rooftop designs are evolving at a rapid rate; not only are we seeing unique designs, but we are also seeing rooftops embrace green and solar technology to achieve their sustainability goals.

In addition to looking great, sustainable roofs can offer many benefits. They can manage the impacts of high volumes of rain, reduce energy costs and dependency, and ultimately make for a more sustainable future. But implementing a green roof is not as easy as setting up a garden bed on your roof, there’s a lot to think about: design, structure, irrigation, and optimization. We partnered with ZinCo Canada Inc. to help demystify sustainable rooftop solutions and help you decide if it’s right for your project. Or perhaps, you’re ready to improve an already-existing structure and wondering where to begin.

  • Benefits of a sustainable and/or green rooftop
  • How to go about auditing your roof when looking to go green
  • Tips when selecting and installing a sustainable solution
  • Understanding maintenance requirements & warranties
  • Being sustainable requires a safe rooftop

Restricting Unauthorized Access to Your Rooftop

Bottom view of compliant external access ladder

Why Restrict Unauthorized Roof Access?


Whether you want to prevent vandalism or ensure contractors’ safety, finding ways to prevent unauthorized access and reduce fall risks on your rooftop is essential. For some, climbing onto roofs can seem attractive and exciting. The intent is never to get hurt, but fatal accidents can occur while causing mischief or trying to break into a building. Sometimes it can be as simple as a young adult trying to retrieve a football from the school rooftop. With many rooftops missing the required safety solutions, mixed with the individual on the rooftop needing more training on how to utilize the available fall protection, the results can be fatal. During the winter months, hazards like skylights are challenging to see, even for those who work on rooftops 24/7, making unauthorized access a challenge that needs to be solved.

If someone experiences an injury on your rooftop, even if they access it without your permission, there’s a chance that you could still be liable. In Canada, the Westray Law (Bill C-45) makes the owner of the building criminally liable for injuries that occur on their rooftop. This liability is drastically mitigated when the appropriate rooftop safety solutions are in place.

I Can Simply Cut My Ladder Shorter, Right? Wrong!


Yes, you read that correctly! As we conduct in-person rooftop audits and work with partners across North America, many fixed access ladders are missing the first 5 – 12 feet of their ladder. You might be wondering why… The reason for doing so is to create a safer environment that restricts unwanted access to the roof. The thought process is as follows, if the ladder is too high to reach, then a step or extension ladder will be required, making it challenging for the general public to access the roof.
In principle, it sounds like a great idea, assuming that those that have easy access to a ladder are authorized to be on the roof. The challenge is that cutting the access ladder creates a new hazard that never existed in the first place. Let me explain, by cutting the ladder you are;

  • Cutting a ladder that the manufacturer built to meet your local safety guidelines, making that ladder non-compliant, as the product was altered after being tested and/or stamped.

  • Requiring your staff or service personnel to utilize a step ladder or extension ladder to climb onto the roof access ladder is creating a hazard in itself. Depending on how the ladder is cut there could be a lifeline that can only be used at 12 feet, making it difficult to tie your harness to. Some roof ladders also have a cage, so climbing into the caged ladder from the step ladder you are on poses its own unique hazard.

  • Also, when using a step ladder, it is not safe or allowed to step on the last step. Depending on your ladder length this may be required to climb onto the access ladder.

  • You will not always have three points of contact while climbing. This causes a major concern and increases the risk of a fall.

  • How about when you are now trying to descend from the ladder? If you are descending from a lifeline ladder you will be required to tie off from the lifeline while still being 12 feet from the ground, which is still considered to be a dangerous height across Canada.

  • Being able to descend from the roof also assumes that the step ladder on the ground hasn’t been removed. Being stuck on the roof waiting for someone to open the hatch door is not how service personnel want to spend their day.

  • Is not in compliance with fixed access ladder installation guidelines, as most codes require the bottom rung of a ladder to be around 300 mm (1 foot) off the ground.

As you can see from the above points, cutting your building’s outdoor access ladder 5 – 12 feet from the ground will create many more hazards than it solves. And the alternative, more compliant solution, is much easier and cost-effective to implement.

How Do I Restrict Unwanted Roof Access?


The answer is much simpler than one would think. When purchasing a fixed access ladder from Skyline Group you have the option to have a lockable door that easily integrates into your ladder system. This restricts unwanted access, as anyone who requires access to the roof would require approval or the key from the facility maintenance team or building owner. The installation is simple, as doors are fixed directly to the existing ladder frame, eliminating access to the first 6 – 8 rungs depending on the unit’s installation. If you have a cage on your ladder, a lockable security door attaches to the cage’s body. This restricts access to the inner section of the cage on the ladder. Cameras are also increasing in popularity, with video surveillance being an easy and proactive means to protect your roof from unauthorized access.

Your Rooftop Safety Partner

At Skyline Group we pride ourselves in being leaders in rooftop safety, making roof access and compliance easy. If you are faced with a rooftop hazard, such as a ladder that looks like the ones above, call our team of safety experts to learn about our array of aluminum access ladders and various other rooftop safety solutions.

Roof Hatch Safety – Walmart Reviews Rooftops Across Canada

The Challenge

If a roof hatch is left open while service/maintenance is being conducted, it creates an unprotected opening. Creating a fall hazard.

The Solution

Generally, a fall greater than 3 meters where the hazard cannot be eliminated requires some form of fall protection, like a guardrail to protect workers from a fall hazard.

Walmart is one of Canada’s largest employers. And it is continually growing, by adding more services, including online shopping at Walmart.ca, home delivery, and pickup at stores, with many more locations on the horizon. Every day, the company works with more than 2,100 Canadian suppliers. Safety for customers, staff, and third-party vendors is paramount. This safety-driven culture led Walmart to schedule a site visit with a roofing consultant to better understand how to create a safer working environment on their rooftops.

Roof Hatch Safety: The Fall Hazard

Hatches for industrial, commercial, and institutional (ICI) buildings can pose a fall hazard because they provide access to the roof, most likely greater than 3 meters from the ground. An unexpected fall to the ground from the rooftop can be life-threatening. If the hatch is left open while service/maintenance is being conducted, it creates an unprotected opening. Thus, a fall through the hatch from the rooftop can be just as dangerous as a fall from the roof’s edge, as the floor below the hatch opening can be quite far from the rooftop. When navigating the rooftop, workers may be distracted and not realize that the roof hatch behind them has been left open. This proves true when working on a large project where multiple people are visiting or working on the roof.

Furthermore, the area around the hatch may not be adequately marked or protected, which can increase the risk of someone accidentally stepping into the opening or losing their balance while working near the hatch opening. This risk is particularly heightened when workers must access the roof frequently or in areas with high foot traffic as the chances of a hatch door being left open are higher.

It’s important to note that the Ontario Building Code – Industrial Establishments requires employers to provide fall protection for workers working at heights of 3 meters (approximately 10 feet) above a lower level. This can include using guardrails, safety nets, personal fall arrest systems, or other appropriate measures to prevent falls. So, how tall is your fixed hatch ladder? And do you have a safety solution to prevent a fall-related injury?

Roof Hatch Safety: Minimizing The Risk of a Fall Near a Roof Hatch

Generally, a fall greater than 3 meters where the hazard cannot be eliminated requires some form of fall protection, like a guardrail to protect the worker from danger. In addition, to minimize the risk of a misstep and a potential fall through the roof hatch, it is essential to:

  1. Review and assess where the hatch is installed on the roof. Surprisingly, hatches are often installed on an exterior wall, making the climb out of the hatch onto the roof hazardous as you may be near the roof’s edge.
  2. Ensure the hatch is installed correctly.
  3. Review the hatch’s ability to close and open easily.
  4. Verify that the hatch and connected ladder has remained intact and secured to the roof/wall.
  5. Additionally, facility maintenance teams and 3rd party workers should be trained to identify hazards associated with rooftop hatches and instructed on how to go about using the appropriate fall protection solutions.

Roof Hatch Safety: Barrier Solution Provides a Safe & Compliant Rooftop

With the help of a local roofing consultant, Walmart selected and specified the Skyline 5004 HatchBarrier solution with the addition of hatch grab bars. The galvanized steel hatch guardrail system provides a safe perimeter when roof workers and maintenance staff are on the roof with the hatch door open. The addition of hatch grab bars added an extra layer of safety, ensuring three points of contact when climbing the hatch ladder and stepping onto the roof. From an installation standpoint, everything about Skyline Group’s hatch barrier solution provided a quick and easy installation. In addition, its modular design allowed for easy and fast transport to the roof while making it possible to fasten the barrier to any roof hatch size.

On this rooftop, due to the hatch opening being placed near the roof’s edge, both Walmart and the consultant wanted to minimize concerns of a fall occurring due to a misstep while exiting the hatch onto the rooftop. As a result, the team also installed a non-penetrating safety rail of 10 feet in length, creating a protective barrier between the hatch and the rooftop’s edge. This would ensure that year-round, the proximity of the hatch to the edge of the rooftop would not pose any danger. With the safety rail being non-penetrating, the installation was quick and easy, with no repairs required to the roof membrane, as the safety rail was stabilized with weighted base plates.

Public School Creates a Safe Roof Environment Meeting Ontario TSSA Safety Requirements

The Challenge

TSSA gas technician to raise a concern that the units were located on a sloped surface that would make it difficult to ensure a safe working environment.

The Solution

The rooftop safety solution consisted of a walkway with guardrail and platform system starting at the roof hatch, up the slope of the building, down the roof to three RTUs (HVAC systems).

Huron Centennial Public School

The Avon Maitland District School Board is a full-service, public, English school district in southwestern Ontario, bordering Lake Huron and covering some of the most productive agricultural lands in Canada. It covers the counties of Huron and Perth, with over 160,000 people calling the Avon Maitland District their home. Huron Centennial Public School is one of the schools in this district and is located on 30-plus acres of property in rural Ontario. It is a kind, caring, and compassionate school community with a dedicated, supportive, and professional staff. Their unique natural setting allows students many opportunities to extend their learning outdoors. They have grown to 16 classrooms, including three full-day learning classrooms with teacher/early childhood educator teams.

A Visit from the Ontario TSSA

With the interior of the building undergoing renovations, there was a requirement to update the rooftop units (RTUs). This update to the rooftop units yielded a TSSA gas technician to raise a concern that the units were located on a sloped surface that would make it difficult to ensure a safe working environment. TSSA then notified the consultant that a leveled walkway system to the rooftop units, including handrails and guardrails as well as steps to traverse the slope, would suffice in creating safe access to the RTUs, while creating a compliant working environment.
  • That a permanent guardrail solution will be designed, built, and installed to meet the requirements of section 14 of Ontario Regulation 851 under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
  • The method of securing the guardrail assembly to the building.
  • The design details of the guardrail layout.
  • The drawings are also required to show:
    • A plan/view of the roof.
    • The location of the appliances, appliance panels, new guardrails, or barriers on the roof.
    • That the distance from any open end of the guardrail to the gas-fired HVAC system will be a minimum of 6 feet from the roof’s edge, and that the service clearances are maintained year-round with safe passage.
With the commercial rooftop having a steep slope with no standing seam, Huron Centennial was looking for a team of height safety experts to review their rooftop and conduct a rooftop safety audit, providing a safety solution that surpasses TSSA’s safety requirements.

Solution: Customized Rooftop Guardrail & Walkway System

After discussing the project with their current safety supplier and the potential solution with TSSA, Huron Centennial started searching for a safety partner that would have the design specifications and safety experience to meet their needs. The facility maintenance team at Huron Centennial selected our design and modular solution based on the following;
  • Skyline Group’s extensive experience with meeting and surpassing TSSA’s safety requirements.
  • Quick turnaround on providing a solution that includes engineered stamped drawings, in order to schedule maintenance ASAP with TSSA.
  • Modular solution, making customizing the guardrail and walkway system to meet their needs easy, with no increased lead times.
  • All products, and any customization, is available locally in Perth Ontario. Ensuring a quick turnaround from order to delivery.
  • While the system’s modular design made this custom solution possible, it also drastically reduced the installation time and labor costs. Reducing the required budget for this project.
  • With the solution being manufactured in lightweight aluminum, transporting the material to the roof was quick and easy.
  • Finally, our experience and reputation working with various Canadian school boards made us the preferred vendor.
The rooftop safety solution consisted of a walkway with guardrail and platform system starting at the roof hatch, up the slope of the building, down the roof to three RTUs (HVAC systems). This custom solution created a safe year-round path to and from the rooftop units, with the platforms also providing a safe working environment, away from any potential fall hazard.

Reaching New Heights with a Modular Aluminum Access Ladder

The Challenge

When 3rd party contractors and maintenance teams were looking to access the roof section that houses the school’s gym, easy and safe access to that elevated section wasn’t available.

The Solution

Skyline Group reviewed the building designs and recommended a modular aluminum roof access ladder to ensure a safe and compliant climb to the rooftop.

Montreal High School Takes Safety to New Heights

Visitors who walk through the doors of Louis-Joseph-Papineau high school, located in the Saint-Michel district of Montreal, quickly notice the warm and friendly atmosphere. At Louis-Joseph-Papineau, students are expected to devote themselves to their studies and participate in various committees and  extracurricular activities. Therefore, the school constantly seeks to adapt to the needs and expectations of students by offering them stimulating learning tools.

Various Elevations in Roof Design

Like many rooftops, the Louis-Joseph-Papineau high school has multiple elevations in their design/layout. When 3rd party contractors and maintenance teams were looking to access the roof section that houses the school’s gym, easy and safe access to that elevated section wasn’t available. The roofing contractor, who had previously worked with Skyline Group on various projects, inquired about our line of aluminum roof access ladders.

Safe Roof Access with an Aluminum modular Ladder

The height safety specialists at Skyline Group reviewed the building designs and recommended a modular aluminum roof access ladder to ensure a safe and compliant climb to the rooftop. The specified solution met both the contractor’s and the school’s requirements.

  • Surpassed both national and local safety standards and regulations.
  • Its aluminum structure and modular design made installation quick and easy.
  • The aluminum material ensured that the ladder would remain looking new for years to come. In addition, unlike a steel ladder, an aluminum ladder doesn’t require maintenance to ensure its coating remains intact. Contemplating selecting an aluminum roof access ladder versus a steel roof access ladder?
  • The ladder platform adds a layer of safety when stepping off the ladder, with the guardrails creating a safe perimeter to ensure a firm footing.
  • The ladder and its components were stocked in our Ontario warehouse, making a quick turnaround possible. In addition, with the ladder and its components being manufactured in aluminum, there was no need to delay the delivery to have the ladder coated or painted with a protective layer.

A Customized Catwalk Provides Safe Access to Rooftop Units

The Challenge

The facility maintenance team and property owner wanted to ensure a safe means of navigating to and around the newly added rooftop units.

The Solution

This non-penetrating walkway solution checked all the boxes, a catwalk that was easy to install, safe year-round and compliant with local and national safety codes.

Hamilton General Hospital

Founded in 1848, Hamilton General Hospital (HGH) was the first hospital in Hamilton. Along with providing general medical care to the community, it is home to a number of Hamilton Health Sciences’ key regional referral programs, including burns, cardiac catheterization, cardiac surgery, electrophysiology, endovascular treatment, extracorporeal life support (ECMO), neurosurgery, stroke, trauma and vascular surgery.  It is also home to programs that provide specialized care to our HNHBB residents: cardiology, neurology and spine. In addition to providing leading-edge care, HGH is strongly connected to its neighbourhood and supports outreach activities aimed towards enhancing the quality of life in the surrounding community.

Roof Safety Never Sleeps

The Hamilton General Hospital has one busy rooftop, with improvements to the roof and RTU’s (rooftop units) occurring on a routine basis. Safety never sleeps on this rooftop, and the maintenance team is always looking for solutions to help minimize and eliminate the risk of a slip or fall. Slips and falls are dangerous, and when they occur on a rooftop, they can be fatal. The facility maintenance team and property owner wanted to ensure a safe means of navigating to and around the newly added rooftop units. 

Why Select a Non-Penetrating Roof Catwalk System

After visiting the site with the general contractor and installer, Hamilton General Hospital selected Skyline Group’s non-penetrating aluminum roof catwalk system. This non-penetrating walkway solution checked all the boxes, a catwalk that was easy to install, safe year-round and compliant with local and national safety codes.

  • The modular system allowed for flexibility in designing the walkway solution while ensuring it can easily expand with the needs of HGH’s growing rooftop.
  • The design allowed for a quick and easy installation, reducing labour requirements.
  • The aluminum material made for a lightweight solution, eliminating any load-bearing concerns.
  • With the catwalk being manufactured in aluminum, the system would remain looking brand new, while also keeping its integrity throughout the year. Unlike a steel solution, Skyline Group’s aluminum catwalk systems require little to no maintenance, with no need to have the aluminum coated with a protective layer every year.
  • The plug-and-play process ensured that the roof would require no repairs after installation. With the system being non-penetrating, the installers were not required to reseal and repair the membrane as no screws were used to fasten the unit to the roof. Keeping the warranty and integrity of the roof intact.

Skyline Group’s experience and reputation in building high-quality non-penetrating roof walkway solutions played an important role in being selected for this roof catwalk project.

Commercial Building Looking For Interior Access to The Rooftop

The Challenge

Utilizing a portable step ladder or extension ladder to climb through the hatch is simply not a long-term solution, or safe means of gaining access to the rooftop. It is important to ensure the user can maintain three points of contact throughout their climb, ensuring a safe and compliant working environment.

The Solution

For this roof safety project, the site’s small footprint made a standard fixed hatch ladder the clear option. After reviewing modular and fully welded steel options, the property manager selected the Skyline 7001 series hatch ladder system.

Gaining Interior Access to the Rooftop

The architect designing this commercial building in Montreal attended one of our complimentary lunch and learn sessions. The main objective of their learning session was to review common hazards in climbing to a sloped rooftop.

Contractors and building personnel requiring access to the rooftop are using a portable step ladder or extension ladder to climb through the roof hatch from the top floor. The architect and building owners wanted to create a safe and compliant means of accessing the roof via the hatch opening. There is a fixed outdoor caged wall ladder on the side of the building, although this solution wasn’t always an option during the winter months, as it would pose a potential fall risk. 

Why Install an Interior Roof Hatch Ladder

Installing a roof access hatch with a fixed ladder allows contractors and maintenance personnel easy access to the roof of the building. Ultimately, eliminating the safety risks that come with climbing an exterior wall ladder. Unlike outdoor roof access ladders, interior hatch ladders require little to no maintenance, while maintaining 24/7 restricted access to the rooftop.

Primarily utilizing a portable ladder to climb through the hatch is not a long-term solution, as it would result in personnel not maintaining three points of contact throughout their climb. It was also a dangerous solution, posing a fall risk when climbing up the portable ladder and stepping off it with equipment in hand.

Why Select a Modular Aluminum Hatch Ladder on Your Next Roof Access Project

For this roof safety project, the site’s small footprint made a standard fixed hatch ladder the clear option.

After reviewing modular and fully welded steel options, the property manager selected the Skyline 7001 series hatch ladder system. Both steel and aluminum hatch ladders would be compliant and offer safe access to the rooftop, although Skyline Group’s aluminum modular hatch ladders provided more than just roof safety compliance.

  • Its design allowed for flexibility, making it easy to install stiles in order to help in climbing out of the hatch onto the rooftop. These extensions/stiles extend past the roof hatch door, ensuring three points of contact and a handle to grab onto while stepping off the last step of the fixed hatch ladder onto the rooftop.
  • When compared to a welded or steel option, the aluminum ladder was easy to transport to the top floor and rooftop.
  • An easy and quick installation helped in reducing labour costs and overall budget requirements.
  • The serrated rungs ensure a safe climb every time.
  • Its aluminum finish keeps the ladder looking new, as it is located in an area that will receive a lot of employee foot traffic. In addition, unlike steel ladders, no maintenance is required over time to keep the aluminum ladder looking new. 

Looking to understand how you can ensure safe rooftop access? Connect with our team of safety specialists today to learn more about the hazards that are present on your rooftop.

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