Expert Rooftop Safety Solutions
in Ontario
For key decision makers, the statistics around fall-related workplace injuries in Ontario make for urgent reading, with an average of 80 workers injured every 20 minutes due to a fall. Rather than serving as mere numbers, these are a profound reminder of how the devastating impacts of falls from height could have been prevented. That’s why we’re committed to achieving one important mission: to create safe elevated work areas that protect people, companies and brands. Get started with Skyline today and take your first steps towards creating a culture of safety where workers at height are protected.
injuries every
year due
to falls
in Ontario die
each year from
fall accidents
of one
workplace injury
in Ontario
Mississauga
1633 Trinity Dr. Mississauga,
Ontario, Canada L5T 1K4
Open From 7a.m. to 5p.m. (EST)
Our Solutions
Ensure safe access to rooftops, hatches, and maintenance platforms with customizable aluminum access ladders. Our fixed roof ladders and step ladders can be configured to meet a wide array of applications. Ensuring your infrastructure and working environment align with Ontario’s safety requirements.
Ontario’s commercial and industrial rooftops commonly house HVAC systems, solar panels, and various other RTUs (rooftop units), which often require careful navigation. Our array of fixed and non-penetrating Guardrails and bumplines provides a reliable, proactive method for your teams to safely navigate over and around these installations when near the edge of the roof. Safety guardrails help minimize the risk of a trip or fall while accessing or working at new heights.
Our array of aluminum and paver walkways offers robust support for Ontario workers, ensuring their safety while navigating to and from various rooftop access points. Walkway systems also help in creating a levelled rooftop, ensuring a safe working environment that minimizes the risk of slips and falls while navigating the rooftop.
Crossover Bridges are the perfect solution for safely navigating Ontario’s rooftops, when obstacles are obstructing access to a required access point. This safety solution ensures safe passage across areas cluttered with RTUs, ducts and more, improving on rooftop safety.
Our specialized roof hatch safety solutions are engineered to facilitate safe and secure access to the rooftop while creating a safe environment around the hatch when left open. Lowering the risk of fall-related injuries by ensuring robust entry and exit points across Ontario’s diverse commercial and industrial roofing environments.
Ontario’s height safety regulations highlight the need for safety when working around skylights, as they pose a significant hidden fall risk. Our skylight safety solutions are designed and manufactured to shield workers from these hazards, promoting a safer work environment when navigating on and around skylights.
Temporary safety systems are engineered to offer the critical strength and stability needed for short-term projects, providing a versatile and reliable safety solution tailored to Ontario’s construction safety requirements when working at height.
Our custom solutions ensure your rooftop meets Ontario’s rigorous safety standards, offering peace of mind and compliance through modular-designed safety products.
Our Services
How the consultation works
Your On-site Consultation
A roof safety specialist will confirm your on-site consultation prior to arriving, ensuring approved access to the building. The duration of the consultation is dependent on the roof size and layout, but will typically take anywhere from a few hours to half a day.
Identifying Safety Risks & Hazards
Our findings are summarized and include a list of fall hazards that exist, regulations/standards that are impacted, recommended safety solutions, along with a guided tour of your rooftop.
Minimizing Risk – Safety & Compliance Made Easy
Our findings will serve as a guide in minimzing the risk of injury, detailing the recommended solutions in order to minimize the hazards at-hand, and ultimately ensuring your rooftop is in compliance with both federal and British Columbia’s provincial safety requirements. This information can also serve as a log for yearly inspections.
What You’ll Receive
This program provides the peace of mind of knowing your rooftop is compliant, and most importantly safe for maintenance teams and roof workers to navigate.
How the training works
Personalized Learning
Skyline Group will schedule a time to visit your British Columbia based office and present on height safety regulations and how to identify potential risks. You will learn about rooftop fall protection and access systems and how they can be applied in various rooftop applications, along with how they can reduce the liability for property owners, and ultimately create a safer working environment. If an online webinar is preferred, we can indeed accommodate for a digital learning experience.
Coffee Break
The most productive learning takes place on a full stomach. When requested, Skyline provides a catered lunch to all participants in our Lunch and Learn Program.
Certificate of Participation
All participants will receive a certificate of participation on completion of the course. Ideal for property management professionals, specifiers and contractors, this certificate helps workers in British Columbia demonstrate their safety credentials and expertise.
What people have to say
French Fry Production Plant Improves Roof Safety: A Case Study
Local Regulations
and Compliance
Sections 26.1 to 26.9 apply where a worker may be exposed to any of the following hazards
1. Falling more than 3 metres.
2. Falling more than 1.2 metres, if the work area is used as a path for a wheelbarrow or similar equipment.
3. Falling into operating machinery.
4. Falling into water or another liquid.
5. Falling into or onto a hazardous substance or object.
6. Falling through an opening on a work surface. O. Reg. 145/00, s. 12; O. Reg. 85/04, s. 4; O. Reg. 345/15, s. 4.
Sections 26.3
(1) Despite paragraph 1 of section 26, a guardrail system that meets the requirements of this section shall be used if a worker has access to the perimeter or an open side of any of the following work surfaces and may be exposed to a fall of 2.4 metres or more:
1) A floor, including the floor of a mezzanine or balcony.
2) The surface of a bridge.
3) A roof while formwork is in place.
4)A scaffold platform or other work platform, runway or ramp. O. Reg. 145/00, s. 14; O. Reg. 345/15, s. 6.
(2) One of the following precautions shall be used to prevent a worker from falling through an opening on a work surface:
1) A guardrail system that meets the requirements of this section.
2) A protective covering that,
i) completely covers the opening,
ii) is securely fastened,
iii) is adequately identified as covering an opening,
iv) is made from material adequate to support all loads to which the covering may be subjected, and
v) is capable of supporting a live load of at least 2.4 kilonewtons per square metre without exceeding the allowable unit stresses for the material used. O. Reg. 145/00, s. 14.
https://www.safetyguystraining.com/oreg-21391.html
Ontario R.R.O 1990, Reg. 851: Industrial Establishments Section 18(1) Subject to subsection (2), an access ladder fixed in position shall,
(a) be vertical;
(b) have rest platforms at not more than nine metre intervals;
(c) be offset at each rest platform;
(d) where the ladder extends over five metres, above grade, floor or landing, have a safety cage commencing not more than 2.2 metres above grade, floor or landing and continuing at least ninety centimetres above the top landing with openings to permit access by a worker to rest platforms or to the top landing;
(e) have side rails that extend ninety centimetres above the landing; and
(f) have rungs which are at least fifteen centimetres from the wall and spaced at regular intervals. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 851, s. 18 (1); O. Reg. 420/10, s. 4.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to an access ladder on a tower, water tank, chimney or similar structure which has a safety device which will provide protection should a worker using the ladder fall. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 851, s. 18 (2).
Where frequent access is required to equipment elevated above or located below floor level, permanent platforms shall be provided with access by a fixed,
a) stair; or
b) access ladder. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 851, s. 19.
Controls
The following minimum fall protection measures and procedures are recommended to protect workers who may be exposed to the hazard of falling when working on or near skylights on rooftops of buildings or other structures:
1) ensure a risk assessment and job hazard analysis is performed before any work takes place. The analysis should answer the following questions:
a) Are skylights installed at the worksite?
b) In what condition are the skylights?
c) Can the skylights support the impact of a falling worker?
d) Are the skylights suitably guarded or shielded to prevent a worker from falling through?
c) Is there space to position (install) temporary guardrails or barriers around or over the skylights?
2) Establish and monitor the implementation of a fall protection program. Make continuous improvements, as required, based on knowledge, expertise and practical experience
3) limit rooftop access by implementing a roof permit system in which only authorized people and competent workers can gain access to the roof, and
4) ensure all workers who go up on a roof are trained to recognize, evaluate and control all fall related hazards.
Specific controls for skylights:
1) Every skylight must be considered to be a fall hazard when workers are on a roof. The only exception is if the employer has obtained an opinion from an Ontario-licensed Professional Engineer that the skylight can withstand any load to which it may be subjected and is not likely to endanger a worker.
2) A Fall Protection Program must be established and implemented to protect workers who work near a skylight and may include the following fall protection measures:
a) temporary guardrails or barriers around a skylight to prevent a worker from falling through or stepping/walking on a skylight
b) a temporary skylight screen, grate or cover of material capable of handling any load imposed by a worker
c) travel restraint systems to prevent a worker from stepping on or falling onto the skylight
d) a fall restricting system designed to limit a worker’s free fall.
https://www.ontario.ca/page/workers-falling-through-skylights#section-0
FAQs
According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, 67% of falls result from slips and trips on the same level, while 30% are from heights. This statistic underlines the critical need for effective safety measures, especially in Ontario, where weather conditions such as ice and snow increase the hazards.
Regardless of the commercial or industrial rooftop size and layout, keeping fall protection and height safety at the top of one’s mind is a must. Common hazards we come across vary in severity depending on the weather. For example, during winter, skylights are covered with snow, making the skylight much more of a fall risk. Here are a few common fall hazards we come across while reviewing rooftops;
- Inadequate walkways near roof edges without fall protection.
- Equipment maintenance tasks near the edge.
- Roof hatches without safety gates or barriers.
- Slippery surfaces can occur year-round, depending on the weather or the material of the rooftops. Some rooftop materials can be quite slippery just from the morning dew.
- Steep roof slopes lacking proper walkways for safe access.
- Snow not only covers RTUs, skylights, and more, but it also prevents the roof worker from seeing where the roof edge begins. This is especially true when working on rooftops in Ontario, where a lot of snow can accumulate.
- Insufficient access points, such as non-compliant or poorly maintained ladders.
- Outdated or non-compliant safety installations.
Skyline Group’s safety solutions are rigorously designed to meet Ontario’s stringent Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) requirements as well as federal safety standards. Our commitment to innovation enhances workplace safety well beyond mere compliance, ensuring that partnering with us means working with experts dedicated to fostering a safety-first culture at all heights.
What might be custom for your rooftop can be standard for our team. The modular nature of our roof safety railings and roof ladders allows us to create a custom solution using standard stocked modular components.
Skyline Group excels in adapting to the unique needs of diverse rooftop configurations in Ontario. Our approach involves using modular components that allow us to tailor safety solutions like railings and ladders to specific site requirements. The process begins with a comprehensive discovery stage where we assess your roof’s layout and identify safety hazards. We then design a solution set that meets your needs and ensures all potential risks are mitigated. After securing project approval, we manage the delivery and installation, tailoring our approach to fit the site’s specific requirements.
During construction phases or other short-term projects in Ontario, Skyline Group provides essential temporary safety installations. We equip sites with safety rails and guardrails to ensure a secure perimeter when working near building edges. Additionally, we offer bumplines and warning line systems, which serve as critical alerts to dangers ahead, ensuring compliance with Ontario’s strict safety standards. These systems are designed for easy setup and removal, catering to the dynamic needs of temporary project sites.
Skyline Group’s rooftop safety solutions, designed for Ontario’s diverse climate, utilize galvanized steel and aluminum to ensure resilience and longevity. These materials are selected for their ability to withstand the environmental variations typical in Ontario, ensuring that our installations remain effective and safe over time. This focus on robustness guarantees that our safety systems are reliable, maintaining structural integrity against the elements.
Skyline Group offers comprehensive training and support services tailored to Ontario’s specific rooftop safety requirements. Our experts conduct in-person and webinar-based lunch-and-learn sessions focused on two main topics: ensuring safe access to roofs and elevated platforms, and fostering a safe work environment while working at height or navigating rooftops. These sessions are designed to equip businesses across Ontario with the necessary skills and knowledge to maintain high safety standards.
While there are no specific regulations in Ontario dictating the frequency of safety equipment inspections, Skyline Group recommends a proactive approach. When reviewing roof ladders and safety rails, we recommend the following approach to understand when you should inspect the safety system.
- Inspect the fixed ladder before each use.
- Inspect fixed ladders and safety rails periodically, at least annually or after/before each new season.
- Report any defect promptly to building management and tag the item to ensure it is out of service.
- Keep a record of every inspection and the status of the unit.
Any defects found should be reported immediately to ensure the equipment is tagged out of service. Skyline Group provides these inspection services, helping maintain the highest safety standards and keeping detailed records of all inspections.
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