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Reaching New Heights with a Modular Aluminum Access Ladder

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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.

Commercial Building Looking For Interior Access to The Rooftop

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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.

Starbucks Creates Safe Roof Access with a Modular Aluminum Ladder

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The Challenge

Starbucks was in the midst of opening a new location in Orilia, Ontario, when they noticed that the building drawings were missing a safe means of accessing the rooftop from the outside of the building.

The Solution

The height safety specialists at Skyline Group reviewed the building designs and recommended a modular aluminum cage ladder that would ensure a safe and compliant climb to the rooftop.

Starbucks Creates Safe Roof Access with a Modular Aluminum Ladder

BRINGING ROOF SAFETY TO NEW HEIGHTS​

Starbucks was in the midst of opening a new location in Orilia, Ontario, when they noticed that the building drawings were missing a safe means of accessing the rooftop from the outside of the building. Starbucks reached out to the Skyline team to get an understanding of how they can go about ensuring safe roof access. Due to the new building being ready any day now, Starbucks required a solution that would be easy to install with a quick turnaround time from design to delivery.

Why Use a Modular Aluminum Roof Access Ladder

The height safety specialists at Skyline Group reviewed the building designs and recommended a modular aluminum cage ladder that would ensure a safe and compliant climb to the rooftop. The solution checked all of their boxes.

  • 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 and protect it from rusting. 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 cage adds a layer of safety when climbing, with the integrated platform and guardrail providing a safe means of stepping off the ladder onto the rooftop.
  • It is not compliant or recommended to cut your ladder short, in order to restrict public access. This is why a lockable cage door was integrated into the design, this is common around buildings that have a lot of pedestrian foot traffic.
  • The ladder and its components were all stocked in our Ontario warehouse, making a quick turnaround possible. With the ladder and its components being manufactured in aluminum, there was no need to delay the delivery in order to have the unit coated or painted.

Restricting Roof Access to The Public

During our discussions with Starbucks, they were looking to ensure that once on the roof there would be a safe means of stepping off the ladder onto the small rooftop. Due to the size of the rooftop you are always close to the edge of the roof, especially when stepping off of the ladder. This is why a walkway and guardrail system was integrated into the design of the ladder, ensuring the user would have a safe passage away from the edge of the ladder and roof. They also wanted to ensure that access to the ladder was restricted to only those employees or service personnel that were approved to be on the roof. As a result, Skyline introduced a lockable cage gate to the design, to restrict any unwanted access to the rooftop while still ensuring the ladder met local safety guidelines.

Rooftop Safety Trends – Raising the Bar on Rooftop Safety Compliance

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Canadian Roofing Contractors Association interviewed Vernon Ghinn, our VP of roof safety specialists, to chat about the future of height safety and its impact on regulations.

Here is a list of ROOFTOP SAFETY TRENDS

BUILDING DESIGN

The building design process includes many considerations for serving the occupants working or living within it. And often, the technology required to optimize the building’s safety, comfort, and efficiency end up being installed on the roof. These components may be necessary, but any piece of equipment added to the rooftop poses a degree of risk for those who may need to work in that space. And with rooftop footprints and configurations in constant flux, safety considerations cannot fall through the cracks.

“Like every building component, roof footprint, features, and conditions can evolve; these changes can introduce challenges with accessing equipment,” says Vernon Ghinn, a roof access and safety specialist at Skyline Group. “That’s why rooftop safety isn’t a set it and forget it responsibility; it is something that should be reviewed and improved upon quarterly to ensure you’re staying in compliance and keeping everyone safe.”

EVOLVING Roof HAZARDS

Working at height comes with numerous risks. More and more, those risks include having to navigate access points (e.g., ladders or hatches) or rooftop equipment (e.g., HVAC systems, ducts, solar panels) that have been installed throughout the roof and – more frequently – near roof edges.

For example, says Ghinn, “At times, rooftop units are installed at the edge because that happens to be the quickest and easiest location for the installers to place the unit. However, the challenge lies in servicing those units, as a safety solution will be required to create a safe perimeter and working environment.”

Roofing layouts can also pose risks. For instance, flat industrial and commercial roofs can become slippery to walk on when wet depending on the roofing membrane.
Added to these traditional hazards are the ones that appear over time. For example, building upgrades that affect the roof structure and design can also impact its elevations, requiring new roof safety equipment and considerations.

“That’s why it is important to understand the future state of your roof and how the roof is being accessed,” says another safety rep with Skyline. “Corridors are provided inside the building for safe access, so the same consideration should be given to the safety personnel required to keep the building running while accessing the roof.”

Another trend impacting roof safety is that rooftops are becoming more crowded. As land prices rise and available space in populated areas decreases, organizations optimize their investment by making use of their open space. Some of that focus is being turned to rooftops, where building operators turn their rooftop into a publicly accessed area (e.g., a garden or patio) or invest in energy-efficient technologies (e.g., green roofs or solar panels). The result is a very busy environment that requires safer access to all roof areas and increased awareness of common rooftop safety hazards.

“Ultimately, it is important that your roof access and safety solutions stay up to speed with your roof as it goes through different transformations,” adds a Skyline rep.

Roof Guardrail

STAYING COMPLIANT AMIDST REGULATION CHANGES

As building envelopes adapt, so do safety compliance obligations. This is also true of roof and height safety standards, which are constantly adapting to reflect emerging hazards.

“The number of roof fall-related injuries is alarming, so it’s only natural that local and national standards are getting stricter,” says the Skyline safety rep, explaining, “Today, more and more third-party service providers have their own safety guidelines that prevent employees from working on roofs unless the right safety equipment and protocols are in place.”

Aligning with such standards is a critical challenge, especially since failing to keep a building compliant or ensure an installation meets local safety guidelines can lead to severe injuries and costly liabilities. As such, it’s important to recognize hazards as they emerge and never lose sight of one’s safety responsibilities.

“It’s about accessing the roof safely, while working in a hazard-free environment, in order to get back down from the roof safely,” says Ghinn, adding, “The fact is that the number of roof fall-related injuries is alarming, meaning there is room to improve on safety. The good news, though, is that the risks we’re seeing out there today can be mitigated with the right partners and height safety solutions that are readily available.”

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE WITH THE RIGHT SAFETY EQUIPMENT

No doubt, modern rooftop hazards require modern safety solutions. For example, says the Skyline rep: “We see too many access ladders that are cut short at the bottom, requiring an extension ladder to gain access to the actual roof access ladder itself. This is often done to restrict roof ladder access to the public, but climbing a small ladder to grab the roof access ladder and then climb onto it is simply dangerous. That’s why we developed a lockable gate to block the first five-plus feet of steps and restrict unwanted access.”

The ability to manufacture ladders, guardrails, roof catwalks, and various other rooftop safety solutions in modular sections is also beneficial for today’s contractors. These solutions can be transported to the roof via a service elevator versus renting a crane, while also being installed in a fraction of the time. All while offering the capability to customize a solution that best fits the needs of the roof and local guidelines.

“The savings become quite substantial for all parties,” says Skyline’s rep, explaining, “Our non-penetrating permanent guardrail system, for example, is designed to be modular, making it quick and simple to install without needing to fasten into the existing roof frame. This eliminates the need to reseal the roof membrane for old or newly warranted roofs after an installation.”

Protecting workers and staying in compliance means understanding your rooftop hazards before heading up onto the roof, while having a solution in place to mitigate the risks as they unfold. After all, adds Ghinn, “Nobody should discover safety by accident.”

Roof Guardrail

Steel Access Ladders vs Aluminum Access Ladders – Which is Better

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The question around purchasing a steel or aluminum roof access ladder is a common one. Let’s look at the differences between the two materials as it relates to safety & compliance, lead time, installation process, costs, durability and climbing experience.

Roof Safety & Compliance

From a compliance standpoint, you are indeed still in compliance with either an aluminum or steel roof access ladder. If it is constructed in the manner stated by your local safety guidelines and includes corrosion-resistant protection (applicable to only steel ladders), your roof ladder should be compliant. When it comes to aluminum access ladders there is no need to worry about including a protective film, as the material itself is corrosion resistant. You also won’t need to maintain an aluminum ladder over the years by reapplying that protective layer/paint, as you would for a steel ladder.

Unsure if your roof meets local height safety requirements? Ask about our complimentary roof hazard audit program.

Lead Times

Lead times vary for both steel and aluminum ladders, although because steel ladders require a protective coating, it isn’t uncommon to see longer lead times. The added protective coating process will extend the lead time of your order, making it difficult for a quick turnaround when an urgent safety solution is required.

Installation

Have you ever worked with aluminum? Your local contractor may prefer a commercial aluminum roof access ladder because of the following reasons.

  • An aluminum ladder can easily be brought to the roof via the maintenance elevator as it is extremely lightweight. There is no need to rent a crane to transport your materials to the roof, or close roads and your building’s parking area. Ultimately, drastically reducing transport and installation-related costs.
  • With aluminum being much lighter than steel, it makes the installation process that much easier and quicker, requiring less labor hours. Yielding reduced overall installation costs.
  • Aluminum fixed ladders also subject less load to the wall and roof surface. A steel roof ladder may require the surface it is being fixed to, to be reinforced.
  • Cutting aluminum on-site, in order to ensure an exact fit, is quick & easy.

At Skyline our aluminum access ladders are built in modular sections, making it extremely easy to handle, ship and install on-site. If repairs are required you can easily replace the modular piece versus the whole ladder.

Durability & Maintenance

Due to steel ladders being heavier than aluminum ladders, there is a perception that they are much more rugged. This is somewhat true, generally, a steel roof access ladder will better handle a transport truck backing into it. But keep in mind, for what the ladder is intended to be used for, there is no real need for such a heavy and rugged solution. Their weight is also considered to be a major disadvantage. In order to install steel ladders and move them around the roof, you’ll have to recruit help. Or rent a costly crane to bring the material to the roof.

We also tend to forget that steel ladders require routine maintenance. In order for a steel rooftop access ladder to stay looking brand new and keep its integrity, it needs to be maintained regularly. Outdoor ladders are subject to corrosive environments, think about the winter conditions we experience in Canada. As a result, building owners and facility maintenance teams do not want to deal with the yearly required maintenance to upkeep the protective paint and coating on a steel ladder.

Climbing Experience

We often find that fixed steel ladders are supplied with 1/4 inch rungs, offering limited traction (especially during rain and snow), resulting in an uncomfortable climb. Our aluminum ladders are manufactured with a wide profile serrated rung, making your climb to the roof comfortable and safer with the added grippy surface.

Aluminum vs Steel – Which Is Better?

If we look at which ladder is safer, well both materials would be considered safe, assuming they are designed to meet your local safety guidelines. Both ladder types offer an excellent solution for accessing your roof. That being said, you are most likely reading this article because you are looking for a solution to not just get the job done but meet compliance requirements today and tomorrow in a cost-effective manner.

Here at Skyline we are roof safety specialists that focus on aluminum ladders due to their ease of installation, flexibility in design, and overall reduced costs in installation and maintenance. When considering the above categories, it is the material that excels in each category.

Working on an industrial or commercial roof project? Or looking to schedule a complimentary rooftop safety lunch & learn for your team? Call our team of rooftop safety experts to help navigate our array of aluminum ladder configurations.

Decommissioning of a Non-Compliant Access Ladder

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The Challenge

The facility maintenance team at the Jubilee Plaza looked to access an elevated part of the roof. They noticed that the access ladder currently in place was no longer safe.

The Solution

The general contractor and facility maintenance team selected the 7002 series fixed aluminum ladders with a platform and handrail combination to create safe access to the roof.

Decommissioning of a Non-Compliant Access Ladder

Fort McMurray Jubilee Plaza

There’s something for everyone in the family at the Fort McMurray Jubilee Plaza. Located at the corner of Hardin Street and MacDonald Avenue, Jubilee Plaza is where people of all ages are encouraged to hang out, have fun and relax—designed as a year-round social gathering place, regardless of the season. As the seasons change, so do the activities, including markets, outdoor entertainment, public rallies, fitness-related activities, and various community events.

rooftop elevation

The facility maintenance team at the Jubilee Plaza looked to access an elevated part of the roof. They noticed that the access ladder currently in place was no longer safe. Over the years, the installed ladder had become rusted and, after its most recent safety review by the maintenance team, was deemed non-compliant.

For the maintenance team, this provided an opportunity to upgrade the ladder to better meet their needs. The retired ladder was currently located at the side of the building, requiring personnel to climb up from the pedestrian walkway from the ground level. Jubilee Plaza was looking to install the new ladder in a much more convenient part of the roof, near the main roof access point. To do so, they would need to consider the edge of the roof, slanted window and limited wall space that was available for the installation to take place.

The primary challenge for the Jubilee Plaza maintenance team was to have a custom access ladder solution shipped “yesterday,” as immediate rooftop access was required.

Rooftop Safety

Fixed Aluminum roof ladder

The general contractor working with Jubilee Plaza recommended our line of modular access ladders. The general contractor and facility maintenance team selected the 7002 series fixed aluminum ladders with a platform and handrail combination due to the following reasons.

  • The quick turnaround on design, quoting and delivery.
  • The capability to customize a solution that best meets the roof’s needs while remaining compliant with local safety guidelines.
  • The modular design of the ladder made it quick and easy to install and transport to the roof.
  • Non-corrosive aluminum material.
  • The design ensured that the access ladder and platform did not obstruct the large window and its view.
  • The perforated platform ensured year-round safe access.
Rooftop Safety
Before
Access Ladder
After

Spirit of York Distillery Getting Into The Spirit of Height Safety

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The Challenge

Spirit of York Distillery required a height safety solution to gain access to a 10-foot by 10-foot four-story tower housing their equipment.

The Solution

An aluminum modular access ladder made it possible to install a solution in a tight space, while meeting a quick turnaround for delivery.

Spirit of York Distillery Getting Into The Spirit of Height Safety

Toronto Based York Distillery

The vision for Spirit of York Distillery was always a big, bold, aspirational, enduring goal – to craft some of the world’s most premium, best-tasting spirits. Toronto is a world-class city, deserving of world-class spirits. Capable of rivalling those made in any other primary market or city. Spirit of York is that spirit.

The Spirit of York Distillery team is passionate, spirited, and determined to bring something unique to the table. Through a spirit of collaboration, they’ve distilled these premium spirits down to their very DNA and essence. To produce a premium, distinctive spirit. They’ve all had a hand in turning Spirit of York into the success it is today. Each bottle is proudly filled and sealed by hand at the distillery.

Custom Safety Requirements

Spirit of York Distillery required a height safety solution to gain access to a 10-foot by 10-foot four-story tower housing their equipment. Woodbecker Inc., a construction management and general contractor, worked with our team of height safety specialists to have an elegant, safe, and compliant access ladder with an aluminum walkway system designed.

Rooftop Safety

An Elegant Height Safety Solution

We can talk about what we designed for the distillery or let James Becker, owner of Woodbecker Inc., speak about his experience.

Replacement of a non-compliant wood guardrail & crossover system

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The Challenge

To expedite the need for service on their HVAC systems, the original structure was manufactured on-site out of wood. Fast forward a few years later, and the team identified that the wood structure was non-compliant with local height safety guidelines.

The Solution

Our team delivered a custom walkway and crossover solution that not only met the requirements listed above but surpassed them.

Replacement of a non-compliant wood guardrail & crossover system

Toronto Commercial Rooftop

The McDonald’s Canadian corporate headquarters is located at 1 McDonald’s Place in Toronto. Lennard Commercial Realty manages the commercial property. Their extensive experience and broad expertise, topped by their key connections, make them a great partner for large and small organizations.

Rooftop Safety Plan

To expedite the need for service on their HVAC systems, the original structure was manufactured on-site out of wood. Fast forward a few years later, and Lennard Commercial Realty’s maintenance team had a few safety concerns with their rooftop safety plan and the walkway wood structure. The team identified that the wood structure was non-compliant with local height safety guidelines. It was ultimately rotting away due to the snow and rain penetrating the wood. With the building also being 11 stories high, the structure was subject to high winds, making the walkway and platform system unstable during windy weather.

Lennard’s facility maintenance team was concerned with the current structure not meeting local safety guidelines, ultimately rendering it non-compliant. Even if the system were in perfect condition, it still wouldn’t be considered compliant as it does not meet local height safety regulations.

The facility maintenance team was looking for a permanent solution to provide safe access to the building’s extensive HVAC system. Lennard reached out to our rooftop safety specialists to discuss their safety goals below.

  • The requirement for a permanent solution.
  • The system to be powder coated with a customer yellow color to match the rest of the building and roof.
  • A stocked solution as a quick turnaround would be required.
  • A solution that would be quick and easy to install.
  • An anti-slip walkway and crossover system.
  • A solution that meets both local and TSSA height safety guidelines.
Skyline Ladders
Skyline Ladders

Roof Safety Audit Delivers Results

We worked with a local contractor, High Tech Communications, to conduct an on-site roof audit. Virtual and on-site safety audits are fulfilled complimentary by our team and help provide a great deal of context and direction when creating a customized rooftop safety solution.

Our team delivered a custom walkway and crossover solution that not only met the requirements listed above but surpassed them.

  • All drawings were stamped by engineering and included solutions that would yield a 4-week turnaround.
  • The system met all local and TSSA guidelines, ensuring a compliant safety solution.
  • Perforated walkways and steps to ensure maximum grip during the winter months.
  • The system was fully modular, making it easy to install on-site. This helped in reducing the overall installation costs of the solution.
  • The walkway, platforms and guardrails are all manufactured in aluminum. This lightweight material made it easy and less costly to transport the material to the roof.
  • With the system being self-ballasted, the unit was not required to penetrate the roof membrane. This eliminated the need for repairs to reseal any holes the installation would have made.

Toronto Community Housing Upgrades Rooftop Safety to Meet TSSA Regulations

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The Challenge

The Toronto Community Housing was looking for a budget friendly solution to meet the strict rooftop safety requirements of the TSSA.

The Solution

A non-penetrating RoofBarrier system was the perfect solution for their needs. Not only does the Skyline Group RoofBarrier system surpass Canadian rooftop safety standards, it’s galvanized steel material will ensure it looks new even after years of usage.

Toronto Community Housing Upgrades Rooftop Safety to Meet TSSA Regulations

Toronto Community Housing

The Toronto Community Housing is the largest social housing provider in Canada and the second largest in North America. They are wholly owned by the City of Toronto and operate in​ a non-profit manner. Toronto Community Housing has 2,100 buildings​ and 50 million square feet of residential space, which represent a $9 billion public asset.

Toronto Community Housing homes and communities are in 106 of Toronto’s 140 neighborhoods, providing homes to nearly 60,000 low and moderate-income households. Their 110,000 residents come from many different backgrounds with a diversity in age, education, language, mental and physical disability, religion, ethnicity and race.

Eliminating Rooftop Hazard

Rooftop Safety

The Toronto Community Housing was looking for a budget friendly solution to meet the strict rooftop safety requirements of the TSSA. In order for the TSSA to service both the mechanical penthouses and electrical transformer located on the roof, a safe passage would need to be created from both the north and south wing roof access points to the mechanical penthouse. With the roof having no guardrail or parapet at least 42” in height, the full length of the walkway (on both sides) would require guardrail system to eliminate any rooftop hazards.

Skyline Ladders

Compliant Safety Solution

The Toronto Community Housing was looking for a long lasting and non-penetrating solution that would be used in conjunction with their current paver walkway system. It was important that the units be tested by a third party, ensuring compliance, while being aesthetically pleasing. A non-penetrating RoofBarrier system was the perfect solution for their needs. Not only does the Skyline Group RoofBarrier system surpass Canadian rooftop safety standards, it’s galvanized steel material will ensure it looks new even after years of usage. Unique to the Skyline Group RoofBarrier system, it’s modular design and lightweight material made it easy and cost effective for the general contractors during installation. While also making it a budget friendly solution.

Looking For A Rooftop Safety Solution That Meets Hurricane Loadings

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The Challenge

With various large HVAC units, ducts, pipes and more, Bristol was looking to ensure that these RTUs (rooftop units) could be easily maintained.

The Solution

Our team proposed a solution comprised of various galvanized non-penetrating 5003 Series RoofBarrier systems, aluminum crossovers and access ladders.

Looking For A Rooftop Safety Solution That Meets Hurricane Loadings

Bristol Myers

Bristol Myers Squibb believes in the power of science to address some of the most challenging diseases of our time. Their focus on these unmet needs comes during a remarkable time when unprecedented scientific breakthroughs are advancing the treatment of disease as never before in human history.

They work every day to transform patients’ lives through science. Each day, their employees worldwide work together to meet the needs of their patients. Bristol combines the agility of biotech with the reach and resources of an established pharmaceutical company to create a global leading biopharma company powered by talented individuals who drive scientific innovation.

With numerous advancements in oncology, hematology, immunology, and cardiovascular disease, they are dedicated to helping patients prevail over serious diseases.

Rooftop Safety

Safety Challenge Requiring Experience

The 460,000 square foot facility on 33 acres produces biologics medicines and Coumadin. Bristol reached out to our rooftop safety specialists to better understand their rooftop safety needs and ensure compliance on a crowded roof. With various large HVAC units, ducts, pipes and more, Bristol was looking to ensure that these RTUs (rooftop units) could be easily maintained. There are many rooftop guardrail, crossover and access ladder providers in North America that can help with meeting safety compliance, although the company was looking for;
  • A modular solution that is quick and easy for the contractor to install.
  • One single supplier that can help provide the required roof safety products and be actively involved in delivering stamped drawings for the basis of design.
  • Has experience working on large-scale design projects, as this project was valued at over $500,000.
  • Can incorporate an aesthetically pleasing guardrail design, limiting visibility from the ground.
  • Most importantly, be certified by a third party to meet hurricane loading requirements. While still requiring a non-penetrating solution to minimize roof damage, repairs, and potential leakage.

Transforming Rooftop Safety

Our team proposed a solution comprised of various galvanized non-penetrating 5003 Series RoofBarrier systems, aluminum crossovers and access ladders. In some areas of the roof, where ducts were located on the edge of the roof, we proposed a fixed guardrail system alongside the parapet. Here is what our solution was able to solve.

  • The 5003 series is considered to be an architectural guardrail. It is a non-penetrating self-ballasted guardrail comprised of curved handrails, making the bars invisible when at ground level.
  • Its modular design and lightweight material ensured a quick and easy installation. While also offering the opportunity to grow their safety needs further, as the roof plans expand to meet production requirements.
  • Our company prides itself on being a one-stop shop to making rooftop safety access and compliance easy. With thousands of projects under our belt and years of experience working with contractors, engineers, consultants and building owners, Bristol felt at ease working with our height specialists.
  • Create a safe passage around the roof, along with to and from each roof access point.
  • We were one of the only suppliers to test this custom non-penetrating guardrail system with up to 60-mile winds with a third party to meet hurricane loading requirements for the area.
Rooftop Safety Guide
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