Roof Walkway Systems

Rooftop walkways and catwalks are essential in creating a dedicated walking path to and from access points. As rooftops become busier with various obstacles, it is important to help direct those working on rooftops to take the safest means of getting to the various points of interest on the roof. When travelling near the roof’s edge, walkways can also be incorporated with guardrails to minimize the risk of a fall.

Skyline Group provides modular walkway systems designed with the user and roof layout in mind.

Yes, walkways can be designed to meet the needs of any roof. This can be a penetrating or non-penetrating system depending on the roof type and layout.

There are many factors to consider when selecting the right walkway or catwalk for your rooftop. Some of the most common discussions we have are around:

• The layout of the roof, as this will help define the design parameters.
• The type of material on the roof, is it a membrane that is very slippery when wet, or is it a green roof?
• The application and the hazard you are looking to minimize plays an important role.
• The safety requirements for your region may drive some of the decision-making.
• The installation process, are you looking for a non-penetrating solution? This decision will impact the installation costs; when fastening the unit to the roof there is a repair cost that needs to be considered to reduce the chances of a leak that can occur through the roof membrane.
• Where is your building located, and what are the weather conditions?
• Will snow and ice load be a factor?

Various height safety requirements govern how a roof walkway and catwalk should be manufactured and designed, which can vary from province to province. For example, the height of the guardrail may need to be at a specified height, along with the width of the platform. Because of this, it is always best to reach out to your height safety partner to learn about the requirements in your region.

Yes, some requirements relate to the spacing between the rails, when handrails are included, and the required width of the platform. Due to the various codes, it is best to contact your roof safety partner to learn more about the safety requirements that impact your region.

In many cases, they can be visually inspected by a competent person, although an engineering review may be needed for more custom designs that integrate a platform to extend the roof of the building. We recommend always contacting the manufacturer concerning annual or installation-based inspections. 

Provincial laws and regulations are in place that govern safety standards. The laws and regulations are focused on creating a safe environment while working at heights and offer guidance on what can be used and how. That being said, if an injury occurs, the building owner and/or site lead can be criminally held liable per the Westray Law (Bill C-45).

Your best practice when actively protecting your roof workers with a walkway or catwalk system is to ensure they are aware that it is available, and that it is required to use such dedicated paths. There are many occasions where we see people taking a shortcut from one section of the roof to another, sometimes walking near the roof’s edge around an RTU instead of taking the dedicated walkway. The walkway is intended to ensure you have a safe and dedicated path to essential areas of the rooftop, it is important that everyone uses the approved pathways.

Yes, Skyline walkways can be integrated with various Skyline systems to ensure a complete and compliant safety solution.