Product Overview

Summary: This Roof Safety Safe Operating Procedure provides a clear, step-by-step system for working at height on roofs safely and compliantly across Australian workplaces. It helps organisations control fall risks, manage fragile and steep surfaces, and meet WHS obligations while maintaining productivity on construction, maintenance, and inspection tasks.

Work on roofs remains one of the highest-risk activities in the Australian construction and maintenance sectors, with falls from height a leading cause of serious injury and fatality. This Roof Safety Safe Operating Procedure sets out a practical, repeatable approach for planning, accessing, and working on all roof types – from residential tin and tile roofs to commercial and industrial structures. It guides your team through hazard identification, selection of appropriate fall prevention or fall arrest systems, safe access methods, and effective supervision, ensuring that work at height is never left to chance.

Designed specifically for Australian conditions and WHS legislation, this SOP supports businesses to demonstrate due diligence and meet their primary duty of care. It helps you manage common risks such as brittle roofing materials, unprotected edges, skylights, weather exposure, and the presence of other services like electrical lines and HVAC plant. By implementing this procedure, you create consistent expectations across your workforce, improve contractor management, and reduce the likelihood of incidents, project delays, and regulatory enforcement action arising from unsafe roof work.

Key Benefits

• Reduce the risk of falls from height by implementing a structured, step-by-step roof access and work process.
• Ensure compliance with Australian WHS legislation and relevant Codes of Practice for managing the risk of falls at workplaces.
• Standardise how workers and contractors plan, access, and operate on roofs across multiple sites and projects.
• Improve pre-start planning and hazard identification for different roof types, materials, and environmental conditions.
• Demonstrate due diligence to clients, regulators, and insurers through a documented, defensible roof safety procedure.

Who is this for?

• Construction Site Supervisors
• Roofing Contractors
• Maintenance Managers
• Facilities Managers
• WHS Managers and Advisors
• Project Managers
• Building Owners and Property Managers
• Electrical and HVAC Technicians
• Plumbers and Gutter Cleaners
• Council and Government Asset Managers

Hazards Addressed

• Falls from height at roof edges, openings and unprotected sides
• Falls through fragile or brittle roofing materials and skylights
• Slips and trips on wet, dusty, mossy, or uneven roof surfaces
• Loss of balance on steeply pitched or unstable roofs
• Incorrect use or failure of ladders, scaffolds, and roof access systems
• Incorrect selection or misuse of fall arrest and restraint systems
• Struck-by incidents from falling tools, materials, or debris
• Environmental exposure such as heat stress, UV exposure, wind, and sudden weather changes
• Contact with overhead powerlines or live electrical services near roofs
• Manual handling injuries from lifting and carrying materials and equipment onto roofs

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Applicable Roof Types
• 3.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Competency Requirements
• 4.0 Legislative and Standards Framework
• 5.0 Pre-Start Planning and Risk Assessment for Roof Work
• 6.0 Roof Access Methods and Controls (ladders, scaffolds, fixed access)
• 7.0 Fall Prevention and Fall Arrest Systems (selection and hierarchy of control)
• 8.0 Inspection and Use of Roof Safety Equipment and Anchor Points
• 9.0 Safe Work Methods on Different Roof Surfaces and Pitches
• 10.0 Managing Fragile Roofs, Skylights and Roof Openings
• 11.0 Environmental Conditions and Weather Management
• 12.0 Tool, Material Handling and Housekeeping on Roofs
• 13.0 Communication, Supervision and Permit-to-Work Requirements
• 14.0 Emergency Response and Rescue Procedures for Falls from Height
• 15.0 Training, Induction and Competency Verification
• 16.0 Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement of Roof Safety Practices
• 17.0 Document Control and Record Keeping

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth and relevant state/territory equivalents)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (fall prevention and work at height provisions)
• Safe Work Australia – Model Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces
• Safe Work Australia – Model Code of Practice: Construction Work
• AS/NZS 1891.1: Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices – Harnesses and ancillary equipment
• AS/NZS 1891.2: Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices – Horizontal lifeline and rail systems
• AS/NZS 1891.4: Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices – Selection, use and maintenance
• AS/NZS 1657: Fixed platforms, walkways, stairways and ladders – Design, construction and installation
• AS/NZS 5532: Manufacturing requirements for single-point anchor device used for harness-based work at height
• AS/NZS 1892: Portable ladders
• Relevant state or territory WHS Codes of Practice and guidance material on working at heights and roof work