BlueSafe
Working on Roofs Risk Assessment

Working on Roofs Risk Assessment

  • • 100% Compliant with Australian WHS Acts & Regulations
  • • Fully Editable MS Word & PDF Formats Included
  • • Pre-filled Content – Ready to Deploy Immediately
  • • Customisable – Easily Add Your Logo & Site Details
  • • Includes 2 Years of Free Compliance Updates

Working on Roofs Risk Assessment

Product Overview

Identify and control organisational risks associated with Working on Roofs Risk Assessment through structured planning, governance, and systems-based controls at a management level. This document supports executive Due Diligence, aligns with WHS obligations, and helps protect your business from enforcement action and operational liability.

Risk Categories & Hazards Covered

This document assesses risks and outlines management controls for:

  • WHS Governance, Legal Compliance and Due Diligence: Assessment of board and senior management responsibilities, PCBU obligations, officer due diligence, and the integration of roof access risks into the organisation’s WHS management system.
  • Planning, Design and Engineering for Safe Roof Access: Management of roof design considerations, permanent access systems, load ratings, edge protection, and engineered controls to minimise work at height.
  • Roof Access Authorisation and Permit‑to‑Work System: Protocols for controlling who may access roofs, permit issuance, isolation of plant and services, and pre‑start verification of conditions and controls.
  • Contractor and Worker Competency, Training and Induction: Evaluation of licensing, competency verification, site‑specific inductions, and ongoing training requirements for personnel involved in roof work.
  • Procurement and Management of Fall‑Prevention Systems and Equipment: Selection, approval, and lifecycle management of guardrails, walkways, anchor points, static lines, harnesses, and associated height safety equipment.
  • Inspection, Maintenance and Verification of Roof Structures and Controls: Systems for structural integrity checks, periodic inspection of access systems and fall‑prevention equipment, and documentation of inspection outcomes.
  • Operational Planning, Scheduling and Environmental Conditions Management: Assessment of weather, wind, heat, and other environmental factors, along with job scheduling, access planning, and interaction with building operations.
  • Interfaces with Other Services and Third Parties: Management of risks relating to proximity to powerlines, rooftop plant, telecommunications, neighbouring properties, and coordination with other contractors and tenants.
  • Emergency Preparedness, Rescue and Incident Management: Development of rooftop emergency response plans, rescue procedures for suspended or injured workers, communication protocols, and liaison with emergency services.
  • Monitoring, Audit, Consultation and Continuous Improvement: Systems for internal audits, inspections, safety committee consultation, corrective actions, and continual improvement of roof access controls and governance.

Who is this for?

This Risk Assessment is designed for Business Owners, Officers, Facility Managers, Project Managers and Safety Professionals responsible for planning, approving and overseeing any work involving roof access and rooftop activities.

Hazards & Risks Covered

Hazard Risk Description
1. WHS Governance, Legal Compliance and Due Diligence
  • • PCBU officers not exercising due diligence under WHS Act 2011 leading to inadequate resourcing and oversight of work on roofs
  • • Lack of clear WHS policy specific to work at height and roof access activities
  • • Inadequate integration of roof‑work risks into the organisation’s WHS management system and risk register
  • • Failure to identify and comply with relevant WHS Regulations, Codes of Practice, and Australian Standards for fall prevention and roof work
  • • Poor definition of WHS roles, responsibilities, and authority for approving and controlling roof work
  • • Inadequate consultation with workers and health and safety representatives (HSRs) on roof‑work systems and changes
2. Planning, Design and Engineering for Safe Roof Access
  • • Building and plant design not incorporating safe permanent access to roofs, leading to reliance on temporary or improvised solutions
  • • Lack of early consultation with designers, engineers and principal contractors regarding fall‑prevention design requirements
  • • Inadequate assessment of roof structural integrity and load‑bearing capacity before permitting access
  • • Failure to consider weather, roof pitch, roof material, brittle surfaces, skylights and edges at the planning and design stage
  • • Inconsistent standards for fixed ladders, platforms, walkways, anchor points and guardrails across different sites
3. Roof Access Authorisation and Permit‑to‑Work System
  • • Uncontrolled or unauthorised access to roofs by workers, contractors or visitors
  • • Roof work commencing without a formal risk assessment or verification of controls
  • • No centralised system to track who is on the roof, when, and for what purpose
  • • Inconsistent application of isolation, exclusion zones and fall‑prevention requirements across different departments or sites
  • • Failure to coordinate multiple work parties on the same roof leading to congestion and conflicting activities
4. Contractor and Worker Competency, Training and Induction
  • • Workers and contractors accessing roofs without verified competency in work at heights
  • • Insufficient training on site‑specific roof hazards, access systems, and emergency procedures
  • • Reliance on generic height‑safety training that does not address brittle roofs, skylights, steep pitches or specific plant on roofs
  • • Supervisors lacking the competence to oversee safe roof work and challenge unsafe practices
  • • Language barriers or low literacy causing misunderstanding of roof‑work procedures and signage
5. Procurement and Management of Fall‑Prevention Systems and Equipment
  • • Procurement of non‑compliant or unsuitable fall‑prevention equipment (e.g. harnesses, lanyards, anchors, guardrails)
  • • Inconsistent standards across sites leading to confusion and misuse of systems
  • • Lack of clear ownership for inspection, maintenance and replacement of fall‑prevention equipment
  • • Use of improvised or makeshift systems due to inadequate procurement planning or stock availability
  • • Failure to ensure designed fall‑prevention systems are compatible with each other and with the roof structure
6. Inspection, Maintenance and Verification of Roof Structures and Controls
  • • Deterioration of roofs, guardrails, anchors, static lines, walkways and ladders going undetected
  • • Failure to recertify fall‑prevention systems in accordance with manufacturer and Australian Standard requirements
  • • Inaccurate or outdated records of inspection findings and corrective actions
  • • Inadequate systems to tag out or restrict access to defective structures or equipment
  • • Poor coordination between building maintenance, WHS and contractors regarding structural issues on roofs
7. Operational Planning, Scheduling and Environmental Conditions Management
  • • Roof work scheduled without consideration of weather, wind, rain, temperature or visibility conditions
  • • Time pressure and production demands leading to shortcuts in roof‑work controls
  • • Inadequate planning for access to tools, materials and plant on the roof, increasing manual handling and trip risks near edges
  • • No formal process to postpone or cancel roof work when environmental conditions become unsafe
  • • Lack of coordination between roof‑work schedules and other high‑risk activities (e.g. crane lifts, electrical work, confined space work below)
8. Interfaces with Other Services and Third Parties
  • • Uncontrolled proximity to live electrical installations, overhead power lines or communications equipment during roof access
  • • Failure to coordinate with building occupants resulting in people entering danger zones below roof work
  • • Inadequate management of interface between landlord, tenant, principal contractor and subcontractors regarding roof‑work responsibilities
  • • Lack of information about hidden services within or under the roof (e.g. fragile ducting, skylights, voids)
  • • Third‑party contractors performing roof work without aligning to the principal PCBU’s WHS systems
9. Emergency Preparedness, Rescue and Incident Management
  • • No practicable rescue plan for a person suspended in a fall‑arrest system on a roof
  • • Reliance solely on external emergency services without considering access constraints or response times
  • • Workers not trained or equipped to implement a safe and timely roof rescue
  • • Inadequate communication systems for summoning assistance from roof locations
  • • Poor post‑incident investigation processes leading to repeated failures in roof‑work systems
10. Monitoring, Audit, Consultation and Continuous Improvement
  • • Lack of systematic monitoring of roof‑work practices leading to drift from procedures over time
  • • Infrequent or superficial audits failing to detect non‑compliance with roof‑work controls
  • • Workers’ concerns about roof‑work safety not being captured or escalated effectively
  • • No performance indicators or metrics for roof‑work safety at management level
  • • Failure to learn from industry incidents and external guidance on roof‑work risks

Need to add specific hazards for your workplace?

Don't worry if a specific hazard isn't listed above. Once you purchase, simply log in to your Client Portal and add your own custom hazards at no extra cost. We take care of the hard work—creating the risk ratings and control measures for free—to ensure your document is compliant within minutes.

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

  • Work Health and Safety Act 2011
  • Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017
  • Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces Code of Practice: Guidance on controlling fall risks when working at height, including roofs.
  • Managing the Work Environment and Facilities Code of Practice: Requirements for safe access, egress, and workplace conditions.
  • How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice: Framework for identifying, assessing and controlling WHS risks.
  • AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018: Risk management — Guidelines
  • AS/NZS 1891 (Series): Industrial fall‑arrest systems and devices, including harnesses, lanyards and anchor systems.
  • AS/NZS 1657: Fixed platforms, walkways, stairways and ladders — Design, construction and installation for safe roof access.
  • AS/NZS 5532: Manufacturing requirements for single‑point anchor device used for harness‑based fall‑arrest systems.
  • AS/NZS 4801 / ISO 45001: Occupational health and safety management systems — Requirements for systematic WHS governance and continual improvement.
Standard Risk Assessment Features (Click to Expand)
  • Comprehensive hazard identification for all activities
  • Risk rating matrix with likelihood and consequence analysis
  • Existing control measures evaluation
  • Residual risk assessment after controls
  • Hierarchy of controls recommendations
  • Action priority rankings
  • Review and monitoring requirements
  • Consultation and communication records
  • Legal compliance references
  • Sign-off and approval sections

$79.5

Safe Work Australia Aligned