Adding height access and fall protection systems during the initial design phase of your building can save time and money. Find out why.
The forgotten part of building design
Height access and fall protection systems are often an afterthought and only considered at the final stage of the design, when work has already been commenced or, worse still, once the building has been completed. This lack of planning is a mindset that Kattsafe is endeavouring to change within the industry.
The consequence of failing to correctly design a height safety system early can cause significant knock-on effects to your project:
- Substructures may not be sufficiently designed to support the new equipment, resulting in the requirement for new slabs to be poured.
- Schedules for works to implement these changes may cause major disruptions and time delays.
- If delayed even further, late installations can add additional time to already stretched completion timelines.
As any developer knows, changes at any stage to a project can see budgets blow out by thousands of dollars.
The game has changed in height safety.
New expectations for safe working at heights are being enforced by the courts and we are all under the microscope.
The thought process in the past was that the responsibility of height access and fall protection systems belonged to either the owner/manager or the contractor. The new reality is that if things go wrong and there is a fatality as a result of a fall from height then everybody from architect to builder, building owner/manager to contractor can all be found accountable.
Australian work health and safety legislation requires that all design parties "consult, cooperate and coordinate their activities, so far as it is reasonably practicable, and they are not to transfer or delegate responsibilities to others, or assume that someone else is taking care of work health and safety requirements".
One simple clause does not save you.
Provide a compliant roof safety system to Australian Standards.
Having been designing height access and fall protection systems for many years and working alongside all sectors in the building industry, the team at Kattsafe can recall many instances where plans have been drawn up and designers/builders wrongly believe the above statement is all that is required to cover them legally.
In a court of law this line of defence is far from acceptable and several recent court rulings have proved this to be true.
Why use a design consultant?
Enlisting a design consultant takes the pressure off the designer and builder. It is unreasonable to expect designers or builders to understand the intricacies and legislation involved in the design and installation of height safety systems.
What to expect in a design consultation
As a bare minimum, at the end of their consultation you should receive:
- A complete access and maintenance risk assessment
- Preliminary concept and system layout
- All supporting documentation
- Budgetary pricing for tender cost calculation
- Ongoing support, protection and peace of mind
It is not enough to install a couple of anchor points. A compliant height safety system design needs to consider many factors such as frequency of access, operator capability and ease of use, and most importantly, must be fit for purpose.
Getting in at the beginning of your project when designing height access and fall protection ensures cohesive collaboration and will keep your project moving with no time or financial blowouts.
Kattsafe's goal is to bridge the gap in the industry to give architects, builders, designers and building owners/managers peace of mind that they have achieved all their expected responsibilities regarding safe working at heights and fulfilled their duty of care.
