RAMS for Roofing Work

Working at height regulations

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 apply to all roofing work. Roofing consistently has one of the highest fatality rates in construction, with falls from height being the leading cause. Proper planning, appropriate equipment, and thorough RAMS are not optional — they're essential.

Edge protection & fragile surfaces

Edge protection must be provided wherever there is a risk of a fall. Fragile surfaces — such as skylights, roof lights, and deteriorated fibre cement sheets — are a major hazard. Workers must be trained to identify fragile surfaces and appropriate barriers or covers must be in place before work begins.

Weather considerations

Roofing work is heavily weather-dependent. Wind can make working at height extremely dangerous, rain makes surfaces slippery, and ice creates invisible hazards. Your RAMS should include clear criteria for when work must stop due to weather conditions.

HSE statistics on roofing fatalities

The numbers are stark. Falls from height account for approximately 50% of all fatalities in UK construction, and roofing is one of the highest-risk activities within that. The HSE regularly targets roofing work in its enforcement campaigns. In recent years, prohibition notices — which stop work immediately — have been issued on roofing sites more than almost any other type of construction activity. These statistics aren't just about large commercial projects. Domestic re-roofing jobs, small repair works, and gutter replacements all feature in fatal and serious incident reports. The message is clear: every roofing job needs proper planning, regardless of size.

SG4: scaffolding for roofing work

SG4 is the industry-standard guidance for scaffolding used in conjunction with roofing work, published by the National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC). It specifies requirements for edge protection at eaves level, gable end protection, and the relationship between the scaffold platform and the roof edge. If you're hiring scaffolding for a roofing job, you should specify SG4 compliance to ensure the scaffold provides adequate fall protection. Key points: the scaffold should extend above the eaves line to provide a guardrail, there should be toeboards to prevent materials falling, and gable ends need separate protection. Your RAMS should reference the SG4 standard and confirm that the scaffolding specification meets it.

Solo roofer vs roofing company

Whether you're a sole trader doing roof repairs or a company running a full re-roofing project, the legal requirements are the same. However, the practical challenges differ. A solo roofer faces additional risks: working alone at height means there's no one to raise the alarm if something goes wrong. Handling large sheets, ridge tiles, or rolls of felt is harder without help. Fatigue sets in faster when you're working alone. Your RAMS should address lone working arrangements specifically — this includes regular check-in procedures (who you'll call and when), a rescue plan in case of a fall, and practical measures like limiting the weight of materials you carry up the ladder in a single trip. A roofing company needs to focus on coordination between workers, traffic management of materials being lifted to roof level, and supervision of less experienced workers.

Common hazards

• Falls from height — roofing is the highest-risk trade for fatal falls
• Fragile surfaces (skylights, roof lights, fibre cement sheets)
• Falling materials and tools from roof level
• Weather hazards — wind, rain, ice making surfaces slippery
• Manual handling of heavy roofing materials at height
• Hot works for felt roofing and lead work
• Proximity to overhead power lines
• Lone working at height — no one to raise the alarm if there's a fall
• Exposure to UV radiation during prolonged outdoor work
• Noise from cutting and nailing equipment

How The Site Book handles roofing RAMS

Describe your roofing job — "re-roof, 3-bed detached, pitched roof, existing felt and batten" — and The Site Book identifies all the relevant hazards automatically. It creates RAMS covering working at height, edge protection requirements, fragile surface protocols, weather criteria, manual handling at height, and hot works for felt and lead work. The control measures are specific to roofing, not generic, so your RAMS look professional and site-specific.

Edge protection requirements

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 are clear: where there is a risk of a fall, collective fall prevention measures must be used before personal fall protection. For roofing work, this means edge protection — guard rails at eaves level and gable ends — should be the default, not harnesses. Harnesses are only acceptable where edge protection is not reasonably practicable, and even then, you need to justify that decision in your RAMS.

Edge protection for roofing typically consists of scaffolding erected to SG4 standard, with guard rails extending above the roof eaves line. The guard rail must be at least 950mm above the working surface, with an intermediate rail and toe board. At gable ends, separate edge protection is needed — this can be scaffold tubes, proprietary gable end brackets, or other systems that prevent a fall over the verge.

The HSE takes a dim view of roofers working without edge protection. Prohibition notices — which stop all work immediately — are commonly issued for unprotected edges on roofing sites. The financial and reputational cost of a prohibition notice far exceeds the cost of proper scaffolding. Your RAMS must detail the specific edge protection arrangements for every edge where there's a fall risk, not just a general statement that "edge protection will be provided."

Fragile surfaces

Fragile surfaces are one of the most dangerous hazards in roofing work. A fragile surface is one that is liable to fail if a person's weight is applied to it. Common fragile surfaces include: roof lights and skylights (even new ones can be fragile — never assume they'll take your weight), fibre cement sheets (which become more brittle with age, especially if they contain asbestos), corroded metal sheeting, glass (conservatory roofs, atriums), and rotten timber decking.

The '2-metre rule' is often cited but misunderstood: the Work at Height Regulations apply at ANY height where there's a risk of injury from a fall, not just above 2 metres. However, falls through fragile surfaces are particularly deadly because they're often unexpected — the worker doesn't know the surface can't support them until it gives way.

Prevention measures include: never walking directly on fragile surfaces, using crawling boards or staging that spans between structural supports, installing permanent or temporary covers over roof lights (clearly marked so they're not removed), and maintaining exclusion zones around known fragile areas. Your RAMS should identify every fragile surface on the roof, the control measures for each, and the information and training workers need.

Weather and roofing safety

Weather is a critical factor in roofing safety that your RAMS must address with specific, actionable criteria — not just "check the weather before starting work." Wind is the primary concern. The HSE doesn't set a specific wind speed limit for roofing work, but industry guidance typically recommends stopping work when sustained wind speeds exceed 23 mph (force 5 on the Beaufort scale) or when gusts exceed 35 mph. On exposed sites or tall buildings, these limits may need to be lower.

Wind affects balance, makes handling sheet materials dangerous (a sheet of plywood becomes a sail), and can blow unsecured materials off the roof onto people below. Rain makes surfaces slippery — tiles, felt, lead, and metal all become significantly more hazardous when wet. If it starts raining during roof work, you may need to stop and come down until surfaces dry. Ice is even more dangerous because it may not be visible. Morning frost on roof surfaces can persist in shaded areas long after ground-level frost has melted.

Your RAMS should include specific wind speed and weather criteria for stopping work, who makes the decision to stop, and how partially completed work will be made safe when you stop unexpectedly.

Hot works on roofs

Hot works on roofs — including torch-on felt, lead work with soldering irons, and welding for flashings — are a significant fire risk. Many serious fires have started from roofing hot works, particularly when torch-on felt ignites underlying timber or insulation.

A hot works permit system should be in place for any roofing job involving naked flames or heat sources. The permit should specify: what work is being done, where, by whom, what fire prevention measures are in place (fire extinguisher within arm's reach, fire blanket, access to water), and the fire watch period after works cease (typically a minimum of 60 minutes, but can be longer depending on the materials involved).

During the fire watch, someone must remain on site checking for signs of smouldering or combustion. Your RAMS should detail the hot works procedure, the type and location of fire-fighting equipment, and the fire watch arrangements. If you're working on or near a party wall, the fire risk to neighbouring properties must also be considered.

Roof access and ladder safety

Getting on and off the roof safely is as important as the work itself. Ladder accidents are a common cause of injury on roofing jobs. Ladders used for roof access should be: industrial or trade grade (Class 1 or EN131 Professional), positioned at a 75-degree angle (1 unit out for every 4 units up), secured at the top or footed by a competent person, and extending at least 1 metre above the stepping-off point (the roof eaves or scaffold platform).

For regular access to the roof during a project, a scaffold stairway or ladder hatch through the scaffold is preferable to a leaning ladder. Roof ladders (crawling boards hooked over the ridge) provide safe access on pitched roofs and spread the load to prevent damage to tiles. On flat roofs, access may be through an internal hatch or via scaffolding — either way, the access point needs edge protection around it.

Your RAMS should specify the access method for getting workers and materials onto the roof, the type and specification of ladders being used, and any inspection requirements.