How Often Should You Inspect Your Roof Anchor Points?

16 Apr How Often Should You Inspect Your Roof Anchor Points?

Roof anchors are a necessity when it comes to keeping people safe on a job site. If you work at heights, you likely know just how important they are! These safety devices provide a secure attachment point for safety harnesses and lifelines, and aim to prevent falls and other accidents that may occur when working at heights. 

As working at heights is inherently a risky activity, any safety measures that can be taken should always be taken— and taken seriously— for maximum protection. However, while you know roof anchor points are so crucial, there may be one thing you aren’t aware of: How often they need to be inspected. 

This article examines how often roof anchor points need to be inspected in accordance with legislation and how this differs between states. For personalised advice, contact our team at Australian Height Safety Services today.

Legislation Varies From State To State 

The legislation surrounding how often roof anchor points need to be inspected varies from state to state. This can make it confusing, as the frequency required for one state may be different from that of the next state over. 

The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OH&S Act) of each state mandates compliance with health and safety regulations. This deals with specific risks including working at heights, but also includes other specific occupational risks such as asbestos management, working in confined spaces, and plant safety.

Victoria 

In Victoria, roof anchors and roof anchor points need to be inspected every six months when the anchor points are in ‘regular use’ and are permanently fixed. However, ‘regular use’ isn’t specifically defined, so this can be open for interpretation. Common sense is key here! The facility manager should determine whether the roof anchors are in ‘regular use’ or not. 

New South Wales 

The New South Wales regulation states that roof anchors and roof anchor points need to be inspected ‘on a regular basis’. Again, this isn’t defined by a particular time period, so it’s best to exercise your own good judgement. 

Queensland 

Queensland’s legislation, in Section 306I 10(c) of its Workplace Health and Safety Regulations, says that every component of a height safety system needs to be inspected every six months, ‘other than’ the anchorage points. As this specifically excludes the anchorage points, this can create a lot of confusion. On one hand it seems to infer that the anchorage points do not need to be inspected at all, but that goes against good safety sense! Common sense indicates that you should also inspect the roof anchors while performing the rest of the six-monthly checks. 

Thankfully, Section 306G (4) states that a system needs to be inspected every six months, and references anchorages as being part of the system multiple times. Therefore, common sense once again says that Queensland law requires roof anchor points to be inspected every six months. 

South Australia 

In South Australia, roof anchorages that are permanently fixed need to be inspected once every six months. This legislation under the Australian Standard AS/NZS1891 takes precedence over a code of practice that requires inspections to be every 12 months. 

Western Australia 

Western Australia’s regulations simply state that all fixed anchorages need to be inspected once every six months. 

Australian Capital Territory 

The ACT uses the National Code of Practice for the Prevention of Falls in General Construction, which requires permanently fixed anchorages to be inspected every six months.

Read: How to inspect and maintain roof anchor points

Need Your Roof Anchors Inspected? 

Now that you know how often you need to inspect your roof anchor points, the most important thing is to make sure you do it as required. Inspecting your roof anchors ensures that anchorage points and safety lines continue to work how they’re intended to, keeping safety as the number one priority. 

At Australian Height Safety Systems, we’re dedicated to not just meeting, but exceeding, Australian regulatory standards. It’s safe to say that with us, you’re in good hands when it comes to height safety! For more information on our height safety services, get in touch with us today by calling 1800 850 121. 

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