Royal London Building, Macclesfield
Jasper Products recently completed a roof access and fall protection upgrade at the Royal London building in Macclesfield, delivering a compliant solution to support safe access for ongoing plant and building maintenance activities.
The project commenced with a detailed site survey and inspection of the existing roof access systems, including stair units and maintenance walkways. A formal assessment report was produced and issued to the client, identifying a number of non‑compliances and health and safety risks in relation to the Working at Height Regulations 2005, which require that work at height is properly planned and that suitable measures are in place to prevent falls.
The assessment identified that the existing access steps and walkways, which are routinely used for servicing the rooftop heating plant, lacked adequate collective fall prevention measures in line with HSE guidance HSG33 (Health and Safety in Roof Work) and BS EN ISO 14122 (Safety of machinery – Permanent means of access to machinery). In particular, there was a foreseeable risk of operatives falling down stairways while carrying out maintenance tasks. Additionally, the absence of toe board protection along the walkways posed a risk of tools, components, or materials falling from height, contrary to the requirements of Schedule 1 of the Working at Height Regulations, which specify the need for measures to prevent objects falling.
To mitigate these risks, it was recommended that the access system be upgraded to incorporate self‑closing safety gates at all staircase and elevated walkway access points. This ensures continuous edge protection and reduces reliance on procedural controls. Kick plates (toe boards) were specified and installed along the perimeter of the walkways to comply with the collective protection principles set out in HSE hierarchy of control guidance.
During the site‑specific risk assessment, an additional hazard was identified adjacent to the gutter maintenance route. Operatives performing routine cleaning works were exposed to a fall‑through risk due to the presence of a nearby glazed roof section. This represented a significant hazard requiring permanent collective protection.
To eliminate this risk, a compliant roof guardrail system was supplied and installed around the glazed area in accordance with BS EN 13374 (Temporary edge protection systems) and relevant HSE guidance for fragile roofs. The guardrail provides robust edge protection, prevents inadvertent access onto the glazed surface, and ensures maintenance activities can be carried out without exposure to fall‑through hazards.
The completed installation now provides a fully compliant roof access solution, significantly reducing residual risk and ensuring safer working conditions for maintenance personnel. The upgraded system supports long‑term compliance with UK working at height legislation, reduces reliance on PPE, and provides a durable, low‑maintenance safety solution for the client
Jasper Products