Did you know that roof work causes around a quarter of all construction deaths, with fragile surfaces like skylights responsible for the largest share? Skylights and roof lights are the most overlooked hazards when it comes to rooftop safety. While they can flood a building with natural light and reduce energy costs, they also pose a serious risk to anyone working at height.
No matter what type of building you’re managing, it’s vital that you comply with the skylight fall protection regulations. In this guide, we explain the main risks of skylights, and explore how our skylight fall protection solutions can help to keep your team safe when working at height.
The hidden dangers of skylights
Many skylights, especially older ones, are made from materials like plastic and wired glass. Thanks to UV exposure and weathering, these materials can become brittle over time. They might appear solid on the outside, but they could actually give way under the weight of a person in a matter of seconds.
But it’s not just old skylights that are the problem. Even new skylights can be dangerous if they’re not designed to withstand foot traffic or heavy loads. During roof maintenance, inspections, or cleaning, it’s easy to miss these hazards until it’s too late – particularly if the skylight is obscured by dirt, moss, or snow.
If you don’t have proper skylight fall protection in place, one simple misstep could result in your workers falling several metres, leading to severe injury or even death. You would then be liable to heavy fines or even prosecution.
This is exactly what happened in a recent case reported by the HSE: two companies were fined after a worker fell more than five metres through a skylight at a Salford skate park and suffered serious injuries. This incident could have been prevented if adequate skylight covers or edge protection had been provided.
HSE requirements for skylight fall protection in the UK
Under The Work at Height Regulations 2005, you are required to:
- Avoiding working at height wherever possible i.e. always plan tasks from the ground if you can.
- Prevent falls where work at height is unavoidable using guardrails, covers, or walkways.
- Minimise the consequences of a fall, for example with fall arrest equipment.
You are expected to undertake a risk assessment and assess each rooftop for fragile elements before any work at height begins. It is then your responsibility to ensure that appropriate control measures are in place by the time your personnel access the rooftop.
If there is a clear risk of falling through a fragile surface (like a skylight), then you must provide suitable platforms, covers, guardrails or similar protection to support foreseeable loads. You must also minimise the distance and impact if a fall were to occur, for example by using safety nets, personal fall arrest systems, soft landing bags, or other suitable fall arrest equipment. Finally, you must also install clear warning signs to communicate these hazards to your workforce.
How we can help you improve skylight safety
We offer a complete range of fall protection solutions to help you meet the HSE regulations and protect your team members who are working around skylights, including:
Roof light protection covers
Our skylight covers are designed to sit securely over the roof light, creating a robust barrier that prevents your staff from accidental contact or falls. Built from lightweight aluminium with a sleek profile, they are thin yet strong, and are engineered to withstand the weight of any person or equipment without failure. They are easy to install and require minimal maintenance, making them the ideal solution for all types of roofs.
Roof guardrail systems
Our permanent roof guardrail systems create a clearly defined physical barrier around skylights to prevent your workers from entering high-risk areas. They’re ideal for locations where covers may not be practical, such as larger roof openings, and can be installed as a standalone system or with our walkways to create a continuous safety zone. Our guardrails provide highly visible, long-term protection without the need for regular maintenance.
Roof walkway systems
Our fixed and loose lay walkway systems provide a stable, non-slip route across a rooftop, helping to guide your workers safely away from fragile areas. They’re an incredibly versatile solution that can be specifically tailored to your building’s layout and installed on a variety of rooftops. They seamlessly integrate with our guardrails to provide safe access solutions on both metal and membrane roof systems.
