Roof environments naturally evolve over a building’s lifespan. Equipment is upgraded, layouts shift and access patterns change – often gradually and without a formal reassessment of the original safety design. While these adjustments may appear minor in isolation, they can unintentionally alter risk profiles.
Treating roof alterations as a prompt for review supports safer long-term building management and helps ensure that protective measures continue to function as intended.
Changes that can affect lightning protection systems:
- Installation of new plant or rooftop equipment
- Relocation of existing plant outside the original zone of protection
- Structural extensions or height changes to the building
- New cable routes
Changes that can affect height safety:
- New plant requiring access to areas not previously designated for routine entry
- The addition of PV arrays
- Removal of temporary edge protection following maintenance works
- Altered access routes creating unofficial walkways or shortcuts
- Increased frequency of roof access changing the suitability of existing controls
Lightning protection inspections will typically identify visible structural or plant changes where they can be observed; however, routine height safety inspections focus on the equipment presented for test rather than the overall roof access strategy. If your roof has evolved, it may be worth considering whether a broader review is appropriate, with a particular focus on how current system routes and types align with the Working at Height Hierarchy of Control.
Could recent changes mean your roof safety arrangements deserve a review? If you’re unsure whether your systems are still up to scratch, get in touch with our team. Our specialists will review your existing safety measures and advise whether a formal lightning protection or height safety risk assessment would be beneficial.
If you’re looking for more safety insights from Omega Red, why not tune in to our podcast ‘Grounded in Safety’?
Join Nick Marshall, Managing Director of Omega Red Group, as he’s joined by a range of experts to chat all things lightning protection, height safety, earthing and surge protection. In recent episodes, StruckSmart and Anchored in Safety, we look at two key themes. First, how the newest BS EN IEC 62305 standard reframes risk, fire and system uptime and second, how height safety has shifted from improvised rooftop systems to rigorous, evidence‑led practice under BS 7883:2019 and BS 8681.
Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Podcasts | Watch on YouTube
Don’t forget to subscribe to be one of the first to hear about new episodes.
