When is Roof Safety Mesh Required in Australia?

There’s a lot that goes into keeping workers safe whilst on rooftops. While edge protection, guard rails or fall-arrest systems protect workers from falling off the edge, roof safety mesh protects workers from falling through the roof itself. They are also a legal requirement to meet your WorkSafe requirements in Australia. 

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1. What is roof safety mesh?
2. Why is roof safety mesh important?
3. What wire can be used to make roof safety mesh?
4. Do all roofs require roof safety mesh?

1. What is roof safety mesh?

Roof safety mesh is a metal wire mesh layer that needs to be installed over the entire roofing area before work on the roofing installation starts. The mesh will be securely connected to the structure and needs to be able to support the weight of a person falling into it, plus a few tools that will probably come down with them... That way, if a section of the roof gives out while a person is standing on it, the mesh would stop their fall. 

All roof safety mesh in Australia must comply with the requirements of AS/NZS 4389 Safety Mesh. These include:

• The wire should be 2mm in diameter.
• The tensile strength of the wire must be no less than 450MPa.
• The wire should be welded into a mesh.
• Longitudinal wires should be spaced no more than 150mm apart.
• Cross wires should be spaced no more than 300mm apart.
• After installation, the safety mesh should be covered by the roof cladding as soon as reasonably practical.

2. Why is roof safety mesh important?

It's pretty simple, falls hurt. Even falls from 'low' heights can leave you or your staff with permanent and serious injuries such as concussions, fractures, spinal cord injuries, and brain damage. The higher the roof, the more important fall prevention (like roof safety mesh) becomes.

3. What wire can be used to make roof safety mesh?

Most manufacturers of roof safety mesh will use stainless steel wire, as it is the least likely metal to fall victim to corrosive environments and it will be able to withstand the impacts of the Australian environment. Alternative wire options, such as galvanised metals, corrode and therefore are not able to provide adequate protection.

4. Do all roofs require roof safety mesh?

Roof safety mesh is required under any roof deemed fragile in all Australian states and territories, which include; Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory.  

According to SafeWork Australia, protection must be provided if work is being done on the top of the roof and there is any risk of falling through it. Roofs are likely to be ‘fragile’ if they are constructed from:

• Asbestos roofing sheets
• Fibre cement sheets
• Liner panels on built-up sheeted roofs
• Metal sheets and fasteners (where corroded)
• Glass (including wired glass)
• Chipboard and similar (where rotted)
• Wood slabs, slates, and tiles
• Polycarbonate or plastic (common in skylights)
• Roof lights (particularly where they’re difficult to see in some conditions or have been hidden by paint)
• Or they have skylights

Unless a competent and experienced person has deemed a roof safe, roofs undergoing construction should be deemed fragile and treated accordingly. As a business owner, it is your responsibility to keep yourself and your team safe while at work! In Australia (and New Zealand) this includes installing a roof safety mesh whenever there is a risk of falling through the roof. 

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