Wind Monitoring when Working on Roofs
Working at height on roofs is some of the most dangerous work that can be undertaken, even with the strict health and safety at work regulations here in the UK. Despite modern technology and the use of innovative new safety solutions, a fall from height remains one of the most common causes of fatalities in the workplace here in Britain. Carrying out a thorough risk assessment before beginning any work on a roof will enable you to minimise any risks, especially if the roof features collective protection equipment like rooftop demarcation barriers which keep workers away from the edge and other hazards. However, when working on roofs, there are some hazards that remain way beyond human control and the most common of these is the wind. While the wind speed at ground level may be fairly slow, once you’re on a roof, even a one-storey roof, wind speed can increase significantly and add to the dangers.
This is where wind speed monitors come into play. Installing a wind speed monitoring solution is a great way of making sure that work at height is not carried out in conditions that are so windy that work should be stopped in order to ensure safety. Because the severity and duration of adverse weather conditions is notoriously difficult to predict and the weather can change so rapidly, contractors need to find ways to keep an eye on the weather in order to ensure maximum safety on building projects. This is where wind monitoring equipment can help – it enables contractors to monitor wind speeds (whether on construction sites, roofs, tall structures or cranes) and ensure that the appropriate health and safety procedures are followed.
Maintaining safe levels of operation is essential in the construction industry in order to comply with health and safety legislation. Failure to maintain safe levels can lead to fatal or life-changing accidents for workers and costly compensation claims for employers.
Modern technology has enabled the manufacturers of wind speed monitors to develop solutions that provide live maximum wind speed and wind direction data that can be used to enhance the decision making process and comply with health and safety legislation. Some monitors will deliver up to date information on wind speed to computers and mobile phones in real time via GSM wireless communication for reliable monitoring at all times.
Not only does the use of a wind speed monitor improve health and safety compliance, it can also minimise downtime and the costs incurred when facing project delays. In cases of dispute, a monitor that provides full historical back-up of wind data which can be used for accurate assessment of wind conditions at any time over the history of a project. The downtime disputes often take place months after the event so incontrovertible evidence of any weather incidents is essential. Finding a method of accurately logging wind conditions has been difficult in the past but this is no longer the case. Innovative digital technology can provide detailed information that can be used to settle downtime disputes but the data used must be accurate in order for it to be effective.