All About Roof Walkway Systems
Be it commercial high-rises or residential skyscrapers; the roof is essential for protecting the building from adverse weather and keeping the people inside safe. However, they also act as a place to hold the HVAC units, the dish antennas, mobile towers, or the sky lights, and they need regular maintenance. If the place of installation is prone to damages from people walking on them then it defeats the purpose entirely. So, what is the way out? The one perfect solution to this problem is to install roof walkway systems that protect the equipment on the roof as well as the roof itself when the maintenance workers move around them for attending to faults and performing regular maintenance. You might be wondering what they are and how they can benefit you! Let us discuss.
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The Systems
Usually, roof walkway systems are earmarked pathways on the roof, allowing people to walk and traverse on them safely and are made up of various materials, including rubber. They can be metal walkways or non-slip plank walkways. The purpose of all types of roof walkway systems is the same; preventing roof damage and not damaging the installed equipment, ensuring worker safety as well.
Benefits of The Roof Walkways
It is no secret that walking on the roof of the high rise buildings is a risky affair, particularly if some places are at angles or the roof is slopped. The roof walkway systems manufactured by various industrial houses makes them slip resistant so that the workers can move on them confidently having firm footage without fear of slipping or skidding.
As the workers and other maintenance people frequently walk and move on the roof, therefore heavy foot traffic in a path weaken and damage the roof, but if the roof walking systems are installed, and people walk on them, then the roof structure below is safe against wear and tear.
The efficiency of the installation and the maintenance workers increases considerably as they feel more confident walking on the roof walkway systems and their attention is entirely concentrated on the work minimizing any fear of falling. It is quite tough to work on the ducts and the pipes unless the roof walkway systems are in place, and the maintenance becomes much costlier overall. These types of systems reduce the maintenance cost as well as the legal cost against accidents to a great extent.
Points to Ponder While Installing Them
- As one thinks of installing the roof walkway systems, the first thing that is to be considered is the weight of the material and the load-bearing capacity of the roof per square foot. The system should be such that the building can withstand the extra load, and the system is light yet robust.
- The next thing is to consider the material. It should be of a non-slip material that minimizes accidents and falls. Many experts recommend sturdy rubber materials or aluminum material coated with rubber.
- They should preferably have handrails or safety rails at places where the roof has a slope or at the edges. One usually should install handrails too if the slope of the roof is more than 5 degrees. The material should be such that it does not penetrate the roof while installation or while one is walking on the roof walkway systems.
- One should also take into consideration that the roof walkway systems are easy to install and maintain otherwise they become an added expense headache eventually, and the purpose of introducing them fails.
Conclusion
The roof walkway system not only increases the safety, confidence, and efficiency of the maintenance workers, but they also save the roof from continuous foot damage on stretches. Installing them is beneficial in many aspects, as mentioned above.
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