Safety Guardrails for Insulated Slabs and Green Roofs
Green roof railings VECTACO® VDE are intended for mounting on insulating layer concrete slabs as well as on so-called “green and inverted roofs”. Base support guardrail is tailor made depending on the thickness of the roof insulation layer. In this way, we can ensure a perfect sealing of the roof. As a means of collective protection equipment (CPE), safety on the roof is thus always guarantee, regardless of the employee’s approach to safety procedures. Unlike traditional lifelines systems and EN ISO 795 anchor points, green roof railings represent a “once and for all” investment that does not require annual inspections or training for roof users.
Use of VECTACO® VDE Guardrails on Inverted and Green Roofs
Specially designed set of aluminium support brackets and polyamide pads ensure complete watertightness of the roof. The patented Sabot D support bracket avoids even thermal bridges. Our green roof railings VECTACO® VDE are the ideal solution for pitched roofs with a thick thermal insulation layer and for on so-called “green roofs”. In addition, VECTACO® railings modular system guarantees very quick and easy assembly.
Technical Benefits of Safety Guardrails for Highly Insulated Roof Slabs
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- the employer is 100% sure that safety on the roof is always guaranteed regardless of the employee’s approach. Collective protective equipment (CPE).
- no maintenance cost of the fall protection system. Unlike traditional EN ISO 795 lifelines systems, green roof railings are a “once and for all” investment that requires neither annual inspections nor training of roof users.
- companies operating the equipment or performing works on the roof, as well as employees, do not need to have additional qualifications to work at height. Safety railings securing the roof edge are treated as a structural element of the building.
- fixing kit ensure complete watertightness of the roof.
- short delivery time. Very quick and simple assembly.
Aluminum Insulated Roof Guardrails – Eliminating Thermal Bridges
VECTACO® safety railings are made of aluminium. Compared to steel railings, our aluminium roof railings provide greater resistance to adverse weather conditions, including corrosion. Our railings are classified according to EN ISO 12944-2 as corrosion class C3. This is a medium corrosivity class – ‘urban and industrial atmospheres, moderate sulphur dioxide (IV) pollution, e.g. coastal areas with low salinity.’
These roof railings give a modern design to any building thanks to their raw aluminium finish. Other finishes on request, such as anodized aluminium, thermo-lacquered and matched to any RAL colour.
Depending on the needs, we can install a standard straight upright or an inclined upright. The inclined upright is mainly intended for situations where the investor does not want the railing to be visible from the bottom of the building. Also in some situations, it can be useful to use a railing folding system, such as:
- in places where it is necessary to fold the railing in order to perform some specific works
- to maintain the aesthetics of the building, bending to disappear from external view of the building.
Legal Regulations and HSE Standards: Permanent Edge Protection on Roofs
VDE VECTACO® safety railings are certified in accordance with the European standard EN ISO 14122-3 date December 2007 regarding safety of machinery – permanent means of access to machinery – part 3: stairs, stepladders and guardrails. According to this European standard, in the absence of a parapet or element on the edge to secure higher than 10 cm, we should install a toeboard.
If the workplace is more than 1 m above the surface, regulations require us to protect edges with safety railings. European Directive 89/391/EEC, which lays down the principles of preventive action, prioritizes CPE over personal protective equipment (PPE). The regulations clearly state that lifeline safety systems and anchor points EN ISO 795 should only be used when it is not possible to use collective protection equipment, such as green roof railings.
Green roof guardrails are the most effective protection against falling from the roof. As a passive safety system, modular railings allow to secure roof edges without requiring any intervention of roof users. Safety on the roof is thus always guarantee, regardless of the employee’s approach to safety procedures.
Comprehensive Fall Protection Systems – AITANA SAFETY
AITANA SAFETY has been a pioneer in using Collective Protection Measures to prevent falls. We have been designing and installing both roof railings and other roof safety devices for over ten years. All our systems are tested by notified bodies in accordance with European standards.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions About Green Roof Guardrails
What standards must green roof guardrails meet in Europe?
In accordance with health and safety regulations, roof safety railings used as collective protective equipment (CPE) must comply with the European standard EN ISO 14122-3 – permanent means of access to machinery – Part 3: stairs, stepladders and guardrails. VECTACO® green roof guardrails have successfully passed all static and dynamic tests required by the above-mentioned standards. It should be noted that European Directive 89/391/EEC, which lays down the principles of preventive action, gives priority to collective protective measures (CPE) over personal protective equipment (PPE). The regulations clearly state that rope safety systems and anchor points in accordance with EN ISO 795 should only be used when it is not possible to use collective protection equipment, such as safety railings securing the roof edge.
Do green roof safety railings require annual technical inspections?
Unlike lifeline systems and anchor points (PPE), roof safety railings are treated as a permanent structural element of the building. This means that they do not require annual paid inspections or specialist training for staff.
Who is authorised to install safety guardrails for inverted and green roofs?
No manufacturer’s authorisation or specialist training is required to install safety roof guardrails. Simply follow the installation instructions for the relevant model to comply with the requirements of standard EN ISO 14122-3. It is a modular system that consists of a small number of components, making installation quick and easy. Most of our customers carry out the installation themselves using the instructions provided, saving on the costs of external contractors.
How quickly can green roof safety railings be installed?
In the case of green roof guardrails, two people can install 60 metres in just an 8-hour shift. You must add to this, the time needed to carry the components up to the roof and position them along the edge roof to secure.
How do you install roof railings on a green or inverted roof?
For green and inverted roofs, the VECTACO® VDE system is used. It features a specially extended post base, made to measure depending on the thickness of the insulation layers and the growing medium, which allows for stable attachment to the roof deck.
Does installing a railing on an insulated roof cause thermal bridges?
Absolutely not. The VECTACO® VDE system uses a patented set of aluminium brackets and special polyamide washers, which effectively interrupt the transfer of cold, eliminating the risk of thermal bridges and ensuring the building’s insulation remains intact.
What is the warranty period and the conditions for maintaining it in the case of roof safety guardrails?
Roof safety railings are covered by a 10-year warranty on aluminium (and steel) components and a 2-year warranty on other components, such as plastic parts. In order to maintain this warranty, simply install and use the barriers strictly in accordance with the supplied installation instructions or layout installation plans, and carry out an annual visual inspection of the installation yourself (checking fixings, alignment of sections and the absence of visible damage).
Summary – Safety and Full Waterproof Integrity for Roof Slabs
Green roof railings VECTACO® VDE offers a 100% certainty that safety on the roof is always ensured despite employee’s approach to safety procedures. They allow you to save on the costs associated with the operation of the building, which arise with the use of lifeline systems EN ISO 795. Thanks to our patented base support, we avoid the formation of thermal bridges and ensure complete watertightness of the roof. Meanwhile, the greatest advantage of our safety railings is the easy assembly method, which allows most of our customers to do the installation themselves.
Are you planning an edge protection system for a green roof, inverted roof, or a concrete slab with thick insulation? Contact us today. Our engineering team will prepare a customized safety railings project layout and price offer tailored to your parapet wall free of charge