What it is
A safety line is a horizontal flexible safety line, typically a tensioned stainless steel cable, that gives a roof worker a continuous attachment point along the full length of a route. Users clip on at one end and traverse the roof without unclipping. They are the appropriate choice on roofs where workers need ongoing, frequent access to areas where collective protection is not practical.
Systems are designed and installed to BS EN 795 Type C for the safety line itself, BS 7883:2019 for installation and inspection of the structural anchors, and BS EN 365 for the wider personal fall protection scheme. Each system is engineered against the building’s structural capacity, the roof geometry, and the expected concurrent user load.
Installation includes structural anchors at every end and corner, intermediate posts at the spacing required by the manufacturer specification, the cable run, tensioners, shock absorbers, the user traveller, and the connecting hardware. We install Latchways, Kee Safety, Capital Safety, Fall Angel, Better Safe, Mansafe, and equivalent manufacturer systems, with each install carrying the manufacturer warranty.
When it applies
- New build or refurbishment where ongoing roof maintenance is anticipated
- Following an inspection where the existing safety line has been condemned
- Where harness-only working has been identified as inadequate for the level of access required
- Where multiple existing anchor points can be rationalised into a single safety line route
- Where solar PV, HVAC plant, or comms equipment requires routine technician access
The process
- Site survey. Engineer attends, measures the roof, identifies structural capacity at every proposed anchor location, and confirms the route.
- System design. Cable route, anchor positions, intermediate post spacing, and traveller arrangement specified to the manufacturer’s installation specification.
- Structural verification. Mounting structure verified for the load case at every anchor point.
- Quotation. Fixed-price covering design, supply, installation, and commissioning, with optional inclusion in the annual recertification programme.
- Installation and commissioning. Carried out by our own engineers. Cable tensioned to specification, every fitting torqued, traveller commissioned, and system load-tested before handover.
What you receive
- Installation certificate to BS EN 795 Type C, BS 7883:2019, and BS EN 365
- Manufacturer-compliant install record and warranty registration
- Tension reading against specification for every cable section
- As-built roof plan with anchor schedule
- Photographic record of installation
- Pull test record for each structural anchor
- 12-month recertification reminder