Working safely on the roof—simply, efficiently, and with complete peace of mind. Mennens made this possible for Wavin at its site in Hardenberg. Our specialists installed a permanent fall protection solution in the form of a roof edge protection system on the flat roof. Discover how they delivered a precision-engineered safety solution.
Wavin is a European market leader in plastic piping systems, supplying innovative solutions for the building and infrastructure sectors worldwide. Its mission is to contribute to safe and efficient water supply, improved sanitation and hygiene, climate-resilient cities, and better building performance.
Work carried out on the roof
Regular maintenance activities take place on the flat roof of Wavin's main facility in Hardenberg, including:
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Replacing filters in the air handling units
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Maintenance of air conditioning units
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Cleaning rooflights
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Roof inspection, maintenance, and repairs
These recurring activities made a permanent roof edge protection system essential to ensure safe working at height.
The requirement: a horizontal lifeline system
For Wavin, safety during roof maintenance is the highest priority. The company therefore approached Mennens to provide a suitable fall protection solution for its flat roof. Ease of use was a key requirement. Wavin initially considered installing a horizontal lifeline system, allowing workers to connect their personal fall protection equipment to a steel cable running across the roof.
Rané Smilde, Account Manager at Mennens, explains:
"A horizontal lifeline system requires users to wear a full body harness and connect themselves to the lifeline. Employees also need training to ensure they use the system correctly. While this is certainly an effective solution, it isn't always the most user-friendly option."
Mennens therefore looked for an alternative approach.
The recommendation: permanent roof edge protection
Instead of a lifeline system, Mennens recommended installing permanent roof edge protection using the Skylotec HAVEN guardrail system, which can be fitted around the perimeter of the flat roof.
Rané explains:
"With a permanent guardrail system in place, employees can access the roof and carry out their work much more easily and safely. Because the guardrail provides collective fall protection, there is no need for personal fall protection equipment or specific user training."
Safe and user-friendly
Mennens prepared the engineering drawings for the roof edge protection system and completed the installation of the permanent Skylotec HAVEN guardrail system within just three days.
Rané concludes:
"The roof edge protection allows multiple employees to work safely on the roof at the same time. Because it provides collective fall protection, the system can be used without requiring PPE training or instruction. Instead of relying on individual protection, the fall hazard is eliminated collectively. It's both safe and user-friendly."
Could your organisation also benefit from permanent roof edge protection? Or would you like to explore how Mennens can help improve the safety of your working at height activities? Get in touch with our specialists for expert advice
Get in touch with our specialists for expert advice, a training or a Safety Scan.
