Fall protection is installed for the day something goes wrong, which makes it easy to forget on every other day. Regular inspection is what keeps a system ready for that moment. This article explains the layers of inspection that good practice recommends, what should trigger an extra check and what each type of system needs looked at.
Written by: Yatin Chaudhary, TsaF.
Why systems deteriorate
A lifeline or barricade can look unchanged from the ground for years while its condition slowly changes. Common causes include:
- Weather and corrosion: rain, humidity, coastal salt and industrial pollutants attack metals and fixings.
- Sunlight: UV degrades textiles, plastics and some composite materials.
- Roof movement: metal sheeting expands and contracts daily, which can loosen fasteners and brackets.
- Loss of tension: cables can slacken over time, increasing deflection in a fall.
- Accidental damage: contractors installing plant, solar panels or ductwork often knock, move or remove components.
- Wear of moving parts: travellers, trolleys and fall arresters wear with use.
- Unauthorised changes: well-meant modifications can compromise how a system works.
The layers of inspection
No single inspection catches everything. Good practice relies on several layers, each with a different purpose.
Before every use
The user checks the equipment they are about to rely on: harness, lanyard, connectors and the visible parts of the system they will attach to. The check is visual and functional, takes minutes and should be part of training. If anything looks wrong, the equipment is not used until it has been checked by someone competent.
Periodic detailed inspection
A competent person carries out a thorough, documented inspection of the whole system at regular intervals. Many manufacturers specify at least once a year as a baseline, and more often for heavy use or harsh environments. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the specific product, together with any requirements that apply to your site.
Event-driven inspection
Some events call for an inspection straight away, regardless of when the last one took place:
- after any fall arrest or suspected shock load, with the system withdrawn from use until it is inspected;
- after roof works, re-sheeting, plant installation or solar panel fitting near the system;
- after storms, fire, impact or any visible damage;
- after a modification, extension or relocation;
- before use if a system has been idle for a long period or its history is unknown.
Commissioning inspection
When a system is handed over, a documented inspection records its as-installed condition. That baseline makes later inspections more meaningful, because the inspector can see what has changed.
| Inspection | When | Who | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-use check | Every time before use | The trained user | Use, or withdraw and report |
| Periodic detailed inspection | At least as often as the manufacturer specifies; annually is a common baseline | A competent person | Written report, repairs, next due date |
| Event-driven inspection | After a fall, damage, roof works or modification | A competent person | Return to service or repair |
| Commissioning inspection | At handover | Installer, with the client | Baseline record and user handover |
How often is often enough?
There is no single interval that suits every site. Annual inspection is a sensible minimum for most permanent systems, not a ceiling. Consider shorter intervals where:
- the site is coastal or the roof receives chemical exhaust;
- the system is used daily or by many different contractors;
- overhead lines sit above busy loading bays where vehicles or cranes could strike them;
- previous inspections have found recurring corrosion or loosening;
- the roof is being actively worked on, for example during a solar installation.
What gets checked, system by system
A competent inspection follows a structured checklist for each system type. The points below reflect what TsaF inspects during an annual maintenance check.
Vertical lifelines
The full climbing route, a function test of the guided fall arrester in both directions and its locking action, the upper and lower anchorages, cable or rail guides, cable tension or rail alignment, and the interface with the ladder.
Horizontal lifelines
Broken strands or kinks in the stainless steel cable, cable tension, the condition of the energy absorber and its indicator, end terminations and swaged connections, intermediate brackets and pass-through, traveller movement and identification labels. A horizontal lifeline system with a visible energy-absorber indicator makes it easier to see whether the line has taken a load.
Overhead lifelines
The rail or cable along its full path, trolley movement, suspension brackets, end stops and trolley retention, clearance, wear on connecting hardware and alignment.
Walkways
Damaged, corroded, loose or displaced sections, joints, supports and fixings, alignment and stability, the condition of the slip-resistant surface, and deterioration of FRP sections.
Barricades and edge protection
Posts, top rails, mid rails and toe boards; clamps, joints, brackets and fasteners; alignment and stability; and the roof fixing points.
Ladders and mobile anchors
For ladders: structure, rungs, cage hoops and straps, brackets, rest platforms and entry and exit sections. For mobile anchors: suitability for continued use, attachment points, frame and load-bearing members, locking arrangements, stability, moving parts and labels.
Who should carry out the inspection?
A periodic inspection needs a competent person: someone with the training, experience and knowledge of the specific system to judge whether it is fit for continued use. In practice that usually means a technician trained by the manufacturer or installer, or a specialist inspection provider. General maintenance staff can and should carry out pre-use checks, but a detailed inspection often involves tasks that need specific knowledge, such as reading an energy-absorber indicator, checking cable tension, judging acceptable wear on a trolley or assessing whether a roof fixing has deteriorated.
When appointing an inspector, ask:
- Are they trained on this manufacturer’s system and familiar with its instructions?
- Do they have access to genuine replacement components?
- Will they provide a written report for each system, with clear pass, repair or withdraw decisions?
- Can they also advise when the system no longer suits the way the roof is used?
Building inspection into site routines
Inspections are easier to sustain when they are part of normal site management rather than a separate task that depends on one person remembering. A few practical habits help:
- Link access to inspection status. Make a current inspection a condition of issuing a permit for roof work, so an overdue system is noticed before someone relies on it.
- Brief contractors. Contractors working on the roof should know which systems are installed, how to use them and that they must report any damage they cause.
- Inspect after projects. Add a fall protection check to the close-out of any roof project, from re-sheeting to solar installation.
- Review annually. Use the periodic inspection to ask whether the roof is still used the way the system was designed for. New plant, new tasks and new users can all change what protection is needed.
PPE is part of the system
Harnesses, lanyards, energy absorbers and connectors have their own inspection needs and service lives set by their manufacturers. Textiles are vulnerable to UV, heat, chemicals, cuts and abrasion. Any item that has arrested a fall should be removed from service. Keep PPE inspections on the same register as the fixed systems so nothing is missed.
Records: if it is not written down, it did not happen
Good records make inspection useful rather than a formality. Keep:
- a register of every system and item, each with a unique identification label;
- installation drawings, user instructions and the manufacturer’s inspection requirements;
- dated inspection reports with findings, actions taken and who carried them out;
- the next inspection due date, also shown on the system label where possible.
Signs a system needs attention now
- Slack or visibly sagging cable, or a traveller that sticks.
- A deployed or tripped energy-absorber indicator.
- Rust staining, loose fixings or cracked sealant around brackets.
- Bent posts, missing rails or toe boards, or displaced walkway sections.
- Missing or unreadable labels and no record of the last inspection.
Repairs should use genuine components and be carried out by a competent installer. Improvised fixes, such as swapping in unrated hardware, can change how a system behaves in a fall.
From inspection to maintenance
Inspection finds problems; maintenance fixes them. A system that is inspected but never corrected is not ready for use. A good maintenance programme closes the loop: every defect found is either corrected on the spot, scheduled with a date, or the system is withdrawn until it is fixed.
Routine maintenance tasks
- Restoring lifeline cable tension and correcting alignment
- Tightening loose fixings, clamps and connections
- Replacing worn or damaged components with genuine parts
- Cleaning and checking moving parts on trolleys, travellers and arresters
- Replacing missing or illegible labels and inspection tags
Corrective maintenance
Some defects need more than adjustment: a kinked or corroded cable, a deployed energy absorber, a bent post or a damaged walkway section. These parts should be replaced, not repaired, and only with components specified for that system. Repairs should be carried out by a competent installer and recorded with what was replaced and why.
Returning a system to service after a fall
A system that has arrested a fall must be taken out of service immediately. Before reuse, a competent person should inspect the whole system, not only the point where the fall occurred. Components involved in the arrest — typically the energy absorber, connectors and the user’s PPE — are replaced. The anchors and fixings are checked for movement or damage, and the system is documented as re-inspected before it is returned to use.
What an Annual Maintenance Check covers
TsaF’s Annual Maintenance Check (AMC) combines inspection and maintenance for eligible TsaF systems in one documented visit:
- Scope and schedule: the systems covered, a checklist for each and a visit date are agreed.
- On-site inspection: each system is inspected and function-tested against its checklist.
- Maintenance and rectification: tension, alignment and loose connections are corrected; worn or damaged parts are replaced where required.
- Report: findings, actions taken and recommendations are recorded for audits.
An AMC supports compliance but does not by itself make a site compliant. Correct use, training, rescue planning and the site’s own safety management system all play a part.
Keeping maintenance records
Good records show that a system is maintained, not just installed. For each system keep:
- A unique system reference matching the on-site label
- Design drawings, user instructions and the permitted number of users
- The commissioning record
- Every inspection report, with the next due date
- A log of maintenance and replacements, including part references
- Any event that took the system out of service, and how it was returned
Keep records for the life of the system, and make sure the EHS team, not only the contractor, holds a copy.
Frequently asked questions
Is annual inspection enough?
Annual inspection is a baseline for permanent systems. Harsh environments, heavy use or ongoing roof work may need shorter intervals, as advised by the manufacturer and your safety management system.
Can we repair a damaged cable?
No. A damaged lifeline cable should be replaced, not repaired.
Who can carry out maintenance?
A competent person trained on the specific system, using genuine components.
Does an AMC cover PPE?
PPE such as harnesses and lanyards has its own inspection requirements and service life. Confirm what is in scope when the AMC is agreed.
Next step
If you are unsure when your systems were last inspected, or whether they still suit how the roof is used, a structured review is a good place to start. TsaF offers an Annual Maintenance Check for eligible systems, and our engineers can review existing installations as part of a wider survey. Request a site assessment to discuss your site.
