Can you remember coming across a situation in which you felt unsafe and your intuition kicked in to guide you through? Thank goodness for that sixth sense. Sometimes, however, it's not about intuition. It's about knowing the facts and getting input from knowledgeable safety experts. Our priority at General Safety Services is to keep people safe. (It is our middle name, after all.) We'd like to share some of the most frequently asked questions that we receive to help you with your safety process.

Q: What's the best way to wash my windows?

A: It depends on the height of the building, access to the windows, existing fall protection and so forth. We recommend getting a consultation with our experts at GSS to let you know what works best for your particular situation.

Q: What will I need for fall protection?

A: Again, it depends on your specific situation. GSS will provide you with a complete roof top analysis in regards to what types of fall protection is needed. Products include safety fall arrest roof anchors, permanent or temporary and movable counter-weighted safety rails, ladders, horizontal lifelines, skylight hatches and certifications.

Q: My building is taller than 300 feet. How can I wash my windows since I can't use a bosun chair?

A: Windows can only be washed from the ground or from the roof. If your building is over 300 ft high, some form of swing staging, whether permanent or rented, is necessary to wash the windows.

Q: How often do I need a load test? What type of testing is required?

A: All anchors must have documentation of a visual inspection every year by a “competent” person”, and load-tested every 10 years by a P.E. Don't forget you must show current proof of certification with a stamped letter by a PE (professional engineer) in order to use existing fall protection systems.

Q: Do I need an inspection annually or can I skip a year?

A: To be compliant with ANSI Safety Standards, a competent person must visually inspect all roof anchors once a year, this will allow compliant of an existing fall protection systems. 

Q: Do I need a visual inspection after I have a load test done?

A: A load test is good for 10 years so you don't need to do a visual inspection the same year you have a load test. But you will still need a visual inspection the following year.

Q: Do my skylights need preventive rails or cages around them?

A: Yes. OSHA requires that both hatches and skylights get guardrail systems or preventive screens.

Give us a call to set up a consultation to assess your specific situation and any safety questions you have. Our professional staff at General Safety Services is here to help.