Typically, in compliance with local authorities having jurisdiction, e.g., OSHA, DOL, MOL, for life and safety, all suspended maintenance equipment supplied and installed must be inspected annually as a minimum requirement. A similar inspection shall follow any significant alteration made to an existing installation. The building owner shall keep a certification record of each inspection and test required.
The certification record shall include the inspection date, the signature of the person who performed the inspection, and the number or other identifiers of the building support structure and equipment inspected. It shall be kept readily available for review by authorities and by the maintenance contractor.
Pro-Bel maintains up-to-date inspection records of all Pro-Bel manufactured equipment/installations. All inspection data is recorded in the building owner’s/employer’s Equipment Manual & Inspection Log Book. The Log Book contains the necessary information to comply with all relevant State and Federal safety standards. It will reduce the legal exposure of the design professionals and the owner in the event of an accident. It is crucial that these documents be stored and readily available. Pro-Bel now has an online solution for document stores, such as the Pro-Bel Customer Portal.
Why Inspections?
OSHA and local authorities have jurisdiction and require all tie-back and lifeline anchors and other permanently installed suspended access equipment to be inspected annually as a minimum requirement. Pro-Bel Offers Building Owners and Property Managers a variety of comprehensive inspection programs to ensure all fall protection devices continue functioning as intended.
When exercising their respective mandates, OSHA and the various authorities place the responsibility for fall protection on building owners and employers and, by implication, the owner's agents, including Architects, Designers, Engineers, Consultants, Roofing Consultants, Design-builders, Product or Equipment Manufacturers, and Contractors. It is a shared responsibility regarding worker safety, and all parties involved are exposed to risk and liability.
In the unfortunate event of an accident, proper documentation is Paramount for things such as intended system design through control documents such as engineered drawings and inspection reports, as well as safe work plans and procedures and training; they are critical to reducing risk and liability and ultimately ensuring a safe workplace for those working at heights.
In addition to the mandatory OSHA requirement for annual inspections, the ANSI-I14 Standard requires suspended maintenance anchorages to be re-certified when re-roofing or renovating (pertinent to the window cleaning system) or at periods not to exceed ten years.
The owner's best defense is the documentation showing compliance with applicable codes and standards. Our qualified and competent inspectors document all findings in our inspection reports, which will be stored in the on-site equipment log book and available via our online portal. The logbook, containing the necessary information to comply with all relevant State, Provincial, and Federal laws and safety standards, will reduce the construction professional and the owner's legal exposure in the event of an accident.
"Building Owners and/or their operating agents shall provide window cleaning contractors with written assurance that the installation of structure has been inspected, tested and maintained by the requirement of the I-14.1 Standard, which puts significant emphasis on annual inspection." - ANSI / IWCA - Window Cleaning Safety Standard.
Need an Inspection?
The following are the types of inspections we offer. Please contact us for more information.
Annual Deficiency Inspection:
- Visually Inspect the existing equipment to ensure it complies with current codes, standards, and safety regulations.
- Photographing and documentation of existing equipment.
- Recommendations for load testing and re-certification of existing equipment (if necessary).
- Cost estimate for immediate repairs of existing equipment or upgrades to the system (if necessary).
- Provide a detailed report outlining our inspection regarding potential compliance issues if observed.
Technical Audit / Compliance Inspection:
- Technical Audit Compliance Inspection of existing equipment and function of system design as relating to codes, standards, and safety regulations.
- Photographing and documentation of existing equipment.
- Recommendations for testing and certification of existing equipment (if necessary).
- Concept layout design of new equipment and/or anchorages to supplement existing system (if necessary).
- Cost estimate for deficiency repairs to existing equipment and budget estimate for both supply and installation of new equipment.
- Providing a detailed report outlining the inspection with reference to potential compliance issues.
Roof Assessment:
This assessment applies to buildings without existing equipment:
- Site visit to evaluate and review the requirements pertaining to window washing, structural or other construction and compliance with safety regulations.
- Review of existing drawings (if provided).
- Concept layout design of new equipment and/or anchorages to supplement the existing system (if necessary).
- Cost estimate and budget for supply and installation of new equipment.
- Providing a detailed report outlining the assessment and/or due diligence requirements
Customer Portal:
The Pro-Bel Customer Portal is an online cloud-based solution designed to help you store and track your inspection-related documents. All your documents are stored on secure servers and backed up on 3 continents. Using your secure username and password, you can instantly access your inspection-related documents, including certification, testing reports, and drawings. You can schedule roof anchor inspections with ease. You can effortlessly share documents with colleagues and contractors by sending them directly from the portal.