General terms

Flat roof safety system

A flat roof safety system is a colloquial, general term used to describe both individual and collective technical fall protection measures. The term directly references the area of application involved, i.e. flat roofs.

As soon as work is carried out from or on a roof surface, safe-to-use fall protection equipment must be installed. The installation type and method depend on which individuals will be accessing the roof surface and on the frequency and intensity of the work to be carried out.

The types of flat roof safety systems available and methods used are described in the different “Equipment classes” (please refer to the entry on “Equipment classes”). The appropriate equipment class is selected based on a respective risk assessment and the recommendations of the DGUV statutory accident insurance association.

When making a selection, always keep the following in mind:

  • Collective technical protection has priority over individual protection
  • Preventive measures have priority over reactive measures

Usage in everyday language

In everyday language, the term “flat roof safety system” is often only used to describe collective fall protection measures. However, this is a collective term which covers temporary and permanently installed guardrails, as well as all the different side protection solutions available.