AU2005200774A1

AU2005200774A1 - A safety system

Info

Publication number: AU2005200774A1
Application number: AU2005200774A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Neale de MALMANCHE
Original assignee: RISING ACRES Pty Ltd
Current assignee: RISING ACRES Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2004-02-20
Filing date: 2005-02-21
Publication date: 2005-09-08

Description

I

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant: RISING ACRES PTY LTD A.C.N. 070 921 970 Invention Title: A SAFETY SYSTEM The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 2 A SAFETY SYSTEM FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a safety system for people working on a roof of a building.

Conventional safety systems for working on a building roof typically include a harness and safety line connected to the highest point of the roof. However, the person who initially installs the safety line usually climbs onto a roof without safety equipment and is fully exposed to the risk of falling from the roof prior to a safety line being installed. This practice is a serious occupational health and safety hazard.

It is an object of the present invention to alleviate this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a safety system for a person on a roof of a building, the safety system including: a) a pair of elongated members that can be positioned on an inclined roof; and b) a series of plates located at an angle between the elongated members that are adapted to act as step treads that a person can step on when the elongated members are located on an inclined building roof, whereby in use, one or both of the parallel members can be anchored in position to the roof by being connected to the roof or roof framework within an arm length of the perimeter of the building.

H:\Pcabral\Keep\speci\p5599.doc 21/02/05 3 An advantage provided by the present invention is that the system can be installed by anchoring the elongated members while standing on a ladder leaning against the building or other structures such as scaffolding erected around the perimeter of the building.

More particularly this avoids a person having to climb onto the roof before the installation of a safety system.

Conventional safety systems often require a person to climb onto a roof while unprotected to anchor a safetyline to the highest point of the roof before commencing work.

Throughout this specification the term "roof framework" includes, but is not limited to, roof trusses, ceiling joists and upper portions of wall framework such as stud members.

In addition, throughout this specification the phrase "perimeter of the building" embraces, but is by no means limited to, the outside perimeter of the roof, or in the situation where the roof overhangs the walls, the outside walls of the building.

The elongated members of the safety system can be connected to the roof or roofing framework using any suitable technique. However, it is preferred that one or both of the elongated members be connected to a rafter of a roof using a fastening means that may including, but is not limited to, clamping mechanisms, screws and/or nails.

It is preferred that the plates of the safety system be lockable at a number of different angles relative to the elongated members so that in use, all of the plates can be locked at substantially the same angle depending on the angle of inclination of the roof. An H:\Pcabral\Keep\speci\p5S989.doc 21/02/05 4 advantage provided by this preferred aspect of the present invention is that all of the plates can be locked at a substantially horizontal orientation irrespective of the angle of inclination of the roof.

It is preferred that the plates be pivotally mounted to the elongated members.

It is preferred that the pair of elongated members be arranged in a parallel configuration and comprise detachable modular sections, whereby in use, a desired member of the sections can be placed end-to-end to allow the overall length of the elongated members to be adjusted. An advantage provided by this preferred aspect of the present invention is that the length of the elongated members can be adjusted to suit roofs of different sizes and dimensions, namely the distance from the perimeter of the building to the apex of the roof.

Moreover, it is preferred that the modular sections be interconnectable by male and female coupling means.

It is preferred that the safety system includes a barrier assembly having i) a series of posts that are mounted and extend upwardly from the elongated members, and ii) one or more safety rails spanning between the posts.

The barrier assembly can be mounted to one or both of the elongated members anchored to the roof. That is, the posts and safety rails can be erected on one or both sides of the steps formed by the safety system.

The posts and safety rails can be connected to the elongated members using any suitable technique that H:\Pcabral\Keep\speci\p55989.doc 21/02/05 5 includes but not limited to clamping mechanisms.

According to the present invention there is also provided an alternative safety system for a person on a building roof, the safety system including: a) a pair of parallel members that can be located on an inclined roof; and b) a series of adjustable plates located between the parallel members that can be locked at a number of different angles relative to the parallel members, whereby in use, one or both of the parallel members can be anchored to the roof or roof framework and each plate can be locked at substantially the same angle relative to the parallel members so as to form step treads that a person can step between when on the roof.

The alternative safety system may also include any one or a number of the other features described in the paragraphs preceding the paragraph immediately above.

For example, it is preferred that one or both of the parallel members of the alternative safety system be anchored to the building framework within an arm length of the perimeter of the roof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 illustrates a side view of a safety system installed on an inclined roof; and Figure 2 illustrates a plan view of a segment of the safety system shown in Figure i.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED

EMBODIMENT

The safety system shown in Figure 1 includes: a pair of elongated members 10 comprising a series of H:\Pcabral\Keep\speci\p55989.doc 21/02/05 6 modular segments 11; a series of plate members pivotally mounted to the elongated members 10 that form step treads 12; and a barrier assembly 13 connected to the elongated members As can best be seen in Figure 2, the elongated members 10 are arranged in a parallel configuration and comprise a series of detachable sections 11 whereby a number of the sections 11 can be placed end-to-end so that the overall length of the parallel members 10 can be adjusted as desired. Two sections 11, placed end-to-end are shown in Figure 2. One section lla is shown in broken lines. Each section 11 includes two pivotally mounted step treads 12. It will be appreciated however, that any number of step treads may be positioned between the parallel members 10 of the sections 11.

The interconnection between the sections 11 can take any suitable form. However, it is preferred that the sections 11 be interconnected by way of a male to female coupling in which tubular sections slidably inter-fitted as shown in figure 2. Any suitable locking means can then be used to prevent one section 11 from separating from the other section 11.

In use, a person can install the safety system without climbing onto the roof of the building. For example, a person standing on a ladder 14 leaning against the building or alternatively scaffolding around the edge of the building can position the parallel members 10 on a roof or roofing framework and connect the parallel members to the rafters within one arm's length of the perimeter of the building. The perimeter of the building may be either the perimeter of the roof or the outside wall of the building.

H:\Pcabral\Keep\speci\p55989.doc 21/02/05 7 The parallel members 10 may be secured to various components of the roof or roofing framework or even the building framework using any suitable means. Figure 1 illustrates the parallel members 10 secured to a rafter by a mounting bracket 16. The mounting bracket 16 includes holes 17 for receiving fastening screws or other fasteners for securing the mounting bracketing 16 in position to the rafter In addition, the length of the parallel members may be adjusted to any length to suit the dimensions from the guttering to the apex of a roof by adding or subtracting modular sections 11 as described above.

During installation the plate members 12 can be pivoted to an angle depending on the angle of inclination of the roof so that the plates act as step treads. The step treads 12 may be locked at the desired angle using any suitable technique.

In the case of the embodiment shown in Figure i, the step treads 12 are locked in position by an interconnecting rod 18 that is pivotally connected to each of the step tread 12 and bolted to a post member 19.

Alternatively, each plate member 12 may have individual locking mechanisms so that each step tread 12 can be locked in position separately.

Figure 1 also illustrates a barrier assembly extending upwardly from the parallel members 10. The barrier assembly includes post members 19 to which the interconnecting rod 18 is attached and three handrails that span between the post members 19 to form a barrier and/or rails to which a person can hold. The handrails 20 can be fixed to the post members using any suitable means including clamps.

H:\Pcabral\Keep\speci\p55989.doc 21/02/05 -8- It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art of the present invention that many modifications can be made to the preferred embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

For example, any of the components of the safety system described above may be made from any suitable metal/alloy material or even timber.

H:\Pcabral\Keep\speci\p55989.doc 21/02/05

Claims

2. The safety system according to claim i, whereby in use one or both of the elongated members are connected to a rafter of a roof using a fastening means that may including, but is not limited to, clamping mechanisms, screws and/or nails.
3. The safety system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plates of the safety system are lockable at a number of different angles relative to the elongated members so that in use, all of the plates can be locked at substantially the same angle depending on the angle of inclination of the roof.
4. The safety system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plates are pivotally mounted to the elongated members. The safety system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pair of elongated members are arranged in a parallel configuration and include detachable modular sections, whereby in use, a desired member of the sections can be placed end-to-end to allow H:\Pcabral\Keep\speci\p55989.doc 21/02/05 10 the overall length of the elongated members to be adjusted.
6. The safety system according to claim 5, wherein the modular sections be interconnectable by male and female coupling means.
7. The safety system according to any one of the preceding claims including a barrier assembly having i) a series of posts that are mounted to, and extend upwardly from, the elongated members, and ii) one or more safety rails spanning between the posts.
8. A safety system for a person on a building roof, the safety system including: a) a pair of parallel members that can be located on an inclined roof; and b) a series of adjustable plates located between the parallel members that can be locked at a number of different angles relative to the parallel members, whereby in use, one or both of the parallel members can be anchored to the roof or roof framework and each plate can be locked at substantially the same angle relative to the parallel members so as to form step treads that a person can step between when on the roof.
9. The safety system according to claim 8, whereby in use, one or both of the parallel members can be anchored in position on the roof by being connected to the roof or roof framework within an arm's length of the perimeter of the building. The safety system according to claim 8 or 9, wherein one or both of the elongated members are connected to a rafter of a roof using a fastening means that may including, but is not limited to, clamping mechanisms, screws and/or nails. H:\Pcabral\Keep\speci\p55989.doc 21/02/05 11
11. The safety system according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the plates are pivotally mounted to the elongated members.
12. The safety system according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the pair of elongated members be arranged in a parallel configuration and include detachable modular sections, whereby in use, a desired member of the sections can be placed end-to-end to allow the overall length of the elongated members to be adjusted.
13. The safety system according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the modular sections are interconnectable by male and female coupling means.
14. The safety system according to any one of claims 8 to 13, including a barrier assembly having i) a series of posts that are mounted and extend upwardly from the elongated members, and ii) one or more safety rails spanning between the posts. A safety system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying Figures. H:\Pcabral\Keep\speci\pSS989.doc 21/02/05