HEALTH & SAFETY


HOT WORKS A HOT TOPIC FOR HEALTH & SAFETY


Steve Cookson, Technical Services Manager at Sika Liquid Plastics, discusses the inherent risks of hot works during roof refurbishment projects, highlighting the implications and suggesting alternative approaches to mitigate risk


A leaking roof is one of the most common and disruptive maintenance issues that FMs face. From office environments to


schools and public


buildings, flat roofs are a common feature of the UK’s property stock and a small issue with the integrity of the waterproofing membrane can have a dramatic impact.


Leaks can affect the roof build up, causing problems with rotting


insulation, or degradation of the substrate. Left unchecked for too long, they can also affect the comfort and wellbeing of the building’s occupants and even damage interior finishes and contents. Indeed, a roof that is leaking into the service voids could even cause power outages and present a hazard.


In an ideal world, roof refurbishments should be part of planned maintenance and cap-ex programmes, carried out before the first signs of leaks occur to prevent any damage


to the fabric of the building and allow ample time for a considered specification. In the real world, however, FMs often struggle to secure budget for a roof refurbishment until the need for a new waterproofing membrane is urgent.


Even when a refurbishment does happen as part of a programme of planned upgrade or repair works, the default setting is often to specify a like-for-like-system, chosen on the basis of installation costs rather than whole life costs,


56 | TOMORROW’S FM


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