People often ask this because scaffold adds cost and mess. The short answer is that it depends on the roof and the method. Safe access is never optional, however, and the way a contractor reaches your roof tells you a lot about them.
What the law says about working at height
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) sets the rules for work at height, while its definition is broad. It defines this as work in any place where a person could fall a distance liable to cause injury if no precautions were in place. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 put duties on employers and on anyone who controls that work.
HSE sets out a clear order of thinking. First, avoid work at height where that is reasonably practicable, because the safest fall is the one that cannot happen. Then prevent falls with a safe place or the right equipment, and finally cut the distance and the effect of any fall you cannot remove.
What that means for roof cleaning
The rules do not say that every roof needs scaffold. Instead, they ask the contractor to plan the job and assess the risk, since each roof differs. HSE says that assessment should consider the height of the task, how long it lasts and how often it happens, and the condition of the surface.
A contractor must also use competent people. HSE says work at height needs proper planning, supervision and people with the skills, knowledge and experience to do it. Since a mossy roof is slippery, that point matters more than usual.
Reaching the roof without climbing on it
The safest method is the one that keeps people off the roof. Softwash helps here, because the team applies the treatment through a long lance. Our own approach, as we describe it on our town pages, is to reach most roofs from the ground with telescopic softwash lances or from roof ladders. For larger or more complex houses, we may use a cherry picker.
Avoiding the roof matters because HSE treats all roofs as fragile until a competent person confirms they are not. Its roofwork guidance says that almost one in five deaths in construction work involve roof work. The main causes are falls from roof edges or openings, and falls through fragile roofs and rooflights.
Where ladders fit in
Ladders have a place, yet HSE limits it. They suit low-risk, short-duration tasks when a higher level of fall protection is not justified. HSE’s roofwork guidance allows secured ladders for access and proper roof ladders for work lasting minutes.
For longer tasks, HSE recommends other equipment if you would stay on a leaning ladder for more than 30 minutes at a time. It also says short duration is not the deciding factor, because you must consider the risk first. A ladder propped against a gutter is not a safe workstation for an hour of cleaning.
When scaffold does make sense
Scaffold or another form of edge protection becomes the sensible choice in some situations. For instance, HSE’s roofwork guidance says you must fit edge protection to the eaves of a roof. Consider it in cases like these, since each one raises the risk:
- Work that needs someone on the roof for a long time.
- Steep, high or awkward roofs with no safe ladder position.
- Repairs or tile replacement alongside the cleaning.
- Roofs that a competent person cannot confirm as safe to walk on.
Scaffold also lets a team work without stepping on the tiles. However, it adds cost and takes time to put up. For that reason, a good survey should decide the method before anyone quotes.
Why this matters even more for DIY
HSE guidance targets employers and those who control the work, so it is not a rulebook for homeowners. Even so, the risks stay the same. Marley says homeowners should not access the roof themselves because of the inherent risks. Our post on DIY roof moss removal lists safer jobs you can do from the ground.
How to judge a contractor’s access plan
Ask these questions before you agree to a price. The answers show how a firm really works, although only detail will convince you:
- How will you reach the roof, and will anyone walk on the tiles?
- Is the cost of access equipment in the quote?
- Do you carry insurance for work at height?
- Who supervises the job?
A vague answer is a warning sign, because a prepared firm already knows its method. In our quotes, the price covers access equipment such as a cherry picker. Our roof cleaning service page lists what else every job includes, and the services overview covers the rest.
Access across the Sussex coast
Roof shapes vary from house to house, so we plan access for each one. Meanwhile, these four towns are all on our coverage list. We offer roof cleaning in Brighton and roof cleaning in Eastbourne. We also provide roof cleaning in Hastings and roof cleaning in Worthing.
Meanwhile, you can read about method safety for the tiles themselves in whether softwashing is safe for roof tiles. If your home has listed status or sits in a conservation area, see roof cleaning on listed buildings and in conservation areas as well, because extra rules may apply there.
Common questions
Does a tall house always need scaffold?
No. Height raises the risk, yet the method decides what equipment you need. Long-reach lances and a cherry picker can reach tall roofs without anyone stepping on them.
Will scaffold damage my property?
A competent scaffolder works to avoid damage, although the risk is not zero. Ask who is responsible if anything breaks, and get the answer in writing.
Who is responsible if someone falls from my roof?
The law is more complex than a short answer allows, since duties fall on the people who control the work. Check that your contractor carries suitable insurance, and ask to see it.
Want a plain answer on access for your own roof? You can request a free quote, and we will explain how we would reach it, while keeping everyone off fragile tiles.