Anchor Point Inspections

Working at height remains one of the highest-risk activities in Australia. Whether for HVAC servicing, solar maintenance, façade access or roof repairs, certified anchor points are critical to mitigate fall risk for workers and so facility managers, building owners and PCBUs meet their regulatory requirements to protect their teams on site. Roof anchor points provide safe access to areas such as unprotected edges and gutters, allowing workers to safely undergo maintenance and repair jobs. But installation of such systems is only half the job done. Anchor point inspections are a legal and operational requirement. If anchor points are not inspected, tested and certified regularly they may not perform as intended, thus exposing staff working at heights to serious harm and PCBU’s with significant legal liability. As leaders in height safety, we conduct anchor point inspections for businesses across Melbourne and beyond. We are committed to help you maintain your assets as compliant and reliable, ensuring that you to meet your regulatory demands with confidence and, importantly, protect your teams working at heights.

Understanding Australian Standards for roof anchors

There are different standards to be aware of concerning the design and testing and installation of roof anchor systems. Roof anchor manufacturing and testing must meet AS/NZS 5532 in this area, including dynamic and static load tests with substrates like concrete, timber and steel structures or metal roof sheeting.

What’s involved in a roof anchors points inspection?

An anchor point inspection is a formal assessment process to ensure that a fall arrest or restraint anchor system is structurally sound, free of damage or evidence of corrosion, meets the manufacturer installation requirements and is certified to AS/NZS1891 and AS/NZS5532 Our team of qualified technicians will visit your site to inspect and document compliance findings on permanent anchor point systems. Our inspections follow a Five-step process to determine compliance:

Visual inspection: at this stage we assess anchor points to identify any evidence of corrosion, as well as structural movement and substrate condition that might affect the performance of the roof anchors.
Load testing (where the anchor is drilled in or glued into concrete: performed in accordance with Australian Standards to confirm structural capacity.
Verification against Australian Standards: we will also review the installation documentation to ensure we have a comprehensive understanding of the install and compliance process to date.
Verification against manufacture installation instructions: We maintain a database of manufacturer installation guides, which our technicians use to verify on-site installations and confirm each anchor system has been installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s specified criteria.
Documentation and certification: we provide you with a detailed inspection report, including photographs, as well as recommendations if needed. If your system is deemed to be fully compliant, we will issue the certification document and maintain those records, should you ever find yourself facing an audit or compliance review.

How often should roof anchor points be inspected in Australia?

This is one of the most common questions we get from clients, and the short answer is roof anchor points must be inspected and certified at least every 12 months. In Australia inspection frequency is guided by Australian Standards and enforced at state level. As such, there are some discrepancies between states and territories as to how frequently you should have your system inspected. Here’s an overview of state and territory jurisdictions:

State/Territory	Recommended Frequency
Victoria	Every 6 months (regular use)
Queensland	Every 6 months
New South Wales	Regular basis (typically 6–12 months)
Western Australia	Every 6 months
South Australia	Every 6 months
ACT	Every 6 months

There are several other factors than can affect anchor point inspection frequency. If your site is located along the coast or has chemical or industrial exposure, for example, anchor points must be inspected more frequently as environmental factors can accelerate corrosion risk. If your anchor points also experience high usage or there’s been structural movement, then it’s important to get them inspected by a specialist as soon as possible. If you can’t remember the last time that you had an inspection it’s far better to book in for a check to assure compliance. It’s also important to note that installation certifications are not the same as compliance certificates, as the installation certificates vouch for compliance at the time of install only.

Book in your next anchor point inspection with Safety Plus

We partner with facility managers, property owners, government bodies and maintenance contractors all over Australia to assist them with their roof anchor point inspections. We provide:

Certified and competent inspectors
Compliance-aligned reporting
Rapid response capability, servicing
Full asset register management
Repair, Maintenance or Supply and install new equipment if required

Our approach ensures your height safety systems remain compliant, documented and defensible in the event of audit or incident. We are here to support site managers and PCBUs to operate proactively rather than reactively when it comes to compliance. Our team of experts can help you devise a framework for a structured, thorough compliance strategy that includes:

Asset identification and tagging
A calendar of scheduled inspections
Digital record keeping
Regular review of inspection frequency.

Are you due for a roof anchor point inspection? Or unsure of when the last one was? Contact Safety Plus to schedule an anchor point inspection to ensure your team stays safe and you uphold your regulatory duties.