Don’t Just Catch Up on Repairs—Reassess Roof Safety While the School Buildings Are Quiet

As the final bell rings and students head home for the summer, the real work begins for school maintenance teams. With empty hallways and quiet rooftops, this is the perfect time to assess ongoing maintenance needs and re-evaluate rooftop access safety.

Too often, roof access is treated as an afterthought. Schools may rely on fixed exterior ladders or roof hatches without fully considering the risks. These solutions may meet OSHA requirements on paper, but they can still leave schools vulnerable to lawsuits, especially if they make the roof easily accessible to students or unauthorized individuals.

A fixed ladder might seem convenient for technicians, but to students, it can look like an open invitation. The risks are serious. Injuries from rooftop falls can be life-altering, and the legal liability can be just as severe.

At the same time, safe and efficient roof access is critical for maintenance staff. Summer is often the only opportunity for rooftop repairs, HVAC servicing, or equipment replacement. Hauling heavy items like compressors and motors by hand is dangerous. Renting a crane, however, can be costly and unnecessary for routine maintenance.

This is where LadderPort helps bridge the gap between access and safety.

We offer practical, OSHA-compliant roof access solutions tailored to schools:

• Ladder Receivers: A permanently mounted system that allows maintenance crews to safely use extension ladders while restricting access to students or vandals. The extension ladder is securely held in place during use and removed after the job. Because students are highly unlikely to carry their own ladders, this setup significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized roof access.

• Roof Hatch Grab Bars: Roof hatches can be intimidating and dangerous. Grab bars, with or without cages, make it easier and safer for technicians to climb in and out during maintenance.

• Cranky Portable Winch System: Paired with the Cranky Post, this portable winch can lift up to 300 lbs over the side or through a hatch. It’s OSHA-compliant, reduces strain injuries, and eliminates the risks of lifting with ropes or by hand.

Schools across the country are installing LadderPort products with great success. These systems are easy to specify, integrate smoothly into school architecture, and bring lasting safety value.

Take advantage of summer downtime to make safety improvements.

Now is the right time to re-evaluate your roof access safety equipment and update it to protect both staff and students.

Contact LadderPort for product information, consultation, and to see how your school can upgrade to smarter, safer rooftop access.