The roof anchor is, along with the connecting device and safety harness, one of the three major components of a fall protection system. This means that, if the anchor you have isn’t right for your application — or is improperly installed — your fall arrest system cannot serve its critical function, which is keeping your workers safe and comfortable.

If you’re looking to learn a thing or two about roof anchors and roof safety equipment, you have come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll show you how roof safety anchors work, what the most common types of roof anchors on the market are and how you can safely use residential roof anchors.

Why You Need Roof Anchor Fall Protection From Malta Dynamics

Roof anchors serve as a connecting point for a lifeline. At Malta Dynamics, we offer roof safety anchors that are permanent, reusable and adjustable for installing your system in various environments. Our roof anchor points are also designed for steel, wood, concrete and a diverse range of configurations, allowing you to create a dependable setup regardless of your situation.

Different Types of Roof Anchors

We offer a broad selection of roof anchor products that cater to a wide range of industries. To help you on your search for the perfect roof anchor, we’ve grouped our offerings into a handful of categories:

• Adjustable pitch anchors: You can easily bend Malta Dynamics’ Adjustable Pitch Anchors to match your roof’s pitch. They also provide a dependable tie-off point that won’t permanently damage the rooftop. These lightweight anchors are easy to install and suitable for remodeling, reroofing and building new construction.
• Permanent anchors: The Permanent Roof Anchor from Malta Dynamics is designed to be used permanently on wood roofs. These 18-inch stainless steel safety anchors are exceptionally durable and feature D-Ring ends made of alloy. These static roof anchors are suitable for both maintenance work and residential construction.
• Reusable anchors: The Reusable Roof Anchor is meant for temporary applications on wood rooftops. This temporary roof anchor can be used for roofs of all pitches, ranging from 12/12 to flat. It’s also made of a thick steel base plate, meaning it’s built to last for a long time. Additionally, it comes with all the required fasteners.
• Swivel anchor points: The 5K Swivel Anchor can be used as part of our Grabber Mobile Fall Arrest System or can also be attached to an RA12’s top. This roof safety anchor can rotate a complete 360 degrees and flip 180 degrees. It has a safe working load of 2,000 pounds and a 5,000-pound ultimate breaking strength.
• Four-way anchor plate: The Multi-Directional Roof Anchor from Malta Dynamics supports one user in a fall arrest situation and two in a fall restraint situation. It features four connection points, with one on each side to increase a user’s working range when they detach and reattach to the connection points. It features a minimum breaking strength of 5,000 pounds.
• Standing seam roof anchor: The Standing Seam Roof Anchor offers 360-degree protection from falls when attached to a metal standing seam roof. The top of the anchor features a swivel anchor point, which provides a universal connection that can serve as an anchorage point. You can fix this anchor to a roof using a socket set and Grub Screw.
• Fixed-post roof anchors: Malta Dynamics offers fixed-post roof anchors for permanent use. These have been tested thoroughly and can be installed on concrete and steel substrates. They also meet regulations for roof anchors rated for cleaning windows. The anchor posts, available in both 12- and 18-inch lengths, go through the roofing materials, making them accessible during and following roof construction. These roof anchors consist of galvanized steel and work with vertical lifelines, shock-absorbing lanyards and self-retracting lifelines. We also offer fixed-post roof anchors with threaded tops in 12- and 18-inch lengths.
• Parapet anchors: The Parapet Wall Anchor from Malta Dynamics is for use on a flat roof surrounded by parapet walls. You can fully adjust it and install it on walls ranging in thicknesses between 2.36 and 14.1 inches. This device features a non-penetrating design and comes with protective rubber pads to eliminate wall damage. It also doesn’t require any tools to install — instead, dual tightening handles are used for even force distribution.

Why Is Malta the Leader in the Industry?

We are a leader in the fall protection industry for numerous reasons. We design, engineer and manufacture roof edge fall protection equipment and other fall protection devices for a vast array of industries, including construction, manufacturing and aviation. Some other reasons we stand out are below:

• We are familiar with the industries for which we provide safety solutions: We have employees with decades of experience working in these industries — and we actually use the products we produce. We develop the same safety equipment and services we wish had been around three decades ago. Our sales representatives and management staff also know the ins and outs of these industries and can understand customer needs.
• Our products have extremely high safety standards: Our products do more than just meet the strict standards set by OSHA requirements — they exceed them.
• We are committed to providing the best customer service experience possible: It is our belief that the customer is always the number one priority, which is why we offer a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee for all our services and products.
• We are dedicated to always improving: We constantly strive to improve and refine our products and services, which allows our customers and their businesses to benefit from our high-quality work.

How Do Fall Protection Anchors Work?

A worker connects to an anchor using a lanyard to stay safe when working at a height. The roof anchor must attach to a structurally sound frame.

Many different kinds of roof fall protection anchors exist, many of which serve a specific purpose. There are permanent installation and temporary installation roof anchors for commercial and residential applications on steel, wood, pipe and concrete surfaces. If the work is aboveground, there is a fall protection anchor made for it. Each type of roof anchor has various accessories available to ensure the worker using the roof anchor system is as safe as possible.

Once an appropriate roof safety anchor has been chosen, it is then time to pick the best lanyard for the job. A lanyard refers to the device that connects the user to the anchor. These lifesavers also come in several different styles and feature a range of accessories. Options include single-leg shock, dual-leg shock, tie-back, fall limiters and a restraint lanyard. Extensions and assemblies are also available for your protection. After choosing the proper lanyard, next comes the harness.

The lanyard connects to the user’s harness, and choosing the right harness is critical. While the positioning and universal harness are great for hobbyists, professionals who risk their lives daily need a more specialized version, which includes models such as the following:

• Vest
• Construction
• Tower
• Climbing
• High-visibility
• Welding
• Flotation
• Retrieval
• Fire-resistant

Roof Anchor Installation

Now that we’ve reviewed the anchor, lanyard and harness, we’ll discuss how various kinds of anchors are installed. How you install your roof anchor fall protection will depend on the type of roof you’ll be working on, which can be residential, commercial or standing seam.

Work done on roofs often uses anchor points with a single user fall arrest tie-off. Employees doing work on impenetrable roofs may utilize a portable deadweight anchor. For standing seam roofs, professionals use two-way anchors or roof clamps.

When anchoring to concrete, hollow core, swivels, wall bolt-ons and drop-through anchors are safe options. You can attach to steel beams by using rigging clamps, trolley anchors, cables and bolt-hole anchors. For attaching to metal decking, reusable V-shaped anchors come in handy in addition to other roof work safety equipment accessories mentioned above.

Doors and windows are utilized as anchors using jamb anchors, which require a self-retracting lifeline. You can also anchor to specialty structures such as parapets using reusable parapet anchor systems, which can also serve as a fall arrest point. There is also a system called a train rail anchor point system, which glides smoothly on American train rails, keeping workers safe while they work on high train track bridges.

There is clearly a large number of options for fall protection anchors, and to pick the right one for your application, you need to consider the following:

• Roof type: Is the roof commercial or residential? Commercial roofs, unlike their residential counterparts, require routine maintenance, so permanent roof anchors are a better choice in this situation. Residential roofs rarely require long periods of work, and if there are maintenance jobs to be done, they will likely be few and far in between. Therefore, temporary anchors and residential roofing safety equipment are more suitable for this instance as to not make permanent changes to the roof surface.
• Movement: Will the workers be moving around a lot on the roof? If so, your first thought may be to utilize more than one anchor point to protect employees, but this is often expensive. Instead, consider using roof anchor points.
• Required Installation: Some roof safety systems are more complex than others, making them harder to install. For more complicated systems, you’ll have to train your employees extensively on how to install and use them. Systems such as horizontal lifeline systems require more extensive training.
• Nature of the work: What kind of work will you do on the roof? This will help you decide whether you need a temporary or permanent roof anchor. If you’re doing a one-time repair for a roof, temporary anchors will do the job. If frequent maintenance will be needed on a roof, then a permanent roof anchor should be considered.
• Price: Budget is of course another important consideration, as some roof anchors are more expensive than others. Ultimately, however, you’ll want to choose the safest anchor for your application at the most reasonable price.

Comfort and Safety Are Key

We at Malta Dynamics are committed to providing customers with the safest and most dependable safety equipment solutions so your team can work safely, comfortably and efficiently.

As we work in this industry, we are all too aware of how many injuries and deaths result from falls on the job site. We also know how preventable many of these tragic incidents are. In 2018 alone, 320 of 1,008 construction site deaths were from fatal falls. OSHA and the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) have partnered to raise awareness of the importance of roofing fall protection equipment and protective construction site equipment in general.

In addition to these sobering statistics, here are some other reasons to provide your team with high-quality, reliable fall protection equipment:

• Federal law requires it: OSHA and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) have established a list of rules regarding high-risk jobs. As working at a height is always dangerous, these federal organizations have made various regulations to ensure all workers have the proper equipment and follow the correct procedures to stay safe on the job site.
• It protects your company: Businesses must understand the accidents that could happen on the job site and the liabilities that come with them. Accidents can negatively impact your business’s reputation and put a significant financial strain on your resources. Customers want to work with businesses that take employee safety seriously.
• It will help you stay on schedule: Serious injuries can cause a disruption in your business and prove a danger to employees. By using fall protection equipment such as roof tie-off anchors, you reduce the number of incidents and keep operations flowing.
• Your employees are important: Regardless of your industry, your workers make a great effort to do the job right, and you should value them. Show how you care by providing them all with proper fall protection equipment and, if necessary, training.
• It may improve morale: Our fall protection equipment is designed to be comfortable, and a more comfortable worker is often a happier and more productive one.

Keep Your Team Secure With Malta Dynamics’ Roof Anchors

At Malta Dynamics, we are deeply committed to safety, which we show through our large selection of dependable, high-quality fall protection equipment. If you want to meet federal inspection requirements, protect your business and — above all else — protect your workers from harm no matter the project, Malta Dynamics is the company you can trust for safety solutions.

Whether you need to supplement your current roof safety supplies or want to invest in an entire roof fall arrest system, Malta Dynamics can provide you with everything you need. We can also be of service if you need custom fall protection solutions.

Feel free to check out our selection of roof safety anchors above, including best-sellers like the Roof Anchor 12-inch Standard and the 5K Swivel Anchor. If you have any questions about our products or services, reach out to us by using our contact form or calling (800) 494-1840.

The roof anchor is, along with the connecting device and safety harness, one of the three major components of a fall protection system. This means that, if the anchor you have isn’t right for your application — or is improperly installed — your fall arrest system cannot serve its critical function, which is keeping your workers safe and comfortable.

If you’re looking to learn a thing or two about roof anchors and roof safety equipment, you have come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll show you how roof safety anchors work, what the most common types of roof anchors on the market are and how you can safely use residential roof anchors.

Why You Need Roof Anchor Fall Protection From Malta Dynamics

Roof anchors serve as a connecting point for a lifeline. At Malta Dynamics, we offer roof safety anchors that are permanent, reusable and adjustable for installing your system in various environments. Our roof anchor points are also designed for steel, wood, concrete and a diverse range of configurations, allowing you to create a dependable setup regardless of your situation.

Different Types of Roof Anchors

We offer a broad selection of roof anchor products that cater to a wide range of industries. To help you on your search for the perfect roof anchor, we’ve grouped our offerings into a handful of categories:

• Adjustable pitch anchors: You can easily bend Malta Dynamics’ Adjustable Pitch Anchors to match your roof’s pitch. They also provide a dependable tie-off point that won’t permanently damage the rooftop. These lightweight anchors are easy to install and suitable for remodeling, reroofing and building new construction.
• Permanent anchors: The Permanent Roof Anchor from Malta Dynamics is designed to be used permanently on wood roofs. These 18-inch stainless steel safety anchors are exceptionally durable and feature D-Ring ends made of alloy. These static roof anchors are suitable for both maintenance work and residential construction.
• Reusable anchors: The Reusable Roof Anchor is meant for temporary applications on wood rooftops. This temporary roof anchor can be used for roofs of all pitches, ranging from 12/12 to flat. It’s also made of a thick steel base plate, meaning it’s built to last for a long time. Additionally, it comes with all the required fasteners.
• Swivel anchor points: The 5K Swivel Anchor can be used as part of our Grabber Mobile Fall Arrest System or can also be attached to an RA12’s top. This roof safety anchor can rotate a complete 360 degrees and flip 180 degrees. It has a safe working load of 2,000 pounds and a 5,000-pound ultimate breaking strength.
• Four-way anchor plate: The Multi-Directional Roof Anchor from Malta Dynamics supports one user in a fall arrest situation and two in a fall restraint situation. It features four connection points, with one on each side to increase a user’s working range when they detach and reattach to the connection points. It features a minimum breaking strength of 5,000 pounds.
• Standing seam roof anchor: The Standing Seam Roof Anchor offers 360-degree protection from falls when attached to a metal standing seam roof. The top of the anchor features a swivel anchor point, which provides a universal connection that can serve as an anchorage point. You can fix this anchor to a roof using a socket set and Grub Screw.
• Fixed-post roof anchors: Malta Dynamics offers fixed-post roof anchors for permanent use. These have been tested thoroughly and can be installed on concrete and steel substrates. They also meet regulations for roof anchors rated for cleaning windows. The anchor posts, available in both 12- and 18-inch lengths, go through the roofing materials, making them accessible during and following roof construction. These roof anchors consist of galvanized steel and work with vertical lifelines, shock-absorbing lanyards and self-retracting lifelines. We also offer fixed-post roof anchors with threaded tops in 12- and 18-inch lengths.
• Parapet anchors: The Parapet Wall Anchor from Malta Dynamics is for use on a flat roof surrounded by parapet walls. You can fully adjust it and install it on walls ranging in thicknesses between 2.36 and 14.1 inches. This device features a non-penetrating design and comes with protective rubber pads to eliminate wall damage. It also doesn’t require any tools to install — instead, dual tightening handles are used for even force distribution.

Why Is Malta the Leader in the Industry?

We are a leader in the fall protection industry for numerous reasons. We design, engineer and manufacture roof edge fall protection equipment and other fall protection devices for a vast array of industries, including construction, manufacturing and aviation. Some other reasons we stand out are below:

• We are familiar with the industries for which we provide safety solutions: We have employees with decades of experience working in these industries — and we actually use the products we produce. We develop the same safety equipment and services we wish had been around three decades ago. Our sales representatives and management staff also know the ins and outs of these industries and can understand customer needs.
• Our products have extremely high safety standards: Our products do more than just meet the strict standards set by OSHA requirements — they exceed them.
• We are committed to providing the best customer service experience possible: It is our belief that the customer is always the number one priority, which is why we offer a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee for all our services and products.
• We are dedicated to always improving: We constantly strive to improve and refine our products and services, which allows our customers and their businesses to benefit from our high-quality work.

How Do Fall Protection Anchors Work?

A worker connects to an anchor using a lanyard to stay safe when working at a height. The roof anchor must attach to a structurally sound frame.

Many different kinds of roof fall protection anchors exist, many of which serve a specific purpose. There are permanent installation and temporary installation roof anchors for commercial and residential applications on steel, wood, pipe and concrete surfaces. If the work is aboveground, there is a fall protection anchor made for it. Each type of roof anchor has various accessories available to ensure the worker using the roof anchor system is as safe as possible.

Once an appropriate roof safety anchor has been chosen, it is then time to pick the best lanyard for the job. A lanyard refers to the device that connects the user to the anchor. These lifesavers also come in several different styles and feature a range of accessories. Options include single-leg shock, dual-leg shock, tie-back, fall limiters and a restraint lanyard. Extensions and assemblies are also available for your protection. After choosing the proper lanyard, next comes the harness.

The lanyard connects to the user’s harness, and choosing the right harness is critical. While the positioning and universal harness are great for hobbyists, professionals who risk their lives daily need a more specialized version, which includes models such as the following:

• Vest
• Construction
• Tower
• Climbing
• High-visibility
• Welding
• Flotation
• Retrieval
• Fire-resistant

Roof Anchor Installation

Now that we’ve reviewed the anchor, lanyard and harness, we’ll discuss how various kinds of anchors are installed. How you install your roof anchor fall protection will depend on the type of roof you’ll be working on, which can be residential, commercial or standing seam.

Work done on roofs often uses anchor points with a single user fall arrest tie-off. Employees doing work on impenetrable roofs may utilize a portable deadweight anchor. For standing seam roofs, professionals use two-way anchors or roof clamps.

When anchoring to concrete, hollow core, swivels, wall bolt-ons and drop-through anchors are safe options. You can attach to steel beams by using rigging clamps, trolley anchors, cables and bolt-hole anchors. For attaching to metal decking, reusable V-shaped anchors come in handy in addition to other roof work safety equipment accessories mentioned above.

Doors and windows are utilized as anchors using jamb anchors, which require a self-retracting lifeline. You can also anchor to specialty structures such as parapets using reusable parapet anchor systems, which can also serve as a fall arrest point. There is also a system called a train rail anchor point system, which glides smoothly on American train rails, keeping workers safe while they work on high train track bridges.

There is clearly a large number of options for fall protection anchors, and to pick the right one for your application, you need to consider the following:

• Roof type: Is the roof commercial or residential? Commercial roofs, unlike their residential counterparts, require routine maintenance, so permanent roof anchors are a better choice in this situation. Residential roofs rarely require long periods of work, and if there are maintenance jobs to be done, they will likely be few and far in between. Therefore, temporary anchors and residential roofing safety equipment are more suitable for this instance as to not make permanent changes to the roof surface.
• Movement: Will the workers be moving around a lot on the roof? If so, your first thought may be to utilize more than one anchor point to protect employees, but this is often expensive. Instead, consider using roof anchor points.
• Required Installation: Some roof safety systems are more complex than others, making them harder to install. For more complicated systems, you’ll have to train your employees extensively on how to install and use them. Systems such as horizontal lifeline systems require more extensive training.
• Nature of the work: What kind of work will you do on the roof? This will help you decide whether you need a temporary or permanent roof anchor. If you’re doing a one-time repair for a roof, temporary anchors will do the job. If frequent maintenance will be needed on a roof, then a permanent roof anchor should be considered.
• Price: Budget is of course another important consideration, as some roof anchors are more expensive than others. Ultimately, however, you’ll want to choose the safest anchor for your application at the most reasonable price.

Comfort and Safety Are Key

We at Malta Dynamics are committed to providing customers with the safest and most dependable safety equipment solutions so your team can work safely, comfortably and efficiently.

As we work in this industry, we are all too aware of how many injuries and deaths result from falls on the job site. We also know how preventable many of these tragic incidents are. In 2018 alone, 320 of 1,008 construction site deaths were from fatal falls. OSHA and the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) have partnered to raise awareness of the importance of roofing fall protection equipment and protective construction site equipment in general.

In addition to these sobering statistics, here are some other reasons to provide your team with high-quality, reliable fall protection equipment:

• Federal law requires it: OSHA and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) have established a list of rules regarding high-risk jobs. As working at a height is always dangerous, these federal organizations have made various regulations to ensure all workers have the proper equipment and follow the correct procedures to stay safe on the job site.
• It protects your company: Businesses must understand the accidents that could happen on the job site and the liabilities that come with them. Accidents can negatively impact your business’s reputation and put a significant financial strain on your resources. Customers want to work with businesses that take employee safety seriously.
• It will help you stay on schedule: Serious injuries can cause a disruption in your business and prove a danger to employees. By using fall protection equipment such as roof tie-off anchors, you reduce the number of incidents and keep operations flowing.
• Your employees are important: Regardless of your industry, your workers make a great effort to do the job right, and you should value them. Show how you care by providing them all with proper fall protection equipment and, if necessary, training.
• It may improve morale: Our fall protection equipment is designed to be comfortable, and a more comfortable worker is often a happier and more productive one.

Keep Your Team Secure With Malta Dynamics’ Roof Anchors

At Malta Dynamics, we are deeply committed to safety, which we show through our large selection of dependable, high-quality fall protection equipment. If you want to meet federal inspection requirements, protect your business and — above all else — protect your workers from harm no matter the project, Malta Dynamics is the company you can trust for safety solutions.

Whether you need to supplement your current roof safety supplies or want to invest in an entire roof fall arrest system, Malta Dynamics can provide you with everything you need. We can also be of service if you need custom fall protection solutions.

Feel free to check out our selection of roof safety anchors above, including best-sellers like the Roof Anchor 12-inch Standard and the 5K Swivel Anchor. If you have any questions about our products or services, reach out to us by using our contact form or calling (800) 494-1840.