There is this insane trend called Parkour, where crazy people gain access to someone’s rooftop and then jump off of it! If you haven’t heard of it, don’t search Parkour Fails on youtube, it’s disturbing.
That got me to thinking… what are landlords doing to secure their rooftops from unwanted intruders? Many of you have a padlock securing a panel that blocks access to the first 10 rungs of a fixed access ladder. Others have sign-in sheets at the unlocked door exiting their mechanical penthouse…how effective could either solution really be?
Beyond Parkour enthusiast, there are a whole lot of other reasons to protect your rooftops from unwanted guests; Theft (Relatively recently in the National Capital Region, many copper roofs were being removed by “contractors” who were there to perform repairs. The copper was actually going to a recycling plant, where the plant paid the thieves in cash for the copious quantities of the expensive metal.) B&E (Some criminals use the veil of night and the rooftop as the perfect entry point into a commercial building. Using simple cutting tools, they remove a section of the roof deck and climb down into the building. While on the roof, they are completely undetected.) Nefarious Intent (Rooftops are a perfect vantage point for pedestrians, or a sure-fire way to ensure a fatal end to a sudden leap. These situations happen more than most would realize…)
Protecting the access point to your building’s roof is paramount and maintaining a log of all persons accessing it vital. For more information on how to secure your rooftop from unwanted guests or a sample sign-in protocol, feel free to drop me a line.