Cal/OSHA requires every completed building maintenance installation, roof tie-backs included, to be inspected and tested in the field before it goes into service. That’s Title 8 §3296(a). Roof tie-backs get proof tested to no more than 50 percent of their rated capacity, so a 5,000 lb tie-back is tested to 2,500 lb and no higher. After that, the installation needs an inspection, and a test where necessary, at least every 12 months.
If you own the building, the records are yours to keep. If you’re the GC, the test has to happen before anyone ties off.
What does §3296 require before a roof anchor is first used?
§3296(a) reads: “All completed building maintenance equipment installations shall be inspected and tested in the field before being placed in initial service to determine that all parts of the installation conform to applicable requirements of this article, and that all safety and operating equipment is functioning as required.”
The same inspection and test is required after any major alteration to an existing installation.
Then comes the paperwork. Under §3296(a)(2), the building owner keeps a certification record of each inspection and test. The record has to include:
- The date of the inspection
- The signature of the person who performed it
- The number or other identifier of the building support structure and equipment inspected
The owner keeps that record readily available for review by the Division and by the employer.
How much load do you test a roof tie-back to?
§3296(b)(4)(B): “Roof tie-backs shall be tested to no more than 50 percent of their rated capacity. For example, a roof tie-back with a rated capacity of 5000 pounds shall not be tested in excess of 2500 pounds.”
The math:
| Rated capacity | Maximum test load (50%) |
|---|---|
| 5,000 lb | 2,500 lb |
Why 5,000? Title 8 §3291(f)(2)(C) requires the tie-back assembly and anchorage to sustain a 5,000 lb load in any direction without permanent deformation. So the field test proves the installed anchor at half its rated load.
IAPMO UES ER-461, the evaluation report for Hardy tie-backs, sets the proof test for its periodic inspection program the same way:
- Proof loads of 2,500 pounds, held for a minimum of five minutes
- Applied in the vertical or horizontal direction
- A certification record kept for each inspection and test
- If a device fails to achieve the proof load, it comes out of service
What does a roof tie-back proof load test look like?
Hardy publishes a sample report from a real job: 353 Main Street Apartments in Redwood City, California, tested November 17 to 19, 2021 by Specialized Testing, Inc. The test program covered seventy newly installed tie-back anchors, checked against Cal/OSHA Title 8, Article 6, Section 3296.
The horizontal test procedure:
- Position the test apparatus on a group of two tie-back anchors. A turnbuckle applies the load, a load cell reads it, and levels measure displacement.
- Apply the horizontal load steadily until it reaches a minimum proof load of 2,500 lb.
- Hold 2,500 lb for five minutes.
- Watch for load drop during the hold. The specified maximum was 10 percent of the proof load, or 250 lb.
- Release the load and visually inspect the anchors.
Run the numbers from the report. A 10 percent limit on 2,500 lb allows a 250 lb drop. The worst drop recorded on any test was 4 percent. Readings at the five-minute mark ran from 2,410 to 2,460 lb. Every anchor tested held the proof load with no visual evidence of failure or permanent deformation.
The report also attaches the load cell’s calibration certificate, dated March 10, 2021, about eight months before the test. §3296(b)(5) requires test equipment to be calibrated at least once a year, so check that date on any report you receive.
Who is allowed to load test roof anchors?
§3296(b) sets three rules for the test itself:
- Written method. The load testing methodology and procedures shall be prescribed, in writing, by a professional engineer (§3296(b)(6)).
- Qualified testers. Load tests shall be performed by qualified persons under the direction of the engineer (§3296(b)(6)).
- Calibrated equipment. Test equipment shall be calibrated at least annually, with calibration records available to the Division (§3296(b)(5)).
Hardy’s saddle detail sheet repeats it: anchor testing shall be conducted by qualified personnel under the supervision of a professional engineer in accordance with §3296. ER-461 adds that in-situ tests are performed by an approved agency under the direction of the registered design professional.
What testing is required after the first year?
§3296(b)(1) requires each installation to undergo a periodic inspection and test at least every 12 months, by the equipment manufacturer, an authorized representative, or another qualified person acceptable to the Division. All parts of the equipment, including related building support structures, get inspected and, where necessary, tested. §3282(p)(1)(B) sets the same 12-month inspection for the building safety devices covered in the owner’s written assurance.
The owner keeps a certification record for each periodic inspection too (§3296(b)(2)).
§3296(b)(3) covers damage. If damage, corrosion or deterioration affecting load-bearing integrity is detected or suspected, the device is load tested. From there:
- If testing shows the device’s integrity is compromised, it comes out of service until it’s repaired or replaced.
- A professional engineer must inspect and evaluate the equipment if the design documents aren’t available, the design is deficient, or inspections or tests show it isn’t safe to use.
- Damage to the devices or the building structure from testing is reported to the building owner.
- If safety deficiencies aren’t corrected within 60 days of the owner being notified, the inspecting agency reports them to the Division.
Roof anchor load testing checklist
- Get the written test method from a professional engineer before testing day.
- Confirm the testing agency’s load cell was calibrated within the last 12 months.
- Proof test every tie-back to no more than 50 percent of its rated capacity: 2,500 lb on a 5,000 lb anchor.
- Hold the proof load for at least five minutes, per the ER-461 program.
- Pull any device that fails to hold the proof load out of service.
- File the certification record: date, signature, and the identifier of each anchor tested.
- Put the 12-month periodic inspection on the calendar.
- Retest after any major alteration, or when damage or corrosion is suspected.
How Hardy helps
Hardy includes post-installation pull testing in California, so the test §3296(a) requires is part of the anchor purchase. Testing is done by an independent testing agency, Specialized Testing, Inc., using horizontal and/or vertical proof load tests to verify each installed tie-back is suitable for use and in safe working condition. Building outside California? Inquire about testing pricing in other states.
Download the sample Redwood City report from the products page, see the Hardy Saddle Tie Back Anchor, or read the full Title 8 text on Understanding the Code. Hardy’s design build service and its installation partner can take a project from layout through load test. Before you get there, check the Cal/OSHA roof tie-back requirements and run your building through the tie-back calculator. Questions on a specific project? Contact Hardy.