Roofing battens standards and safety

When specifying roof battens, there are a number of factors that must be considered in order to ensure safety and compliance – from British Standards and Health and Safety to environmental and sustainability. Let’s take a look at some of the requirements and recommendations.

BS 5534:2014+A2:2018: the British Standard covering roofing battens

In almost every contract, guarantee or insurance scheme and within building regulations, there is a requirement for roofing to be carried out according to the relevant British Standard.

The most recent iteration of the relevant British Standard is BS 5534:2014+A2:2018, the code of practice for slating and tiling for pitched roofs and vertical cladding. It sets out extensive guidance on materials, design and application.

BS 5534:2014+A2:2018 requires that roofing battens meet section 4.11 and are graded in accordance with Annex ‘D’. Each batten must be accompanied by documentation set out in section 4.11.5.1 and must be marked in accordance with section 4.11.5.2.

The required documentation should include:

• Name of supplier
• Origin (i.e. species code)
• Graded in accordance with BS 5534
• Basic size
• Type of preservative and method of treatment

Each batten should be indelibly marked with:

• Supplier
• Origin (i.e. species code)
• Graded BS 5534
• Size

Local authority building control and standard bodies recognise the importance of roofing battens meeting the grade set out in BS 5534.

The National House Building Council (NHBC) requires that roofing battens meet the requirements of BS 5534. In its Technical Extra publication (October 2011, Issue 4), it explains the importance of using pre-graded timber battens: “Full batten grading is more involved than just checking on-site for excessively large knots or too much wane. Because of this, fully graded battens can only be provided by the batten producers/suppliers."

In addition, the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC’s)  TB33 – Graded Battens for Slating and Tiling – states that only battens that have been factory-graded to BS 5534 can be called or used as roofing battens.

The role of roof battens in installer safety

In 2020, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published the fifth edition of HSG33 – Health and Safety in Roof Work.

The HSE recognises that pre-graded 25×50 battens that meet the requirements of BS 5534 can be used as a foothold when fixed to rafters set at 600mm centres, 25x38 battens are also acceptable subject to the specified tile type and rafter centres. If graded battens are used this way, the following safe system of work must also be followed:

• The battens are at least 1.2m long to ensure they span a minimum of three trusses.
• The battens are only fixed with the recommended nails.
• The safe system of work requires that the roofers never deliberately walk on the battens, mid-span, between the trusses.
• The safe system of work dictates that the roofers always walk on the rafter line when installing the tiles and slates.

The NFRC has published a guidance document to give further advice on the correct installation and safe use of slating and tiling battens.

Roofing batten standards: sustainability and the environment

Often overlooked, the importance of environmental accreditation when using timber should not be underestimated. It is often a contract requirement to use certified controlled wood verifying it is from a legal and sustainable source.

Achieving the standards with Marley JB Red

As part of the Marley Complete Roof System, JB Red roof battens are manufactured to provide a high level of performance and safety, while meeting the standards set out in BS 5534, as well as the HSE standards and environmental certifications.

To find out more, download our roofing battens brochure. You can also get in touch to discuss the requirements of your roofing project in more detail.