Hiring a roof anchor inspection company sounds straightforward, but the quality of service in this industry varies widely. Some companies deliver thorough, documented evaluations that protect your building for years. Others deliver a clipboard check and a generic report that would not hold up under scrutiny.
If you are a property manager or building owner looking for an anchor inspection provider, here is what to evaluate before you sign a contract.
1. Ask About Their Core Business
This is the single most important question: is roof anchor inspection their primary business, or is it a side service they tack onto window cleaning or general maintenance?
Companies that specialize in anchor systems bring deeper technical knowledge, better equipment, and more thorough documentation. They understand the difference between a visual check and a proper evaluation. A window cleaning company that "also does inspections" may check the anchors they are about to use, but that is a very different thing from a systematic evaluation of your entire fall protection system.
That said, there is value in working with a company like ADS that does both. When our window cleaning technicians are on your roof, they are also evaluating the anchor systems they use. If they find a problem, it gets flagged immediately because our team has the technical background to recognize issues that a pure cleaning company might miss.
2. Look at Their Documentation
Ask to see a sample inspection report before you hire anyone. A quality report should include:
- Individual anchor identification: Each anchor tagged with a unique number
- Photographic documentation: Photos of every anchor point, not just the ones with problems
- Condition assessment: Clear description of the condition of each anchor, not just "pass/fail"
- Deficiency details: Specific description of any issues found, with recommendations
- System overview: Total anchor count, layout, and general system condition
If a company cannot show you a sample report, or if the report is a single page with checkboxes and no photos, keep looking. Your inspection report is a legal document. It is what you show OSHA, your insurance company, and your attorney if something goes wrong. It needs to be thorough.
3. Verify Their Qualifications
OSHA requires that annual inspections be performed by a "competent person," which means someone trained to identify anchor system hazards. For load testing and recertification, a "qualified person" or licensed professional engineer is required.
Ask the company:
- Who performs the actual inspections? What are their qualifications?
- Do they have access to a licensed professional engineer for recertification work?
- Are their technicians trained in rope access? (Reaching the anchors safely is part of the job)
- Do they carry appropriate insurance for this type of work?
4. Check Their Geographic Coverage
Anchor systems are affected by local climate. A company that works in your region understands the specific degradation patterns your building faces. Marine corrosion in Seattle looks different from UV degradation in Phoenix, which looks different from salt air corrosion in Honolulu.
National companies with template-style city pages in every market may not have local crews or regional expertise. Ask where their inspectors are actually based and how often they work in your area.
5. Understand What You Are Getting
Make sure you understand the scope of work before signing. Key questions:
- Does the price include all anchors, or is there a per-anchor charge?
- Is photographic documentation included, or is it an add-on?
- What happens if they find problems? Can they handle repairs, or do you need a second contractor?
- Do they provide design and retrofit services if your system needs structural changes?
- Will they coordinate with your recertification timeline so inspections and testing align?
6. Watch for Red Flags
A few warning signs that should make you look elsewhere:
- No written report: If they do not provide a written report, it did not happen as far as OSHA is concerned
- No individual anchor photos: A report without per-anchor photographs lacks the detail needed for proper compliance documentation
- Same-day results promised for large buildings: A thorough inspection takes time. If someone promises to inspect a 200-anchor system in a few hours, they are not being thorough
- No follow-up recommendations: A good inspector does not just find problems. They tell you what to do about them and when
- Unable to explain their process: If they cannot clearly describe what they check and why, they may not be qualified to perform the work
Why ADS
ADS is a dedicated roof anchor inspection company. It is our core business, not a side service. We provide detailed photographic documentation of every anchor, engineer-backed recertification, and full design and retrofit capabilities when repairs are needed. We serve property managers across the Western US, with local teams in Washington, Nevada, Arizona, and Hawaii.
Contact us for a free evaluation. We are happy to show you a sample report and walk you through our process before you commit to anything.