When a window cleaning crew shows up with rope access gear and asks for current anchor certification paperwork, the first question many property managers ask is simple: who is responsible for roof anchor inspection, the building owner or the contractor? The short answer is that the responsibility falls squarely on the building owner. Both OSHA and the leading industry standard place the duty of maintaining safe, inspected, and certified anchors on the person who owns or controls the building, not on the vendor who hangs from the ropes. Understanding why this is true, and what the standards actually require, helps you avoid liability gaps, stalled service visits, and unnecessary risk to workers.
What the standards actually say
Two main sources govern roof anchors used for suspended work: OSHA regulations and the ANSI/IWCA I-14.1 window cleaning safety standard. They work together, and they both point to the building owner.
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.27(b)(1)
OSHA's rule for rope descent systems, 29 CFR 1910.27(b)(1), requires that before any rope descent system is used, the building owner must inform the employer of the workers in writing that the anchorages have been inspected, tested, certified, and maintained as capable of supporting at least 5,000 pounds per worker attached. For anchorages used with rope descent systems, the rule also requires certification at least every 10 years under 1910.27(b)(1). This is the OSHA 10-year requirement that applies specifically to anchorages serving rope descent systems. Notice that the regulation names the building owner as the party who must provide this assurance. It does not shift the duty to the window cleaning company.
ANSI/IWCA I-14.1
The ANSI/IWCA I-14.1 standard for window cleaning safety reinforces the same principle. It describes the building owner's responsibility to provide a safe means of access, to have anchors and related equipment inspected, and to keep documentation available. Under this standard, anchor systems are evaluated through periodic inspections, commonly performed annually, along with inspections required by the manufacturer of the specific anchor hardware. The owner is expected to keep these records current and to make them available to any contractor performing suspended work.
In plain terms: the contractor is responsible for using the system safely on the day of the job, and for inspecting their own personal fall protection gear. The owner is responsible for the permanent building anchors being inspected, certified, documented, and maintained.
Why the owner, not the contractor, carries this duty
Roof anchors are part of the building. They are permanent structural attachments bolted, welded, or embedded into the roof, parapet, or structural frame. A window cleaning vendor does not own them, cannot modify them, and is not in a position to know their installation history or load capacity. The owner controls access to the building and the records that prove the anchors are safe. That is why the regulations assign the duty to the party with control over the structure.
This matters for liability. If an anchor fails and the owner cannot show that it was inspected and certified as required, the owner is exposed. Pointing to the contractor does not transfer that responsibility, because the standards never placed it there to begin with.
What this means for your service vendors
It is a common misunderstanding that a window cleaning company refuses to work, or that workers cannot legally work, if anchors are not certified. The reality is more practical. A responsible contractor will ask for current documentation before rigging to your anchors, because their own crew's safety depends on it and because OSHA requires the owner to provide written assurance that the anchors are safe. If you cannot produce that paperwork, the contractor may reasonably decline the work or delay it until the building can demonstrate the anchors are sound. The result is the same either way: missing inspections can stall the work you hired them to do.
Keeping your inspections and certifications current keeps service visits on schedule and keeps everyone protected. An annual roof anchor inspection service creates the documentation trail that contractors and OSHA both expect to see.
Inspection versus testing versus recertification
Owners sometimes assume one event covers everything. These are actually different activities, and it helps to keep them separate.
- Annual inspection. A visual and physical examination of anchors and related components performed periodically, commonly each year, consistent with ANSI/IWCA I-14.1 and the anchor manufacturer's instructions. This confirms the hardware is in serviceable condition.
- Load testing. Test loading of anchors to confirm capacity. This applies to anchors used with rope descent systems and certain suspended access equipment. Note that fall restraint anchors are not load tested, so testing is matched to how each anchor is actually used.
- Recertification. The renewal of certification, including the 10-year certification interval that OSHA requires for anchorages serving rope descent systems. Our load testing and recertification service addresses these requirements.
Because the right combination depends on your specific anchors and how they are used, a qualified inspection helps you avoid both under-testing and unnecessary testing. ADS works with a licensed structural engineer when an anchor system needs analysis, design judgment, or a repair plan.
What happens when anchors fail inspection
If an inspection reveals corrosion, loose hardware, damaged structure, or anchors that cannot be verified, the owner is responsible for getting the issue resolved before suspended work resumes. Depending on the finding, this may mean a repair, a retrofit, or in some cases a new system. Our anchor system design, retrofit, and repair work, supported by a licensed structural engineer, brings noncompliant or aging systems back to a safe, documented condition.
A simple ownership checklist
Use this to confirm you are meeting your responsibility as the owner or property manager:
- Know where your roof anchors, davits, and tie-backs are located and how they are used.
- Schedule inspections on a regular cycle, commonly annual, per ANSI/IWCA I-14.1 and manufacturer requirements.
- Keep load testing and recertification current for anchorages used with rope descent systems, including the OSHA 10-year certification interval.
- Store certification documents where you can hand them to a contractor on request.
- Provide written assurance to suspended-work employers as required by OSHA 29 CFR 1910.27(b)(1).
- Address any failed component promptly with repair, retrofit, or redesign.
If you want a deeper walkthrough of these obligations, our compliance guide lays out the requirements step by step for building owners and property managers across the Western US.
The bottom line
So, who is responsible for roof anchor inspection? The building owner. Contractors inspect their own gear and use your system safely, but the duty to inspect, test, certify, maintain, and document the permanent anchors belongs to the party that owns and controls the building. Meeting that duty protects the workers on your roof, keeps your service vendors on schedule, and shields you from avoidable liability.
ADS Contractors offers a free evaluation of your roof anchors, davits, and tie-backs so you know exactly where you stand. Call us at (206) 338-2584 or reach out through our contact page to get scheduled.