Bat Awareness for the Roofing Industry
Bat and Roost Risk Management Considerations during Roofing Works
This partnership between NFRC and Bat Conservation Trust has focused on developing practical guidance to help roofing contractors better understand their responsibilities when carrying out roofing works where bats or bat roosts may be present.
As well as challenges with the climate we are also facing challenges with biodiversity especially with the loss of natural habitat due to the ever-expanding industrialisation and urbanisation that we are seeing throughout the UK.
What can we do?
NFRC has been working in collaboration with the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) to improve awareness and understanding of bat protection within the roofing industry. The BCT is the leading non-governmental organisation in the United Kingdom solely devoted to the conservation of bats and the landscapes on which they rely, one of which is the built environment. The built environment project at BCT works in collaboration with industry partners to develop best practice guidance and deliver a range of resources including training courses and online content.
The NFRC and BCT partnership has focused on developing practical guidance to help roofing contractors better understand their responsibilities when carrying out roofing works where bats or bat roosts may be present. This collaboration reflects the increasing importance of balancing essential roofing works with biodiversity considerations and helping contractors approach these situations with greater confidence and awareness.
A key outcome of this collaboration is NFRC Guidance Note GN77: Bat and Roost Risk Management Considerations during Roofing Works, which provides practical advice for contractors on recognising bat risks, planning roofing work appropriately, understanding legal responsibilities and selecting suitable materials where bats may be present. The guidance also highlights the importance of early planning, careful membrane selection and the growing role roofing products can play in supporting biodiversity.
Alongside the guidance, the Bat Conservation Trust have also developed a bespoke roofing industry eLearning course designed specifically for roofers and roofing professionals. The course provides practical, industry-focused training to help contractors identify potential bat risks, understand when specialist advice may be required and carry out works in a way that reduces the risk of harm to bats or disruption to projects: https://learn.bats.org.uk/courses/roofing_industry
A more in-depth version of this learning content is also delivered live online or in person by the BCT’s Biodiversity Training Officer, there are a number of open courses available, or you can contact BCT for an in-house version for your company: https://www.bats.org.uk/our-work/training-and-conferences-hub/arboriculture-and-construction-professionals/bats-for-roofers
In addition, if you work on large-scale roofing maintenance projects, there is a webinar presenting the recently produced industry guidance and case studies to guide this approach: https://learn.bats.org.uk/courses/bats-LSHMP-webinar This work reflects the need to work in collaboration as the NFRC and BCT have done, to achieve the best outcomes for practitioners and protected species.
This collaboration reflects the increasing importance of balancing essential roofing works with biodiversity considerations and helping contractors approach these situations with greater confidence and awareness.
E-learning course for roofing contractors
This module is an introduction to bat and roost risk management in roof works. No previous knowledge is required and it is aimed at those whose jobs in roofing may impact bats, to avoid harming bats and committing an offence under the legislation.