Using a fall safety net provides the added benefit of allowing falling objects to rest longer, giving them more time to decelerate and transfer their kinetic energy. This means that a fall victim can land softer and sustain less damage. In addition to the added benefit of protecting a person, a fall safety net can help prevent injuries in various other ways, too. In this article, you’ll learn why you should use a fall safety net.
Repairing a fall safety net
To repair a fall safety net, you can either cut the damaged part and sew a patch or use proprietary knotless repair systems. In either case, the new patch material must meet the standards of BS EN 1263-1. To make the repair effective, the patch should overlap the damaged area. Before re-using the fall safety net, inspect the net to ensure that it is safe to use. This step should be undertaken by a competent person who has completed a recognised3 training course within the past five years.
If the fall safety net system is installed properly, it can protect workers from serious injury. A trained installer can identify potential problems with the net. To avoid causing unnecessary harm to workers, a safety net should be installed by trained personnel and properly maintained. Workers who use it must be aware of any dangerous situations and remove any objects that have fallen into it. Rescue plans must be in place prior to work above the safety nets. Rescue equipment should be readily available.
You should also consider the size of the safety net. The maximum length of a fall through a safety net should be as short as possible. The fall distance into the net should not exceed 30 feet. The distance should also be minimal as the greater the distance, the higher the risk of injury. Moreover, it should be rigged so that it follows the roof line and does not hinder construction. If the fall safety net is too wide, workers must remove it before the end of the work shift.
To repair a fall safety net, you should first check whether it is certified. If the fall safety net fails to meet the standards set by FASET, then it is not safe to use. In addition, ultra violet light, UV degradation, and other factors can cause the safety net to deteriorate. Luckily, there are specialists that can repair these types of fall safety nets, and they guarantee to meet the required standards.
Requirements for installation
The proper installation of fall safety nets is essential to prevent injuries to people below. It should be installed as close to the working level as possible, but not more than 30 feet below. When hanging the nets, they must have enough clearance to avoid contact with any structure below. Any intervening members should be removed or covered to avoid a risk of catching the nets on something. If this is not the case, you may need to reinstall the safety nets to avoid an accident.
The fall safety net must have a test mesh attached to it. Test meshes must be as strong as the net’s integral components. They must also not be spaced more than six inches apart. A trained installer must install safety nets on the highest level of a building, including roofs. Installers must also be aware of possible damage to the nets, so they can plan for it.
Fall heights in the workplace must be less than 6 m. In general, a safety net should be mounted as close to the edge of the working platform as possible. A height of 3 m is the minimum for safe installation, but a fall of more than six metres is dangerous. To ensure safety, it is essential to follow the installation requirements and involve all the parties involved. If you do not install a safety net, you could face a lawsuit.
The location of a fall safety net is another important consideration. A fall safety net must be installed as close to the work surface as possible, but not closer than 30 feet. The fall safety net must also have adequate clearance. This clearance allows the net to absorb a fall without impacting the surface below. The safety net must be able to absorb impact forces equivalent to a 400-pound bag of sand, which must fall from 42 inches.
Requirements for testing
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has developed standards for fall protection systems. These standards apply to fall safety nets, a type of protective netting that is integral to the protection of people in elevated work areas. These systems can also protect nearby structures and pedestrians, as they are designed to contain flying objects and absorb impact force. The requirements for testing fall safety nets are outlined in the OSHA standards for fall protection.
A fall safety net must meet the OSHA standards for a minimum six-inch mesh size and a rope with a breaking strength of 5,000 pounds. Safety nets are only allowed to be installed by persons instructed by a building contractor, and these workers must also use fall protection equipment such as a safety harness and hoisting platform. They must also display the test number on the product. If a safety net meets the requirements set forth in the standards, the manufacturer should claim this on the packaging.
Upon completion of the testing process, the safety net should have a seal with the same identity number on both the safety net and the test mesh. The testing process is done by attaching a test mesh to a safety net and removing it one at a time. The test mesh should then be sent to an authorised tester within a year. The test will test the stability of the net as well as its energy-absorbing capacity. If the test is positive, a new inspection tag bearing the same identity number will be issued.
After a fall safety net passes the tests, it must be laced together with coupling ropes that have at least 7.5 kN breaking strength. Coupling ropes must be installed so that they do not cause gaps of more than 100 mm between the nets. Safety nets should also be properly installed, with the upper net overlapping the lower one. In addition, they should be stored in dry conditions and should not be exposed to heat sources or harmful UV rays.
Requirements for inspection
The requirements for fall safety nets are very specific and may vary depending on the workplace and job site. It is vital that every worker has a plan for rescuing a worker if they fall. This plan should be practiced before any work is performed above the net. In addition, visual inspections must be carried out regularly and a competent person must be designated to do this. WorkSafe recommends that at least one person be responsible for inspecting fall safety nets, including the installation crew.
The safety net system must undergo a UV deterioration test once every 12 months. The nets must have at least three test meshes loosely woven into the net. One test mesh is removed from each net during testing. All test meshes must have the same ID number, be of the same material and be produced in the same batch. Any fall safety net that is more than twelve months old must bear a current test label on its packaging, showing that the net has undergone a UV deterioration test.
Fall protection nets must meet the requirements of European Standard EN 1263-1 and comply with certain technical specifications. Moreover, construction safety nets must be labelled with an identification label and have a minimum energy-absorbing capacity. Users must also provide a picture of the identification label with their annual inspections. This is because fall safety nets are inspected on a regular basis by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The manufacturer of a fall safety net should inspect and repair any damages. The net should be repaired by an experienced person who has completed a recognised training course within the last five years. The repair should be done using new material that matches the net mesh cord. The net patch should be at least three millimeters thick and double knotted at each node. The patch should not be tied in loose ends, as these may result in a safety hazard.
Safety nets must be installed as close as possible to the walking surface and in a manner that the person falling would not strike any objects underneath. Inspections must be conducted once a week, or as often as necessary if an occurrence might affect the integrity of the net. If materials or scraps fall into the net, they must be cleaned as soon as possible, and before the end of the work shift.