Working Platform Net Guidelines
Table Of Contents
A safety net that complies with EN 1263 net class B1 can be stretched to form a walk-on platform under certain conditions. For this purpose, the safety net is attached inside the horizontal opening. Tension belts are used as traverses to stabilize the area and reduce the net sag to a minimum. The created area can be used as a working platform in accordance with the workplace regulations. The finished net construction is called a work platform net.
Regulations on the requirements and execution of work platform net construction work are described in DGUV information 201-010 (formerly BG information no. 662).
The net material used is subject to the product standard for safety nets EN 1263-1.
With regard to the handling of safety nets as well as their maintenance, repair and replacement, the requirements of DGUV regulation 101-011 apply.
With regard to the handling of safety nets as well as their maintenance, repair and replacement, the requirements of DGUV regulation 101-011 apply.
The tensioning belts, which are used as crossbars within the net surface and for fastening to the edge of the net, are subject to the requirements of the standard EN 12195.
1.3
Each safety net must be marked in accordance with EN 1263-1. The following information must be clearly and permanently affixed to the safety net:
- Manufacturer, supplier or importer
- Designation according to EN 1263-1
- Article designation (incl. net class, mesh direction, mesh size and net size)
- Month and year of manufacture
- Minimum energy absorption capacity of the test mesh. This already takes into account a loss of strength due to aging over a period of 12 months, as well as a general safety factor.
- Test number of the testing institution that certified the net
With the links below you will find a leaflet of the BG Bau, the published regulation of the DGUV as well as further downloads on the subject of safety nets:
The assembly of work platform nets must be directed by a professionally suitable supervisor and supervised by a competent person. The responsible persons must ensure that the work is carried out in accordance with the regulations.
A person is considered qualified if, for example, he or she has sufficient practical work experience in the installation of work platform nets.
He or she is also considered to be a qualified person, if he or she has
- Basic knowledge of legal regulations and occupational safety regulations of the accident insurance institutions,
- sufficient practical work experience in the installation of safety nets,
- knowledge of work platform nets and their load-bearing behavior and interaction with the structure (construction),
- knowledge of possible hazards and how to eliminate them (e.g. falling, falling objects, lifting, carrying and transporting loads, hazardous working materials), and
- knowledge of the plan for assembly, modification and dismantling as well as the plan for use and the instructions for assembly and use for the respective work platform net.
The employees must be demonstrably instructed by the responsible persons. In particular, they must be informed about the hazards associated with the installation of work platform nets. The instruction also includes instructions specifically geared to the area of responsibility of the relevant employees during installation.
These include:
- Explanation of the plan for erecting, modifying, or dismantling the work platform network in question,
- instructions for safe assembly, modification or dismantling of the relevant work platform network (including transport of materials),
- Designation of preventive measures against the danger of persons falling and objects falling down,
- Information on safety precautions in the event that weather conditions change in such a way that the safety of the relevant work platform net and the persons concerned could be impaired, and
- Information on permissible loads, taking into account traffic (construction operations) and material storage.
| You can find a sample assembly instruction at the following link: Sample assembly instructions (PDF, German) |
Work platform net construction work must be carried out by qualified employees. An employee is considered "qualified" if he or she has completed vocational training in the building trade and has sufficient practical work experience in the installation of work platform nets.
An employee is also considered qualified if he has sufficient practical work experience depending on the work platform net to be erected.
The employer is responsible for assessing the suitability and selecting the employees.
A work platform net cannot be safely installed and operated on every roof truss gap or horizontally open structure.
The following points must be met for the use of work platform nets:
- The inclination of the net construction is not more than 22,5°
- The net construction is not lower than 1.50 m below the lower edge of the structure to be erected
- The structure and the anchor points can safely withstand the expected load during operation. Suitable anchor points can be ring anchors, steel structures, reinforced concrete girders or glulam trusses, for example.
- The safety net used complies with EN 1263-1 and has a maximum mesh size of 45 mm
- The safety net used has a valid strength certificate in accordance with DGUV regulation 101-011
- The crossbar belts can be threaded through the net in a maximum pattern of 2.00 x 2.00 m
- The net construction can be anchored all around in a distance of max. 50 cm
- When the net is used, a maximum load of 6 kN is transferred to the supporting structure
An assembly process in the form of instructions for use is outlined below. Before the actual assembly work, the following points in particular must be observed:
| 1. | The net must not be used as a working platform until final inspection and acceptance. During the assembly itself, the employees performing the work must be secured against falling. |
| 2. | Where necessary, the outer edges of the work platform net must be provided with effective fall protection (e.g. roof edge protection). |
| 3. | The safety nets, tension belts and other work equipment to be used must be checked for damage. Damaged nets or accessories (e.g. damaged meshes or a torn tensioning strap) must not be used any further and must be replaced. |
| 4. | Do not use any working methods or equipment that may cause damage to the net during installation (e.g. welding, cutting, sharp edges). |
3.3
| Assembly Procedure for the Erection of Work Platform Nets | ||||
 | 1. Mount the Safety Net First, the safety net is mounted inside the supporting structure. Make sure that the inclination of the subsequent working platform does not exceed 22.5°. Fastening to the edge is done with tension belts at a maximum distance of 50 cm. These are tied around the supporting structure and the net. The anchorage forces are dimensioned analogously to DGUV regulation 101-011 with 6 kN at each anchorage point. The tension belts used should have a permissible tensile force of 2500 daN.
| |||
  | 2. Pull In the Supporting Traverse Straps Several tensioning belts are threaded through the net in such a way that they are positioned in a pattern of no more than 2.00 x 2.00 m from each other and have a distance of no more than 2.00 m from the edge. For threading, the open end of the tensioning belt is simply passed through the meshes of the net. The puncture takes place after a maximum of 10 meshes in each case. The tensioning belts used should have a maximum tensile force of 1500 daN.
| |||
  | 3. Pretension of Net Construction The supporting traverse belts are tensioned by hand. Horizontal loads of at least 2200 N per anchor point are to be expected. The tensioning belts are first tightened so that the sag of the net does not exceed 30 cm when loaded with a standing person. This value applies to the most unfavorable point in the net, i.e. usually within a tensioning strap grid in the middle part of the net construction. | |||
 | 4. Retensioning After 24 Hours Due to the settling behavior of the materials and the overall construction, the net sag may change over the first 24 hours. After one day, the tensioning straps should be tightened again so that the sag of the net does not exceed 30 cm again when loaded with a standing person. The belts should be checked and retightened as required during the further course of use. | |||
After the installation of a work platform net, the responsible contractor must arrange for an inspection to determine its proper condition. The inspection may only be carried out by a competent person (e.g. the supervisor).
The results of the test must be documented in the form of a test report and should be kept for at least three months beyond the service life of the work platform net.
Once the net manufacturer has satisfied himself of the proper condition of the construction, he may hand it over to the user.
Once the net manufacturer has satisfied himself of the proper condition of the construction, he may hand it over to the user.
| A sample test and handover protocol can be found at the following link: Sample test protocol for work platform networks (PDF, German) |
| A sample checklist for the user can be found at the following link: Sample checklist for the work platform network user (PDF, German) |
4.1
Defects in work equipment, facilities, work procedures or work processes that could result in hazards for the employee must be reported immediately to the supervisor and may not be used further without approval.
If defects are found in safety nets or net accessories, these parts may only continue to be used if it has been determined by a competent person that safety is not impaired by the defects.
If defects are found in safety nets or net accessories, these parts may only continue to be used if it has been determined by a competent person that safety is not impaired by the defects.
Examples of safety-related defects are:
- Damaged edge rope
- Torn mesh (if more than 2 adjacent mesh legs in the net are damaged, the net must be replaced or repaired immediately)
- Damage to the supporting structure
- Damaged fasteners
Beschädigte Sicherheitsnetze und Netzzubehör dürfen nur durch den Hersteller oder Personen, die von ihm benannt wurden, instandgesetzt werden. Es darf hierbei nur Material verwendet werden, das in seiner Beschaffenheit dem ursprünglichen Material entspricht.
Safety nets and net accessories must be stored appropriately between two periods of use. Appropriate storage is given if they are
- in a dry environment,
- protected from UV radiation,
- protected from heat, and
- not stored in contact with aggressive substances (e.g. acids, alkalis, solvents, oils).
4.4
As supplied, safety nets are approved in accordance with EN 1263-1 for a maximum of 12 months from the date of manufacture. This approval can be extended three times for a net with an aging test for a further 12 months in each case. The time of the last test or the date of the next test is indicated on the type plate attached to the net.
There are test meshes on each construction net that can be clearly assigned to the net. For testing, one of these test meshes is detached from the net and sent to a suitable test center or the manufacturer. There, a tensile strength test is carried out. If this so-called test does not fall below the minimum energy absorption capacity specified by the manufacturer, the test is deemed to have been passed. The approval is then extended for a further 12 months. Proof of this is provided by the testing body by supplying a new nameplate for the network and issuing a test report.
The test of the minimum energy absorption capacity must be carried out in accordance with EN 1263-1 and must not date back more than 12 months. The results of tests on safety nets in use must be verifiably documented by the contractor.
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