As long term operators of high access services, Bells is a firm believer in the the use of safety netting to mitigate risk on or near a worksite.
The netting can be used as an adjunct to other safety and protective systems.
An active measure is the use of safety netting to augment the other measures in place.
Safety Netting can be used to shroud a worksite or to act as a barrier to reduce risk for third parties.
To satisfy WHS requirements, protective barrier netting, protection from falling rocks or debris or to catch a person falling from heights, custom designed safety netting will provide the protection you need on a work site .
Safety nets have been used all over the world to prevent fatalities in work places working at heights and have worked effectively in reducing the number of fatalities over the years.
Safety Netting is a Risk Mitigation Multiplier
All companies are obliged to follow the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) regulations of their individual states to ensure the safety of their employees. If companies do not adhere strictly to their relevant OHS regulations, they leave themselves exposed to criminal and/or civil court actions.
In Queensland for example, the installation of safety nets is deemed a High Risk Work activity (Queensland Workplace Health and Safety Regulations 2011; Schedule 3). Safety nets are best installed following the guidelines and standards currently followed in Europe (European Standard EN 1263-2:2002).
Safety nets are an innovative access system which can be quickly erected and dismantled in areas where access would otherwise be limited to large and bulky scaffolding systems. The supply and installation of safety nets benefit the client commercially, economically and financially.
Licensing and Regulation
There are no prescribed Standards for using safety nets as fall arrest systems in Australia so it is recommended that the test methods, installation procedures and safety net positioning limits described in the following British and European codes of practice and standards are the best practice reference. The relevant standards are:
BS 8411 (Code of practice for safety nets on construction sites and other works)
BS EN 1263-1 (Safety nets – Part 1: Safety requirements, test methods)
BS EN 1263-2 (Safety nets – Part 2: Safety requirements for the positioning limits).
However, installers, users and suppliers must be able to demonstrate that their nets are fit for purpose and comply with or better the European standards.