10.12.2009

New safety-net standards

FASET, the trade association for the fall arrest and safety net rigging industry, has published industry standards for testing safety nets for UV degradation and for repairing knotless nets following damage.

A collective protection system, safety nets are increasingly used to reduce injury on site by absorbing energy from a falling body. As such, they are subject to stringent inspection and maintenance routines.
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Produced by the association’s health, safety and technical committee, the first standard addresses the testing of safety nets for UV degradation. Because nets are manufactured from polypropylene – a material that is adversely affected by ultra violet light – they must have been tested within the 12 month period prior to use to ensure they meet the minimum strength requirements specified by the manufacturer.

The standard covers all aspects of testing including calibration of the testing machine itself, the specification and speed of the test, the permissible breaking strength and how to record the results. All testers must be deemed competent by a FASET safety net manufacturing member as evidenced by a FASET safety net tester’s certificate.

The second standard covers the repairing of knotless nets. Subject to certain key criteria being met – which the standard clearly sets out - these nets can be repaired for further use following damage by cutting, abrasion or hot materials.

Setting out the minimum standard for permanent laced patch repairs, the two page document also covers permanent single strand repairs, C-ring repairs, border rope and temporary on-site repairs, plus repairs adjacent to selvedge.

FASET company secretary, Tony Seddon said:: “Safety netting is there to protect workers in the event of a fall from height. It is therefore essential that these nets, doing such an all-important job, are subject to exacting requirements. These are definitive standards for inspection and repair.”

Both standards are available free from FASET. For more information please visit www.faset.org.uk