Falling debris is one of the deadliest hazards at construction sites. This can be anything from rubble like blocks and bricks to tools and equipment. In fact, even a small pair of scissors can be dangerous if it falls from a high place. Imagine what a falling hammer or brick could do!
The good news is that these accidents are preventable — cue debris netting. With this temporary protection material, your project shouldn’t cost you someone’s life. In this guide, we’ll explain what it is, its safety compliance, and how it can help save countless lives.
What Is Debris Netting?
Debris netting is a knitted mesh made from high-density polyethylene. As the name suggests, it’s used to catch falling materials, such as accidentally slipped tools, and to reduce wind load around scaffolding during building construction. It’s also a staple for renovations and demolitions.
Its tear-resistant feature makes it great for catching sharp or heavy falling debris. It can even catch someone if they happen to fall. The mesh design allows air to flow through while keeping debris from falling to the ground.
The netting is attached to scaffold tubes, poles or other structures. They are fastened with toggle ties, cable ties, zip ties, bungee clips, or scaffolding clips. From a distance, they hang over the scaffolding like a web of lines. They are available in various bright colours, like orange, red, and yellow. Such options help workers and the public spot a hazardous area from a distance.
Keep in mind, though, that debris netting shouldn’t replace fall prevention measures but should be used alongside them, as required by the HSE.
Debris Netting Safety Compliance
For debris netting to work effectively, it needs to meet safety standards and regulations. This means the nets should be installed, tested, and removed by qualified personnels, like scaffolders or trained workers. The installation should be as close as possible to the work area to minimise fall distance, with enough space underneath the net to catch workers and prevent them from hitting the ground or a lower level if they fall.
Debris netting must also be inspected weekly or whenever necessary to make sure it stays safe to use. The employer or principal contractor is responsible for making sure these safety rules are followed. Read our guide, ‘Debris Netting: Compliance, Maintenance, and Selection,’ for more information.
How Debris Netting Can Save Lives?
While we’ve already touched on how debris netting maintains site safety, this section will explain in detail how it saves lives as a fall and debris protection solution:
Protecting passersby from falling debris
Most scaffolding is set up in busy urban areas where people pass by without head protection like hard hats. Falling debris or tools can lead to serious injuries or even fatalities. That’s where debris netting comes in. By surrounding the work area, the nets prevent loose materials and tools from falling outside the scaffold. Learn more about this by reading our guide: How to Ensure Public Safety When Working with Scaffolding.
Catching workers who slip or lose balance
Debris netting can act as a safety net if a worker accidentally falls from slipping or losing their balance. It also adds extra safety in case other fall prevention methods don’t work or aren’t enough — think of it as a backup plan.
Take Safegard’s Debris Netting, for instance. It has been trusted in the industry for over 30 years and comes in CLASSIC, PLUS, and PLUS FR variants to meet various project needs. Fire retardant variants are in demand for added safety and compliance with government or insurance policies. If these factors matter to your project, then a PLUS FR Debris Netting Certified to TS62 would be best for you.
For more information on scaffold protection, FR debris netting, shrink wrap, scaffold sheeting, or monarflex alternative, contact us at +44 (028) 9442 8611. SP Group is a scaffold supplier based in the UK and Ireland.