Safety nets have become an essential solution for collective protection against falls from heights and falling objects on construction sites. However, poor design or incorrect assembly can completely nullify their effectiveness.

Main types of safety nets

• Horizontal nets for protecting large openings in warehouses or new construction buildings.
• Horizontal nets to protect floor slabs, openings, and work at height within structures.
• Vertical and perimeter nets for containing the fall of people and materials to the outside.
• Safety nets can be supplemented with insect screens, debris nets, and wrapping meshes for scaffolding and facades, to protect against falling rubble and small materials.

Advantages over rigid solutions

• Greater energy absorption capacity in the event of a fall, reducing the severity of the impact.
• Adaptability to complex geometries and renovations where it is difficult to install rigid systems.
• Speed of assembly and disassembly when the system is well-designed and specific accessories are used.

Regulations and minimum requirements

• Whenever there is a risk of people falling, it is necessary to use safety nets that comply with the current regulations in the country. In Spain, UNE 81652:2013 applies to floor slab nets and the UNE-EN 1263 standard for safety nets type S, type U, or V. Safety nets must be marked on the label with all the data required by the standard.
• Periodic testing and marking in accordance with European safety net standards applicable to construction.
• Follow the manufacturer's instructions for the assembly of the nets.
• Requirement for a manual for assembly, use, and disassembly.

Common errors on site

• Net installed with too much sag or without correct tensioning at all anchor points.
• Anchoring to unverified structural elements (improvised railings, bricks, pipes, etc.).
• Absence of periodic reviews of the state of the net (tears, abrasion, degradation by UV radiation, lack of periodic factory testing of net samples).