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Posted By Kevin West
When trying to encourage a collective fall protection measure (in addition to other control measures)I was met with:
"Safety Netting cannot be used due to welding works on steel work above it may damage the netting and render it useless."
Any experience of this?
I have some ideas on how this may be prevented but am keen to learn of other's experience.
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Posted By Dave Merchant
In theory they have a point - the netting is always going to be polymeric (typically Nylon or polyester thread) and so it'll melt if pelted with spatter. Won't burn unless it's torched or soaked in something, but as the strength is safety-critical even small bits of damage are a 'failure'. Most FA netting is quite large-gauge, so if one 'square' is broken the net is classed as out of service, since a body part could pass through the hole. Unlikely but possible.
The CE testing of arrest nets is costly so I doubt anyone would be prepared to design and make a heatproof version, but I can't see any reason why the immediate area under the welding work can't be protected by laying a tarp over the net. Not the best idea to cover large areas as the net needs to have a bit of stretch to safely arrest the fall, but a couple of square feet makes no difference.
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Posted By Kevin West
Hi Dave,
Your protective solution for the netting echos my response in that I suggested a welding shroud / fire protection blanket (used when combustibles / heat sensitive objects cannot be moved from an area where hot work is being carried out)be laid over the top of the safety net in the area where hot work is progressing.
I thought this to be a fairly simplistic step to take to facilitate a collective fall protection measure.
Any other views?
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Posted By Richard Webber
Kevin,
I sympathise with your problem, but don't think that you can allow fire blankets to be laid on top of your nets or any welding close to them. We frequently use nets on steel erections requiring substantial welding operations but ensure that the nets and the welding are kept well apart.
Richard
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Posted By Kevin West
Hi Richard,
Thanks for the synmpathy. 8o)
As it stands we found an alternative arrangement. However, my question remains.
You suggest that you don't think we can allow a fire blanket layed over the safety net and that you choose not to but do not explain why.
If the blanket captures welding splash / sparks that fall fromm the welding activity (allowing for some error of margin)and as such the netting cannot become damaged why can't it be used?
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Posted By Ron Hunter
The Fire Blanket or Tarp. doesn't have to be in contact with the net though - it could be a couple of metres above it?
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Posted By Dave Merchant
If it's going to be anywhere it has to be laid in contact with the netting, otherwise it'd be the tarp that arrests the fall. It might, it might not, but you wouldn't want them laying on it *barely* supported as it'd make getting to them for rescue a game of Kerplunk. The safety net has to be the thing stopping them.
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Posted By Richard Altoft
From another perspective sparks must be prevented from falling whether a net is below or not because of the obvious risks to those below and fire risks etc. I would suggest that containment of sparks and debris is therefore achieved at point of work rather than at net level and as others have said under no circumstances should the fire blanket/tarp situation act as a place of coming to arrest for a falling person or significant debris because of problems with accumulations, rescue, cleaning off etc.
WAH governs objects and hazardous materials falling onto those below and places of danger/fragile surfaces etc as well as persons falling so take care one risk is not swapped for another
R
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Posted By Richard Webber
Kevin,
Have a chat with FASET - they may also have sympathy but are likely to tell you the same as I did - that placing anything into the net such as a fire blanket is a bad idea for the following reasons:
1.A fire blanket may not protect the net fully and could therefore compromise its integrity. Weld spatter could cause the net fibres to unravel leading to failure
2.Placing a fire blanket over the net will change the dynamics of the nets funcionality which could in turn effect how it operates
3. Although there is nothing in writing, net inspectors are reminded to remove all foreign objects from safety nets. The only exception is the addition of debris nets which are deemed ok.
Regards
Richard
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Posted By Ron Hunter
I'm also curious -what is the nature of this welding that can't be done at some prefab phase on the ground?
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Posted By Kevin West
Hi Ron,
If we could we would prefab the whole lot at ground level and lift the entire structure up in the air!
Unfortunately our lifting equipment isn't big enough! (I know we can hire in bigger cranes but the lifting area does not permit itself to this course of action) so we prefab what we can at ground level and then fix and weld the rest in situ (often this is several consituents pre fabricated at ground level, all brought together and fixed in place at height).
So we are juts talking about relatively little welding / hot work at height not lots all over the place!
Surely if a debris sheet laid on the netting is okay then so is a welding shroud / fire blanket.
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