FASET Issue Rooflight Safety Net Bulletin

The Fall Arrest Safety Equipment Training Association, FASET, and the Rooflight Association have created a joint safety bulletin to highlight the limitations and potential dangers of safety nets. Safety nets are designed to absorb the energy of an individual falling and minimise the potential injuries they may suffer.

Recently, safety nets have increasingly been used as a method of covering potentially fragile roofs, such as skylights, as a fall arrest. Also, this practice has been included in the manufacturer’s installation instructions, with safety netting being shown over rooflights either on a freestanding frame or secured via ratchet strap. The bulletin expresses concern about the effectiveness of these practices and addresses potential risks and limitations of safety nets being used this way.

It is important that any anchorage points for safety netting comply with the relevant standards and won’t detach when a load falls onto the netting. In general, the Rooflight Association strongly advises against the use of rooflight safety nets unless the required anchorage forces are met and confirmed.

For help managing and assessing the risks associated with work at height and the use of safety netting, please contact PIB Risk Management.

The full bulletin can be found here.

If you have any questions or would like support with managing issues at your workplace, please speak to your usual contact or get in touch using the form below.