What Type of Edge Protection Do You Need?

Roofing temporary edge protection equipment exists to protect a person against falls. It is most commonly used during the construction of residential or commercial buildings. It primarily consists of a toe board, guard rail, and secondary intermediate rail, but there are other equipment types with more innovative features.

According to the Edge Protection Federation, this equipment is designed to prevent people or objects from falling to a lower level. There are different types of protection for different roof types, and there are regulations to be followed for each of them. Stay on this page to learn more about these protection systems.

Roofing temporary edge protection equipment exists to protect a person against falls. It is most commonly used during the construction of residential or commercial buildings. It primarily consists of a toe board, guard rail, and secondary intermediate rail, but there are other equipment types with more innovative features.

According to the Edge Protection Federation, this equipment is designed to prevent people or objects from falling to a lower level. There are different types of protection for different roof types, and there are regulations to be followed for each of them. Stay on this page to learn more about these protection systems.

Common Edge Protection Systems

There are two kinds of protection systems normally used in the building and construction industry: the traditional ones that are made on-site in steel or wood and the prefabricated ones that are to be installed on-site. Prefabricated protection systems are becoming increasingly popular mainly because they are fast and easy to set up. These prefabricated ones also offer the flexibility of use, allowing them to be installed on different surfaces with various fastening systems.

Prefabricated systems are often used for maintenance works on roofs and constitute the main alternative to the preparation of a complete scaffold. They are manufactured in compliance with the EN 13374 Temporary Edge Protection Systems (Product Specification, Test Methods) Standards, offering the best solution for the safety of individuals who work at height.

Parapets or temporary guard rails are the most common protection systems. They are composed of vertical uprights anchored to the surface with a tessellated plate. The handrail, halfway, and toe board (horizontal crossbars) are mounted on the posts.

Three Classes of Edge Protection

To choose the most adequate model for the type of construction, knowing the three classes in which the rails are divided is important.

• Class A – protection for elevated working surfaces (pitched roofing, terraces) with an angle not exceeding 10°. Class A protection systems are only required to resist static loads. They have to hold a person who walks or falls in the direction of the parapet, support a person leaning to, or walking alongside, the parapet.
   
• Class B – protection for elevated working surfaces with an inclination not exceeding 30° without limitation for the height of the fall, or not exceeding 60° if the height of the fall is less than 2m. Class B protection systems are used to resist both static and small dynamic loads. They are designed to support a person leaning to the parapet and provide support when walking alongside. Like Class A systems, they also must hold a person who walks or falls in the direction of the parapet.
   
• Class C – protection for surfaces with an inclination between 30° and 45° with no limit for the height of the fall, or between 45° and 60° if the height of the fall is less than 5m. Class C protection systems are used to resist heavy dynamic loads. They are designed to hold a person who’s falling from a very inclined pitch.
   

Types of Edge Protection

The most popular types of edge protection include:

Scaffolding – This is the most common way of protecting workers from falling. Construction companies use it to gain access to the roof. However, it shouldn’t be used as a permanent solution mainly because not all who access a roof are construction workers. Sometimes, they are maintenance staff or members of the public.

Fixed Roof Handrail – Fixed handrails are a lot sturdier than scaffolding. However, they will pierce the roof membrane or parapet on installation. These handrails are made of different materials and require various installation methods. They need to be made of an anti-corrosion material if they are to be installed on a roof.

Free-Standing Roof Handrail – These handrails keep the roof secure and waterproof as they do not penetrate the roof membrane. If they don’t require fabrication on-site, the system will take very little time to install.

Regulations Around Protection Systems

The following are the standards in the UK and Europe relating to both temporary and permanent edge protection:

• Workplace Health Safety and Welfare Regulations
• The Building Regulations Part K
• The Work at Height Regulations
• HSE Specialist Inspectors Report No. 15 and Health and Safety in Roof Work
• EN 13374 Temporary Edge Protection Systems
• EN 14122-3 Safety of Machinery
• Construction Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations
• BS 6399 Loading for Building and Code of Practice for Wind Loading
• BS 6180 Protective Barriers in Buildings
   

All About EN 13374

As per EN 13374 Temporary Edge Protection Systems (Product Specification, Test Methods), the components of the edge protection system must be marked by the manufacturer. Their class (A, B or C), the year of construction, and the name of the manufacturer must also be indicated.

Along with the toe boards and half-ways, handrails must be intact and respect the dimensions indicated by the manufacturer. Their dimensions are usually: height = 15 to 20cm, thickness = 2.5cm, and length = not more than 20cm from each side of the post.

The protection systems must be installed following the instructions contained in the manual provided by the manufacturer.

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Pro Netting Essex Limited is your trusted partner when it comes to installing roof edge protection systems. Make your worksite safer with our roof netting solutions. For more information on how these roofing nets work, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.