Fall protection on construction sites

Hazards

• There is a risk of falling from a height of more than 1.00 m.
• Missing, incompletely installed or incorrectly dimensioned guardrails as well as a lack of safety measures during installation can result in fall accidents.

Protective measures

• The contractor must ensure that equipment is in place to prevent people from falling:
  1. regardless of the fall height at workplaces and traffic routes on and above water or other solid or liquid substances in which you can sink ;
  2. if the fall height is more than 1.00 m, unless it must be secured in accordance with number 1, on exposed stair flights and landings, wall openings and traffic routes ;
  3. with a fall height of more than 2.00 m at all other workplaces ,

Openings and recesses

Straight edge ≤ 3.00 m or surface dimension ≤ 9 m²Openings and recesses are properly secured if they are enclosed or accessible and covered so that they cannot be moved.

Additional instructions for fall protection

• Equipment and measures to prevent people from falling are not required, regardless of the fall height, if:
  • workplaces or traffic routes are located on surfaces with an inclination of up to 22.5° and are firmly cordoned off at least 2.00 m from the edges of the fall, e.g. by railings, chains or ropes. Pathway tapes are not fixed barriers . In addition, there must be no danger from slippery surfaces so that people could slip under the barrier,
  • the horizontal distance of the fall edge at workplaces or traffic routes is max. 0.30 m from other load-bearing and sufficiently large surfaces.
• If protective devices cannot be used for work-related reasons, e.g. working directly on the edge of a fall, the contractor must ensure that equipment to catch falling persons (fall arrest systems such as safety scaffolding, roof scaffolding, safety nets, protective walls) is available in their place.
• If no protective devices or fall arrest systems can be installed, the employer must ensure that personal fall protection equipment (PPE) is used as an individual protective measure. The appropriate PPE must be determined by the risk assessment. The authorized and competent supervisor must determine the suitable anchorage devices in each individual case as well as the rescue concept.

Exception:
Safety devices with a fall height of up to 3.00 m are not required at workplaces and traffic routes on roofs and storey ceilings with an inclination of up to 22.5° and no more than 50 m² The work must be carried out by professionally qualified and physically fit insured persons who have received special instruction and can clearly see the edge of the fall.

Additional information for side protection dimensions

• The guardrail and intermediate rail must be secured against unintentional loosening and the toe board must be secured against tipping. Guardrails and intermediate rails may be used without structural verification:
  • with a post spacing of up to 2.00 m, boards with a minimum cross-section of 15 x 3 cm,
  • with a post spacing of up to 3.00 m, boards with a minimum cross-section of 20 x 4 cm or steel tubes Ø 48.3 x 3.2 mm or aluminum tubes Ø 48.3 x 4 mm.
  • Toe boards must protrude at least 15 cm above the decking. Minimum thickness 3 cm,
  • for wooden side protection posts, the picture  the proof of usability is deemed to have been provided.