Why Do I Need Safety Nets?

Construction areas are notoriously dangerous working environments. Workers are surrounded by industrial equipment, unstable walking surfaces, gangways and unexpected weather elements. Falls account for the highest number of fatalities in the construction industry. Studies have shown that fall guard systems such as safety nets can prevent many injuries and even deaths from falls. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) consistently recommends and requires safety netting in many situations. Safety should be the highest priority in all working environments. Employers want to protect personnel, pedestrians, equipment, tools and surfaces throughout the workspace.

Fall protection violations at construction sites were the most cited OSHA infractions in fiscal year 2019. Following the construction safety standards enacted by OSHA is key to fall protection, and you can minimize the likelihood and severity of falls with safety nets.

Get The Job Done Safely With Safety Nets

Worker injuries and deaths in America have decreased significantly over the past few decades. This decrease is due to OSHA regulations' efforts, as well as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) safety requirements for construction and demolition operations, personnel and employers. Your actions can ensure workplace safety through fall protection.

Safety nets are designed to catch falling workers, equipment and tools; this prevents injury to personnel, innocent bystanders and equipment.

It's crucial to employ safety nets during building erection, bridgework, building demolition projects, and maintenance projects. Proper netting safety ensures fall protection in areas where workers are exposed to high-fall risks. Safety nets can also protect people and surfaces below the work areas from scrap, tools and other falling objects.

Where Do I Need Safety Nets?

Safety netting is necessary anywhere you need protection from falls and other hazards, including:

• Workplaces more than 25 feet above the ground or water
• Any elevated platforms, such as ships or high rises
• Surrounding in-ground and above ground pools or other swimming areas
• Areas accessible by ladders, scaffolding, temporary floors and staircases
• Baseball fields and ballparks

From industrial complexes to swimming pools, safety nets can be used as fall protection in a variety of interior and exterior workplaces. These nets can enhance your existing guardrail systems, warning lines and signs, protecting workers near the edges of floors and roofs, around floor holes and along gangways, scaffolding and temporary elevators. Places where flying hazards are present can benefit, too. For instance, baseball safety netting can be used to protect onlookers during games.

Netting safety doesn't just keep your employees safe — it also keeps pedestrians and people in the immediate area protected.

OSHA guidelines state that all safety nets must be strong enough to support workers who fall. Safety nets must never be installed more than 30 feet below the construction site's walking and working surfaces. Do your part to protect your employees in all working environments.

Types Of Safety Nets

There are safety netting products for all your construction site, warehouse, transportation, recreational and personal safety needs.

US Netting offers:

• Plastic fence netting
• Steel netting for any heavy-duty job
• Loading dock safety nets
• Skylight safety netting
• Custom safety nets in a variety of shapes and sizes for your job

Many of our safety nets have custom cutting options to give you precisely what you need to mark for hazard and fall protection.

What Kind Of Netting Safety Is Best For My Job?

We can help you find the safety nets to best fit your needs. To determine the best type of netting safety for your job, consider the following questions:

• Who needs fall protection with safety nets? Is it workers or also pedestrians?
• What am I protecting? Are you working near glass surfaces or adjacent buildings?
• Who can be affected by the job/construction I'm doing?
• Is the netting designed to catch small tools, debris or falling equipment?
• Is the safety net's purpose to keep surfaces below the work site clear?