EN 1263-2 complements EN 1263-1: where the first defines the net itself, the second governs how it is rigged. Rigging is where most mistakes are made.
Key rules
- Maximum fall height to the net is 6 m; within 3 m of the net's edge it is 3 m.
- The net must extend at least 2 m beyond the working edge, and further where the fall height is greater.
- There must be enough clearance below the net for the falling person not to reach the ground or structure — at least 3 m at the centre of the net.
- Adjacent nets must be joined so that no gap remains, with at least 2 m of overlap or a proper coupling.
Maintenance in service
Debris that lands in the net — tools, offcuts, lumps of concrete — must be cleared regularly. Accumulated material both weakens the net and becomes the cause of injury to anyone who falls into it.
Rigging must be carried out by a competent person and documented. The net should be checked at the start of every shift.