Relative to all South African conditions, standards, terms, rules, laws and regulations. OHS and Building regulations. (I am interested only in South African building sites nationally and buildings currently under construction only,not completed and permanent balustrades,railings,hand rails or edge protection.) Mostly I want to discuss the use of Edge Protection as put in place on multi story building construction sites by all South African companies role players. Clients, Developers and Principal contractors alike. 1.) What is the purpose of edge protection. 2.) What is the primary objective of edge protection. 3.) What are the exact and explicit rules and regulations regarding construction site temporary Edge Protection systems and barriers as currently seen nationally on our South African construction sites. 4.) Are they on average and in your opinion mostly "suitable and sufficient" (Strong enough to stop or prevent and employee from falling or leaning against and not going over the edge. Are there any prescribed standards to edge protection (In terms of design and materials,load and impact testing)I mean in what it should be able to sustain in terms of pressures and forces.In terms of the maximum arresting forces to which it may be exposed and should be able to withstand or resist ? Can one just erect any type or standard of physical barrier on the edge of a building and call it "Edge Protection" irrespective of whether it may or may not resist forces of say 820 Kg's or an impact force of a falling person or object? Edge protection,If not suitable and sufficient then,All it lends itself to, is a fall (or should that be false) sense of security and safety.For the employer and employee it is a long way dowwwnnnn !!!!!! Physically legaly and financially. I hope I am not being a little bit too "Over the Edge" on this topic ?? As it could be fatal. All I can say is that after some research and site visits in SA they are not suitable and sufficient or safe enough. So please as far as the OHS act and construction regs are concerned please supply clear and substantial references and or information which can be verified and proven beyond reasonable doubt as your input opinion information and comments will go a long way to to aid my study and research on this one topic."Edge Protection" Is it safe or safe enough.Especially with reference to and on South African construction sites. Specific detailed opinions and answers to questions 1,2,3,and 4 are of primary interest.As is all reference to out SA laws and standards SANS and OHS if there are any dedicated to "Temporary?Edge Protection" Fall prevention barriers (of any type wood, wire or scaffold on building and construction sites),which ever way you see or have seen it. Thank You.
Hi Brian, Great post to start the new year with. Looking forward to replies from the forum members ...... I appeal to all members of the forum to please make an effort this year to share your Construction OHS knowledge with everyone and to reply to post like this one with positive and constructive comments. Regards
I have to wonder how you understand the term "edge protection" as you refer to persons falling and pressures and forces. That I would regard as fall prevention and not edge protection. So to answer your questions. The purpose of edge protection is (Guess?) The protection of edges from people with no common sense, or in a nicer way, the protection of people to prevent them from falling over the edge. It looks the same as a hand rail on a scaffold, or a hand rail on the Eiffel Tower. It is about 900 to 1100mm in height and serves as a temporary barrier near the edge of a structure (such as a deck or slab). What is the primary objective? To save lives. Lives of people falling, and lives of people being hit by falling people/ objects. There are no exact and explicit rules and regulations regarding construction site temporary Edge Protection. A competent fall protection planner will develop a FPP and that should be the exact and explicit rules. Here lies the trick - a Competent person will specify the strenght of an edge protection barrier, the mechanism to attach it to the structure, the distance from the edge, the height, the warning signs, and ultimately, WHO must provide the edge protection. The law is ambiguous. There are no hard and fast rules. When it comes to construction sites, there seem to be a nationwide misunderstanding of fall protection. On a site with 20 contractors, who is responsible for the Edge Protection? I'd say the Structural Contractor - the one who builds the structure that requires the edge protection. This contractor will provide and maintain the edge protection from day one until such time as the edge has been removed. But in our scenario, everybody is responsible for edge protection, everybody has to have a FPP, everybody has to check their fall protection equipment, perform a risk assessment and fill in forms and papers. Yet NOBODY does anything to make it safe. Why is that? Let me repeat myself: We have generic Section37(2) agreements that tells the subbie he shall comply with the law. The PC shall also comply with the law. So we all have FPP's in our site files, gets diagnosed File Approval Positive, and off we go. So who actually provide the edge protection? We all do, it says so in our 37(2) agreement. But who installs it? Not me, Im the painter. Not me Im the tiler. Ah, there you go - Nobody does it, because nobody has the duty to do it. "have agreed in writing to the arrangements and procedures between them to ensure compliance by the mandatary" "you shall comply with the OSHAct and the Construction regulations". No shit - let me revise my quote, because I did not include for demolition work to repaint your office block. Sorry Neels, you asked for positive feedback. Sadly, I have never been on a site where the process has been properly followed. I only see the errors. That is why clients call me when the paw-paw hits the fan.
Aahh !! I do understand the term "Edge Protection" But when all the "edge protection" really does! is identify the edge or drop off then what ? Do we rather call it "Edge Identification" Not sure I expressed myself or my concerns correctly though. But my concern is "Can one just erect any type or standard of physical barrier on the edge of a building and call it "Edge Protection" irrespective of whether it may or may not resist forces of say 820 Kg's or an impact force of a person leaning, falling or tripping against it? and not necessarily prevent the person from falling." Fall sense of security, sorry "False sense of security" You know ? I may trip and fall against it, or lean against it and it gives way and down I go. Because it is there only as a Token Safety measure. (The box has been ticked, passed the audit inspection ? so it is all okay). NO !! it is not because it may well cause someone to die. This is when it becomes necessary for edge protection to become and act as a fall arrest equipment and have a FPP which will hold or resist forces of say 820 Kg's or an impact force of a person leaning, falling or tripping against it? What If, it is not suitable enough to prevent employees from falling over the edge. I mean is it okay as long as we have it in place. Besides Hand rails on the Eiffel Tower are strong enough for me to lean against,climb on, stand on, fall against and even hang on, whereas the so called edge protection on some construction sites is not strong enough to fart against without it falling over. My interest is in trying to ensure that "Edge Protection" is suitably sufficient and does not lend itself to a false sense of security.
Brian I agree with you. And when one were to examine the Fall Protection Plan and the competence of the person who drafted it, you would find your answers. Once again the "Ticksheet Fever" gets the better of H&S. In the case where multiple contractors work on a building, the company responsible for the Structure of the building (columns, frames and decks) must provide for the Fall prevention measures. It is to remain in place until the "fall risk" is gone. In practice, the Fall Protection Plan is a tick sheet item, and every single contractor needs to have one. Most of them do not need it, and secodnly are incompetent do draft a decent plan. (not having the skills, experience, knowledge and that IWH certificate). So, when everybody is responsible, Nobody does the job. Once again, I have to place the blame on the Client agents. If a proper Contracting organogram is understood, the duties will be devided amongst the contractors, and not shared as is the current practice. Some projects have up to 5 levels of contracting, although most only run on 3 levels. If you read Section 37(2) you would see there needs to be an agreement between the Client and PC, AND between the PC ad Subbie as to HOW they will ensure compliance. And this is where the "qualifications" of SHE practitioners fails the nation. The understanding of the law, the process, and the deployment of a proper management structure, is seldom part of the cirriculum of the training. Hence all the Generic Site Specific stuff making around 75% of an "approved" File. With the new regs, I am of the opinion that the Contractor (which now EXCLUDES the PC) will have more duties than ever before. Why? There are two definitions: the PC and Contractor are defined seperately; clearly indicating the intention to seperate the two. The Contractor is responsible for 90% of the requirements of the Construction regulations. Yet when it comes to Fall Protection / Prevention, only one or two contractors (structural and scaffolding) actually has the competence to provide this. Unless the Client is willing to pay for the removal of the FP measures after completion of the structure, and the replacement therewith by the builder (for the brickwork and cladding)?? However, long story, but the crux of the matter is the fall prevention measures must do exactly that - PREVENT A FALL. if your 820kg's will not be stopped by a strutt or barrier when you trip, it is not fall prevention measures. Or perhaps you need a good diet! Another example is the snow netting used as barricading on DLC projects. The regulations requires it to be as close as possible to the edge of the excavation, yet if you had to walk into the barricading, you would reach the other side of the trench before the net spans and pulls you back into the trench. There was a case recently, where a visually impaired person (to use the politically correct term) walked into a barricaded whole, and broke his leg. He succesfully claimed damages from the local authority due to negligence. Snow netting (orange plastic mesh for those who know) is Edge identification.
Temporary edge protection systems during construction It is against many laws for people to work unprotected close to an edge off which they can fall a distance that will cause injury or harm. Examples can be, people working on roofs must be protected from falling from any exposed edge. Similarly, those who install the selected protection must also be protected from falling. Edge protection can be achieved in many ways. Any system in conformity with the BS EN 13374 will provide adequate edge protection for workers. BS EN 13374 specifies three classes of edge protection: Class A, Class B and Class C. Edge protection can take many forms but, traditionally, it has used, tube and fitting‟ scaffold components, supplemented where necessary by nets, fencing meshes and tensioned wires. More recently, it has been formed from purpose-made components, manufactured and/or assembled by specialist companies like foldable edge protection screens manufactured by Protect in®. Whichever system you propose to use you must be able to demonstrate that the system you specify is ‘fit for purpose’. Class A edge protection systems which are designed to withstand only static loads, based on a requirement to: (i) Support a person leaning on the protection or provide a handhold when walking beside it, and (ii) Arrest a person who is walking or falling towards the protection. Class B edge protection systems, which are designed to withstand static loads and low dynamic forces, based on a requirement to: (i) Support a person leaning on the protection or provide a handhold when walking beside it. (ii) Arrest a person who is walking or falling towards the protection. Class C edge protection systems are designed to withstand high dynamic forces (refer to BS EN 13374 for test procedure) based on the requirement to: (i) Arrest the fall of a person sliding down a steeply sloping surface.
Yes, mmm, I say (tongue in cheek), I always thought that there was a D - Class in South Africa, that's the one where a harness is attached to a barrier which would arrest a fall vertically (dynamic load), yes I did, it is so common. Have we got away from the purpose of a temporary structure? Is D- class an unwritten standard? Edge protection gone wild.
