DGUV - German statutory accident insurance
DGUV Publication 201-056 provides lots of useful tips when it comes to answering the question as to how to professionally design a safe fall protection or anchorage system for your building.
This DGUV Publication is directed at building owners, planners / maintenance personnel and those who use individual fall arrest solutions on building structures and defines all the relevant planning criteria. In addition, it offers guidelines on how to effectively secure fall danger zones using collective or individual fall protection measures.
DGUV 201-056 looks at the following fall hazards:
In the case of roof elements that are not fall-through resistant, additional safety measures must be taken to prevent individuals from crashing through them. When planning a fall arrest system, the following hazards must be taken into account:
To ensure the best possible protection, anchorage devices should be installed at a distance of 2.5 m from the falling edge (in the case that the building design itself dictates otherwise, this general rule may be deviated from). In regions with heavy snowfall, the distance can be increased to allow snow to be cleared safely. The corners can then be secured using individual anchorage points.
During the planning process, consideration must be given to the safety system access points. When designing your roof access points, please refer to DIN 4426 for further recommendations.
When installing your anchorage devices, you must always observe the manufacturer's specifications. These are generally found in the installation manual and safety instructions. Installation technicians must have respective expertise and the technical ability to install the anchorage devices accordingly. This requires proof that the technician has attained Qualification Level 1 .
Comparing the actual situation onsite with the information contained in the planning documents is also part of the installation technician’s job. Furthermore, it is mandatory to prepare a set of installation documents. What this documentation needs to include is described in DGUV Publication 201-056. Special attention must be paid to compiling respective photo documentation illustrating all the installation steps relevant to safety. Photographs must be taken to record each of these steps, especially those that are no longer visible once the installation has been completed and which can no longer be checked later on. The regular inspections of your anchorage devices may only be carried out by qualified individuals who have been accordingly authorised by the manufacturer. These anchorage device inspections must also be appropriately documented.
