An imagined conversation... “And with the net in that position it stops a worker hitting the concrete.” “But the net won’t stop them falling.” CONSTRUCTION SAFETY NETS: DO THEY WORK? Chris PeaceCertFellNZSIM Lecturer in OHS, Victoria University, Wellington So how do you stop a worker falling from a height? Can we design construction work and workplaces to minimise the chance of falling or, as some research describes, avoid loss of balance while working at a height? Research evidence For most of this year I have been loading into bibliographic software information about UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) research reports to make them easier to find, to aid OHS teaching and applied research at Victoria University. A report about safety nets caught my eye and led me to other research, including the following. Hsiao & Simeonov (2001)identified some causal factors for loss of balance at a height, including: •lack of visual clues about height and the environment; •“confined” or inclined support surfaces and changes in roof surface friction; •physical exertion and fatigue due to load handling; •task complexity; •distractions; •individual differences, including work experience and training. These factors might be both practicable and reasonable to change and help eliminate or reduce the chance of falling. Common protection equipment (controls) identified in this research included: •covers and guardrails; •warning systems; •personal fall arrest systems; •safety nets; •safety monitoring systems; and •fall protection plans. But no mention was made of safety by design of the work or workplace. Pg1|2