Falls remain the biggest killer of workers on the job. According to the HSE, falls from a height accounted for 50% of workplace fatalities during 2023/24. Therefore, it is in every employer’s best interests to reduce the risk of falls, including by investing in fall protection solutions.
Metreel offers a range of fall protection equipment to protect personnel while they work at a height.
We recommend contacting our team for personalised advice on the best equipment to suit your application requirements.
In the meantime, we’re here to provide an overview of the differences between temporary and permanent fall protection solutions to guide you.
Temporary Fall Protection
Examples of temporary fall protection include portable guardrails, temporary lifeline systems, mobile anchor points, safety nets and scaffolding.
On the whole, these types of installations are there to protect against the risk of a fall when that risk is deemed temporary. That’s because the project involving working at a height has a short duration, meaning personnel only require protection while the task takes place.
For instance, scaffolding is needed to re-roof a property. If the project takes a week to complete, then the scaffolding is safe to be removed after this time when there is no longer a need to work from a height for this specific job.
Alongside short duration jobs, temporary fall protection equipment is also used for changeable or unpredictable working locations, hence, some of the items listed above involve portable equipment.
A key factor of temporary fall protection is that it is not designed for continual use. Instead, the equipment is geared towards quick deployment, whereby it can easily be constructed and deconstructed as needed. As a result, temporary fall protection equipment not only requires frequent repositioning but also poses more risk if it is not installed correctly each time it needs to be used.
Permanent Fall Protection
Examples of permanent fall protection include fixed guardrails or parapets, engineered horizontal lifelines, roof anchor points, integrated ladder systems with fall arrest and overhead rigid rail systems.
It is preferable to opt for a permanent fall protection solution when the risk of a fall from a height remains continually present. This includes applications which require regular work at height, or for high risk zones which personnel would need to access.
By installing a permanent level of protection, the major advantage is that the solution is always in place, which also works to avoid setup delays or errors. While such equipment may have a higher upfront cost and may also require structural modifications, it can provide long-term savings overall.
Enquire About Our Fall Protection Solutions For UK Businesses
As noted at the start of this post, the best way to determine which type of fall protection would best suit your requirements is to consult our experts.
Metreel specialises in a range of fall protection solutions including abseil equipment, access ladders, fall arrest, fall restraint and rail restraint systems.
To determine the best solution for your industry and application, please send us a message or give us a call on 0115 932 7010.