When is individual protection necessary?
Collective protection is not suitable for every situation. On pitched roofs, poles, or - obviously - when working on facadesit is not possible to install something like guardrails, which otherwise would simultaneously and equally protect several or all persons in the danger area. Sometimes, because of spatial circumstances, only individual protection solutions are possible.
In principle, on a flat roof collective and individual protection can both be used. Different factors affect the selection of the safety solution. These include roof loading, roof penetrations, space on the roof, etc.
However, if work is performed directly at the fall edge , only individual protection solutions are possible: With individual protection, the surface right up to the roof edge can be exploited to the full. For this, restraint and fall arrest systems using PPE are the method of choice.
In practice, an individual protection solution is generally used, particularly for temporary fall protection systems, e.g. when maintaining property adjacent to a skylight on a flat roof.
Fall protection systems using individual protection require specialist knowledge
As already mentioned above, individual protection always requires personal protective equipment to be worn. Alone the donning and correct adjustment requires specialist knowledge - if the PPE is adjusted incorrectly, this can endanger life and limb.
The correct length of the lanyard also cannot be left to estimation, and in fact this requires an exact calculation based on the equipment and the environmental conditions. Anti-fall PPE training is a legal requirement.
In summary: In practice it is exclusively expert users who use individual protection solutions to protect themselves.
For which applications is individual protection used?
As well as the generally known profession of industrial climber, uses of individual protection solutions include:
- On pitched roofs
- On flat roofs when the working area is located close to the fall edge
- On facades
- On ladders
- On and at machines and in industrial production plants
- On and at transport vehicles
- On transmission lines and poles
- On cranes
- On wind turbines and
- In shafts
Example in practice - potential individual protection solutions for a photovoltaic system on a flat roof
Increasingly, PV panels are being installed on flat roofs to generate power. Accessibility of the flat roof has therefore gained in importance, as has the necessary fall protection system. For example, if flat roofs are not protected by guardrails (collective protection), then fall protection for individuals is required: individual protection.
People located on a roof must be protected from fall while installing the PV system, and also subsequently for necessary inspection and maintenance activities. Here, various systems are available for the anchorage device.
- Lifeline systems - especially passable models - provide a convenient solution for the user
- Rail systems - impress because of their robustness and their ability to protect from falling even when ascending to the roof
Lifeline Systems
Our powerful AIO lifeline system provides a reliable and versatile solution.
The powerful lifeline system that offers a whole host of variants
Whether on a flat or pitched roof, in an industrial environment, in the energy industry, on poles, or in other application areas, the topic of fall protection is ever-present.
Rail System
Curves, pitches, sloping positions, and of course straight runs: the TAURUS rail system is as versatile as the potential areas of application.
The strong and flexible rail system TAURUS
The system provides continuous fall protection along the entire run of rail, regardless of where the fall-risk areas are located or how they are arranged.
You will find more information on this subject in our blog post “Individual or collective protection? Which system is used when for PV installations on a roof?”
