Netting Fall Protection Systems
Protect workers around open service pits and other workplace fall hazards with a netting system selected for the job. HySafe helps you assess the opening, plan safe access, and develop a solution around your facility. From automotive service bays to rail maintenance shops, we bring together system selection, engineering, installation, and training.
Fall Protection Netting for Service and Maintenance Facilities
The right netting system accounts for how your team works around an opening, including vehicle movements, equipment, and access below floor level.
Automotive Service and Oil Change Pits
An empty service bay can leave an exposed pit beside a busy work area. Personnel safety netting can help protect workers from accidental falls while allowing planned access for oil changes, inspections, and repairs.
Truck and Bus Maintenance Facilities
Fleet maintenance pits often need to accommodate different vehicle lengths, drain pans, and access points. Netting selection should account for these features and how technicians open, close, and secure the system during daily work.
Rail Maintenance Pits
When a locomotive or railcar moves out of a maintenance bay, the pit remains exposed. A system for this setting must account for long openings, crossover areas, and the sections left uncovered during service.
Personnel safety netting
Catches a falling person within the system’s specified application and limits.
Debris containment netting
Contains falling materials. Debris-only netting is not a substitute for personnel protection.
Walking or vehicle-bearing cover
Provides a load-rated surface for specified traffic. A personnel net must not be assumed suitable for this use.
Pit Netting That Works Around Maintenance Access
Service pit netting spans an opening to catch a person in the event of a fall. Depending on the selected configuration, a sliding system can move along guide cables so technicians can reach the underside of a vehicle and return the net to its protective position afterward.
HySafe evaluates how the pit is used, where the net needs to open, and how it will be secured. The work plan must also address exposed areas while the net is open or repositioned. Proper deployment is essential to the system’s protective function.
Engineered Around the Complete System
A netting system includes the net, reinforced borders, connection hardware, anchors, and supporting structure. These components must work together to absorb a fall and transfer the resulting forces.
HySafe’s assessment considers the opening’s dimensions, available clearance, obstructions, and attachment locations. We also review access needs and environmental exposure, such as oils, moisture, or outdoor weather.
Those details guide system selection and the engineering needed to keep a falling person from contacting the floor or equipment below.
From Site Assessment to Installation
Design
Select an appropriate configuration and plan how protection will work alongside maintenance activities.
Engineer
Evaluate connections, supporting loads, and net deflection for the proposed installation.
Install and Train
Coordinate installation and help your team understand correct use, access procedures, and system limitations.
Plan Ongoing Care
Establish the inspection and maintenance requirements for the selected system, including what to do if damage or an impact occurs.
Categories
Frequently Asked Questions
Can netting be added to an existing service pit?
Often, yes. Suitability depends on the pit’s dimensions, supporting structure, clearance, and equipment. An assessment identifies the appropriate netting arrangement and any changes needed for attachment or access.
Can pit netting open for maintenance access?
Sliding configurations can provide access when needed. The selected system must be operated and secured according to its instructions, with appropriate protection for any area exposed while it is open.
Can employees walk or vehicles drive over pit netting?
Do not assume a personnel safety net is a walking surface or vehicle-bearing cover. If traffic must cross the opening, specify a cover or crossing designed and rated for that purpose.
Does OSHA require netting for every service pit?
No. OSHA permits different protective measures, and certain service pits less than 10 feet deep qualify for a conditional exception. HySafe can help evaluate the application and identify the relevant protection requirements.
How often does safety netting need inspection?
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and applicable requirements. OSHA safety-net criteria call for inspection at least weekly and after events that could affect integrity. Defective nets must be removed from service; a periodic service visit does not replace routine checks.
What information should I provide for a quote?
Share your facility type, location, opening dimensions, pit depth, and photos or drawings. Describe access points, nearby equipment, operating conditions, and how the area is used so HySafe can begin evaluating a suitable solution.
Discuss Your Netting Application
Tell us where your team needs protection and how the area is used. HySafe will help you determine the next steps toward a netting system that fits your facility.