Edge Protection System in High-Rise Buildings

In recent decades, high-rise and tall commercial buildings have seen an increase in popularity due to increasing urbanization. The lack of land in densely-populated areas is the key economic driver behind this trend.

Mixed-use buildings are becoming more important because of the growing population in cities. High-rise construction has no limit to only the financial and commercial sectors. High-rise buildings are now accepted worldwide as a way to manage the growing number of city dwellers.

The importance of ensuring that edge protection equipments systems are in use will increase as cities across the globe become more stunning.

Making Protection a Priority

It goes without saying that safety and health in construction should never be compromised. Contractors are under enormous pressure to get developments completed on time and within budget. It’s easy to see how dangerous it is for safety and health hazards to arise when the scope of the project, time constraints, and the number of subcontractors are taken into consideration.

There are many risk factors to be aware of. It is important to protect pedestrian walkways in areas of limited space and inner city areas from falling objects. Workers transporting goods should be kept safe on the ground from the building work above.

The Optional Safety Screen System

A safety screen system offers maximum debris sealing. It provides perimeter edge protection for site personnel and prevents falls from height. Safety screen systems can be used in a variety of climates. These include rain and wind protection, as well as ventilation. This ultimately helps reduce downtime.

The other benefits include the ability to reduce vertigo among workers and further increasing productivity. Contractors will benefit from the ability to speed up their work with multi-level safety screens.

Contractors should consider many factors when specifying a safety screening system. Safety screens may arrive pre-assembled or assembled on-site, depending on the available space. Systems arriving ready-assembled may depend on the capabilities and abilities of the workers.

The wind load is another important consideration when erecting safety screenings for tall buildings. It only gets more critical the higher up the building. You should also consider crane usage, heating, or ventilation. In order to reduce crane usage, it is important to have a system that allows crane time to be diverted for other purposes. The climate and environment will often dictate the type of system. In warmer climates, adequate ventilation for workers will be crucial. However, the system must offer protection against the elements for workers working in highly volatile environments.

Overcoming the Obstacles of Tradition

Many of the most recent safety screen solutions were created to overcome the shortcomings of older systems. Screens used to not be possible to be lifted until the concrete slab had hardened and the falsework had been installed. The screens wouldn’t be large enough for two stories, so the column construction would end at just one story above this level. Column construction was not allowed to proceed above the protection provided by a screen. Workers had to wait to lift the screen.

Contrary to what many systems today can do, they can be taken down and lifted while the slab is still in place. Systems can span up to two stories above the deck level, which allows for work on multiple levels at once. This makes it possible to cast the slab as well as the columns. The safety screens can then easily be lifted with at least a metre of protection. Both of these options can be very helpful for contractors.