Safety Nets should not be supported by any drilled anchor fixed into a structure unless the Rigging Company can provide evidence that the structure, the anchoring material, and the anchor are capable of taking an applied load of 6kN at 45°.

The design, selection and testing of anchors should be carried out by a competent person.

In general, concrete elements which are part of the load bearing structure will be suitable once they have cured sufficiently to sustain the anchor load. Masonry[1] structures may be suitable if they are load bearing, solid with cured mortar.

The Rigging Company must provide details to the client of the distance an anchor is from an edge of the structure (i.e. corner, window or door jamb) and with the maximum spacing’s between anchors.

Consideration needs to be given to the height of masonry above the anchor, and how the wall is restrained.

Anchor manufacturers may give Recommended (Safe Working) Loads[2] for use in concrete and some other base materials. Manufacturers recommended loads for use in concrete should not be used for masonry. If no load data exists for the anchoring material, or its strength is in doubt, as is often the case with brickwork / blockwork / stonework, then preliminary tests should be carried out to determine the allowable load[3] for the anchor in the anchoring material.