Temporary safety systems such as Soft Landing Systems require formal inspection prior to handover and after every subsequent seven days or following adverse weather or incidents that could compromise the integrity of the system. Pre-use checks should also be made by the user in all cases. Combined, these checks ensure that the system is in good order and is safe for the operatives to work alongside. The safety of the operatives working above the soft landing system outweighs the time and cost of a suitably competent person inspecting the systems.

FASET is often asked where these requirements come from, if they are actually a requirement, or even if the requirement exists at all. The following extracts from the Work at Height Regulations 2005 explain in detail how the inspection requirements are derived.

The Work At Height Regulations 2005 – Regulation 12 – Inspection of work equipment

Regulation 12 of The Work at Height Regulations makes the following statements which are accompanied by supporting comments:

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