Edge Protection Dynamic Testing Gets Buildings Constructor Up to Date

A BUILDINGS manufacturer has completed edge protection system testing to ensure their constructions are fully compliant.

Wareing Buildings now boast up to date, independent test certification to confirm their class B edge protection system fully complies with the requirements of BS EN 13374.

This means they can confidently evidence that their edge protection installed on class B roofs will perform as intended and restrain a person impacting the system.

Wareing Buildings employed fellow RIDBA member, Harrigen to complete a series of dynamic swing bag tests precisely in line with the testing specifications within the standard.

Edge Protection Dynamic Testing

Engineer Jason Worledge who commissioned the testing said: “We had an existing system design that we believed worked, but had no up to date evidence to offer our clients. Harrigen are independent experts in the testing of edge protection systems and it made sense to get them to do the testing for us – we make and build buildings we don’t know anything about testing”.

BS EN 13374:2013+A1:2018 Temporary edge protection systems – Product Specification – Test methods is a standard that aims to minimise harm to workers operating at or near leading edges. It is the standard against which the HSE would measure compliance.

It covers working surfaces from 0⁰ to 60⁰ and recognises that roof slopes greater than 10⁰ may allow a worker to slide or roll towards the edge protection and create high loads upon himself and the system. It is important that the edge protection restrains the worker whilst absorbing energy to minimise injury.

The vast majority of agricultural buildings have a roof pitch that are in excess of 10⁰.

Independent Testing

Harrigen is a company that was established to facilitate this testing. It is independent of product suppliers, frame manufacturers and installers.

Founding Harrigen, Director Rob Harris said: “To prove an edge protection system will work, it must be tested with a dynamic swing bag test-it cannot be confirmed by calculation. The result has to be recorded, and evidence shall be available upon request”.

The test involves swinging a 50kg bag at specified locations and distances along a built edge protection system, and recording the relative deflection to establish sufficient energy absorption.

Rob Harris added, “We are required to replicate the anticipated energy created by a falling or sliding worker. This begins with accurate measurement of the swing bag, monitoring of the suspension and swing angles, through to millimetre precision of the impact points and recording of the deflection. It is not just a question of attaching a couple of bags of sand to a telehandler or MEWP and releasing them at the edge protection.”

Accurate Design Testing

The testing was completed at the Harrigen Test Facility in Buckinghamshire. Harrigen Co-Founder, Phil Gennard commented: “Wareings provided us with a very good set of designs that they wanted testing. Once the designs were installed onto our test rig, we were able to carry out very accurate measurements during the testing. The Wareings’ designs successfully met the requirements of the BS EN 13374 and as such we issued an independent test certification, report and video of the testing.”

Engineer Jason Worledge concluded: “We were really happy with the test result and the way in which Harrigen worked with us. The certificate, report and video all confirm that our design conforms to BS EN 13374. The quality of the evidence created by Harrigen is very professional and something that we will offer clients without hesitation.”

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