In Healthcare, Safety Nets and Soft-Landing Systems are a common way to work at height - and a common source of falls when they are misused. This guide explains how Healthcare teams in Ireland use Safety Nets and Soft-Landing Systems safely, and why a Working at Heights Course ties it all together.
Safety Nets and Soft-Landing Systems in Healthcare: where the risk lies
A hospital estates technician servicing rooftop air-handling units while wards operate normally beneath them. Safety Nets and Soft-Landing Systems are suited to collective fall mitigation during roof and steel work where a fall cannot be fully prevented, but in a Healthcare setting the margin for error is small.
Pre-use checks for Safety Nets and Soft-Landing Systems
Before any Healthcare worker uses Safety Nets and Soft-Landing Systems, confirm that:
- Anchorage is sound
- Fall height into the net is minimised
- Nets are rigged by competent riggers
- Nets are undamaged and in date
The relevant standard here is EN 1263, rigged by trained net riggers as close beneath the work as practicable.
Common Safety Nets and Soft-Landing Systems faults to never ignore
- Excessive fall height
- Poor anchorage
- Gaps in coverage
- Damaged or out-of-date nets
Height work in live healthcare settings demands extra planning around infection control, patient safety and access timing.
The Working at Heights Course makes compliance simple
Here is the good news: getting compliant is fast and inexpensive. Our Working at Heights Course is delivered fully online, takes about 45 minutes, and issues a downloadable certificate the same day. It is CPD certified, RoSPA approved and QQI aligned, and it is written specifically for Healthcare teams using Safety Nets and Soft-Landing Systems.
The Working at Heights Training covers the avoid-prevent-minimise hierarchy, ladder and stepladder safety, MEWPs and scaffolds, harnesses and anchor points, and how to carry out a proper risk assessment. Every learner finishes with a recognised Working at Heights Certificate that stands up to HSA inspection and supports your insurance position.
Training that goes beyond the tick-box
Competence is not the same as experience. A worker who has used ladders for twenty years can still carry twenty years of bad habits. Refresher training matters for Safety Nets and Soft-Landing Systems in Healthcare precisely because confidence drifts away from the rules over time, and a quick refresher resets it.
Insurers now ask directly whether your team holds current Working at Heights certification before they price a policy or settle a claim involving Safety Nets and Soft-Landing Systems in Healthcare. A worker hurt at height with no Working at Heights Certificate turns a defensible incident into an indefensible one, and that follows your premium for years.
Frequently asked questions
Do Healthcare workers need training to use Safety Nets and Soft-Landing Systems?
Yes. Safe use of Safety Nets and Soft-Landing Systems is part of working at height. A Working at Heights Course covers selection, inspection and safe use for Healthcare tasks.
How often should Safety Nets and Soft-Landing Systems be inspected?
Before every use by the operator, plus formal recorded inspections to the relevant standard. Keep the logs for HSA inspection.
Is online training enough for Healthcare height work?
Our online Working at Heights Training covers the legal and safe-system knowledge; equipment-specific practical tickets (such as IPAF or PASMA) are added where the task requires them.
Get certified today
Do not wait for an HSA inspection or a near miss to act. Healthcare teams can complete the Working at Heights Course online in 45 minutes and download a certificate the same day. For 10 or more learners, see our team training rates, or contact our team for a tailored quote.
Start the online Working at Heights Training now and put a recognised certificate in every worker's file before the next job at height begins.
