In Hospitality, 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 Hospitality 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 Hospitality: where the risk lies
A hotel maintenance team rigging seasonal lighting across a high-ceilinged ballroom ahead of a busy events season. 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 Hospitality setting the margin for error is small.
Pre-use checks for Safety Nets and Soft-Landing Systems
Before any Hospitality worker uses Safety Nets and Soft-Landing Systems, confirm that:
- The area beneath is clear
- Nets are undamaged and in date
- Fall height into the net is minimised
- Anchorage is sound
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
- Poor anchorage
- Excessive fall height
- Untrained rigging
- Damaged or out-of-date nets
Hospitality premises mix public access with height work, so timing and exclusion zones matter as much as the equipment.
The Working at Heights Course makes compliance simple
Certifying your people is quicker than most employers expect. 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 Hospitality 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
Supervision is the quiet control that holds everything together. Even a perfectly trained worker drifts under time pressure, so someone on site needs the knowledge and the authority to stop unsafe work involving Safety Nets and Soft-Landing Systems in Hospitality before it becomes an incident. That only happens when supervisors are trained too.
The most expensive mistake employers make with Safety Nets and Soft-Landing Systems in Hospitality is treating training as a box-ticking exercise. The Health and Safety Authority does not just want a certificate on file; it wants evidence that the worker understood the avoid-prevent-minimise hierarchy and applied it on the day. A genuine Working at Heights Course builds that understanding, which is exactly why our online programme uses real scenarios rather than slides.
Frequently asked questions
Do Hospitality 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 Hospitality 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 Hospitality 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. Hospitality 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.
