RackGuard Industrial Safety Netting Installation Instructions for Proper Mounting and Positioning of Liftsafe Fall Protection Inc RackGuard Netting Systems
Table of Contents 1.0 APPLICATION 2.0 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS 3.0 COMPONENT HARDWARE 4.0 SYSTEM LAYOUT 5.0 INSTALLATION OF HARDWARE 6.0 INSTALLATION OF NET PANELS
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RackGuard Industrial Safety Netting
Before assembling the RackGuard Netting System, make sure to read over the instruction manual. If there are any questions regarding the positioning of components, please contact Liftsafe Fall Protection Inc at1-519-896-2430 prior to commencing the install. This guide is representative of standard systems. Each and every system is different, and this manual may not cover everything such as tunnel placements, sprinkler system obstructions, etc. Contact Liftsafe Fall Protection Inc at 1-519-896-2430 and we will be pleased to assist you in how to deal with such encumbrances.
If you did not receive a layout sketch, again, contact us and we will get one sent out to you.
RackGuard Industrial Safety Netting
RackGuard Netting Systems by Liftsafe Fall Protection Inc. are designed and engineered to prevent and contain falling product that is stored on various levels of industrial storage racking. RackGuard not only protects the products being stored, but more importantly, employees who are working in the immediate area or passing by in a clearly marked pedestrian walkway. RackGuard Netting Systems utilize specially fabricated attachment hardware that has been designed, engineered and tested specifically for one purpose: Back-of-Rack Industrial Netting Applications. Modifications to such hardware, or use of “homemade hardware�, may result in serious injury, product damage, or death. Liftsafe Fall Protection Inc. does not accept any responsibility for systems that do not follow the enclosed instructions or those that do not use the hardware provided and specified by Liftsafe Fall Protection Inc.
GENERAL GUIDELINES Net panels that are too large will experience large amounts of deflection. The goal in any safety netting system is to minimize deflection while providing proper protection. The size of the panels is dependent on the width of the bays in the run, as well as the desired height coverage of the net panels. Net panels are not to exceed 2 bays in width, unless height coverage is very low (max. 10 ft high) Net panels in excess of 18 ft in height should have a middle cable run in place to minimize overall deflection. The nets are to be separated into upper and lower panels.
WARNINGS AND CONDITIONS These instructions comprise a general installation procedure for the erection of a RackGuard Safety Net System. It is the position of Liftsafe Fall Protection Inc that these types of systems should be installed by a certified, trained installation team. However, in the event that the customer installs the system themselves, the following procedures must be adhered to: Once installed, the entire system (nets, cables, etc) must be inspected regularly by a supervisor to ensure that: • Snap hooks are in place and are positioned every 12” – 15” along cable and rope border. • Netting panels do not exhibit any damage whatsoever (any net panels exhibiting damage of any sort must be removed and replaced with a new panel). • Racking itself is not damaged in any way. A netting system installed on damaged racking will not provide adequate protection. • Rigging components are tensioned properly and nothing has loosened off – this can happen if product falls into the net – check tensions if a product fall has occurred.
WARNINGS AND CONDITIONS Cable runs up to 100 ft in length require a single turnbuckle at one end for tensioning. Cable runs over 100 ft but less than 200 ft in length should have 2 turnbuckles to allow proper take-up of tension. No cable runs should exceed 200 ft in length. When cable runs are greater than 200 ft, they should be broken down into cable runs of less than 200 ft each. Cables should not be tightened to the point where they start to bend the rack frames or attachment hardware. Tighten to hand tight, then give them another 3 or 4 turns. Vertical cables do not require turnbuckles. Tension is taken up by the eyebolts. No modifications should be made to the racking itself. No drilling or welding is allowed. This will weaken and threaten the integrity of the racking system. This will also affect the PSR of the racking, and could lead to condemning of the entire rack system by Ministry officials.
1.0 APPLICATION 1.1
RackGuard Netting Systems are designed to be installed on the back of industrial storage racking where workers may be at risk from product falling from overhead pallet/shelf positions.
2.0 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS 2.1 RackGuard is a custom designed netting system with netting panels that are specifically made for each individual/different project. 2.2
RackGuard is designed to fit most, if not all, industrial racking systems (roll-formed & structural - up to and including 4�)
3.0 COMPONENT HARDWARE 3.1
RackGuard uses a number of standard rigging hardware components: Galvanized Cable Wire Rope Clips Thimbles Turnbuckles Eyebolts Safety Snap Hooks
Rigging must be done on-site. Cable assemblies are not pre-fabricated with the exception of one end of the vertical cables.
3.2
OFFSET BRACKETS Custom designed and engineered offset brackets. Standard Size: 4” or 6” offset Flushmount Style: 1” offset Custom Style: custom lengths available based on system requirements
3.3
FRAME EXTENSIONS Custom designed and engineered frame extensions Extensions: range from 1’ up to 4’ HD extensions: avail. for 5’ or 6’ applications No Extensions available over 6 ft in length NOTE: extension length plus extended frame length above upper beam level must not exceed 6 ft Example: if rack frame extends 2 ft above upper load beam, the longest frame extension that can be used is 4 ft (otherwise too much inward bending)
NETTING PANELS 3.4 RackGuard utilizes various types and mesh sizes depending on the specific application and its requirements. Our standard mesh is a 2� square, Nylon 6, Fire Retardant material that is cut to job specific size and finished with a nylon border rope. Panel sizes are determined by Liftsafe Fall Protection based on the layout information provided by the customer.
4.0 SYSTEM LAYOUT 4.1 RackGuard Netting Systems combine a “grid-work� of cables and engineered attachment brackets (offsets) with a number of netting panels to form a run. 4.2 RackGuard typically starts coverage at the first beam level height and covers upward to a specified height (normally the top of the frame but can stop short of that if requested, or can go to the top of special bolt-on frame extensions). Systems can also begin at, or near, the floor level. 4.3 Netting panels are designed to keep deflection to a minimum in the event that a product does become dislodged and falls into the net. That being the case, net panels do not normally exceed 2 bays in width, and do not exceed 18 ft in height (some exceptions may apply). Applications exceeding 18 ft are divided into upper and lower panels, and these are joined to an additional horizontal cable run positioned mid-way between the upper and lower horizontal cables (see illustration on the next page).
SAMPLE LAYOUT 2 Bay Net (upper)
Intermediate Offset Bracket with cables passing through
Vertical Wire Rope
2 Bay Net (lower)
Horizontal Wire Rope
RACKGUARD NETTING SYSTEM TYPICAL LAYOUT WITH UPPER & LOWER PANELS JOINED TO MIDDLE CABLE.
5.0 INSTALLATION OF HARDWARE 5.1
Installation of a RackGuard Netting System begins with the installation of the offset brackets (and frame extensions, if the system requires them). Everything starts from the top down. The offsets should be installed at the top of the frames. The uppermost U-Bolt should be a minimum of 1� down from the top of the frame.
Figure 5.1
Offset Brackets
Uppermost U-Bolt 1� below top of frame
5.2 Position offsets based on layout of the system. Lower offsets can be adjusted up or down and orientation of the offsets can be varied to achieve different results.
Fig. 5.2 (a):
Fig. 5.2 (b):
Fig. 5.2 (c):
Standard Position
Inverted Position
Sideways Position
allows cable to run right under load beam
allows cable to get closer to floor level
allows cable to clear obstructions on rack face
5.3 Distance from upper to lower cables should be 4” greater than the netting panel height to allow for the length of the snap hooks. Example: for a net panel that is 11’6” high, the cables should be 11’10” apart – the snap hooks are 2” long each so you have 11’6” + 2” (upper) + 2” (lower) = 11’10”
5.4 If any obstructions show up on the frames (ie/ sprinkler pipes), you can turn the offset bracket to match the orientation shown in Figure 5.2 (c). This will bring the cable just off the face of the rack. Using orientations 5.2 (a) and 5.2 (b) will allow you to position the cable closer to the load beam depending on your preferred location or closer to the floor. 5.5
Upper and lower (and if applicable, middle) offsets will be positioned on common frames. Starting at the end frame, then every 2nd frame until you reach the opposite end. Runs with odd number of bays will end up with a single bay at the end.
5.6
Once offsets are in place, run your horizontal cables through the holes in the intermediate offsets. See rigging setup for proper eyebolt and wire rope install at back of install guide – wire rope clip installation section below.
5.7 Vertical cables come partially pre-assembled with an eyebolt already spliced onto one end of the cable. This end will attach to the upper offset and hang down for connection to the lower offset. If there is a middle cable in the setup, the vertical cable is run through one of the vertical holes in the intermediate bracket.
Fig. 5.7: vertical cable running through intermediate offset bracket
5.8 When preparing the vertical cables, install eyebolt at bottom with nut just on the end with 3 or 4 threads showing - Fig. 5.8 (a). Form cable end through eyebolt with thimble and wire rope clips (2). Take up tension as much as you can by hand and tighten wire rope clips (see instructions for clips in wire rope clip installation section below). Once tightened, you can then tighten the vertical cables by tightening the nut on the lower eyebolt. No turnbuckles are required on the vertical cables. IMPORTANT: Do not allow the eyebolt or the cable to turn while tightening the nut!!
Fig. 5.8 (a): prior to tensioning cable, position nut on end of eyebolt, allowing a couple of inches of take-up.
Fig. 5.8 (b): Sample showing position of eyebolt after tensioning of cable
5.9 The same process is used for the horizontal cables with the exception that turnbuckles are used to take up the cable tension. Both eyebolt ends will be required to be made up on site with an eyebolt, thimble and two wire rope clips. NOTE: make sure that the turnbuckle is opened up so that 1/2� of thread is showing on each side before pulling cable tight by hand. Secure cable by tightening wire rope clips, and then take up the cable tension by turning the turnbuckle. Do not allow the cable or the eyebolt to spin while the turnbuckle is being tightened. NOTE: Do NOT over tighten the turnbuckle to the point where the offsets start to pull inwards – this can cause damage to the frames Open Turnbuckle
Closed Turnbuckle
5.10
There MUST be a vertical cable at EVERY position where two (2) nets join up at a frame. Nets must not be joined together mid-bay or any other position where there is not a cable.
5.11
Spacers: Typical U-Bolts are 4-1/8” opening to allow for use on all types of frames. On 3” or 3-1/4” wide frames, there may be some play when using extensions. The higher the extension, the more it can “lean in” because of the excess space between the U-Bolt and the frame. Spacers are available to eliminate this “gap”, thereby reducing the chance of this occurring. Fig. 5.11 below shows the use of a spacer on an offset bracket. Note: spacers are not typically required on shorter extensions or offsets.
Side View
Fig. 5.11 (a): Spacer Bar
Front View
Back View
Fig. 5.11 (b): Spacer installed on offset bracket application on 3-1/4” roll-form rack
6.0 INSTALLATION OF NET PANELS 6.1
Starting at one end, begin to install individual panels.
6.2 Attach a snap hook to each corner of the net panel and then hook the two top corners of the net panel in place. 6.3
Attach the bottom two corners in place with snap hooks.
6.4 Place snap hooks near centre of all 4 sides of the net panel and secure to cable on all sides. 6.5 Place snap hooks halfway between the centre snap hook and the corners and secure to the cable. 6.6 Continue to place snap hooks onto net/cable by “halving the distance” until the net is properly secured with snap hooks every 12” around the perimeter border.
6.7
Continue this process down the run for each net panel until all panels are in place.
START OR END INSTALLATION OF HORIZONTAL CABLE TO OFFSET BRACKET
INTERMEDIATE OFFSET BRACKET WITH CABLE PASS-THRU FOR HORIZONTAL CABLE
INSTALLATION OF THE VERTICAL EXTENSION PIECES
WIRE ROPE CLIP INSTALLATION Rope Size
Number of Clips
Torque (ft-‐lbs)
Amount of Rope Turnback
1/4"
2
15
4-‐3/4"
3/8"
2
45
6-‐1/2"
Turn back specified length of wire rope from thimble (see above). Put first clip one saddle width from “dead end”. Position U-Bolt portion of clip over the dead end (cut end portion of rope). Saddle of wire rope clip is to be against the live end (load carrying part of the rope). “Never saddle a dead horse”. Tighten nuts to recommended torque as per chart above. Put second clip close to thimble without binding it. Install nuts firmly but do not yet tighten to proper torque. Apply light tension to wire rope assembly and then tighten all nuts evenly to proper torque. Inspect wire rope clip nuts before and after install. In the event of a product falling into the net system, re-inspect the wire rope clips and re-torque as needed. When loads are applied, the wire rope stretches slightly, so the clips may need to be re-torqued.
LIFTSAFE FALL PROTECTION INC. 409 Harmony Road Ayr, Ontario N0B 1E0 TF.: 1 (800) 977-2005 T.: (519) 896-2430 F.: (519) 896-2085 E.: info@liftsafeinspections.com W.: www.fallsafetysolutions.com