Roof edge protection screen

A screen about 2 m high on the top lift that catches people and material sliding off a pitched roof before they fall over the eaves.

Also called: roof catch screen, eaves protection screen, roofers' safety screen, catch fence, roof catch scaffold

On a pitched roof, one slip on wet tiles can send a roofer sliding helplessly towards the eaves. Without protection, that ends in a fall of several metres. The roof edge protection screen is the answer: a closed screen about 2 m high on the top lift of the scaffold that stops people and material sliding off. Together with the platform in front of it, it forms a roof catch scaffold.

It is used mainly for work on roofs pitched more than about 20°: re-roofing, insulation, solar panels, gutter replacement. It protects everyone on the roof at the same time and leaves their hands free.

Components

Screen posts: tubes about 2 m long, pushed onto the top frames, standards or brackets and locked against lifting, usually with drop-lock pins.
Mesh panels: steel mesh frames in bay length, usually two above each other, hooked onto the posts and wedged.
Nets as an alternative: safety nets to EN 1263-1 with a mesh size of no more than 100 mm, fixed to rails at top and bottom.
Toe board at the foot of the screen, and closed ends so nobody slides off round the corner.

If the eaves overhang far, an inside bracket often brings the platform close enough to the roof. The instructions set geometric limits, typically a maximum drop from the eaves down to the platform and a minimum clearance between the eaves and the screen; many manufacturers work with about 1.5 m and 0.7 m. The screen must rise far enough above the eaves to catch a sliding person safely.

Erection

Deck the top lift completely, measure height and distance to the eaves and add brackets if needed. Fit and lock the posts, hang and wedge the panels or fix rails and nets, add the toe board and close off both ends. Tie the top lift as the instructions demand for roof catch use, usually at every frame. Then walk the screen bay by bay: every wedge tight, no gap open. Our guide to roofing scaffolding covers the planning.

Common faults and used parts

Distance to the eaves estimated rather than measured: too close leaves no catching space, too low makes the impact too hard.
Too few ties: the screen offers a large wind area and has to absorb impact loads.
Nets fixed wrongly: nets without border rope are threaded mesh by mesh, nets with border rope tied at short intervals. A debris net for cladding is not a safety net.
Only decks approved for catch scaffolds may be used.

On used mesh panels, look for broken weld points, dented mesh, bent hooks and wedges that move freely. Posts should be straight with a clean pin hole. Panels and posts are listed under accessories.

Frequently asked questions

From what roof pitch is a roof catch screen needed?

A roof catch scaffold is typically used for work on roofs pitched more than about 20° when no other fall protection is in place. The details follow from the rules in your country and the risk assessment.

How high is a roof edge protection screen?

Usually about 2 m above the platform. What matters is that it rises far enough above the eaves; exact dimensions are in the manufacturer's instructions.

Can nets be used instead of mesh panels?

Yes, where the instructions allow it. Use safety nets to EN 1263-1 with a mesh of no more than 100 mm, properly fixed to guard rails.