US20240068254A1

US20240068254A1 - Fall Protection for Buildings

Info

Publication number: US20240068254A1
Application number: US18/237,100
Authority: US
Inventors: Dennis Pogonka; Samed Yavuzyilmaz; Joachim Heri Ranzmeyer
Original assignee: Enpal GmbH
Current assignee: Enpal GmbH
Priority date: 2022-08-24
Filing date: 2023-08-23
Publication date: 2024-02-29
Also published as: CN221399923U; DE102022121400A1; EP4328399A1; CN117803215A; CA3210123A1

Abstract

The present invention provided fall protection for buildings, comprising vertical bars attached to a substructure of building superstructures; fastening means providing a fixed connection between the vertical bars and the substructure; and one or more cross-bars attached to the vertical bars, the one or more cross-bars being attached to at least two vertical bars.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority from German Application No. 102022121400.1, filed Aug. 24, 2022. The foregoing related application, in its entirety, is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a fall protection for buildings, in particular to a fall protection for fall edges on buildings. The present invention also relates to the use of the fall protection according to the invention, as well as to a method for fastening the fall protection to the corresponding buildings or parts of buildings.
During construction or installation work on and around buildings, it is necessary and required by law and/or the employers' liability insurance association to install (technical) fall protection (fall protection) against falling in order to provide the best possible protection for workers on and around the building or part of the building. In particular, such fall protection must be installed at the edges of a building or part of a building. Such fall protection systems are becoming more and more important as, for example, work on roofs has increased due to the increased installation of solar systems.
As a rule, more or a few complex systems are installed on and/or on the building, such as the roof, to provide the necessary fall protection. For example, cost- and material-intensive scaffolding is installed, which can only be erected and dismantled with great effort, and can only be kept in a limited number.
There is therefore a need for fall protection systems that can be easily assembled and dismantled without great effort, that require little material and that can be used at low overall cost while providing the best possible protection against falls and, in addition, posing no or few restrictions on the use of the building or part of the building.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aforementioned problem is solved by the fall protection for buildings according to the invention, which comprises:

- Vertical struts (also referred herein as vertical bars) attached to a substructure for building structures;
- Fasteners (also referred herein as fastening means) that provide a firm connection between the vertical struts and the substructure (also referred herein as superstructures);
- one or more transverse struts (also referred herein as cross-bars) attached to the vertical struts, the one or more transverse struts being attached to at least two vertical struts.

For the purposes of the present invention, a building is a structure which encloses spaces, is capable of being entered, and is used for the habitation of people, animals, or the storage of property. Examples of buildings include, but are not limited to, residential buildings or houses, commercial buildings, factories, workshops, warehouses, storage facilities, hospitals, gymnasiums, swimming pools, churches, train stations, airports, parking garages.
The fall protection according to the invention can generally be installed on any part of a building where fall protection is necessary and/or prescribed. In particular, the fall protection according to the invention is used for securing fall edges on buildings. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fall protection according to the invention is installed on and/or at the roof of a building. In a preferred embodiment, the inventive fall protection is installed on the roof of a building.
The fall protection according to the invention makes use of already existing substructures of superstructures mounted on or to the building or part of the building. Thus, it is not necessary to install new or further (complicated) parts/substructures, but the installation makes use of the already existing systems and possibilities. In one embodiment of the invention, the superstructures and the fall protection are installed in parallel, i.e. simultaneously. In particular, the present invention makes use of the substructures, in particular profile rails, necessary for the installation of solar systems (or comparable superstructures to be installed on the roof). Such profile rails are installed and fixed on the roof in a first step according to known methods. Before the actual solar system, i.e. the corresponding modules, are now attached to or on the profile rails, the fall protection according to the invention is installed. Alternatively, the installation of the fall protection according to the invention is carried out simultaneously with the installation of the substructure. In this case, the system is attached to the already attached substructure, for example the profile rails of the solar installation, preferably at the end of the respective profile rail (substructure). In one embodiment, the fall protection according to the invention can be attached to both ends of the respective profile rail (substructure). The substructures remain permanently on the roof, i.e. only the vertical struts, the fasteners and the one or more transverse struts are removed again when the fall protection is dismantled. The fixed and permanent substructure on the building is thus part of the fall protection according to the invention.
In the case of use on or to a roof, the fall protection according to the invention can be installed on any roof on which roof structures usable for the invention are mounted or attached. Example roof forms include, but are not limited to, gable roofs (single or extended), flat roofs, monopitch roofs (single or offset), footwall roofs, cross roofs, trench roofs, cripple hip roofs, mansard roofs, mansard hip roofs, only roofs, parallel roofs, sawtooth roofs, trailing roofs, butterfly roofs, barrel roofs, forest roofs, tent roofs and dwarf roofs. In a preferred embodiment, the roof shape is a gable roof, flat roof or pent roof.
The type of building superstructure is not limited. In one embodiment of the invention, the building superstructures are roof superstructures. Roof superstructures are any superstructure that is fixedly attached or attached to a roof “Fixed” in the sense of the present invention means that the roof superstructures are permanently attached to the roof, i.e. that when the fall protection is removed, the roof structures and thus the substructures are not removed from the roof again. In a preferred embodiment, the roof superstructures are solar installations. Solar installations are any technical installation for converting solar energy into another form of energy. Examples of solar installations include, but are not limited to, photovoltaic (PV) installations, solar thermal installations and/or solar collectors. In a preferred embodiment, the solar energy system is a PV system. However, the present invention is not limited to solar installations, but can be used with any system or device that uses a substructure in the form of profile rails (or comparable systems). Also suitable are other roof structures that can be used to generate energy. In a preferred embodiment, the substructure is one or more profile rails, particularly in solar systems.
In the case of roof superstructures, the fall protection according to the invention can be attached in the region of the ridge, the verge, the roof overhang or the eaves. In a preferred embodiment, the fall protection according to the invention is attached in the region of the verge. In one embodiment, the substructure of the inventive fall protection is not attached to the gable, the gable end or the gable rafters.
The fall protection according to the invention comprises, inter alia, vertical struts (or spars) which are attached to the substructure, for example profile rails for the substructure for solar installations. “Perpendicular” in the sense of the present invention means here that the struts are attached perpendicularly to the roof, i.e. at right angles thereto. In a further embodiment, the vertical struts may be attached in a range extending from a right angle with respect to the roof slope to a right angle with respect to the ground surface. In this regard, the vertical struts may be made of any suitable material. In particular, the material of the vertical struts must have sufficient strength to be able to ensure a firm connection with the substructure and the other elements of the fall protection, i.e. to be able to withstand the pressure exerted by screws, clamps, couplings and the like. In particular, the material must be able to withstand the forces of a fall of one or more people working on or against the building in order to provide the required protection. Exemplary materials include, but are not limited to, metals, such as iron or aluminum, stainless steels, metal alloys, hard plastics, or wood. In a preferred embodiment, the material of the vertical struts is aluminum.
The vertical struts may be selected from various profiles, diameters and/or lengths. Suitable profiles include, but are not limited to, round profiles, grooved profiles, flat profiles, profiles with hammered edges, frame profiles, perforated profiles, square profiles, and others. In a preferred embodiment, the vertical struts have a round profile.
Suitable diameters of the vertical struts are in principle not limited. In one embodiment, suitable diameters are in the range of 20 to 70 mm, preferably 25 to 60 mm. In a preferred embodiment, the vertical struts have a diameter in the range of 40 to 50 mm. In another preferred embodiment, the diameter is 48.3 mm. In another embodiment, the vertical struts have a diameter of standard scaffolding components.
The vertical struts can be of any suitable length. Preferably, the length is such that the fall protection provides sufficient height for all people working on the building. For example, the vertical struts have a length in the range of 750 to 1250 mm, such as 800 to 1200 mm. In one embodiment, the vertical struts have a length of at least 800 mm, at least 900 mm, at least 1000 mm, at least 1100 mm, or at least 1200 mm. In one embodiment, the vertical struts have a minimum length that ensures that the cross struts can be placed at a minimum height of 1000 mm.
The vertical struts are fastened to the substructure by means of suitable fastening means. In one embodiment, the fastening means is suitable for connecting different profiles (cross-sections) and/or diameters of the vertical struts compared to the profiles and/or diameters of the substructure. For example, the substructure may have a rectangular or square profile, whereas on the other hand the vertical struts have a round profile. The fastener is selected according to the circumstances, and common fasteners known in the prior art may be used. Thus, it is possible to use the fall protection according to the invention with a wide variety of substructures, such as a wide variety of solar installations from a wide variety of manufacturers. Examples of suitable fasteners include, but are not limited to, scaffolding couplers, pipe clamps, clamps, magnetic connectors, screw connections and/or plug connections.
In one embodiment, the fastening means is in the form of a retaining clip. In one aspect, a retaining clip within the meaning of the present invention has a recess at its base, with a cross-section into which the profile of the substructure fits positively. For example, the retaining clip may have a matching rectangular opening at its base into which a rectangular substructure may be inserted. The retaining clip may be tightened with a fastening screw or similar means, such as, but not limited to, clamps, ratchets, turnbuckles, lashing fasteners, compression fasteners, magnetic fasteners, or the like, to obtain a tight fit. In doing so, the fastener should be able to withstand a force in accordance with the prescribed safety standards, for example DIN EN 13374. For example, a screw can be tightened with a torsional force of 30 nm, 40 nm, 50 nm, 60 nm, 70 nm or more, but is not limited thereto. In one embodiment, the fastener is tightened with a torsional force of 50 nm. The fastener should also be adequately protected from corrosion. Suitable materials include, but are not limited to, galvanized steel, stainless steel, and/or aluminum.
The end of the respective substructure, which for example points in the direction of the verge, should protrude a certain length beyond the fastener in order to ensure a firm connection of the substructure in the fastener, i.e. that the substructure cannot come loose from the fastener. For example, the end of the substructure projects 10 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, 30 mm or more beyond the fastening means. In one embodiment, the end of the substructure protrudes beyond the fastening means in a range of 10-20 mm. In a further embodiment, the fastening means is pushed into the substructure by means of an inlet, whereby the distance to the end of the substructure can be flexibly adjusted and/or changed.
The vertical strut can be inserted from above into the fastening means, for example the retaining clip described above. In this regard, the vertical strut may have the same profile as the substructure or may have a different profile. In a preferred embodiment, the vertical strut has a round cross-section, matching a corresponding cross-section in the fastening means. The vertical strut is attached and/or fixed to the fixing means by suitable means known in the prior art. In one embodiment, the vertical strut is secured by means of a securing bolt inserted through a corresponding hole in the fastening means and the vertical strut. Other fastening means include, but are not limited to, fixed welded connection, magnetic connector, screw connection, clamp connection, click and spring systems.
In a further embodiment, suitable adapters may be used with the fastening means to compensate for differences in the profiles and/or thicknesses of the vertical struts and the sub structure.
The vertical struts may include markings at which height the individual cross struts are to be attached. Depending on the spacing of the respective parts of the substructure and the length of the cross struts, the present invention also includes fall protection in which a vertical strut is not attached to each substructure. The latter is possible as long as a sufficiently stable and safe fall protection is provided. For example, a vertical strut may be attached to only every second substructure (such as every second profiled rail).
The fall protection system according to the invention has one or more cross braces attached to the vertical struts, wherein the one or more cross braces are attached to at least two vertical struts. The one or more cross braces serve to stabilize the complete fall protection system, but more importantly they effect the actual (lateral) protection on the roof. In a further embodiment, the cross brace may also be attached to only one vertical brace. Generally, the longer the cross braces are, the more vertical braces they need to be attached to. For example, 2 m long cross braces can be attached to one vertical brace, 3 m long cross braces can be attached to 2 vertical braces.
In the fall protection according to the invention, at least one cross brace is used, preferably more than one cross brace, such as two cross braces. In a preferred embodiment, two cross braces are used. In another preferred embodiment, three cross braces are used. In particular, the number of cross struts is based on the height of the vertical struts, so that sufficient stability and protection is achieved via the number of cross struts. The indicated number of cross struts refers to the number between two vertical struts. The height of the top cross brace can also be determined by legal regulations or standards, such as DIN EN 13374.
According to the present invention, the length of the cross brace is selected according to the number of vertical braces and the length of the building, for example the roof. In this regard, a cross brace may have a length such that it can be attached to all installed vertical braces. In another embodiment, the length of the cross brace is equal to or slightly exceeds the distance between two vertical braces. Ideally, the cross brace attached to the respective outer vertical braces has a length that extends beyond the respective vertical cross brace to provide additional protection. For example, the cross brace extends 50 cm, 75 cm, 100 cm, 125 cm or 150 cm beyond the position of the outermost vertical struts.
In one embodiment, cross braces are used which are all of the same length, the cross braces being connected by means of tubular connectors, magnetic connectors, screws, internal threads, tension connectors, linear connectors, locking bolts (or other suitable means) to achieve the necessary overall length for the cross brace. By way of example, the cross braces may have, but are not limited to, a length of 1.50 m, such that an overall cross brace length of 1.50 m, 3 m, 4.50 m, 6 m or more may be achieved. In further embodiments, the cross braces may have a length of 2 m, 2.50 m, 3 m or more, but are not limited thereto. Similarly, cross braces may be used that have a length <2 m, preferably <1.50 m. In another embodiment, cross braces of different lengths are used depending on the overall length of the building, for example a roof. By connecting them with pipe connectors, the desired or required overall length can also be achieved. In a further embodiment, cross braces of different lengths are used, which can be connected and/or fixed as described above. In a further embodiment, the transverse struts may be in the form of telescopic rods, the length of which is variable and can thus be changed to the length required for the particular case.
The cross braces are attached to the vertical braces with suitable fasteners. Suitable fasteners are all fasteners described herein.
The cross braces of the present invention are made of the same material as the vertical braces, but may also be made of a different material. It is also possible to take different materials for the cross braces in a used fall protection according to the present invention. Most suitable materials are the same as described herein for the vertical struts. Alternatively or additionally, the cross braces may be made of ladders, grids, nets, tarpaulins or the like, without being limited thereto. The choice and combination of materials must be able to provide the required stability.
The fall protection according to the invention is thus a modular system which can be easily assembled and fastened and can be dismantled or removed again just as easily. Moreover, by attaching it to existing substructures, such as the profile rails of a solar installation, an already existing base anchorage can be used. This eliminates a time-consuming installation step in comparable systems. In addition, excellent overall stability can be achieved by using the substructure, which provides safe fall protection. Furthermore, the number of components used is significantly lower than in conventional systems, which means that a large number of fall protection systems of the present invention can be kept in stock and thus costs can be saved.
In one embodiment, the fall protection according to the invention comprises only the parts described herein and no other parts. In another embodiment, the fall protection may comprise further parts not mentioned herein.
In another aspect, the present invention is directed to the use of a fall protection for buildings for fall protection. In a preferred embodiment, the fall protection is used on or on a roof for fall protection. In a most preferred embodiment, the fall protection is used on the verge of a roof. In a further embodiment, the fall protection is used in conjunction with profile rails for solar installations.
In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of attaching fall protection to buildings in accordance with the invention. In this regard, the method comprises the steps of:

- a) Fastening of a vertical strut by means of a fastener to a substructure of building structures existing on the building;
- b) Fastening at least one further vertical strut by means of a further fastener to a further part of the substructure;
- c) Attach one or more cross braces to the vertical braces.

All features of the fall protection described herein are also applicable to the method described herein. The fixed and permanent substructure on the building thus becomes part of the fall protection according to the invention. In a preferred embodiment, the building or part of a building is a roof, preferably the verge of a roof. Preferably, the substructure is one or more profile rails of solar panels.
Alternatively, in the method according to the invention, the one or more cross braces may be attached to the vertical brace directly after step a), before step b) is carried out.
The method according to the invention is then continued with steps b) and c), i.e. a further vertical strut is attached to a further substructure and one or more cross struts are attached to the further and the last attached vertical strut. Steps b) and c) are repeated until the fall protection according to the invention is attached over the complete length of the building, in particular of a roof, preferably over the complete length of the verge. The minimum length in this case generally corresponds to the working area and/or fall area.
All embodiments, aspects and variations described herein may be combined with each other and are understood by those skilled in the art not to be understood in isolation and apart from other embodiments, aspects and variations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are described below by way of example with reference to the following drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an overview of the individual parts of the roof of a house.

FIGS. 2 a-2 h show exemplary steps of attaching the fall protection system of the invention to a roof.

FIGS. 3 a and 3 b show an embodiment of a connection of second transverse struts.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the fall protection according to the invention attached to a roof.

FIG. 1 shows the usual designations for the corresponding parts of a roof. However, depending on the individual case, the designations may also differ. In the following, the designations according to FIG. 1 are used.

FIGS. 2 a to 2 h refer to an embodiment of the fall protection according to the invention, which is installed and used for fall protection at the verge. As can be seen in FIG. 2 a , a first profile rail (2) of a PV system exemplified here is attached to a roof (1).

As can be seen in FIG. 2 b , the profile rail (2) in this embodiment has a rectangular cross-section. A retaining clip (3) is attached to the profile rail (2), which has a matching rectangular opening at its base into which the profile rail can be inserted. The fixing screw (FIG. 2 c ; circled) is tightened to obtain a firm connection. In the embodiment shown, the screw is tightened with a torque of 50 nm. The end of the profile rail (2) pointing in the direction of the verge protrudes overall beyond the retaining clip (3), for example at least 10 mm, to ensure that the profile rail (2) cannot become detached from the retaining clip (3).

As shown in FIG. 2 d , a vertical strut (4) is then inserted from above into the same retaining clip (3). In this embodiment, the vertical strut has a round cross-section, matching the corresponding cross-section in the retaining clip (3). The vertical strut (4) is fixed in the retaining clip (3) by means of a securing bolt (5) (FIG. 2 e ; circled).

In the next step, the aforementioned steps are carried out on a second profile rail (2), which is fastened at a distance above the first profile rail (2). This results in a second fixed vertical brace (4) (FIG. 2 f ). As can also be seen from FIG. 2 f , two normal couplings (6) are attached to each of the vertical struts in this embodiment, which are required for fastening the cross struts.

FIG. 2 g shows the attachment of a first cross strut (7), which is attached to the vertical struts (4) with the normal couplings (6) and held in position. In this embodiment, the cross brace (7) extends beyond both the first vertical brace (4) and the roof eaves to provide optimum fall protection. In FIG. 2 h , a second cross strut (7) is attached above the first cross strut (7) at the upper end of the vertical struts (4).

FIGS. 3 a and 3 b show an embodiment in which the cross struts (7) are extended by means of a tubular connector (8) in order to obtain a continuous cross strut.

The fully installed fall protection can be seen in FIG. 4 . The verge is fully protected from the eaves of the roof to the last profile rail, so that people working on the roof are fully protected.
Variations and modifications of the foregoing are within the scope of the present disclosure. It is understood that the disclosure disclosed and defined herein extends to any alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or apparent from the text and/or drawings. All such different combinations represent different alternative aspects of the present disclosure. The claims are to be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art. The invention is suitable for other embodiments and may be practiced or carried out in various ways. It will also be understood that the terminology used herein is for descriptive purposes and should not be considered limiting. The use of “comprising” and variations thereof is intended to include the listed elements and equivalents thereof, as well as additional elements and equivalents thereof.

REFERENCE MARKS

- 1—Roof
- 2—Profile rail
- 3—Fasteners (here: retaining clip)
- 4—Vertical strut
- 5—Locking bolt
- 6—(Normal) clutch
- 7—Cross brace
- 8—Tubular connector
- (a)—Ridge
- (b)—Verge
- (c)—Roof beam
- (d)—Roof overhang
- (e)—Eaves

Claims

1. Fall protection for buildings comprising

vertical bars attached to a substructure of building superstructures;

fastening means providing a fixed connection between the vertical bars and the substructure; and

one or more cross-bars attached to the vertical bars, the one or more cross-bars being attached to at least two vertical bars.

2. Fall protection for buildings according to claim 1, wherein the building superstructures are roof superstructures.

3. Fall protection for buildings according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means connect the substructure and the vertical bars of different cross-section, different shape and/or different size.

4. Fall protection for buildings according to claim 2, wherein the substructure for roof superstructures is one or more profile rails for solar installations.

5. Fall protection for buildings according to claim 1, wherein the vertical bars are secured in the fastening means with a securing bolt.

6. Fall protection for buildings according to claim 1, wherein the one or more cross-bars are attached to the vertical bars by means of connections.

7. Fall protection for buildings according to claim 1, wherein the one or more cross-bars are connected to further cross-bars by means of pipe connectors.

8. Fall protection for buildings according to claim 1, wherein two or three cross-bars are attached to the vertical bars.

9. Fall protection for buildings according to claim 2, wherein the fall protection is located in the region of the verge.

10. Fall protection for buildings of claim 4, wherein the solar installation is a photovoltaic (PV) installation.

11. Use of a fall protection for buildings according to claim 1, for fall protection.

12. Use of a fall protection for buildings according to claim 11, wherein the fall protection is used at the verge of a roof.

13. A method of attaching a fall protection to buildings, the method comprising:

a) fastening of a vertical bar by means of a fastening means to a substructure of building superstructures present on the building;

b) fastening at least one further vertical bar by means of a further fastening means to a further part of the substructure;

c) attaching one or more cross-bars to the vertical bars.

14. The method of attaching a fall protection to buildings according to claim 13, wherein the one or more cross-bars are attached to the first vertical bar directly after step a), before step b) is performed.

15. The method of attaching a fall protection to buildings according to claim 13, comprising the step of attaching a further vertical bar and attaching one or more cross-bars to the further and the last attached vertical bar, optionally repeating the step one or more times.