CONSTRUCTION SAFETY SCREEN SYSTEM

Abstract

A construction safety screen system includes a flexible net member sized to cover an opening of a building, a plurality of straps attached to the flexible net member, and a plurality of oval snap hooks each being securable to the distal end of one of the plurality of straps and to one of a plurality of fasteners attached to the concrete building structure surrounding the opening.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This non-provisional patent application is based on provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/931,181 filed on Jan. 24, 2014.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to safety screens for use during building construction and, more particularly, safety screens for preventing construction workers from falling from edges of building precipices.

DISCUSSION OF THE RELATED ART

Current Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety standards require temporary installment of protective rails at building construction sites for preventing construction workers from falling from edges of building precipices, including windows, balconies, stair wells and elevator shafts. Generally, an arrangement of two-by-four boards is nailed and/or fastened to the deck (e.g., slab) to support a top horizontal rail at forty-two inches high in order to at least partially obstruct the opening in order to prevent construction workers from accidentally falling. A significant disadvantage of this well known practice is the limited coverage of the opening, and limited protection provided by the 42 inch high protective rail. Consequently, this widely used method minimizes accidental falls but does not prevent them.

While other safety practices utilizing restraints for preventing accidental falls have been developed, they have largely remained unused in the construction industry for various practical reasons. One example of an attempt to address the problems associated with presently used 42″ protective rails can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,758,306, which discloses a construction safety screen that is securable about worker-area precipices. However, the '306 construction safety screen requires a variety of different fasteners, which are not adapted for use with commonly used tools and can be costly and complicated to install. Moreover, the '306 construction safety screen includes a net border that is size-specific and limits flexible use with different sized openings.

Accordingly, there remains a need for a construction safety screen system that is easy to install and which provides complete floor to ceiling coverage for preventing accidental falls.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

Considering the foregoing, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a construction safety screen system for preventing accidental falls from edges of building precipices.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a construction safety screen system that is adjustable for accommodating different sized openings.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a construction safety screen system that is re-usable.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a construction safety screen system that is lightweight and durable.

It yet a further object of the present invention to provide a construction safety screen system that can be quickly and easily installed and removed using standard tools.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are more readily apparent with reference to the detailed description and accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a construction safety screen system including a flexible net member sized to cover an opening of a building, a plurality of straps attached to the flexible net member, and a plurality of snap hooks each being securable to the distal end of one of the plurality of straps and to one of a plurality of fasteners attached to the concrete building structure surrounding the opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the construction safety screen system of the present invention affixed to the opposing side walls, ceiling and floor portions of a building edge surrounding a wall opening;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the construction safety screen system of the present invention affixed to the opposing side walls and floor portions of a building edge surrounding a wall opening;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the construction safety screen system of the present invention horizontally affixed to opposing concrete slab portions of a building edge surrounding a floor opening; and

FIG. 4 is an isolated side elevational view, shown in partical cross-section, illustrating a fastener in connection with an oval snap hook.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Throughout the several views of the drawings, the construction safety screen system of present invention is shown and is generally indicated as 10.

Referring initially to FIG. 1, the construction safety screen system 10 includes a flexible net member 12 sized to cover an opening 100, such as a wall opening, at the edge of a building precipice, a plurality of straps 14 attached to the flexible net member 12, a plurality of fasteners 16, such as masonry fasteners, each being structured to be anchored to a building edge surrounding the opening 100, and a plurality of oval snap hooks 18 each being securable to the distal end of one of the plurality of straps 14 and to one of the plurality of fasteners 16 attached to a building edge 102 surrounding the opening 100. In one embodiment of the construction safety screen system 10, each of the plurality of straps 14 is adjustable for allowing a user to pull the flexible net member 12 taut between the edges of the opening 100, thereby permitting the net member 12 to be adjusted to accommodate the size of a particular opening 100. The spacing between fasteners 16 is dependent upon the tension and shear values between the fastener and the specific type of substrate (e.g., concrete slab; concrete masonry unit) to which the fastener 16 is secured.

The flexible net member 12 is surrounded by a flexible frame border 20 made from a resilient, flexible material, such as nylon rope. The flexible net member 12 is made from a resilient, flexible material, such as polypropelyne, and may be arranged in a pattern within the flexible frame border 20 leaving gaps 23 between individual segments 21 of the resilient, flexible material. The gaps in net member 12 serve to permit flow of wind therethrough for avoiding wind resistance hazards. Moreover, the gaps between individual segments 21 of the resilient, flexible material are sufficiently sized to prevent passage of an individual's body. In one embodiment, the flexible net member 12 includes individual segments 21 of resilient, flexible material aligned in a 2″×2″ grid.

Still referring to FIG. 1, the fasteners 16 are installable to the ceiling and floor portions, typically made from concrete slabs 101, of the building edge of a wall opening 100 using a standard electrically powered drill.

Referring to FIG. 2, the construction safety screen system 10 may be secured to edges 102 of opposing sidewalls at an opening 100 using fasteners 16 in connection with straps 14. As further shown in FIG. 2, a wire 22 may be used as an attachment point for securing a side of the net member 12. A turnbuckle 24 in connection with wire 22 is used for adjusting the tension of the wire 22 after installation of the wire 22. A plurality of snap hooks 18 each in connection with one of a plurality of straps 14 are releasably securable to the wire 22. Use of a wire 22 is ideal for instances wherein there is no ceiling portion to which a fastener 16 can be secured to or wherein the ceiling structure is considerably high (e.g., 25′ ceiling) or not suitable for securing a fastener 16 to (e.g., scaffolding or cat walk structure).

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a kick plate 26 (as required by OSHA standards) is installable above the floor portion to which the fasteners 16 are secured. One or more apertures 28 are included along the length of the kick plate 26 to permit passage therethrough of one of the plurality of straps 14, which is secured to a respective fastener 16 by a snap hook 18.

Referring to FIG. 3, a net member 12 may be horizontally affixed to opposing concrete slab portions of a building edge surrounding a floor opening. For example, exposed roof and floor openings during construction can be fully covered by a net member 12 to prevent a worker from falling through the opening. As shown in FIG. 3, the fasteners 16 must be installed at a sufficient distance away from the opening to permit overlap of the net member 12 relative to the concrete slab 100 in order to complete cover the exposed opening.

Referring to FIG. 4, a fastener 16 is shown in conjunction with a snap hook 18. In one embodiment, the fasteners 16 are ¼″ diameter, 1¾″ long fasteners and the snap hooks 18 are ¼″ diameter oval snap hooks.

Each of the net member 12, plurality of straps 14, plurality of fasteners 16, and plurality of snap hooks 18 are re-usable, making the construction safety screen system 10 of the present invention cost efficient.

The construction safety screen system 10 is designed to meet and exceed the standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards for temporary guardrail systems.

While the present invention has been shown and described in accordance with preferred and practical embodiments thereof, it is recognized that departures from the instant disclosure are contemplated within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A safety apparatus for covering an opening in a building structure; said safety apparatus comprising:

a net having an arrangement of cord segments forming a plurality of openings and said net having at least one peripheral edge, and said net being sized, structured and configured to substantially block the opening in the building structure to prevent a human body from passing through the opening;

a net securing assembly for holding the net taut in blocking relation to the opening in the building structure, and said net securing assembly including: a plurality of fasteners structured to be anchored to the building structure adjacent to the opening; a plurality of straps attached to the at least one peripheral edge of said net at spaced intervals along said at least one peripheral edge and in corresponding alignment with said plurality of fasteners; a plurality of hook members each being structured and disposed to be secured to one of said plurality of straps and a correspondingly aligned one of said plurality of fasteners; and wherein said net is stretched and held taut in blocking relation to the opening by said net securing assembly.

2. The safety apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said cord segments are formed of a resilient, flexible material.

3. The safety apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said net further comprises a flexible frame border along said at least one peripheral edge.

4. The safety apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said net includes four of said peripheral side edges.

5. The safety apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein said flexible frame border is formed of a resilient, flexible material.

6. The safety apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said plurality of straps are each adapted to be adjustably secured between said flexible frame border and the corresponding aligned hook member.

7. A safety apparatus for covering an opening in a building structure; said safety apparatus comprising:

a net having an arrangement of cord segments forming a plurality of openings and said net having at least one peripheral edge and a flexible frame border along said at least one peripheral edge, and said net being sized, structured and configured to substantially block the opening in the building structure to prevent a human body from passing through the opening;

a net securing assembly for holding the net taut in blocking relation to the opening in the building structure, and said net securing assembly including: a plurality of fasteners structured to be anchored to the building structure adjacent to the opening; a plurality of straps attached to said flexible frame border of said net at spaced intervals along said at least one peripheral edge and in corresponding alignment with said plurality of fasteners; a plurality of hook members each being structured and disposed to be secured to one of said plurality of straps and a correspondingly aligned one of said plurality of fasteners; and wherein said net is stretched and held taut in blocking relation to the opening by said net securing assembly.

8. The safety apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said net includes four of said peripheral side edges.

9. The safety apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said plurality of straps are each adapted to be adjustably secured between said flexible frame border and the correspondingly aligned hook member to pull the net taut within the opening of the building structure.