Scaffold Debris Netting

Scaffold debris netting is the fine mesh hung on the outside face of a scaffold to keep tools, fasteners, dust, and demolition debris on the working platforms instead of on the sidewalk, the street, or the crew below. US Netting stocks it as fire-retardant rolls for full scaffold wraps and as grommeted panels for single bays and openings, along with the scaffold clips that fasten it to the frame.

Netting a whole jobsite, not just the scaffold? See construction debris netting for perimeter and overhead options.

Rolls or panels for your scaffold?

Most scaffold wraps use rolls. A roll covers long runs with few seams, is cut to length on site, and is flame retardant to NFPA 701, the standard cities such as New York reference for scaffold netting. Panels make sense when you are closing a single bay, an opening, or a short run that will be moved and re-hung. Pick the mesh next: 1/4" stops the debris most crews worry about; 1/16" also holds back grinding dust, blast media, and small hardware.

Scaffold netting at a glance

	Standard Duty FR Roll	Heavy Duty FR Roll	Standard Duty Panel
Mesh opening	About 1/4"	About 1/16"	1/4"
Fire retardant	NFPA 701 Test Method 2	NFPA 701 Test Method 2	Fire-retardant treated
Attaches with	Scaffold clips on the reinforced edge	Button holes every 3", or scaffold clips	Grommets every 18", bungee clips
Lengths	150'	150' and 300'	20' to 100' stock, or custom
Best use	Standard full wraps	Tall, urban, and dusty wraps	Single bays and openings

How much scaffold netting do you need?

Work it out one scaffold face at a time.

Height: measure from the lowest platform you need to enclose to the top guardrail. Choose the roll width that covers that height in one piece, or plan horizontal rows of a narrower width with an overlap between rows.
Length: measure the run along the face and add a few feet at each corner so the netting wraps around onto the returns.
Rolls: divide the length by the roll length (150', or 300' on the heavy duty 10' and 12' rolls) and round up, per row.

Example: a 12' tall, 280' long face takes two 12' x 150' rolls, or one 12' x 300' heavy duty roll with no seam. Order the next width up rather than stitching two narrow rolls together whenever you can; every seam is a place debris can get through.

Fastening netting to the scaffold

Illustration of the standard duty (blue, 1/4 inch mesh) and heavy duty (black, 1/16 inch mesh) fire-retardant debris netting rolls side by side

Hang the roll from the top rail first, then work down the frame. On the standard duty roll, clip through the reinforced edge; on the heavy duty roll, use the button holes that run every 3" along the length. Our 11" scaffold clips are made for standard frame scaffolds and hold up in cold weather. Panels hang from their grommets with 12" bungee clips or nylon secure clips. All three clip types are on the debris netting accessories page.

Keep the netting taut and close the gaps at corners, at the bottom platform, and between rows. For a full walkthrough, see how to install debris netting.

Netting also catches wind. Enclosing a scaffold adds load that the scaffold and its ties have to carry, so have the qualified person who designed the scaffold and the competent person who inspects it account for the netting before a full wrap goes up.

What OSHA says about scaffold debris protection

OSHA's scaffold standard, 29 CFR 1926.451(h), requires protection wherever tools, materials, or equipment could fall from a scaffold and strike workers below. It lists several acceptable methods: barricading the area below, toeboards, screening between the toeboard and the guardrail, guardrail systems with openings small enough to stop the falling objects, and a canopy, debris net, or catch platform strong enough for the impact. Any one of these satisfies the rule, and some jobs combine them; which fits depends on the hazards on your site, and choosing it is the employer's responsibility. Separately, 1926.451(h)(1) requires that workers on the scaffold wear hard hats and also be protected from falling tools and debris by toeboards, screens, guardrail systems, debris nets, catch platforms, or canopies.

Debris netting handles falling objects. It is not fall protection for the workers on the scaffold: OSHA's scaffold rule, 29 CFR 1926.451(g), requires guardrails and/or personal fall arrest systems for that, depending on the scaffold type. Nets built to catch a falling person are a separate product used under other OSHA rules; see personnel fall safety netting.

Some cities add their own rules. Both of our fire-retardant rolls are tested to NFPA 701 Test Method 2, the flame-retardant standard cities such as New York reference for scaffold netting (spec sheets often call this "Local Law 61" netting). Boston's Fire Prevention Division approves temporary enclosure materials per location; ask us for the flame-retardant certificate to submit with that application. On our rolls, an orange stripe in the hem shows that the fire-retardant coating has been applied; the certificate, not the stripe, documents compliance.

Frequently asked questions

What mesh size should I use on a scaffold?

1/4" mesh for general construction debris on most facades. 1/16" for sandblasting, grinding, masonry and facade restoration, or anywhere dust and small fasteners must stay on the scaffold.

Do I still need toeboards if the scaffold is netted?

Under OSHA 1926.451(h), toeboards, screens, guardrail systems, and debris nets are alternatives for protecting workers below from falling objects, so a net that fully contains the material can stand in for toeboards. Some cities require guardrails and netting together, so check your local code.

Does scaffold debris netting stop a falling worker?

No. It is built to contain objects and debris. Worker fall protection on a scaffold comes from guardrails and/or personal fall arrest systems, depending on the scaffold type, as 29 CFR 1926.451(g) requires.

Is the netting reusable?

Yes, if it comes down undamaged. Inspect it for tears, cuts, and broken edges before re-hanging, and replace sections that no longer close tightly.

What color should I choose?

High-visibility orange where the public walks past, blue or black for a neater look on long facade projects, white to keep light in the work area. See each product page for the colors in stock.

Where can I learn more about choosing scaffold netting?

Read considerations when choosing scaffold netting and where to place debris netting on a jobsite.