North Carolina Building Contractor License Practice Exam

How far must safety nets extend beyond the end of the work surface?

1. 8ft

2. 12ft

3. 15ft

4. 10ft

The correct answer is: 10ft

Safety nets are a crucial element of fall protection in construction and other industrial settings. They are designed to catch workers who may fall from elevated work surfaces, helping to reduce the risk of injury. The requirement for safety nets to extend beyond the edge of the work surface is based on the need for a sufficient margin of safety. In this case, safety nets must extend 10 feet beyond the end of the work surface to effectively provide protection. This distance allows for any horizontal movement or swing that a falling worker might experience, ensuring that they will land safely within the confines of the net regardless of the fall dynamics. For clarity, the other options suggest different distances, but 10 feet is the standard accepted requirement as it reflects the balance between safety and practical construction practices. Adequate extension helps mitigate the risk of a worker falling outside the net's area and sustains its effectiveness in capturing falls.