STE/Specific/TBT-STE-010

Metal Decking Installation

Steel Erection › Specific › Metal Decking Installation

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Metal decking provides a permanent formwork platform for composite concrete floor slabs on steel frames.
Decking sheets are lightweight individually but bundles are heavy and require crane delivery to the frame.
Installation takes place at height on the steel frame, often at the leading edge of floor construction.
Unfinished decking edges and openings create fall hazards for workers placing and fixing sheets.
Sheets can slide on the steel beams, especially when wet, taking the installer with them.
Sharp edges on cut decking sheets cause deep lacerations to unprotected hands and forearms.
Wind catches unsecured lightweight sheets on the frame, blowing them off and striking workers below.
The decking must be secured with self-drilling screws before it can be walked on safely.
Safety nets or fall arrest systems must be in place below the decking installation level.
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require fall prevention for all decking installation activities.

Falls from height	Workers fall through undecked openings and off leading edges during metal deck installation every year.
Sheet displacement	Unsecured sheets slide on wet steel or blow off in wind, causing the installer to fall with the sheet.
Lacerations	Sharp cut edges of profiled metal decking cause severe hand and forearm lacerations during handling.

Don't

Install safety nets or fall arrest systems below the decking level before starting.
Secure each sheet with self-drilling screws before stepping onto it.
Wear cut-resistant gloves when handling and positioning metal deck sheets.
Use a crane to deliver deck bundles to the frame; do not carry sheets up stairs.
Clamp loose sheets to the steelwork in windy conditions before fixing.
Maintain edge protection at all leading edges and floor openings during installation.
Brief the team on the decking sequence and fall protection arrangements daily.
Stop decking installation in high winds that cause sheet displacement.
Establish exclusion zones below the decking area to protect workers from falling items.
Inspect the steel frame for correct beam spacing and alignment before laying decking.

DON'T walk on unsecured decking sheets; they slide on wet or frosty steel beams.
DON'T install decking without fall protection below the working level.
DON'T handle cut deck sheets without cut-resistant gloves and forearm protection.
DON'T leave decking bundles unsecured on the frame where wind can displace them.
DON'T work at the leading edge without edge protection or personal fall arrest.
DON'T continue laying decking in winds that cause sheets to lift and blow.
DON'T leave undecked openings in the floor without barriers and covers.
DON'T throw fixings or tools from the decking level to workers below.
DON'T step onto a sheet until it is screwed to the supporting beams.
DON'T stack deck bundles beyond the safe working load of the frame below.

See also: Steel Erection Safety | Working on Steel at Height

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