Partner: Global Concept Safety

Country: France

Solution: XSLinked horizontal lifeline system (★★★★)

Safeguarding Strasbourg’s historic monument with advanced horizontal lifeline system

In the Neustadt district stands an important part of Strasbourg’s Historical heritage; the Place de la République. These monumental buildings, which were part of the former ‘Kaiserplatz’, were constructed between 1870 and 1920. The architecture features a mix of Art Nouveau, Neo-Renaissance influences and still exudes the atmosphere of when Alsace was part of the Prussian empire. It’s understandable that these buildings are protected because of their style and historical value.

Fall protection system becomes part of the renovation work

During renovation work on a monumental building, ensuring fall protection is vital, particularly when addressing the roof. The Direction Régionale des Finances Publiques (DRFIP) building, dating back to around 1871, underwent significant renovation, including the renewal of sections of the roof. The old roof had a horizontal lifeline installation that was about 10 years old.

Originally horizontal lifeline system rejected

With the best intentions, workers removed the existing lifeline from the roof panels during the renovation and later reinstalled it.  Unfortunately, the fall protection inspection had to reject the existing system because the original installation file and certificate were missing. This circumstance rendered obtaining the original fixing parts impossible.

Global Concept Safety installs new XSLinked horizontal lifeline system

This certified partner of XSPlatforms from Wolfisheim, France, received a commission to calculate to measure and install a new fall protection  lifeline on the monumental building. They selected the XSMD, a roof anchor plate from XSPlatforms, due to the trapezoidal roof profile. The XSMD stands out with its specialized design tailored for this roof profile, securing it in place with 12 blind rivets. Its modular components allow it to serve as an anchor plate for rotating anchor points or horizontal lifelines. Given the building’s square shape with an inner courtyard, the lifeline needed to encircle the roof.

Global Concept Safety utilised ODIN, XSPlatforms’ lifeline calculation tool, to determine a steel cable length of 134 m. They then tensioned this lifeline over a series of 14 XSMD anchor plates. Additionally, they installed XSDynamic energy absorbers at the ends of the steel cables to minimize impact on the roof in the event of a fall. In total, they utilized 160 meters of steel cable to secure the roof from fall hazards.

A lifeline system worthy of the European Union

The lifeline system meets the standards of the European Union, ensuring the end user and building owner have confidence in its safety. The ODIN report, which calculates the lifeline system in accordance with European standards, serves as crucial evidence of its safety, particularly in the European capital.