Tight deadlines, maximum safety: if you’ve ever wondered about the purpose of temporary safety devices on a construction site, here’s your answer.

In South Korea, at a worksite for a multi-storey timber building in Gyeonggi Province, Blue Housing Lab – a family-run construction company – found itself needing to manage work at height on a pitched roof before the permanent safety systems had been installed.
Two experienced timber roof specialists, unstable (though not severe) weather conditions, and a temporary absence of permanent collective safety systems – the roof needed to be secured, but there was little time to act. So how could operational continuity be ensured while still meeting safety requirements, without introducing complex or invasive equipment?

The answer was HOLD-SYSTEM®, the Rothoblaas temporary lifeline certified to EN 795:2012 Type C. The entire system was installed by a single operator in just a few minutes, across a span of up to 12 metres. Tensioning was done using a Prusik knot and a self-locking device, allowing work to start immediately. No interruptions, precise movement control and full compliance.

In this case, the work carried out by Bacou-Dalloz Korea shows that even on smaller sites with compact teams, it is entirely possible to integrate professional, certified temporary fall protection solutions – maintaining both continuity and control.

The temporary stage: a blind spot in site safety

In the construction process, the focus on safety during work at height is often directed at permanent solutions: fixed lifelines, railings, integrated anchoring devices. However, an analysis of serious accidents shows that transitional stages – such as assembly, maintenance or inspections – account for a significant portion of the residual risk.

In these contexts, temporary lifelines serve a clear purpose: to protect workers during short but high-exposure tasks. Overlooking them, or treating them as optional, means failing to address a critical area of risk management.

HOLD-SYSTEM®: the temporary lifeline designed for operational efficiency

HOLD-SYSTEM® is a temporary horizontal lifeline certified to EN 795:2012 Type C, developed to meet the operational needs of short-term, non-repetitive work at height, or tasks not served by fixed systems.

It does not replace permanent lifelines, but it can be crucial for tasks that temporarily demand both agility and safety. The system comes complete with carabiner and webbing for fastening and is exceptionally quick and easy to install and tension – as you can see in this video:

The maximum span is 12 metres, allowing for the simultaneous protection of two workers. The entire system can be installed by a single operator, with no need for specialised equipment – though always with the utmost attention and in accordance with the installation instructions. The technical recommendation is for overhead installation, to minimise the fall distance. 

All anchor points – including intermediate ones – must guarantee a minimum resistance of 9 kN.

TEMPORARY: temporary lifeline for longer spans

When a construction or industrial site requires a greater span, the TEMPORARY system is the ideal solution – a horizontal temporary lifeline designed for spans of up to 20 metres, similarly for use by two operators.

Key technical features:

• high-visibility polyester webbing (30 mm)

• mechanically controlled tensioning system

• integrated carry case

TEMPORARY follows the same operating principle as HOLD-SYSTEM®: speed, compatibility with existing PPE and simplicity of use on site. Ideal for situations with variable conditions or subject to frequent maintenance.

EDGE TEMP: collective safety with temporary railings

In situations involving incomplete staircases, horizontal edges without railings, or roofs under construction with various slopes, EDGE TEMP offers a temporary collective safety solution that complies with European regulatory requirements.

EDGE TEMP is a range known for its modularity and adaptability to different geometries, while remaining exceptionally easy to install. EDGE TEMP has been specifically designed for scenarios where permanent collective safety systems are not yet technically feasible, or for use during construction.

Temporary doesn’t mean improvised

The effectiveness of a fall protection system must never depend on the duration of the task. Whether temporary lifelines or provisional railings, these systems must be designed, installed and inspected with the same technical rigour as permanent safety devices.

With solutions like HOLD-SYSTEM®, TEMPORARY and EDGE TEMP, Rothoblaas makes safety accessible at every stage of work at height, even when permanent collective safety systems cannot be implemented.

The performance, reliability and regulatory compliance of temporary solutions developed by Rothoblaas Solutions for Safety are guaranteed, allowing their use even during the most dynamic stages of construction, with technical systems designed to be effective, easy to use and instantly operational.