Useful information about rail systems

What are rail systems and what are they used for?

Rail systems are permanently installed anchorage devices with a rigid guide rail. A compatible traveller moves along the defined rail route and connects the user to the safety system. Rail systems therefore provide continuous fall protection during horizontal movement, vertical ascent and descent, or work beneath an overhead rail.

SKYLOTEC rail systems are used on roofs and façades, on masts and towers, in industrial installations, in confined spaces, on mobile platforms and in rope access applications. Depending on the system, between one and six people can be protected at the same time. The selection depends on the direction of movement, installation position, substrate, number of users and required working area.

What advantages do rail systems offer over individual anchor points?

Individual anchor points are particularly suitable for specific work areas. However, when users need to cover longer distances, they often have to reconnect repeatedly between several points. This interrupts the movement sequence and can make safe use more difficult.

A rail system provides continuous guidance along the intended work route. The system traveller follows the user’s movement and passes correctly planned connections and curves without requiring the safety connection to be detached at every section. This improves freedom of movement, ergonomics and efficiency during regularly recurring work.

What advantages do rail systems offer over cable systems?

Rail systems have a rigid guide and therefore exhibit less deflection than flexible cable systems. This can reduce the required fall clearance and provides particularly precise guidance for the traveller. There is also no cable vibration or change in cable tension.

Horizontal and vertical cable systems, by contrast, often offer greater flexibility over long distances, on irregular building geometries or when retrofitting existing structures. Rail systems are particularly useful where frequent use, precise guidance, low system deformation or an overhead application are the main priorities. The more suitable solution must be assessed specifically for each project.

What types of rail systems are available?

A basic distinction is made between horizontal and vertical rail systems. Horizontal systems protect users along roof edges, façades, working platforms or technical installations. Depending on the installation position, the rail can run at floor level, along a wall or overhead.

Vertical rail systems are used on ladders and other fixed climbing routes. The compatible guided fall arrester moves along the rail together with the user and locks in the event of a sudden downward movement. With SKYRAIL and SECU® TRACK, SKYLOTEC offers horizontal system solutions, while SKYTAC provides a vertical guided fall arrest system.

What advantages does the horizontal SKYRAIL rail system offer?

The SKYRAIL is a continuous horizontal rail system for professional work at height and rope access applications. It provides a high degree of freedom of movement and, depending on the system design, can be used by up to three people at the same time.

The rail is made from a special aluminium alloy and is available in different lengths up to a maximum of six metres. Individual rail sections are connected using connector plates to create a continuous system. Horizontal internal and external curves enable adaptation to different building geometries.

When is SECU® TRACK the appropriate rail solution?

The SECU® TRACK is a flexibly configurable rail system for horizontal, vertical and overhead applications. Depending on the system version, it can be used by up to six people and is therefore also suitable for larger working areas and several users working simultaneously.

Horizontal, vertical and overhead roller travellers are available for the different installation positions. The profiles are available in aluminium and stainless steel versions. This allows the system to be adapted to different environmental conditions, load requirements and applications.

What advantages does the vertical SKYTAC guided fall arrest system offer?

The SKYTAC is a vertical rail system for protected ascent and descent on fixed ladders. The double-secured traveller moves along the rigid guide rail and locks automatically in the event of a fall.

SKYTAC is suitable both for newly planned climbing routes and for retrofitting existing ladders. Compared with protection using individual lanyards, the system enables continuous ascent without requiring the user to reconnect at every ladder rung. Typical applications include masts, towers, silos, chimneys and industrial ladder systems.

When is a horizontal rail system suitable for roofs and façades?

Horizontal rail systems are suitable for working areas in which people regularly move along a roof edge, façade or technical installation. They can be mounted on system supports, directly onto concrete, on substructure plates or on load-bearing wall and ceiling surfaces.

The rigid guide keeps the traveller clearly on the planned route. This is particularly advantageous on frequently used maintenance routes, façade access systems and rope access applications. The system route should be positioned as close as possible to the actual working area to prevent swing-fall risks and unnecessarily long lanyards.

What advantages do rail systems offer in overhead applications?

In an overhead application, the guide rail is positioned above the user. This keeps the lanyard as short as possible and can significantly reduce the potential free fall compared with a lower anchor point.

Overhead rails are suitable for production areas, maintenance stations, loading areas, vehicle halls and industrial workplaces where users regularly need to move around. The SECU® TRACK OVERHEAD RUNNER is designed specifically for movement along horizontally installed overhead rails. The supporting structure, installation height and required working radius must be planned specifically for the project.

What function do roller travellers perform in rail systems?

The roller traveller provides the movable connection between the user and the guide rail. Its rollers run inside or along the rail profile, enabling smooth movement with low resistance.

SKYLOTEC offers different travellers for horizontal, vertical and overhead applications. Depending on the system, fixed, removable or hinged versions are available. A traveller may only be used with the rail system intended for it and in the approved installation position.

When are removable or hinged travellers useful?

Removable travellers can be inserted into the rail at defined entry and exit points and removed again after use. This allows each user to carry their own personal traveller while the permanently installed rail system remains on the structure.

Depending on the system, hinged roller travellers allow particularly easy attachment to the rail. This can offer advantages at changing work locations or where several separate rail sections are used. However, insertion and removal may only take place at the designated points and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

What function do rail brackets and adapter plates perform?

Rail brackets connect the rail profile to the load-bearing structure. They determine the distance from the substrate and transfer both regular system loads and the forces generated during a potential fall arrest into the structure.

Different adapter plates are available depending on the installation substrate. For example, SKYRAIL can be attached to system supports, concrete or substructure plates using adapter plates. The required brackets and adapters depend on the substrate, installation position, rail route and structural requirements.

How are several rail profiles connected?

As rail profiles are only supplied in defined individual lengths, longer system routes must be constructed from several sections. Connector plates align the profiles with one another and create a smooth transition for the roller traveller.

In the SKYRAIL system, the SKYRAIL RAIL CONNECTOR performs this function. In the SECU® TRACK system, suitable junction elements connect the aluminium or stainless steel rails. The transitions must be aligned precisely to prevent the traveller from blocking and to ensure that forces are transferred correctly between the profiles.

How are curves implemented in horizontal rail systems?

Curve elements allow the rail route to be adapted to building corners, façades, roof geometries or technical installations. Depending on the system, horizontal curves and internal and external curves with defined radii are available.

For example, SKYRAIL offers horizontal curves as well as 90-degree internal and external curves made from a special aluminium alloy. The curves must be planned so that the roller traveller can pass through them without jamming. Sufficiently large radii and correct bracket spacing must also be maintained.

Why are end stops required in rail systems?

End stops prevent the roller traveller from unintentionally running out of an open rail end. They therefore form a safety-relevant termination of the rail route.

Systems with removable travellers may additionally require defined entry and exit elements. End stops must not be removed or replaced with untested components. Following installation work or modifications to the system, it must be checked that all rail ends are fully secured.

Why must changes in the length of aluminium rails be taken into account?

Aluminium profiles expand when heated and contract when temperatures fall. On long rail routes, this can result in significant changes in length that would cause stresses in the profile and brackets if the rail were fixed rigidly.

SECU® TRACK uses special sliding blocks and fixing elements that accommodate temperature-related changes in the length of the aluminium rail. Fixed points and sliding fixings must be positioned in accordance with the system design. This detail is particularly important on long outdoor installations and where there are significant temperature fluctuations.

What advantages do aluminium and stainless steel rails offer?

Aluminium rails are comparatively lightweight, making them easier to transport and install. They are suitable for numerous roof and façade and industrial applications and enable complex system routes with straight profiles and curves.

Stainless steel rails offer high corrosion resistance and can provide advantages in particularly demanding environmental conditions. The material selection depends on the place of use, chemical exposure, weather conditions, installation substrate and structural requirements. Only approved profiles, brackets and connecting elements may be combined within a system.

How many people may use a rail system at the same time?

The permitted number of users depends on the respective system and the project-specific configuration. SKYRAIL is designed for up to three people, while SECU® TRACK can be used by up to six people at the same time, depending on the version.

The maximum number of users must not be inferred solely from the rail material or profile size. The system approval, bracket spacing, fixing substrate and technical planning are decisive. Where several users are involved, sufficient distances and possible simultaneous loads must also be taken into account.

Which standards apply to horizontal rail systems?

EN 795:2012 Type D is particularly relevant to horizontal rigid anchorage devices. It describes systems with a rigid horizontal guide. CEN/TS 16415:2013 may additionally apply when the system is used by several people.

Depending on the product and installation location, general technical approvals or requirements under UNI 11578 may also apply. The complete tested system comprising the rail, traveller, brackets, connectors, curves and fixings is always decisive.

Which standards apply to vertical rail systems?

EN 353-1:2014+A1:2017 is particularly relevant to guided-type fall arresters including a rigid vertical anchorage line. It defines requirements for the guided fall arrester and the associated guide rail.

The traveller, rail and all fixing components form a tested complete system. A guided fall arrester must therefore not be combined with an arbitrary rail, even if the dimensions or design appear similar.

Why must rail systems be planned specifically for each project?

The rail route, installation position, bracket spacing, curves, rail connections and entry and exit points must be matched precisely to the intended future use. Fall edges, working radii, swing-fall risks, ladder transitions and possible rescue routes must also be considered.

In overhead systems, the installation height and required fall clearance also play an important role. Vertical systems must be adapted to the ladder construction, entry point and protected exit. A rail system should therefore never be assembled solely from individual shop components, but should always be planned as a complete technical solution.

How are rail systems installed correctly?

Installation begins with an inspection of the fixing substrate and the precise positioning of the rail brackets. The profiles are then installed, connected to one another and completed with curves and end stops to form the full system.

All transitions must be aligned correctly so that the roller traveller moves smoothly through the system. Bolted connections, bracket spacing and tightening torques must be implemented in accordance with the installation instructions. Once complete, the system must be fully inspected, marked and documented.

How are rail systems inspected and maintained?

Before each use, the rail, traveller, end stops and visible fixings should be checked for damage, corrosion, deformation and loose components. The traveller must move smoothly and must not block at rail connections or curves.

Regular inspections by a competent person are also required. These include checking the profiles, brackets, connector plates, curves, fixings and system markings. Following a fall arrest event, structural modifications or exceptional loads, the system may only be used again after assessment by a competent person.

How do you choose the right rail system?

For horizontal rope access and roof applications, SKYRAIL can be a suitable solution. SECU® TRACK offers particularly flexible configuration options for horizontal, vertical and overhead applications as well as for a larger number of users. SKYTAC is designed for vertical guided fall protection on ladders.

The installation position, substrate, work route, number of users, material, fall clearance and environmental conditions must also be taken into account. A SKYLOTEC rail system should always be selected as a complete, project-specific solution and used exclusively with the approved travellers and system components.