You have decided that a guardrail is a viable solution to whatever problem you're facing right now. So, you do what everyone does when they need something. You Google it. Then you find out that there are so many options available to you. Steel. Aluminum. Welded. Non-penetrating. Chain-link. The options go on. With all of this in front of you, how do you make the right choice?
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You're in the right place. We'll go over five things that you should consider while you make this decision. This is not an exhaustive list. These are the most common factors that I have seen in the past 9 years. They are:
It's a simple question, but an important one. There are a few factors that will change the type of guardrail that you need.
If you need the guardrail for protection, then you need to make sure that the guardrail meets the standards local to you, like OSHA or Ontario Building Code. The type of protection that you need would also change the guardrail you want. I would use a 1-1/2" pipe-style guardrail for fall protection. However, I would want a more robust barrier system if I were trying to protect people from forklift traffic. If you need it to act as a more robust warning line, then the requirements are easier to manage.
Then you need to consider if the guardrail is going to be temporary or permanent. It's important to note that temporary and non-penetrating are not synonymous when it comes to guardrails. More on this later. If you plan on taking the guardrail down when the work is done, then you want to focus on temporary guardrails like a parapet clamp guardrail or this non-penetrating temporary guardrail. If you want the guardrail to remain in place so that the working or walking surface is always protected, then you want a system designed to remain in place. A parapet railing is designed to mount to an available parapet wall.
The most common location that we see is a rooftop. Other potential locations include a mezzanine, a dock, or inside a warehouse. Each of these locations has its own set of considerations that would change the guardrail that you choose. Let's review the most common location that I mentioned.
The material of your roof will influence whether you want to mount a guardrail or just set something on top of it. This is where that non-penetrating term that I mentioned earlier comes back. A non-penetrating guardrail is designed to remain in place without needing to attach to the structure of the building. The KeeGuard Rooftop Guardrail is a perfect example of this. If you have a roof warranty, you don't want to lose it by poking holes in the roof. If you don't have a roof warranty, then you don't want to exasperate potential roof leaks by poking holes in the roof.
Weather plays a role in the system that you choose. Snow and heavy rain will eat at the material if you don't choose carefully. If you live in a windy area, then you'll want to make sure that any system is designed to meet your local requirements. Make sure that you take this into account so that you don't have a guardrail flying off your roof and damaging equipment or, more importantly, putting lives at risk.
You may think this is a silly question, but I see the answer to this ignored more often than you realize. Think back on a time that you bought something that was much cheaper than a name-brand counterpart that is known for longevity. It works for a bit, and you think of all the suckers that spent the extra money. Then it breaks in a month. So, you buy a different knock off thinking that it will be better this time. It's not. Eventually, you spend more than you would have to buy the correct item and use it for significantly less time. This doesn't include all the aggravation of waiting for the new item after all the time spent trying to fix the first one(s).Guardrail is not immune to this problem. Some options are considered temporary and get used for permanent solutions just because they are cheaper. Those savings come at a cost. Powder-coated steel is not going to last as long as galvanized steel, and you will find yourself having to replace the railing sooner than you expect. Welding has pros and cons as well. The weld points will be an area of accelerated corrosion despite galvanization.
If you only need it for a year or two, then buying a lower-quality option may make sense. However, if you want something that is going to protect people long after you've left the company, then you need to stop and ask yourself if the option you're considering will do just that.
Don't forget that capital depreciation (how many years the system will retain value - often before needing to be replaced) is something that your budget planners will be thinking of as well. You should too if you want a better chance of getting your projects approved.
I have found a lack of understanding most often in this area. It's easy to think that OSHA (in the USA) is the only code that applies, which makes sense. It's talked about a lot and sets the minimum standard for safety that employers are required to provide. So, what else could there be?
Local building codes will have their own requirements. This will depend on the location of mechanical units and roof hatches, as an example. Also, who is gaining access to the roof will affect the strength requirements and design of the guardrail. For instance, if you have the public gaining access to your roof, then you need to provide a guardrail in which a sphere of 4" cannot pass through at any point.
I worked with a solar installer who needed to have 5' of open clearance all the way around the solar array in order to comply with the fire code. So, whether it's Ontario Building Code in Canada or the Cal OSHA in California, make sure you've taken the time to understand what codes are going to apply to your project.
"But, Mr. Safety Professional, why does the look of guardrail matter if safety is the only important thing?" I'm glad you asked! It is important to make sure that the guardrail you choose is appropriate to your location and maintains the correct safety parameters. However, compliance is not the only element to an appropriate solution.
Branding is important to the success of a company. If you have a professional building with glass windows and a bright yellow eyesore of a guardrail on the roof, then you tend to send mixed signals on what's important to you. Often the color of the guardrail will set the tone of the environment. For instance, yellow is often connected to construction and it can give off that feel to visitors at your facility. The industrial look has become more popular over the years, making a galvanized finish more appealing.
Color isn't the only aesthetic. Do you like the welded look? Welding comes with its own pros and cons, and you'll have to consider that when choosing. A lot of construction rails are sold in panels, which will have gaps and show a less cohesive system. Maybe you like that. Or maybe you prefer to have a guardrail that looks like one solid and continuous piece.
Aesthetics isn't just about making things pretty, though. You may want that bright yellow finish on the roof because you want to make sure that the guardrail is visible from far away. The continuous look of a guardrail could be used to dissuade a contractor from trying to take it apart.
Whatever the reasons, make sure that you consider this as you make your choice.
Choosing the right guardrail can be more involved than the project may initially expect. Now you know some of the important things to consider as you pursue a safe and healthy work environment.
Need help? We have a team of professionals that can help you sort through each of these questions to find the right solution for you.
When you think of workplace safety, what comes to mind is often personal protective equipment, ergonomically designed workstations and yellow striped lines on the floor marking machinery and walkways. Safety guard rail systems are rarely factored in before an accident occurs, even though steel guard rail is a more effective solution for workplace safety, especially in an industrial setting.
Guard rail systems in warehouse and manufacturing operations protect machinery and provide a safe and efficient work environment, while protecting the people working at the facility. Forklifts and other material handling vehicles are common in manufacturing or warehousing facilities, and often move throughout the facility near employees. According to OSHA, there are about 85 fatal forklift accidents per year in the United States, and accidents that end in a serious injury number in the thousands.
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While it's true that operator training can help reduce forklift accidents, creating a safety system in your facility is ideal. Many facilities simply mark the floor with yellow tape for areas that are off limits as well as travel paths for forklifts, but those measures don't offer real protection for people who are working or passing through the facility. Because of loose government guidelines, each facility needs to take it upon themselves to create a safer environment, and yellow tape certainly won't stop an out of control forklift.
Of course, not all safety barriers are created equal. Most manufacturers build their protective guard rail to have an impact rating of 10,000 pounds traveling at four miles per hour, to account for a forklift and a typical load. This means that if a forklift traveling at four miles per hour hits the guard rail, the guard rail deflects the impact from 12 to 15 inches.
If that same forklift struck guard rail with a higher impact rating, like Wilgard® XT, which is rated at 13,000 pounds traveling four miles per hour, the guard rail would deflect 10 inches or less. A couple of inches might not seem like a big deal, but when your warehouse space is limited, every inch that can be gained for material storage or manufacturing counts.
Keep these considerations in mind when selecting the right system for your facility.
Level of Protection
The key to safety is knowing where you need it and what level of protection you need. What type of traffic does the facility have? Is it mostly people? Pallet jacks? Forklifts? Knowing the traffic type can help determine the level of protection needed.
For example, if the facility has mostly pedestrian traffic, maybe a light duty guard rail around heavy machinery is all that is needed. If the facility has forklifts zipping around, a heavier-duty guard rail is necessary to protect against accidental collisions.
Guard Rail Height and Length
After you've settled on the level of protection, the next thing to consider is guard rail height and length. This will depend on where in the facility you're putting the guard rail. Single high guard rail might be all that is necessary around a conveyor, but double high guard rail better defines a forklift lane around machinery or through a warehouse.
Know how the manufacturer measures their guard rail, too. Many vendors measure from center of column to center of column, and that will affect how long of a barrier you'll need to order.
Pedestrian Traffic
Then there is pedestrian traffic to consider. Do you need lift out rails to allow employees to reach guarded machinery for maintenance? Do you need gates to allow personnel through runs of guard rail?
Knowing how the facility operates and how materials and people flow through it is crucial to creating a safety solution that works for everybody. Take a walk around the facility and do a safety survey to determine the places you need to put guarding and any potential gates.
Selecting a vendor may seem as simple as a Google search, but there can be a little more to it depending on the needs of the facility. Conducting only a brief search and a quick request for quote may lead to purchasing sub-standard guard rails. A little bit of research will enable you and your customer to select exactly the right kind and combination of safety guarding products that are needed to create an effectively safe environment in the facility. Here are two considerations:
Manufacturing Location
The first thing to know is where the guard rail is manufactured. Guard rail systems that are manufactured in the United States have the benefit of being more customizable, and are often held to stricter manufacturing process standards than their foreign counterparts. There is also the benefit of being 'locally' made, so if you need a replacement part or add on, you can get that much quicker in the U.S. than from an overseas supplier.
Impact Rating
The guard rail should also have an impact rating from the manufacturer based on certified testing of the product. The purpose of certified testing is to demonstrate and prove that it's able to handle and deflect the specified amount of weight that it was designed to withstand.
Without certified testing, you can't be sure that the guard rail that you're purchasing for a facility will withstand the force of a forklift running into it. Ideally, the testing should be done by a registered professional engineer not affiliated with the company to preserve integrity of the testing process.
A manufacturer could make the best guard rail on the market, but it doesn't help anyone if it's not being used. Unless you have firsthand experience with a workplace accident or injury due to a forklift, safety guarding isn't on the top of your facility 'must haves.' Of course, once an accident occurs, the value is quickly seen.
That said, customers are becoming more aware of the value of installing safety guard rail prior to an accident. Designing the right safety barrier system for your facility is crucial to keeping everything and everyone properly protected. Select a vendor that is able to be a partner with you in designing a safety system that meets your needs.
Think of guard rail as insurance for a facility, equipment and the products it manufactures. How much will it cost to have production stopped because of damage from a forklift accident? Or to cover a workman's compensation claim or lawsuit in the event of an injury or worse? Being proactive and installing relatively inexpensive guard rail systems can prevent these types of accidents and provide peace of mind knowing that a facility is safe and equipment and personnel are protected every day.
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