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Rooftops are among the most dangerous places in an industrial setting, exposing employees to a serious risk of falls. And it's not just the edge of the roof that poses a problem, there are several specific areas on your rooftop that pose a significant risk to workers. The most common types of fall protection systems for roofs include safety railings and safety gates to limit exposure to fall hazards.
Choosing safety guard rails for your rooftop isn't an easy task and you don't want to get it wrong. Knowledge is power, however. By reviewing some of the key questions and helpful answers below, you’ll be armed with the information you need to make the right decisions.
Per OSHA 1910.28, Duty to Have Fall Protection, you're obligated to make sure your employees are protected from fall hazards anytime they're working at a height of 4' or more. You are not, however, required to use any specific type of fall protection equipment to keep workers safe, including safety railing systems. You must decide what type of rooftop fall protection is appropriate for your facility.
Safety railings and guard rails are the most popular fall protection systems for roofs, thanks mostly to their relative simplicity and high degree of versatility. Whether safety railings are right for your rooftop or not depends on several factors. For example, the slope of your roof may be so steep that a railing would not provide adequate fall protection. Or perhaps you simply cannot install a guard rail due to space or other issues. If this is the case, you'll need to use other fall protection such as a harness, lanyard, and lifeline to protect workers from falls.
Because OSHA doesn't explicitly state that you must use any specific type of fall protection device, you need the advice of a qualified safety expert to make these determinations. Perform a thorough inspection of your facility's rooftop, identify the fall hazards that are present, observe and interview employees regarding their rooftop fall protection concerns. Then you'll have the data you need to decide whether safety guard rails are a good fit.
When you look at your rooftop, the fall hazard that stands out the most is the leading edge. You might think that installing a guard rail around the obviously dangerous perimeter would be enough. But the truth is, there are several areas of your roof that safety guard rails can protect including:
Hatches and Rooftop Openings
Skylights
Rooftop Equipment and Machinery
Ladder Entrances
According to OSHA 1910.29(b)(1), safety railings must meet several criteria in order to be used on your rooftop. Among the most important of these is the height of the railing. Make sure that:
The top edge height of top rails are 42 inches (plus or minus 3 inches) above the walking-working surface.
Midrails must be installed at a height halfway between the walking/working surface and the top rail.
Railing systems are meant to protect workers from falling from an elevated surface. As such, they need to be able to withstand a significant amount of force without failure. OSHA 1910.29(b)(3) states that guard rails must:
Withstand a force of 200 lbs .applied in a downward direction to the top rail without failure.
When the 200 lb. load is applied, the railing cannot deflect to less than 39" from the working surface.
Midrails must be capable of withstanding a force of 150 lbs. applied in a downward or outward manner without failure.
Fall protection systems for roofs have to be made of a durable material with a smooth surface that won't scratch workers or snag clothing and equipment. The type of material you should use for your guard rail system depends upon the application and your budget. Your choices may include:
Steel
PVC
Aluminum
Fiberglass
Although high-visibility finishes are an excellent way to warn people of a dangerous situation, they may not be aesthetically pleasing. There's no need for concern, however, because guard rails come in a wide range of colors and finishes. In fact, you can customize your rooftop rails to complement your building’s architecture or to completely disappear from sight when viewed from the ground.
If putting holes in your roof surface to install safety rails seems like asking for trouble, you're right. Anytime you screw into the surface, you create a potential for water to penetrate the roof. Having dependable rooftop fall protection doesn't require you to cause damage to your roof, and non-penetrating guard rails are appropriate as long as they meet all of the OSHA standards.
Regardless of whether you have traffic on your facility's rooftop on a regular basis or sporadically, you need fall protection in place at all times, just in case. You may opt for a permanent railing system, or you could install temporary, portable guard rail systems that can be more easily repositioned when needed.
The installation of typical roof safety railing systems isn't all that complicated, so technically you can certainly do the work yourself. However, you have to be extremely careful with the installation to ensure that the finished railings meet OSHA standards. Installation of guard rails should always be done under the supervision of a qualified safety expert and thoroughly inspected before use.
A guard rail installed around the edge of the roof and other fall hazards is great, but your employees may need to cross these barriers to perform work. A self-closing gate is required per OSHA 1910.29(b)(13)(i) whenever a guard rail system is used around an opening and there's an exposed side. The gate has to open away from the hole in order to provide adequate fall protection.
It's imperative that you provide a safe workplace for your employees. Every square inch of your facility needs to be evaluated for fall hazards, beginning at the top. If your facility has a rooftop, that rooftop area has fall hazard that you need to address. Contact BlueWater for a consultation with one of our safety experts. We'll help you identify the guard rail system that suits your needs. Including custom safety railing systems made specifically for your facility.