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In the not-so-distant past, it was completely acceptable to wait days, or even weeks, for an item you ordered to arrive. In fact, the standard used to be that you allowed 4 to 6 weeks for mail order delivery. These days, consumers are increasingly shopping online, and they expect same-day delivery (or faster!) for all their purchases. Your last mile facility has, no doubt, seen an increase in business over the last year or two. No matter how busy your facility gets, one thing you can't afford to do is skimp on safety, specifically working at heights safety. In fact, the busier you are, the more important it is to have fall protection, like an OSHA-compliant roof safety system in place.
Like most warehouses and distribution centers, last mile facility rooftops aren't typically busy places. In fact, the roof is only usually accessed for repairs and maintenance. Even though the work being done on your facility's rooftop is infrequent, you still need to address fall hazards such as:
Leading Edge
This is the most dangerous fall hazard anywhere on your rooftop. Because the leading edge is such a dangerous place, OSHA 1910 requires you to protect workers from getting too close or falling over. Whenever feasible, installing a passive fall protection system like, fall protection guardrails around the perimeter. If you can't install safety railings, you may need to use an alternative roof safety system like a warning line along with personal fall protection equipment to fully protect workers.
Fixed Ladders
In some cases, fixed ladders may be installed on the exterior of the last mile facility, either from ground level or between roof levels. If you're using fixed ladders for rooftop access, you need to make sure you're following OSHA 1917.118 by installing a ladder climbing safety system or personal fall protection system. A safety gate, installed at the ladder entrance, is also required to limit access and protect workers.
Roof Hatches
Accessing the rooftop from inside the building is convenient and safe, but once the hatch is open, it presents a fall hazard. The recommended solution for protecting a roof hatch is to install a metal guardrail around the hatch. But, you also need to provide easy, safe access to the hatch. This is best accomplished using a self-closing gate, although OSHA guidelines for roof hatches also allow for the use of an offset created from the safety railings to guide workers away from an open hatch.
Rooftop Equipment
The majority of the time, HVAC equipment and other building systems are located on the rooftop. While having the equipment up on the roof makes sense, it makes maintenance and repairs a bit more challenging. Areas around rooftop equipment can be dangerous and steps need to be taken to keep workers safe. Installing safety railings around these areas protects workers from falls and equipment from damage.
Skylights
There's no doubt that the weakest points on your last mile facility's rooftop are the skylights. They're great because they let plenty of light into the facility, but they're not strong enough to handle heavy loads. Even the weight of a person walking across a skylight can cause it to fail. Protecting workers from this hazard may involve installing a metal guardrail around the skylight, or you might consider installing skylight screens that meet OSHA skylight protection standards.
Per OSHA 1910.28, you're responsible for making sure that your employees are protected from falls and falling objects. Anytime anyone is working 4' or more above a lower level, you'll need to provide ways to keep them safe. Fall protection guardrails, safety gates, personal fall protection equipment, or other OSHA-compliant roof safety system are all options you can utilize.
While OSHA does a great job of explaining when you need fall protection and where you need it, there's no specific requirement for what type of devices you should use. You have to make the choice as to whether you should use roof fall protection guardrails or some other type of equipment. Making that decision isn't easy, but it's imperative that you get it right. A few things to keep in mind include:
Seek the advice of a qualified safety expert with experience dealing with rooftop fall safety issues in warehouses and similar facilities.
Perform a thorough safety inspection of your last mile facility's rooftop, evaluating the need for rooftop fall protection based on OSHA standards.
Observe employees as they access the rooftop and as they perform their duties once they're up there. Discuss workers’ rooftop fall safety concerns.
Choose the rooftop fall protection equipment and devices that best suit your application, based on the recommendations of your safety expert.
Once you've determined the areas of your rooftop that present the biggest fall hazards for employees, you'll want to meet with your safety expert. Together, you'll have to decide what types of fall protection are best for your facility based on the slope of the roof and other factors. You'll need to determine whether it makes sense to install fall protection guardrails or if it's a better idea to provide a personal fall arrest system.
There's no way around it, protecting workers from falls on your last mile facility's rooftop is your responsibility. You're going to need to inspect your roof, pay close attention to how your employees get around while on it, and make a determination about which fall protection systems should be installed and where. Get it right, and your employees are protected from falls, and you're in compliance with OSHA regulations. Get it wrong, and you face costly fines, penalties, and other expenses.
At Bluewater, we have more than four decades of fall protection experience, and we understand how important it is to protect your workers. Put our metal guardrail, safety gate, and fall safety equipment manufacturing expertise to work for you today. Contact us today if you have any questions about rooftop fall protection, safety railings, self closing gates, personal fall protection equipment, or any other OSHA-compliant fall protection devices you need.