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With medical cannabis available in 36 states and recreational cannabis sold in 18 states this $61 billion industry is booming. But because laws prevent cannabis from being outdoors, growers are finding themselves in need of indoor grow space to keep up with demand for their products. Along with growth comes responsibility and that means keeping your employees safe while they're working at height, whether that's inside or on top of your building. Fall protection and rooftop safety considerations for cannabis grow house facilities are similar to other industries, and the same OSHA rules help mitigate fall hazards.
OSHA Rooftop Safety Guidelines
Per OSHA Standard 1910.28, employers have a duty to provide fall protection to employees who are exposed to fall hazards or falling object hazards. Your cannabis grow house facility is no different. You're obligated to protect workers from falling whenever they're working 4' or more above the surface below. You also must provide rooftop safety devices. What OSHA doesn't do, however, is tell you exactly what types of fall protection equipment you must use for a given situation. The most common type of fall protection used across industries, however, is a guard rail system.
Fall Protection for Elevated Work Surfaces
Expanding your cannabis grow house facility to meet the demands of customers doesn't necessarily mean a larger footprint. In fact, vertical growth is common in this type of facility since it takes advantage of the space that's already available. While growth like this is a good thing, it puts workers at risk as they navigate the elevated surfaces to perform their duties. Areas you'll want to pay close attention to include:
Mezzanines
Elevated Walkways
Catwalks
Areas Above or Near Dangerous Machinery
Rooftop Fall Prevention
In addition to the fall hazards present inside your cannabis grow house facility, you need to address rooftop safety. In fact, your rooftop is one of the most dangerous places for workers to be. Whether there are workers on your roof on a frequent basis, or very rarely, you need to make sure they stay safe. Roof guard rails can protect every area of your roof including:
The Leading Edge
Uneven Rooftop Surfaces
Areas Around Rooftop Equipment
Skylights
Roof Hatches and Ladder Entrances
Areas Around Vents and Other Roof Holes
Restricted Area and Machine Guarding
In addition to providing fall protection on elevated surfaces and rooftops, you also need to make sure that workers are safe on the first floor. Slip and fall hazards need to be addressed in order to provide a safe workplace. That may mean restricting movement in and out of sensitive areas of your facility, or it may mean keeping people a safe distance away from machines and equipment.
Keeping up with customer demands can be challenging and maintaining a safe work environment can be even trickier. A few of the things you can do to improve workplace and rooftop safety include:
Indoor Safety Railing Systems
Installing a guard rail system around the perimeter of elevated work surfaces like mezzanines, and along walkways will greatly reduce the fall hazards. In addition, a properly installed guardrail and toeboard can keep objects from falling onto a lower level. If you choose this route, keep in mind that your guardrails must meet the following OSHA standards:
Tops of railings must be 42" (+ or - 3") from the walking/working surface.
Railings at the top must be able to withstand 200 lbs. of weight without failure.
If a weight of 200 lbs. is applied to the top of the rail, it cannot deflect to less than 39".
Midrails must be able to withstand at least 150 lbs. of weight without failure.
Rails must be made of smooth, not snagging materials.
The short answer is no. Safety railing systems and roof guard rails are not the only options you have for providing fall protection. They are, however, the most common type of passive fall protection used across industries, including cannabis grow facilities. When a guard rail system cannot be used in a given situation, an alternative form of fall protection must be used such as:
Personal fall protection devices (harnesses, lanyards, safety lines, etc.).
Safety nets.
Warning lines.
When it comes to workplace safety, you can't afford to get it wrong. If a worker is injured in a fall, it can be costly in many ways. Not only will you be responsible for paying for medical care, but your business may also be subject to OSHA fines and penalties for allowing the injury to happen in the first place. On top of that, you'll be down a worker which can have a negative effect on both morale and productivity within your facility. So, how do you decide which fall protection systems to use where?
Take the time to walk your entire facility, taking notes on any potential fall hazards you spot from your perspective. Try to walk the same paths as your employees and frequent the same areas of the facility, so you get a good feel for how things work on a daily basis.
The best way to figure out what your employees need to be safe is to talk to them. Ask about areas of the facility that pose a particular hazard and what workers think should be done. Listen closely to their input and act accordingly.
In order to provide adequate fall protection, enlist the help of a qualified individual who is a safety expert. Such an expert will discuss your options from roof guard rails to safety railing systems that protect areas inside your building. They'll then recommend the best course of action based on OSHA guidelines, your facility, your budget, and your fall protection needs.
There is a huge amount of potential for the cannabis industry to continue growing well into the future. If you're involved in this lucrative business, the last thing you want is for an employee to get hurt on the job. That's why it's so important to install the right fall protection systems whether that's roof guard rails or an internal guard rail system. Contact the Safety Experts at BlueWater for assistance with selecting the most appropriate OSHA-compliant fall protection devices for your facility.