Safety managers in food processing facilities have a big job to do: they need to keep the business in compliance with OSHA regulations, monitor operations, and oversee employee training in safety best practices. They also must ensure they have the right safety fixtures in place, like safety gates, to prevent fatal falls and contact with dangerous equipment. Everyone from owners to floor managers to employees relies on the decisions made by safety managers, including the types of fall protection chosen for the environment.
If you are a safety manager, you already know: the food processing industry is unique when it comes to fall prevention. There’s a wide array of market sectors and each has their own set of safety challenges. Meat, produce, dairy, beverages – even the production of food additives and flavorings – safety managers have a lot of variables to consider. Add in high-speed machinery, slippery work surfaces, worker fatigue, and occasional human error and it’s clear that both active and passive safety measures are a non-negotiable for a safe work environment.
The right safety equipment significantly reduces the operating risks around hazardous machinery in the food production industry and necessary in avoiding injuries, fatalities, lawsuits, and hefty government fines. Safety gates are a critical addition to any safety plan. As you conduct your own safety audit, here are some factors to consider:
Red Flags to Watch For
Food processing accidents are sudden and potentially catastrophic. OSHA recognizes that and the onus is on the business itself to prevent them. Here’s what to look out for:
- Uneven flooring or same-floor level changes
- Platforms without proper safety rails or gates
- Unguarded stairways
- Unguarded machinery
- Wet floors from spills or general food processing
Other Areas to Consider
Fall prevention installations should also be considered around the following food manufacturing areas:
- Open-sided floors such as mezzanines
- Aerial lift platforms
- Above and around dangerous equipment
- Walkways and ramps
- Loading dock elevations
Preventing Fall Hazards with Safety Gates
Safety gates have been identified as a best practice for passive fall protection for workers in the food production industry. There’s more than one type, however, and one type of gate doesn’t always fit all needs.
To help you choose, here’s a brief synopsis of the different kinds of passive fall protection gates and how they might apply to your facility:
- Self-Closing Gates: These gates are installed as a permanent protection from fall hazards or to limit access around hazardous equipment. The spring-loaded gates close behind workers automatically after each swing, reducing the chance of human error of leaving gates open. They are often fitted to existing handrails and usually available in full coverage models which extend from floor to top of rail.
- Universal Hinge Mount Gates: Industrial-strength gates that are easy to install on all types of rail systems. They come in stainless steel or carbon steel options. (All safety gates should be either galvanized or painted with a safety yellow powder coating.)
- Vertical Lift Gates: For installation in areas where there is not enough clearance for a swing open gate. These models lift to open and are a good option for worksite areas with limited space or to guard the openings around ladders, staircases, and platforms.
- Mezzanine Gates: Made for use on elevated mezzanines and loading areas to protect employees from falls. These gates are a smart addition to keep employees from approaching the ledge of elevated platforms, staircases, or ladder openings when loading and unloading pallets and other parcels.
- Safety Rails: Good for passive protection around hazardous equipment as well as ledges. Good safety rails are easy to install and provide a modular style of assembly (including end posts and corner posts, mid rail posts, and base fittings) to fit a variety of layouts.
As you evaluate your work operations and environment, consider the possibility of falling equipment and materials and what that might imply for your staff. In some situations, toe-boards are a necessary add-on to vertical guardrail systems to prevent injury resulting from falling debris or machinery.
No matter what kind of safety gate you choose, make sure you are confident in the company behind it. A quality manufacturer of industrial safety gates should be able to guide you in the right direction, both in product selection and installation.
