Oil and gas refineries are some of the most dangerous workplaces in the world. Workers are constantly exposed to hazards that can lead to serious injuries, which can have devastating effects on the victims, their families, and their employer. According to OSHA, a fall hazard is among the most common safety hazards associated with oil and gas production activities.
Workers often have to climb to high places to perform their duties, which puts them at an elevated risk of falling. This makes OSHA fall protection a critical safety measure in oil and gas refineries.
Not only should employers train their workers about fall protection, but they should also provide the necessary equipment to ensure they are adequately protected. Adopting fall protection measures can prevent serious injuries in oil and gas refineries, as well as prevent facilities from hefty fines resulting from non-compliance with OSHA standards.
OSHA Fall Protection Regulations
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a federal agency that regulates workplace safety and health. One of the dangers that OSHA regulates is the risk of falling from heights. If you are an employer, it is important to familiarize yourself with the OSHA Fall Protection Regulations to ensure that your workplace is safe.
According to OSHA standard 1910.28(b)(1)(i), employers must provide fall protection for employees working at heights of four feet or more above the ground. Since many processes within oil and gas refineries take place at height, employers must follow OSHA fall protection regulations closely to ensure that their workers are adequately protected from falls.
Providing Fall Protection with Safety Gates
There are a variety of fall protection systems that can be used in oil and gas refineries, depending on the specific needs of the facility. Safety gates are among the most applicable fall protective systems a facility can use to mitigate the risk of falls.
In many cases, safety gates are required by law. Even when not required, they can still be a valuable addition to any oil and gas refinery. By installing safety gates near stairways, ladders and at guardrail openings, you can help to ensure that your employees are not only protected from falling but are also restricted from gaining access to certain areas.
Vertical Lift Safety Gates: Alternative for Areas Where Swing Gates Won’t Work
Many standard-sized safety gates available on the market will fit most fall risks areas within an oil and gas refinery. But what if you need to protect an area that is so limited in space that a traditional swinging safety gate won’t work? That’s when a vertical lift safety gate is the answer.
Vertical lift safety gates are types of safety gates that do not require extra horizontal space to open or close. They are quite popular in areas where terrain and space are a challenge.
There are different types of vertical lift safety gates available on the market, so it is important to choose one that is right for your needs. Be sure to consider the environment in which you’ll use these protection systems.
Areas within an Oil and Gas Facility Where A Vertical Lift Safety Gate is Applicable
A vertical lift gate is ideal for situations where there’s no adequate room for a simple swing gate or slide gate installation. There are several types of environments within a downstream oil and gas facility where a traditional swing gate won’t fit or allow employee access once installed. They include:
> Tight Spaces
In tight and confined spaces where the operation of extra wide safety gates is untenable, a vertical lift gate is a great solution. Since a vertical lift gate utilizes vertical space, you won’t have to sacrifice security and control of a high-risk area with limited space considerations.
> Tight Corners
Tight corners around the bend of a platform or near a stairway in a facility can pose a hazard for employees and equipment. Vertical lift safety gates can help to mitigate this hazard by providing a physical barrier between the corner and the rest of the facility. You can also use vertical lift gates to block off corners that are not in use to prevent employees from accidentally entering them.
> Ladders and Platform Openings
Climbing ladders is part of the job for any worker in an oil and gas refinery. This worker may have to transition from one ladder to another multiple times throughout their day. These ladders can be anywhere from 30-100 feet. The ladders can sometimes be covered in grease and debris, or snow and ice during the winter, making them slippery. As such, ladders present a fall risk to workers who use them to access different levels within the facility.
Vertical lift safety gates are designed to prevent falls around ladder openings in elevated platforms and can be installed at the top or bottom of the ladder. With vertical lift safety gates, workers can perform their tasks safely and have worry-free access to the roof and other spaces, regardless of the available swing space around the ladder.
> Near Dangerous Equipment
Many industrial accidents happen because workers are in a hurry, often working closely to dangerous equipment. The biggest advantage of using safety gates is that they stop workers in their tracks, forcing them to take time to evaluate the level of risk around them. When dangerous equipment is operating in areas where swing gates can’t fit, vertical lift safety gates provide OSHA-compliant protection for these high-risk situations.
Choose OSHA-Compliant Safety Gates to Mitigate Fall Hazard
To help create a safe working environment in your refinery, you should choose to use OSHA-compliant safety gates. These safety systems create a barrier between workers and potential fall risks. They block off access to dangerous areas within an oil and gas refinery and can provide a physical barrier between workers and place that poses a fall risk.
There are various types of standard, vertical lift, and extra wide safety gates available, so it’s important to choose the right one for your needs. It’s also critical that the gates you choose are OSHA-compliant.
If you are looking for a way to improve the fall safety of your oil and gas refinery, then Fabenco can help you find the right safety gates for your needs. We are a leading manufacturer of high-quality and OSHA-compliant safety systems designed to mitigate fall hazards. Our range of standard stainless steel, aluminum, and carbon steel gates fit unprotected openings from 16 – 39.5 inches. And we also allow customers to order customized safety gates to meet their specific needs. As such, we can customize your safety gates so you can use them with other safety devices within any space to create a completely safety system.
Contact us today to learn more about our fall protection systems.
