Food and beverage facility fall protection affects well over 1,000,000 American workers, making even nominal safety upgrades a surefire investment in your company’s reputation. More importantly, strategically positioned fall protection equipment, such as an egress stair gate or stairway safety gate, can dramatically reduce compliance issues and protect your loyal employees from the number one safety risk in virtually all industries.
A UNIQUE COMBINATION OF WORKPLACE HAZARDS
Food and beverage facility fall protection involves anticipating hazards that can be incredibly varied, necessitating site-wide OSHA compliant fall protection strategies for:
- Slippery & uneven surfaces
- Elevated platforms and walking-working surfaces
- Powdery or granulated substances
- Steam, which presents burn and visibility risks
- Pallets & palletizing equipment
- Industrial vehicles
- Hazardous equipment, including:
- Mixers
- Choppers & saws
- Packing equipment
- Conveyors
- Boilers & furnaces
- Milling equipment
- Wash systems
- Loading bays & elevated storage areas
- Crowded work floors
- Stairwells & ladderways
Safety managers know just how complex these fall protection challenges can be. Nevertheless, there are many cases when a single strategically placed fall safety device can resolve the lion’s share of hazards in each area.
PROTECTING WORKERS IN STAIRWAYS
Safe stairway egress is a near-universal requirement for food and beverage facility fall protection, considering that related businesses can go to great lengths to maximize vertical space. Depending on the exact scope of your compliance requirements or guidelines, ensuring your stairways are up to code involves taking numerous factors into consideration:
- Good lighting, with proper precautions taken for wet or damp areas (per OSHA 1910.305, subsections 1910.303[g][1][v] and [j][1][iv])
- High-visibility paint, as applicable (see OSHA 1910.144):
- Yellow, which designates trip or fall hazards
- Red, for warning employees to stop and take note of their surroundings
- Stairway kept free of overhead obstructions (1910.25[b][2])
- Steps built to proper dimensions (e.g., 1910.25[b][4]) and with good traction
- Uniform riser height and tread depth (per subsection [b][3])
- Load capacities of at least 1,000 lb (454 kg) and five times the normal anticipated load (per subsection [b][6])
- Stair rail systems, best accomplished using modular guardrails built for easy installation and maximum adaptability
For both fall protection and accessibility purposes, the right egress stair gate can save enormous sums in terms of labor, equipment cost, and compliance issues alike. That’s all the truer with equipment built to the most advanced technical and compliance standards, suited for a wide range of mounting surfaces or railing.
In fact, there are numerous ways to meet stairway egress safety requirements, thanks to an array of industrial swing gates suited to a wide range of installation types and settings.
LIGHTWEIGHT INDUSTRIAL SWING GATES
When a standard bolt-on industrial safety gate is sufficient for your egress stairway needs, you’ll save time and costs by choosing a product built with several key design considerations in mind:
- Automatic closing mechanisms, powered by top-grade stainless steel springs
- Lightweight design and materials, with some models weighing in at little over 20 lbs (9 kg)
- A full positive stop mechanism, even without a receiver plate at the non-hinged side
- Optional restrictor plate to keep gates from opening past 90°
- Easy installation using simple hand tools and compatible with a variety of mounting surfaces
- A variety of finish options, including galvanized steel and powder coating
- Custom options for unique mounting locations and openings
INTEGRATING SAFETY GATES WITH HANDRAILS
When installing an egress stair gate directly onto a handrail, it’s important to ensure the top rails of both are fully aligned and tested to the same force ratings (specifically, OSHA 1910.29[b]). It’s also advisable to minimize the space between the railing’s last vertical member and the gate.
Doing so is much easier with a stairway safety gate built for guardrails, designed to install anywhere within a range along the guardrail. Thanks to an innovative dual-channel clamping mechanism, industrial swing gates for guardrails have two important benefits over generic versions:
- Provides more granular control over lateral or vertical placement
- Prevents damage to the railing
You’ll also be free of the inherent limitations of bespoke installation mechanisms, which slow installation time and can even push your safety gate/railing combo out of compliance. If the gate and railing are uneven, it could create a snag that contributes to fall hazards (and in violation of 1910.29[b][6].
UNUSUAL STAIRWAY SAFETY GATE/HANDRAIL CONFIGURATIONS
What about when the guardrails on each side of a stairway aren’t aligned along the same lateral plane? The railing materials themselves could also be different, presenting yet further complications.
For these and other unusual circumstances, maintaining OSHA compliant fall protection is often as simple as using universal-mount safety gates that support even greater adjustments. Rather than order a custom gate for each application (and drive up costs), more advanced solutions support on-the-fly lateral adjustment.
With no loss in effectiveness, universal safety gates install in minutes to a variety of railing materials, most commonly:
- Angle iron
- Round pipe
- Intermediate members, including solid panels or mesh
OTHER IMPORTANT EGRESS STAIR GATE REQUIREMENTS
Remember that when installing any swing gate at the top of a staircase, OSHA 1910.25(b)(5) requires a landing platform with at least 20 or 22 in. (51 or 56 cm) of usable depth, depending on when it was built.
You’ll also need to take extra precautions pursuant to OSHA 1910.37 for any stairway safety gate along emergency exit routes. For these and any other compliance questions, always consult your OSHA, state plan, or CCOHS regulations as necessary.
MAXIMIZE YOUR FOOD AND BEVERAGE FACILITY FALL PROTECTION TODAY
Achieving OSHA compliant fall protection at food-processing facilities may require balancing numerous variables, but it doesn’t mean you have to take needless risks or spend a fortune on fully custom devices. Using Fabenco’s advanced line of adaptable self-closing swing gates, safety managers are much better equipped to maintain fall safety in even the most challenging stairway environments.
With planning and foresight, the right egress stair gate can meet or exceed OSHA fall protection standards without necessitating complex workarounds. It also goes a long way to deepening a workplace culture of safety. For further assistance, contact us and discuss your stairway egress fall protection needs in greater detail.
