Guardrail Systems

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Safety Talk

Guardrail 

Guardrail and safety net systems are two ways to protect workers from falls on the job. When workers on a construction site are exposed to vertical drops of 6 feet or more, OSHA requires that employers provide fall protection, generally in one of these three ways before work begins: 

• Placing guardrails around the hazard area; 
• Deploying safety nets; 
• Providing a personal fall arrest system for each employee. 

On Construction Site all employer must ensure to implement guardrails and safety nets. Let’s make sure that all the requirements are followed to ensure the workers’ safety.

If the employer uses guardrails, s/he must be sure that: 

• Top-rails are at least ¼ inch thick to prevent cuts and lacerations; and they must be between 39 and 45 inches from the working surface; 
• If wire rope is used, it must be flagged at least every six feet with highly visible materials; 
• Mid-rails, screens or mesh are installed when there are no walls at least 21 inches high. Screens and mesh must extend from the top-rail to the working level. 
• There are no openings more than 19 inches; 
• The top-rail can withstand at least 200 lbs. of force; the mid-rail can withstand 150 lbs. of force; 
• The system is smooth enough to protect workers from cuts and getting their clothes snagged by the rail. 
• If guardrails are used around holes at points of access, like a ladder-way, a gate must be used to prevent someone from falling through the hole, or be so offset that a person cannot walk directly into the hole. 

If an employer uses safety nets, s/he must be sure that: 

• The nets must be as close as practicable under the working surface, but never more than 30 feet below; 
• They must inspect the safety net every week for damage; 
• Each net has a border rope with a minimum strength of 5,000 lbs.; 
• The safety net extends outward a sufficient distance, depending on how far the net is from the working surface (OSHA has a formula to follow); 
• The safety net can absorb the force of a 400-pound bag of sand dropping on to the net (“the drop test”); 
• Items in the net that could be dangerous are removed as soon as possible. 

Ensure Usage of  Guardrails And Safety Nets: Lifesaving Devices

 GUARDRAIL:- 

1. The supervisor have to implement use/ putting of guardrails, and is checking the height of the top-rail, as he knows that it needs to be between 39 TO 45 inches above the walking/working level. 
2. He is also ensuring that there is a mid-rail, mesh and/or screens on this rail, because there is no wall or parapet wall at least 21 INCHES HIGH. 
3. The supervisor needs to make sure that the guardrail system is capable of withstanding at least 200 LBS. of force, within 2 inches of the top edge in any downward or outward direction and at any point along the edge. If, from the force, the rail deflects downward to a height less than 39 INCHES, then he knows he has a problem with that guardrail system. 
4. He then checks to ensure that the mid-rail/screen/mesh is able to withstand at least 150 LBS. of force. 
5. The workers are using various tools on the scaffold, so a toe-board is installed. The supervisor ensures that the toe-board is at least 3½ INCHES HIGH, which is the minimum height requirement. 
6. If he decides that he wants to use mesh or screen instead of the toe-board, the mesh must extend from the TOP-RAIL to the WALKWAY. 
7. The supervisor also wants to make sure that there are NO ROUGH OR JAGGED SURFACES, or anything pointy or sharp, since he doesn’t want anyone to be cut, hurt, or have their clothes caught in the guardrail system.

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