Reduce Mezzanine Risks, Prevent Falls and Save Lives with Guardrails

A guardrail can be contoured to fit a specific location, such as this rooftop. Photo courtesy of Diversified Fall Protection.

How to protect workers and keep them away from fall hazards.

By: Philip Jacklin, Contributor

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the number of fatal workplace falls has increased every year since 2020. Despite years of industry awareness trainings and OSHA National Emphasis programs, it seems that slips, trips, and falls are still a prevalent risk present in many industries. Unlike other workplace hazards that can be scaled from minor or major injuries, falls consistently result in serious or fatal injuries to the worker. There are many fall protection methods that can decrease the severity of injuries incurred from a fall, but only one method attempts to prevent the fall from occurring in the first place. Guardrails are the most effective solution to prevent injuries avoid fatalities, second only to completely eliminating the fall hazard.

Guardrails, or safety railings, effectively prevent injuries because they keep falls from occurring. No fall means no chance of injury from a fall. It sounds like simple logic, but a guardrail’s simplicity is the secret behind its effectiveness in saving lives. This article will explain when guardrails are necessary, how to identify OSHA-compliant guardrails, their benefits over other fall protection methods, and the potential cost savings of installation.

WHERE ARE GUARDRAILS REQUIRED?

For general industry work, federal OSHA requires fall protection for workers four feet or higher off the ground, or above the next lower level. The three fall protection mitigation methods permitted by OSHA are: safety netting, personal fall protection systems or guardrails. While OSHA permits many fall protection methods, it is up to the employer to determine which is the most effective fall protection solution that is feasible to install. Guardrails prove effective for any height fall hazard because they help prevent the user from reaching the fall hazard and decreases the chance of a fall occurring. If guardrails are the control measure chosen for a fall hazard, it is important to comply with minimum OSHA regulations when purchasing or constructing the guardrail.

OSHA-Compliant Guardrail Specifications

The full specifications for OSHA-compliant guardrail can be found in the General Industry OSHA 1910.29¹ standard. A guardrail can be prefabricated or made directly on the jobsite out of materials on hand. If the guardrail is installed above where others will be walking or working below, such as on a mezzanine, toe boards must be incorporated to protect from debris falling and causing injury. The top rail must sit at 42” high and be capable of withstanding 200lbs of force in a downward or outward direction. The mid-rail should be evenly spaced between the top rail and floor, or toe board where applicable, and must withstand 150 lbs. of force in a downward or outward direction.

OSHA-Compliant Guardrail Installation

Appropriate mounting solutions for guardrails will be determined by the limitations of the physical structure near the fall hazard, but it should be noted there is no inherent requirement that guardrails must be permanently mounted to comply with minimum regulations. Many companies, like Diversified Fall Protection, offer weighted baseplates that provide enough support for the guardrail to meet its strength requirements without having to penetrate the mounting surface. This can prove useful for scenarios when a guardrail is temporarily required to protect workers who are performing emergency maintenance, but the business owner is reluctant to permanently install guardrails.

For more permanent applications, building owners should consider mounting guardrail directly onto the roof structure instead of using weighted baseplates. While both mounting solutions offer OSHA-compliance and are effective at keeping workers safe, the stress of hundreds of pounds of steel plates may not be beneficial for a roof’s long-term integrity. Proper installation and weatherproofing of permanent guardrail would best protect the people and property.

Weighted baseplates can provide enough support for the guardrail to meet its strength requirements without having to penetrate the mounting surface. Photo courtesy of Diversified Fall Protection.

GUARDRAILS FOR FALL PREVENTION

Using guardrails as a physical barricade to prevent users from reaching their fall hazard is a method of fall protection known as fall prevention. Fall prevention is a preferred fall protection method because it significantly decreases the chance of a fall occurring. Other fall protection methods, like fall arrest, are less effective in preventing injury because the fall is not being prevented, simply mitigating the amount of injury. However, if a proper rescue plan is not as effective as anticipated, fallen workers can face more serious health complications waiting for rescue during suspension.

Furthermore, guardrails are not subject to inspections, certifications, or trainings like other pieces of fall equipment. Obviously, if physical damage is done to the guardrail, it should be repaired promptly to maintain full effectiveness, but it does not have to be thoroughly inspected before each use. Furthermore, there is no documented training required for guardrail usage. Simply describing the fall hazards that exist behind the guardrail and where those hazards exist would suffice for educating workers on how to stay safe.

COST-SAVINGS FROM FALL PROTECTION

Unfortunately, many building owners and employers have historically viewed investing in fall protection as not much more than an added expense in facility management. However, data has shown installing guardrails is more cost-effective than the costs associated falls and can even improve the business in other aspects. Additionally, guardrails significantly reduce the chance of fall incidents occurring by effectively protecting workers and keeping them away from fall hazards. If a guardrail or fall protection is required somewhere in a facility, and management delays providing a solution, they risk adding the fiscal ramifications if an incident occurs. Unfortunately, for many industries, a fall occurring is a matter of “when,” not “if.” Guardrails are a proactive solution for worker safety because they prevent injuries by preventing falls altogether.

The National Safety Council (NSC) estimates that the average fall incident costs employers over $50,000 in worker’s compensation payouts per incident.² Due to the nature and severity of the fall, other incurred costs may include OSHA citation fees and other litigation fees. After a fall occurs in a facility, employers often observe steep declines in productivity, morale, trust, and retention amongst other employees. Some studies estimate that indirect costs can accumulate up to four times as much as direct costs to employers!

Many organizations see the benefits of investing in effective fall protection methods, like guardrail, and their business has benefitted in other ways from having a safely protected workforce. When employees are educated and empowered to work safely, productivity and employee retention increase.

Furthermore, the business will attract and retain better talent and build a better reputation amongst vendors, customers, and competitors. Employees don’t necessarily want ping-pong tables or pizza parties; they just want to be protected from existing hazards in their workplace and the ability to go home safely at the end of each day.

Conclusion

When it comes to protecting workers from fall hazards, there are many options for fall protection. However, almost no other option is as versatile, effective, and efficient as a guardrail. WMHS

Philip Jacklin is Continuing Education Program Manager for Diversified Fall Protection. He is an AIA continuing ed provider, QSSP certified, OSHA-30 trained, and has been a partner to the fall protection industry since 2018. Philip has a background in worker advocacy, team leadership, and fostering camaraderie among peers. He enjoys playing music, writing, and spending time in the sunshine with his family in Virginia Beach, VA. Visit: https://www.fallprotect.com/