Introduction
When you do something on your company’s roof, you are probably familiar with the fact that something can very quickly happen that you did not plan.
Just one wrong step and you can do a lot of damage. That is why it is essential that you adhere to safety measures and use everything you need to make this job easier and safer for you. One of the companies that deal with that very safety when it comes to working on roofs is Solutions Prox-Secur.
One of the most protective things you need to have when working on a roof is guardrails. In this article, we will explain what it is, what it is for, and how best to use them to be safe on the roof of your company.
What are guardrails?
Guardrails look like auxiliary walls that allow workers not to fall off the roof and not have something terrible happen to them.
Although it sounds simple, there are guidelines that determine which roofs it can be installed on, how it is installed, and how to be as safe as possible. It is a very useful thing, and it can save your life.
Today, guardrails have become mandatory on construction sites, and almost everyone uses them. This is important to know because if professional workers use it on roofs, then it is a serious matter and is needed in every company.
When to use guardrails?
One of the principal things to think about guardrails is the point at which they are needed in a structure. The motivation behind this hardware is to forestall falls or unapproved admittance to specific territories.
By and large, guardrails are required when the structure has steps, arrivals, stages, or available rooftop spaces.
In the event that the work territory is over 6 ft. higher than the lower level, a guardrail or other fall security framework is required. Also, if there is above a 6 ft. contrast in a functioning surface lower than the ground level, like a well or a pit, a type of railing framework is fundamental.
Installation is important
As we said above, it’s not just enough to have a set of guardrails. You already have to set them up well to keep them safe.
Not only will you risk injuring someone around you or your company, but you will be held criminally liable if you do not set your guardrails correctly. In addition, it can be very expensive if you end up having to go to court and pay damages to the worker if he is injured.
By no means should you set up guardrails badly and leave the construction site. Consult with various occupational safety agencies and do it properly.
Requirements
Not everyone who wants to put up guardrails can put them on their house. In order for you to set this up and protect your workers, you must be the owner of a company or construction site.
So the law goes down, and everyone has to abide by it. Once we know that, it’s time to explain what are the installation requirements.
For your guardrail to be up to standard, it should be at any rate 42 in. over the ground-level space. For your structure’s rooftop space, the IBC requires a guardrail to be set up except if some other kind of fall assurance framework is introduced.
On the off chance that it’s impractical to utilize guardrails on the structure, you can use an individual fall capture framework, all things considered. OSHA suggests different sorts of fall assurance alternatives, including security nets, observing abilities, or cautioning frameworks.
The strength of the guardrails
Their strength depends on what can happen in that place. Guardrails on a construction site need to be stronger than some on a small business.
Because there are higher heights and more people on the construction site, it must be more substantial. Some optimal number is 50 lbs per linear foot. But basically, the whole guardrail has to be able to handle 200lbs.
It is essential to distinguish between a steep cliff and a person nearby in order to avoid a fatal outcome.
Conclusion
We have explained to you everything that you need to know about guardrails and why they are necessary. Always adhere to safety measures and act responsibly in accordance with the law.