{"id":4968,"date":"2014-08-15T13:27:35","date_gmt":"2014-08-15T18:27:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/blog\/?p=4968"},"modified":"2023-06-11T23:04:31","modified_gmt":"2023-06-12T04:04:31","slug":"guard-rail-when-where-and-what","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/blog\/2014\/08\/15\/guard-rail-when-where-and-what\/","title":{"rendered":"Guard Rail: When, Where and What"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Forklift<\/p>\n

Choosing guard rail can be confusing unless you understand clearly what kinds of conditions you are protecting against and what assets you are protecting. Whether it be fall protection for workers or asset protection from industrial vehicle usage, there is a guard rail that fits that need.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Fall Protection<\/h3>\n

OSHA has very specific requirements for fall protection. Basically those standards are: 1)<\/strong> guard rail must be placed in any location where a fall of more than 6 ft.\u00a0 is possible, 2)<\/strong> the top height of railing must be at least 42″ tall, plus or minus 3″, 3)<\/strong> the railing must be able to withstand a minimum of 200 lbs. side and top loaded pressure with a maximum deflection of no more than 3″, 4)\u00a0<\/strong> a mid rail or mesh panel must fill the space between the mounting surface and the top rail, 5)<\/strong> the top rail must be a minimum of .25″ diameter so as to not cut or abrade workers’ hands. For the complete OSHA requirements, go to: More OSHA Requirements.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Asset Protection<\/h3>\n

The standards for asset protection are much looser with critical factors focusing on employee protection, therefore many of the standards used in fall protection apply in asset protection. Areas you would want to protect might be pallet rack aisle ends, conveyors, pedestrian aisles, building walls, work stations, electrical\/utility panels and controls, HVAC equipment, in-plant offices, and mezzanines.<\/p>\n

Comparisons<\/h3>\n

\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Guard Rail Types<\/h4>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Impact Capacity<\/h4>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Construction Type<\/h4>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Applications<\/h4>\n<\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hand Rail<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\nMinimum of 200 lbs. top or side loaded<\/td>\nUsually tubular steel; some flexible poly<\/td>\nFall protection:<\/strong> mezzanines, dock ramps, uneven floor levels<\/p>\n

Asset protection:<\/strong> pedestrian aisles<\/td>\n

\"Hand<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pipe Rail<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\nForklifts and industrial vehicles<\/td>\nSchedule 40 steel 6″-8″ pipe rails;<\/p>\n

Schedule 80 steel posts<\/td>\n

Single rail:<\/strong> Asset protection for machines, walls, conveyor;<\/p>\n

Double rail:<\/strong> Asset protection for traffic aisles, pedestrian walkways, utility panels, in-plant offices<\/td>\n

\"Pipe<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Flexible Poly Rail<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\nForklifts and industrial vehicles<\/td>\n8″ Polymer Tubing rails, 4″ steel posts<\/td>\nAsset protection:<\/strong> walls, machines, conveyor, pedestrian walkways, work stations utility panels, in-plant offices<\/td>\n\"Flexible<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Light Duty Steel<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\nPallet trucks and light industrial vehicles<\/td>\n14 gauge corrugated high strength steel rails, 6″ structural flange beam posts<\/td>\nSingle rail:<\/strong> Asset protection for conveyor, rack ends, walls<\/p>\n

Double & triple rail: <\/strong>Asset protection for traffic aisles, pedestrian walkways, work stations utility panels, in-plant offices<\/td>\n

\"Light<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Drop-In Lift-Out Rail<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\nUp to 5,000 lbs.<\/td>\n14 gauge W-shape high tensile strength steel rails, 4″ steel posts<\/td>\nSingle rail:<\/strong> Asset protection for conveyor, rack ends, walls<\/p>\n

Double rail:<\/strong> Asset protection for traffic aisles, pedestrian walkways, utility panels, in-plant offices<\/td>\n

\"Drop-In<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Medium Duty Steel<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\nFork truck and industrial vehicle impact<\/td>\n11 gauge double rib steel rails, 3″ structural steel posts<\/td>\nSingle rail:<\/strong> Asset protection for conveyor, rack end, walls<\/p>\n

Triple rail: <\/strong>Asset protection for traffic aisles, pedestrian walkways, utility panels, in-plant offices<\/td>\n

\"Medium<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Heavy Duty Steel<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\nForklift and industrial vehicle impact<\/td>\n11 gauge high strength corrugated steel rails, 4″ structural steel square tube posts<\/td>\nSingle rail:<\/strong> Asset protection for conveyor, rack end, wall<\/p>\n

Double rail:<\/strong> Asset protection for traffic aisles, pedestrian walkways, utility panels, in-plant offices<\/td>\n

\"Steel<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

What the comparisons tell you<\/h3>\n

While many types of guard rail appear very similar, the primary differences are the grade of steel and other materials used in construction. That difference adds up to how many times the rail can withstand impact before deforming or damaging the anchor points and needing to be replaced. One advantage of the polymer based guard rail is the ability to deflect and dissipate the impact forces, leading to additional resiliency in the long run. All guard rail will fail if impacted enough times. What you want to consider is long-term cost efficiencies and risk factors for the particular locations you are installing guard rail at.<\/p>\n

The long and short of it<\/h3>\n

Take a good look at the why of installing guard rail, the impact probabilities, and damage\/injury risk you’re protecting against. Those should be your primary determinants in choosing a particular guard rail system. After all, achieving optimum safety is what you’re after, right?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Choosing guard rail can be confusing unless you understand clearly what kinds of conditions you are protecting against and what assets you are protecting. Whether it be fall protection for workers or asset protection from industrial vehicle usage, there is a guard rail that fits that need.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[441,443,442,315,69],"series":[],"class_list":["post-4968","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-safety","tag-guard-rail","tag-guarding-systems","tag-hand-rail","tag-safety-ergonomics","tag-warehouse-safety"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t