Chapter 5.1
Fall Protection
It comes as a surprise to many: fall accidents are among the most common in the industry. And often the consequences are dire.
From bad bruises and permanent impairments to death, everything is possible when people fall from height. However, many fall accidents can be prevented by guard railing. Where is it needed?
When the height at a fall edge exceeds 500 mm, guard railing must be installed. Only exception: there is something else near the fall edge, but not farther away than 180 mm, which can serve as fall protection, a wall, machine surface etc. But it must be high and strong enough to prevent a person from falling.
The fall protection must have a height of at least 1100 mm. If you install guard railing, then it must also have a handrail (1) and knee rail (2). These prevent people from falling through the railing. The knee rail is not needed if there is sufficiently strong panelling. But never leave the handrail away, as people need and often want something to hold onto when walking along a fall edge. And don’t forget the kick plate (3), which holds back objects that might otherwise fall to a workplace or passage below.
- Hand rail
- Knee rail
- Kick plate
- Post
- Walking line
Machinery manufacturers tend to think that the installation of guard railing is the responsibility of the customer operating the machine.
Researching the topic in regulations and standards, however, you will find that this is a misconception. If a workplace or maintenance location on a machine poses a fall risk, the manufacturer of the machine must ensure safe access. That may include installing stairs, ladders, and guard railing. In large machinery systems, a combination of fixed guards preventing access to moving parts and fall protection is often needed. In such cases, Axelent’s X-Rail system can serve as both guard and guard rail.
Standards met by the fall protection system X-Rail:
- DIN EN ISO 14122-3:2016
- BS 6180:2011
- AS 1657:2018
- OSHA 1910.29
Aside from machinery, there are many other places in factory buildings and warehouses that may need guard railing:
- Mezzanine floors
- Loading bays
- Walkways and work platforms
- …
In addition to the minimum height of guard railing, regulations and standards also define the maximum spacing between posts, gaps allowed in the handrail, and the specs for stability testing. Besides the international standard (EN) ISO 14122-3, there are numerous national building standards for guard railing. Always check for additional rules that apply.
What to consider when implementing a Fall Protection