Falls take over 1000 worker lives a year. Falls disable many more construction, industrial and warehousing workers. Pain, lost work days, medical and project costs can be reduced with attention to fall protection and fall prevention equipment and practices. Slips and falls are a $5.7 billion industry problem according to Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety.

Fall Protection Safety Standards

OSHA and ANSI set national standards and at least 26 states have also set standards. OSHA approved guard rails (OSHA guardrail section 1910.23 and 1926.500-503) are the center of most fall protection planning.

The Railguard 200 portable guard rail system is OSHA meets or exceeds all OSHA fall protection safety standards and has been the preferred fall prevention system for industry since 1980.

Where Can I Find Information On Fall Protection Regulations?

1. What are OSHA fall protection regulations?

2. What are ANSI fall protection regulations?

3. What are State Fall Protection Regulations?

4. How to get documentation on Railguard 200’s OSHA compliance

Guard Rail System Questions and Answers:

Q. How much does a guard rail base plate weigh and how big is it?

A. 108 lbs. and 21 ½” square. Railing are between 17 and 27 lbs depending on the size.

Q. How do you move a base plate?

A. Most commonly is through the use of the two-wheeled base transporter. Through the fulcrum design of the transporter you are effectively only lifting 45 lbs.

Q. How often do I need to place outriggers?

A. You only need an outrigger at any interruption of railing run. So if you have 100 continuous rails in a row, install an outrigger at each end.

Q. How do I calculate my guard railing needs?

A. Simply measure the distance you want to cover. And divide by the 10 if you are using 10’ guard rails, or divide by 7.5 if you are using 7 ½’ guard rails or divide by 5 if using 5’ guard rails. Most people will try to use as many 10’ as possible to reduce the number of base plate required. Once you have your distance evenly divided add a 5’ outrigger system at the interruption points and one extra base plate will complete your overall setup. Note: You will always order (1) extra base plate no matter how many systems you order. The only exception is if you are forming a square shape in which case an extra base plate would not be required.

Q. What color do the guard rails come in?

A. The standard color is a powder coated safety yellow. If you wanted to blend in with the color of your building, we can usually paint the rails to match your paint chip. We can even do galvanized rails as well.

Q. What do I do if I have an application or product question?

A. No problem, you can call the factory at (800) 328-9522 and we will answer your questions. We are here to help. Ask for Jim, Dave, Steve T. or Steve G. We also have distribution all over the U.S. and Canada to support you before and after the sale.

Q. Do I need non-slip pads on the bottom of the base plates?

A. If you are using the Railguard 200 on a hard surface like metal or concrete, then we would recommend the use of the rubber pads. Also on sensitive surfaces like rubber membrane roofs, the pads would provide additional protection. However, the vast majority of applications do not warrant these pads.

Q. Why is the Garlock Railguard 200 system better than some others out there?

A. Garlock Equipment Co. has been in business since 1959 and we have been manufacturing the Railguard 200 line since 1980. We are a trusted name currently used in literally thousands of fall prevention / safety applications throughout industry. We are a full fledged manufacturing facility with a reputation for outstanding quality and product performance and our distribution network is second to none. Countless companies across America have chosen the Railguard 200 system to protect and safeguard their employees. We think your company should too. Give us a call today.