Selecting the Right
Fall-Protection Strategy
The Benefits of Guardrails
According to OSHA’s hierarchy of controls, guardrails (passive fall-protection systems) are the best method for keeping personnel safe while working at heights.
But why, exactly, does OSHA prefer guardrails to harnesses?
Simply put: would you rather catch a person after a fall or prevent the fall in the first place? While harness-based systems undoubtedly save lives, passive fall protection provides total peace of mind with both its simplicity and its universality.
Active(HARNESSES) | Passive(GUARDRAILS) | |
|---|---|---|
SAVES LIVESBoth guardrails and harnesses provide safety for employees working at heights. |  | |
UNIVERSAL PROTECTIONWhile harnesses protect only the user, guardrails protect everybody on the roof. |  | |
NO USER TRAINING REQUIREDGuardrails require no training to function, lowering your organization’s man hours spent on teaching complicated fall-protection compliance. | | |
MINIMAL MAINTENANCE REQUIREDOngoing (often costly) maintenance is an unfortunate reality of harness-based systems. | | |
MINIMAL INSPECTIONS REQUIREDBecause harness-based systems frequently need maintenance and replacement, regular and time-consuming equipment inspections are required. | | |
NO RESCUE PLAN REQUIREDBecause guardrails prevent a fall from occurring in the first place, a rescue plan for suspended employees is not required. | | |
ALWAYS COMPLIANTWith guardrails, you never have to worry about proper execution of a harness system’s safety procedures — you’re always compliant. | | |
FREEDOM OF MOVEMENTEmployees working on a guardrail-protected rooftop have unrestricted freedom of movement, allowing for higher work productivity. | | |
LIMITED ONGOING COSTSOnce your guardrails are installed, that’s it. You rarely have to worry about maintenance, training, or replacement. | | |
NO ANCHOR-POINT ROOF PENETRATIONSSafety Rail Company’s SRC360 Mobile Rail requires no penetration into the roof membrane, unlike harness-based systems which required a drilled-in anchor point. | | |
