As it does every year, OSHA has released its 2021 top ten list of most-cited workplace violations — and, for the eleventh time in a row, failure to have appropriate fall protection (1926.501) ranks number one.
With 5,271 violations, fall protection more than doubled the second most common violation (respiratory protection), which had 2,521 citations. Likewise, lack of proper fall-protection training (1926.503) also made the top ten list with 1,670 violations. And, using the average OSHA fee for this particular citation (just over $5,400), the yearly national penalty for lack of fall protection totaled more than $28 million (to say nothing of the additional $2.7 million collected for lack of fall-protection training).
While obviously the primary purpose of fall protection is to keep personnel safe and productive while working at heights, it’s also important to remember that it’s more than just a moral and safety issue — it’s a legal obligation. And, as companies continue to lapse in their fall-protection safety measures, OSHA will in turn continue to prioritize this during their on-site inspections.
The best method for mitigating these OSHA violation fees is to be proactive — don’t wait until you’ve been fined to construct a fall-protection safety plan for your facility. Contact Safety Rail Company to see how we can help build you a site-specific, OSHA-compliant system!
Safety Rail Company is known for its backbone product: the SRC360 Mobile Rail, the most versatile guardrail system in the fall-protection industry — an OSHA-compliant solution that secures into our weighted bases that do not penetrate the roof membrane and work in tandem with our other safety products, including gates, hatch guards, skylight protection, and more.
And certainly, the benefits of a passive fall-protection system (guardrails) are numerous: no training necessary, limited maintenance and inspections, universal protection for all workers, freedom of movement, minimal ongoing costs, etc.
But not all roofs are created equal — so, which system is right for your facility? SRC’s lineup of guardrail options is deep, with a perfect solution for just about every professional application. Our guardrail options are sure to provide a solution for any need, from aesthetic requirements to tricky roofs and rooftop obstacles.
GUARDRAIL AESTHETICS
Sometimes a simple yellow safety rail just won’t do. Many facilities have a particular architecture they’re trying to complement or a general building aesthetic they’re trying not to interrupt.
Safety Rail Company is equipped for such needs — our Accu-Fit rails are built with design in mind! This rail system features a choice of stanchions, including a curved option whose purpose is to work within the architectural sight lines of the building.
Likewise, our Hide-a-Rail system is perfect for tucking away the rails while not in use. This allows your facility to maintain its appearance while also providing total fall protection to your personnel when work is being done in the area.
And, while we prefer yellow rails, we realize this isn’t always the ideal choice: color personalization is available upon request!
GUARDRAIL UTILITY
As any safety manager or fall-protection expert can testify, no two rooftops are the same. While we’d like to provide simple, non-penetrating guardrail to protect every facility’s leading edge, we know the truth is that sometimes the project is more complex.
But, much like our numerous design-conscious options, SRC has a solution for every knotty rooftop hazard.
Firstly, the Accu-Fit rails are good for more than just eye-catching sophistication: they’re also a rugged system meant to be cut to size in the field. This allows for a number of applications around tricky rooftop obstacles.
SRC also has a solution for those hard-to-protect metal deck roofs with our standing seam rails, which secure to just about any style rooftop.
Finally, Safety Rail Company also offers permanent rail for inclined roofs or indoor facility areas in need of protection (including around shipping pits, etc.).
Global Growth of Fall-Protection Industry
The worldwide fall-protection equipment industry in 2021 reached new heights with a staggering $2.934 billion in gross revenue. But, according to a new study by Research and Markets, this upward industry trend is set to continue over the next seven years, as they estimate the fall-protection market will reach $4.606 billion by the year 2028.
One of the reasons cited for this predicted increase is the rapid industrialization across the globe, leading to the recognition of related occupational hazards. In other words, as new industries rise across the world, the need to protect one’s personnel — something we’ve been practicing with better and better standards and solutions in the United States — is becoming a global priority.
Likewise, as governments catch up to the needs of their nation’s rising industrial workforce, standards like those employed by OSHA will start to become more common, leading to even more safety-conscious business initiatives.
Of course, we’ve known this at Safety Rail Company since our founding more than a decade ago. We are one of the few companies that offer American-made passive fall protection systems — and we continue to do so today as we expand our market footprint and become the preferred partner of Fortune 500 companies.
Sources can be found here and here.
Benefits of the SRC360 Mobile Rail System
The Simplest, Safest Fall-Protection Solution: SRC360 Mobile Rail
When selecting a fall-protection strategy, the choice of partners and products can seem daunting. Ultimately, however, it comes down to a selection between active fall protection (harnesses) and passive fall protection (guardrails).
Active fall protection may appear to be the simpler choice on the surface — and harnesses undoubtedly save lives. That said, there is a simplicity afforded with selecting a passive fall-protection system: knowing, without worry, that you’ve established universal and compliant safety for every worker on the roof. Total peace of mind.
The SRC360 Mobile Rail is among the best passive fall-protection solutions on the market, both for its benefits over harness-based systems and because it works perfectly in tandem with Safety Rail Company’s diverse lineup of safety products.
SUPERIOR TO HARNESSES
According to OSHA, the best method for worker protection (when the hazard cannot be eliminated) is to institute a passive fall-protection safety solution: physical barriers, such as guardrails, installed around unprotected edges. This strategy ensures that all personnel are safe when performing tasks in the area, as each worker is isolated from the potential fall hazard.
The SRC360 Mobile Rail system provides this universal protection, while also allowing personnel to go about their work without being tethered to a cumbersome anchorage device. This freedom of movement greatly increases worker productivity and takes the headache of worker compliance and training out of the equation. Our passive fall-protection systems can be installed along entire roof perimeters, providing a comprehensive, permanent solution. Alternatively, it can be installed around specific equipment or access points where people will be working.
There is also a financial benefit to selecting the SRC360 Mobile Rail: once installed, it requires minimal maintenance, inspection, or repairs — and, because it’s always working without the need for costly training, your organization also bypasses the risk of OSHA violation costs.
The SRC360 Mobile Rail is a sound investment, both from a safety viewpoint and a financial perspective.
As any compliance or facility manager will testify, protecting one’s building against fall hazards is about more than securing the leading edge — there are ladders, skylights, open hatches, level changes, and other potential hazards to worry about.
The SRC360 Mobile Rail integrates Safety Rail Company’s lineup of fall-protection solutions for all possible fall risks into its system, as the weighted bases serve as a foundation for numerous compliant safety products.
For instance, our skylight guards keep workers protected from falling through the skylight — while also allowing the sun to continue providing light to the interior of the facility. Likewise, an open hatch (which OSHA considers an equal hazard to a leading edge or unprotected hole) requires protection: and our Hatch Guard systems work for just about any size hatch. They also feature a safety gate, two-foot landing zone, and help ingress/egress grab bars. Finally, our warning lines also integrate with our SRC360 Mobile Rail, often using the same weighted bases, for total visual protection against falls.
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