The Danger of Working From Heights
For contractors, providing a workplace free of danger while working at height is a big responsibility, especially since we know falls continue to be construction’s leading cause of death.
OSHA requires fall protection provided at elevations of six feet in the construction industry to prevent workers from falling off overhead platforms, elevated work stations or into holes. Construction fall hazards can include leading edges, aerial lifts, scissor lifts, scaffolding, ladders, and even standing up on top of a concrete pump.
At Hilmerson, we believe in “engineering out the hazard”, especially when working from heights. Where possible, pre-plan to alleviate the risk on your job site. A simple example of engineering out the hazard could be constructing a 39” parapet wall, rather than a 12” to eliminate the need for active fall protection.
Engineering out the hazard requires ingenuity and an open mind to better, new and different practices that will pay off in the long run, but may be more costly upfront. It also requires pre-planning, adjusting the budget, and engineers and architects working together.
How does the Hilmerson Safety Rail System™ engineer out the hazards when working from heights?
A steel safety rail system in itself obviously provides a safe perimeter allowing workers to work freely and efficiently from height; however, Hilmerson has purposefully engineered our safety rail system to be reliable, simple to deploy, and offers the least risk during and after installation:
1. Easy, No-Risk Installs
The Hilmerson Safety Rail System™ does not rely on additional high-consequence tools for assembly. Wood systems require a nail gun and circular saw, increasing risk of injury and the design of the system is at the discretion of the team building it. Many steel safety rail systems have tricky spring-loaded tensions or have multiple anchor points per base that are easily skipped by workers willing to cut corners.
Our weighted base system makes safety rail installation simple: position the guardrail, set the base with a dolly, and lock with a pin. Our penetrating base system was engineered with only one anchor.
2. Versatile Attachment Options
Our system offers additional and versatile safety rail attachment options to meet other perimeter challenges like our stair / slab grabber and parapet wall mount clamp. We know when these options are not available workers try to create their own makeshift attachment that can be time consuming, unreliable and dangerous to work around if not properly built. See and learn more about all of our modular guardrail system attachment options.
3. Easy Delivery and Movement
Our safety rail system simplifies logistics and minimizes lifting and carrying risks with our mobile guardrail kit. The Hilmerson Safety Rail System™ kit provides contractors a new and efficient method of delivering, stacking, storing and transporting guardrails on high-profile job sites.
“We purchased this product to use for the next 15 years or longer, and we are easily recouping our investment,” said Taylor Gunkel, Superintendent & Design Phase Manager at Mortenson. “I’ve never thrown away a piece of Hilmerson railing. It leaves the job in the same condition as it shows up. We just pick it up and store it on the cart. That’s very unique because every other piece of durable equipment on our job sites requires ongoing maintenance. Having the Hilmerson Safety Rail System™ in our inventory has definitely changed the way I plan and budget jobs.”
Improperly trained workers is one of the most frequently cited OSHA compliance standards in construction. With so many new workers and limited workforce, short cuts are bound to be taken. To keep employees working from height safe, contractors should look for fall protection systems that are reliable, simple to deploy, and offer the least risk during and after installation.
About Hilmerson Safety
Hilmerson Safety® is a full-service safety product design and manufacturing company serving the construction industry. Since 2001 Hilmerson Safety® has been working with construction industry leaders and contractors to develop safe, lean, construction-grade™ products and solutions that add to the company’s bottom line.
For more information email us or call (952) 239-0125
