Guardrails are one of the components in a facility, and it’s often not a company’s primary consideration until it’s too late.
What do people think when they hear the word “guardrail”?Is it something that keeps people from falling on an elevated platform?Is it that low metal strip on the highway?Or maybe nothing important comes to mind?Unfortunately, the latter is often the case, especially when talking about guardrails in an industrial setting.Guardrails are one of the components in a facility, and it’s often not a company’s primary consideration until it’s too late.Soft federal guidance on its use has helped lead to low awareness within facilities and placed responsibility for implementation on individual companies.However, when used properly, it can effectively protect equipment, assets and people in and around a facility.The key is to identify the areas that need guardrails, correctly designate and act on them for the application.
While industrial barriers protect machines and provide a safe and efficient work environment, their most important role is to protect people.Forklifts, Tugger AGVs, and other material handling vehicles are common in manufacturing facilities and often operate near employees.Sometimes their paths do cross…with deadly consequences.According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, from 2011 to 2017, 614 workers were killed in forklift-related accidents, and there are more than 7,000 non-fatal injuries due to work stoppages each year.
How do forklift accidents happen?OSHA reports that most accidents could be prevented with better operator training.Still, it’s easy to see how the accident happened.Many manufacturing facilities have narrow forklift traffic lanes.If the turns are not executed properly, the wheels or forks may wobble into designated “safe areas” occupied by employees or equipment.Put an inexperienced driver behind a forklift and the risk increases.Well positioned guardrails can help reduce the chance of accidents by preventing forklifts and other vehicles from straying into hazardous or restricted areas.