Rooftop Railing System Protects Lives and Averts Fines for Laundry Product Manufacturer

Ensuring workplace safety is a paramount concern for any organization, and compliance with safety regulations is not just a moral obligation but a legal requirement. Martin Supply, in collaboration with Garlock Safety, successfully implemented the Garlock RailGuard 200 Railing System to protect the lives of employees, contractors, and construction crews while also meeting OSHA compliance standards.

The Safety Challenge

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandates that platforms or rooftops with a height difference of four feet or more from the adjacent surface must be equipped with fall prevention measures. This regulation essentially encompasses almost every rooftop across America. For a two-million square foot laundry product manufacturer in Kentucky, which was planning to expand its facility by an additional 170,000 square feet, the need for enhanced safety measures became evident. Ensuring the safety of their employees, outside contractors, and construction crews was a top priority.

The Martin Safety Solution

The customer’s Facility Safety Manager selected Garlock’s RailGuard 200 Railing System as the solution to their fall prevention needs. The RailGuard 200 is a non-penetrating system with weighted bases that, when installed correctly, not only meets but exceeds OSHA compliance standards. The decision to implement this system was based on an on-site roof assessment carried out jointly by Garlock Safety and Martin’s Safety Specialist.

As part of the solution, the customer received detailed CAD drawings for installation, a bill of materials, and the roof was strategically sectioned to facilitate an efficient installation process. A local roofing contractor was involved from the early stages of planning to ensure that every aspect of the installation project, from packaging and labeling to the delivery of defined roof sections, would be seamless. The installed RailGuard 200 system was designed not only to protect the roof’s unprotected edges but also to address other fall hazards identified in the assessment, including access/egress ladders and roof hatches.

Results That Win

The implementation of the Garlock RailGuard 200 Railing System delivered significant benefits to our customer:

1. Enhanced Peace of Mind: Employees, contractors, and construction crews can now work with peace of mind, knowing that effective fall prevention measures are in place to protect their safety.
2. Compliance with OSHA Regulations: By adopting the RailGuard 200 system, the customer met OSHA’s stringent rooftop fall protection requirements, thereby avoiding potentially hefty fines and legal consequences.
3. Expansion Plans: The success of this project has paved the way for Garlock Railing and Fall Protection Systems to be installed in more than 40 of the manufacturer’s locations throughout North America, ensuring consistent safety standards across the organization.

By choosing the RailGuard 200 Railing System, our customer not only protected lives but also ensured compliance with regulatory standards while setting the stage for safer operations across multiple facilities.

For assistance with your railing needs or other fall protection hazards, contact Martin today.