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Railing Built with Fittings vs. Fabricated Pipe Railing

A video released by Kee Safety covers the many differences between welded railing and pipe railing that is constructed with pipe railing fittings. Please watch the video to learn about these critical differences.

The Difference

Pipe railing constructed with Kee Klamp and Kee Lite pipe fittings is superior to fabricated railing for several reasons:

  • It installs easier than welded railing.
  • It last up to seven (7) times longer than fabricated railing.
  • It can easily be repaired if it is damaged.
  • It does not pose the same health and safety risks of building fabricated railing.
  • It can be installed by a standard laborer, reducing the dependance on specialized laborers.
  • This list goes on. Watch the video above for more details.

Click here to learn more about our OSHA compliant pipe railing systems.

Cross posted from Kee Klamp Pipe Railing vs. Fabricated Railing on Simplified Building Concepts

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This post contributed by:

Chris Pollock

Simplified Safety / General Manager

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http://www.simplifiedsafety.com/

Chris enjoys investigating the lastest safety products.

Protecta Lanyard Recall - Information and Product Substitution

image

Some of the Protecta brand double leg lanayards are being recalled due to a problem with the snap hook mechanism. The recall applies to lanyards that were manufactured between July 2010 and October 31, 2011. The manufacture date is marked on the product label of each lanyard. The official documents for the recall can be found below.

Replacement Table

Here is a short list of the items that are being recalled. If you need a quick replacement of the lanyard we have listed the Guardian equivelant of the Protecta brand. These may be purchase through our web site. If you are returning your Protecta lanyard, please reference the recall documents below.

Description

Protecta P/N

Guardian P/N

Double Leg Internal Stretch Lanyard with snaphooks

1340141

G01296

Double Leg Internal Stretch Lanyard with rebar hooks

1340161

G01298

Double leg internal shock lanyard with snaphooks

1340240

G11202

Double leg Internal shock lanyard with rebar hooks

1340250

G11203

If you have any questions about replacement lanyard, please feel free to contact us directly.

Video

This video illustrates the problem with the Protecta lanyards and why they are being recalled.

Documents

 

 

This post contributed by:

Chris Pollock

Simplified Safety / General Manager

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http://www.simplifiedsafety.com/

Chris enjoys investigating the lastest safety products.

Access a Mezzanine Safely: Mezzanine Gates and Platform Gates

Need to access a mezzanine or platform safely? Mezzanine and platform gates can help you gain access to that crucial space in a safe and efficient way. Mezzanine gates allow you to easily fork lift materials from a lower level onto a higher platform. Mezzanine gates can be manual, spring loaded or automated. There are three primary styles of mezzanine gates:

Pallet Gates

Pallet Gates - these spring loaded gates push open and quickly allow pallets to be loaded onto a mezzanine.

Horizontal Mezzanine Gates

Horizontal Mezzanine Gates - these gates slide open to the side. These are best used when a large amount of overhead clearance is required. Horizontal mezzanine gates can be opened manually or through an electric automation system.

Vertical Mezzanine Gates

Vertical Mezzanine Gates - Vertical gates open up and down to allow materials to be loaded on and off the mezzanine.

Get complete details on the Mezzanine and Platform Gate page.

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This post contributed by:

Chris Pollock

Simplified Safety / General Manager

.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

http://www.simplifiedsafety.com/

Chris enjoys investigating the lastest safety products.

Rooftop Fall Protection Comparison: Solution Pros & Cons

Overview

The scope of this document is to give you a general outline of the different pros and cons of the fall protection systems that we offer.

There are two principal forms of fall protection covered in this document: Passive and Active.

  • Passive fall protection is mostly closely aligned with guardrail. Guardrail requires minimal inspection and virtually no training. Simply put, passive fall protection requires no action from the rooftop worker once the system is installed.
  • Active fall protection is typically aligned with horizontal lifelines and anchor points. It requires training, maintenance, inspection, and management on an on-going basis. Most importantly, it requires action from the user each time it is used.

For a complete list of the different methods of fall protection see this page on our web site: What is the difference between different types of fall protection?

Pricing information is based upon estimated pricing of typical systems as of September 2011, our assumption is that price changes affect all systems equally.

skip to downloadable version

Non-Penetrating Rooftop Guardrails

KeeGuard Rooftop Guardrail KeeGuard Rooftop Guardrail

The best example of non-penetrating rooftop guardrail is the KeeGuard Rooftop Guardrail system. It is a counter-balanced system that is easy to install and can be adapted to just about any rooftop obstacle. Easily assembled by a two-man crew, it can protect large sections of roof perimeter or provide smaller sections of spot protection.

Costs

Installation Costs

Starts at $50.00 / linear foot + 16 man hours for ever 600’ linear feet

Training Costs

No training required

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

  • Easy to install, no specialized training is required
  • Can easily be modified on site no welding required
  • No ongoing maintenance or training is required
  • Versitile - Can be built around existing rooftop obstacles such as HVAC units and roofs of varying heights
  • Durable 100% galvanized system
  • Tested for OSHA compliance
  • Architectural “look and feel”
  • Initial product cost is higher than other systems

 

Parapet Guardrail

Parapet Guardrail Parapet Guardrail

Parapet guardrails are permanent guardrails that are attached directly to the side or top of a roof parapet. Parapet guardrails are less expensive than non-penetrating guardrail but will require more labor costs and a suitable parapet to install.

Costs

Installation Costs

$28.00 / linear foot + 32 man hours for every 600 linear feet

Training Costs

No training required

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

  • Lower linear foot cost than a counter-balanced solution.
  • Easy to install, attaches directly to the parapet, avoiding penetration of the roof membrane.
  • No ongoing training is required
  • Can be built around existing rooftop obstacles such as HVAC units and roofs of varying heights
  • Suitable parapet is required
  • Railing has to be placed on parapet, making it more visible from below.
  • Higher installation costs
  • Special labor is required in most cases for proper sealing of penetrations
  • Penetrations may need to be maintained

 

Horizontal Lifeline

Horizontal Lifeline Horizontal Lifeline

Horizontal lifeline systems are built along a particular path of the rooftop. The rooftop worker ties off to the system through the use of a harness and lanyard. Horizontal lifelines must be installed and maintained by specialized personnel. OSHA also requires all employees using the system to undergo competent person training for each system. Rescue plans and other safety management overheads are involved in all active fall protection systems.

Costs

Installation Costs

$40.00 / linear foot (varies greatly by location and configuration)
$100-200 equipment cost per person

Training Costs

Competent person training, system training

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

  • Lower cost of product than most guardrail solutions
    Not visible from the ground
  • Can be used in some circumstance where passive solutions will not work
  • Allows for more mobility around a roof than standard anchor points
  • Must be installed by certified installers
  • Ongoing maintenance
  • OSHA competent person training required by all employees using the system
  • Inspection required before every use
  • Requires the employee to wear fall protection equipment and properly tie off to the system.
  • Ongoing purchase of PPE (harnesses, lanyards, etc.)
  • Requires valid rescue plan
  • Requires attention from management to document and all of the above and validate that the safety plan is being followed.
  • Limits productivity to workers

 

Non-Penetrating Tie Off Anchor Points

Non penetrating tie off anchor point Non penetrating tie off anchor point

Solutions such as the Kee Safety Weightanka and the Guardian Hammer fit into this category of portable, non-penetrating tie off points. These products allow workers to tie off in a particular location, but gives them the freedom to move the system when it is needed elsewhere.

Costs

Installation Costs

$3-4,000 for unit and one persons equipment
$100/linear foot (assuming a unit can protect 30 feet)

Training Costs

Competent person training, system training

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

  • Systems are portable and can be moved
  • Relatively low cost of entry
  • Not visible from the ground
  • Does not penetrate the roof
  • OSHA competent person training required by all employees using the system
  • Inspection required before every use
  • Requires the employee to wear fall protection equipment and properly tie off to the system.
  • Ongoing purchase of PPE (harnesses, lanyards, etc.)
  • Requires valid rescue plan
  • Higher risk of incorrect use.
  • Requires attention from management to document and all of the above and validate that the safety plan is being followed.
  • Limits productivity to workers
  • Adds additional work time to each job for setting up and tearing down the anchor point.
  • Allows limited access before needing to be repositioned.

 

Download this Guide

This guide is available as a downloadable PDF.

 Downloadable PDF - Rooftop Fall Protection - Comparison

For additional reading on the difference in short-term and long-term costs between these two solutions, please see this series of posts on our web site:

Seven Ways to Save on Safety (Part 1)
Seven Ways to Save on Safety (Part 2)
Seven Ways to Save on Safety (Part 3)

This post contributed by:

Chris Pollock

Simplified Safety / General Manager

.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

http://www.simplifiedsafety.com/

Chris enjoys investigating the lastest safety products.

This post contributed by:

Dan Wampler

Simplified Safety / Sales Engineer

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1.866.527.2275

http://www.simplifiedsafety.com/

Dan is our on site safety genius. He reads OSHA manuals for fun. Kidding aside, Dan's experience in the safety industry will be an asset to you and your company as you evaluate safety products and services. He likes receiving calls on his new iPhone, so give him a ring to talk about safety standards, equipment and services.

Massive KeeWalk Installation at Madrid Airport [Case Study]

Madrid Airport Kee Walk Installation (Barajas)

KeeWalk Rooftop Walkway makes it possible to traverse complicated roofs with a level walking surface. KeeWalk's modular nature and unique ability to traverse the rooftop with interlocking stair and flat surface sections make it the best choice for complicated metal roofs. The new terminal at the Madrid Airport has a very complicated roof pattern, and KeeWalk demonstrates its strength in this massive installation. These pictures speak volumes about the versatility and quality of the KeeWalk roof walkway system.

Madrid Airport Kee Walk Installation (Barajas)

Madrid Airport Kee Walk Installation (Barajas)

Madrid Airport Kee Walk Installation (Barajas)

Madrid Airport Kee Walk Installation (Barajas)

Madrid Airport Kee Walk Installation (Barajas)

Madrid Airport Kee Walk Installation (Barajas)

Madrid Airport Kee Walk Installation (Barajas)

Madrid Airport Kee Walk Installation (Barajas)

Madrid Airport Kee Walk Installation (Barajas)

Madrid Airport Kee Walk Installation (Barajas)

Find out More about KeeWalk

Get more information about KeeWalk right here on this website. We can help you understand the features and provide you with a quotation for your rooftop walkway project.

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This post contributed by:

Chris Pollock

Simplified Safety / General Manager

.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

http://www.simplifiedsafety.com/

Chris enjoys investigating the lastest safety products.

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