T-Slot Solutions for Fall Protection and Safety Guarding
Falls are one of the most common causes of serious injury and death in the workplace. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2021), 18% of workplace injuries in 2020 resulted from falls, slips, and trips.
OSHA Fall Protection Standards
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has established standards and guidelines to prevent workers from falling from elevated platforms or into holes in the walls and floors. Specifically:
"OSHA requires that fall protection be provided at elevations of four feet in general industry workplaces, five feet in shipyards, six feet in the construction industry and eight feet in longshoring operations. In addition, OSHA requires that fall protection be provided when working over dangerous equipment and machinery, regardless of the fall distance."
Despite this, faulty fall protection was the number one cited standard in 2021. And a lack of proper fall protection training was sixth on the list. It's a problem that can't be ignored. Best case scenario, failure to take preventative measures can result in a hefty fine. Worst case, it could lead to the injury (or death) of workers.
Guardrails and Toeboards
Guardrails and toeboards are easily-implemented solutions for providing fall protection and reducing the risk of preventable injury.
Generally speaking, a guardrail should have a height of 39-45 inches (99-114 cm) above the walking-working surface. There are exceptions for higher guardrails, but they must meet additional criteria.
Toeboards are the lower protective barriers installed on the edges of work platforms or other raised areas to prevent tools and other objects from falling off. Again, there are exceptions, but a toeboard should generally be at least 3.5 inches (9 cm) high, with no more than a 0.25-inch (0.5 cm) gap between it and the walking-working surface.
For more information on guardrail and toeboard requirements, please see Fall Protection Systems and Falling Object Protection on the OSHA website.
Using T-Slot Aluminum Profiles for Fall Prevention
The strength and modularity of 80/20's T-slot extrusions make them ideal for crafting guardrails and toeboards, as well as partial and full enclosures, visual barriers, and safety fencing. If you'd like to learn more about 80/20's solutions for keeping your workers safe, please visit our Safety & Guarding Solutions page.
