046 – The Importance of Guardrails on Working Platforms

This week on OSHA oops!, Rick and Micael will be talking about the importance of guardrails. Guardrails are a critical safety measure, and their absence can result in costly fines. For example, one company was recently fined $6,000 for not having guardrails on their working platforms. This issue is important not only because of the potential for injuries, but also because of the financial implications of non-compliance. Join Rick and Micael this week as they discuss this important topic!

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What are guardrails and Why are they important?

Guardrails are physical barriers that are installed to protect workers from falling off of elevated surfaces. They are typically made of wood, metal, or plastic, and they are installed along the edge of the work surface. Guardrails help to create a physical barrier between the worker and the edge of the platform, which reduces the risk of a fall.

Falls are one of the leading causes of workplace injuries, and they can often be prevented by the use of guardrails. In fact, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that guardrails be used on all elevated work surfaces that are more than four feet off of the ground. By creating a physical barrier, guardrails help to prevent workers from accidentally falling off of elevated surfaces.

What if there are no guardrails?

If there are no guardrails in place, people can fall and get seriously injured or even killed. In addition, companies can be fined if they do not have guardrails in place. For example, one company was recently fined $6,000 for not having guardrails on their working platforms. This just goes to show how important it is to have guardrails in place!

Conclusion

Guardrails are an important safety measure that can prevent serious injuries and even save lives. If you don’t have guardrails in place, you could be putting your employees at risk and subjecting your company to costly fines. Be sure to tune into OSHA oops! this week to learn more about this important safety issue.

If your company needs safety training, along with OSHA defense and many other safety services, please call 1-800-734-3574 for more details.