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Pivot safety gate for fall protection

Fall Risk Discovery: 4 Actions to Take

Let's say this morning you notice someone in your facility walking along an exposed, elevated ledge. Internal buzzers go off, as you know it’s a safety hazard that can’t be ignored. What do you do next?

Before you invest in a safety solution, consider taking the following four actions prior to the purchase - it doesn’t take long, and is worth the time investment:

Make a Prioritized List:
While you may only have one area in the facility that needs to be secured, it’s more common there are multiple areas. Do a walkthrough and make a list of the areas that need to be safeguarded. It’s a good idea to take photos; they are great to review with your team, as well as the company that you choose for the safety devices.

Once the list is complete, review the areas with your operations team to discuss which, if any, operations can be modified or if there are any areas that should no longer be used. Note the potential hazards associated with each area, and prioritize them by the hazard and how often the areas are used by employees. In addition, note any structures that the area is located within, such as a pick module or rack system; these structures can dictate the safety solution.

Contact Safety Solutions Providers:
There are a number of companies that specialize in industrial safety equipment. Depending on the area and the solution you have in mind it’s important to talk with a provider that has experience with providing safety solutions in a facility like yours.

When you reach out to the safety specialists, be sure to send along the pictures that you have taken of the areas, and include your notes about applications and processes and those can be helpful for determining the right model or providing a budget estimate.

Solutions providers may also want to visit the facility to ensure that they provide the right safety device for your area. They may bring in a local material handling distributor if they work closely, and will definitely take measurements to ensure that the safety device will fit within your facility.

Be sure to discuss any sanitation requirements or hazardous climates with the solutions provider. While in most facilities powder coated steel solutions will be ideal, some facilities, such as food or chemical production facilities, require stainless steel devices.

Determine Your Solution
Once you’ve talked with solutions providers and they’ve gotten all of the information needed, they will determine the best solution for your area. Often it will be a standard safety system, but if the area is unique to your facility, a solution may have to be customized.

Discuss Installation and Training
Talk with your employees and the solutions provider about installation. While safety solutions like our dual-gate safety systems can often be installed by in-house teams, if your area is complicated, oversized or requires power operation, you may need professional help to ensure the safety devices are installed correctly.

Remember that any area in which employees are working that is elevated four feet or more is mandated to have safety systems in place for fall protection. There are a variety of safety systems in the market today, from dual-gate safety solutions to industrial netting. While it’s important to secure the safety hazard quickly, it’s more important to ensure you have the right solution for each area that poses safety risks.