Industrial guardrails are used in elevated areas such as roofs, platforms, walkways or stairs to prevent falls and protect people who pass through or work at height.
A guardrail is a collective protection system, since it protects everyone at the same time without anyone having to wear personal equipment all the time. However, not all those that are installed offer the same level of safety. Even if they may look identical at first glance, and appear to have the same material, design or even the same finish, that is not enough to guarantee that a guardrail is safe.
What matters, and what really sets them apart, is how it was designed and manufactured, the tests it has undergone and whether the standard was followed to install it, all verified by documentation that proves it.
What Standard Must Industrial Guardrails Meet?
The reference standard for industrial guardrails is UNE-EN ISO 14122-3, which is part of UNE-EN ISO 14122. The latter regulates permanent means of access to machinery and installations, and Part 3 specifically focuses on guardrails and toe boards.
This standard sets out the requirements that guardrails must meet in areas such as:
- The minimum height the guardrail must have.
- The distance between the different elements that make it up.
- Resistance to horizontal and vertical loads.
- Design to prevent falls or possible entrapment.
- Safety conditions for continuous use in industrial environments.
This is not a recommendation or something optional: whenever a guardrail is installed as a collective protection system in a work environment, this standard must be met, since it is what determines whether that system truly serves to protect in the event of a fall.
Installing a guardrail that does not comply with UNE-EN ISO 14122-3 may mean that, in an inspection or if an accident occurs, it is not considered valid protection, even if the guardrail is installed and apparently fulfills its function.
What Certifications and Tests Must a Guardrail Have?
For an industrial guardrail to be considered compliant, it is not enough to claim that it meets the standard. The system must have been tested and there must be a certificate that proves it.
These tests are carried out following the criteria defined in UNE-EN ISO 14122-3 and serve to verify that the guardrail withstands the required loads without deforming or failing in a way that could endanger people.
The tests must be carried out in accredited laboratories that have the means and technical capacity needed to evaluate this type of system. The results of these tests are reflected in a certificate that must show:
- The system tested.
- The specific model or configuration of the guardrail.
- The manufacturer.
- The standard according to which it was tested.
It is very important that the test corresponds directly to the guardrail that will be installed; general tests or tests of “typical” guardrails that later have a different height, anchors or materials are not valid. If the guardrail being installed does not have its own specific test, it is not safe.
What Documentation Must the Manufacturer Provide?
In addition to the system’s tests and certifications, the guardrail manufacturer is responsible for providing, along with it, a minimum set of documentation that can verify it is completely safe. At a minimum it must include:
- A system technical data sheet, detailing the dimensions, components and main characteristics of the guardrail.
- Certificate of regulatory compliance, stating that the system has been tested in accordance with UNE-EN ISO 14122-3.
- Installation manual, explaining the assembly conditions, anchor points and limitations of the system.
- Maintenance manual, with guidance on inspections, checks and conditions of use.
- Information on materials and finishes, especially important in aggressive environments (outdoors, industrial settings, areas with humidity or chemicals).
Without this documentation there is no way to verify that the system works as it should, or to justify that it is fully fit for use in an inspection or an accident. In these cases, responsibility can fall on both whoever installs it and whoever decides to use a system without technical backing.
Conclusion
A certified industrial guardrail provides the safety to carry out work comfortably and without complications, protects the worker from a fall, and also protects the company from possible legal liability or penalties. Choosing a guardrail that complies with UNE-EN ISO 14122-3, has been tested in a laboratory and comes with complete technical documentation is a direct way to ensure the system will fulfill its purpose.
That is why it is very important to work with manufacturers that design and manufacture in accordance with the standards, avoiding long-term problems.
If after reading this post you still have any questions about the guardrail you want to install or about any topic related to work-at-height safety, don’t hesitate to contact us.