Manufacturing safety guardrails for work at height

Learn About Safety Guardrails

What Is a Safety Guardrail?

A safety guardrail is a protective structure installed along the edges or level changes of roofs and structures to prevent falls and protect people from accidents.

Guardrails are commonly used on stairs, balconies, terraces, walkways, roofs, and any elevated area that could pose a risk of injury from a fall. They are designed to withstand the force of an impact without giving way, providing a physical barrier against falls. They can also incorporate different finishes depending on the project.

Edge Protection Guardrails

Edge protection guardrails are intended to ensure people’s safety anywhere above two meters in height.

Where Are Safety Guardrails Installed?

• Roofs
• Factories
• Shopping centers
• Ships
• Industrial interiors
• Bridges
• Walkways and elevated platforms
• Along scaffolding
• Around roof openings (skylights)
• Wastewater treatment plants

Safety Guardrail Maintenance

Maintenance of safety guardrails is set by the manufacturer. The recommended inspection schedule for keeping the warranty valid depends on each model.

Beyond that, there are some basic recommendations you can follow to keep these systems in good condition:

1. Regular cleaning: it is important to keep guardrails clean so that dust, dirt, mold, and similar buildup does not accumulate. We recommend cleaning them with water and mild soap, rinsing well with clean water, and drying with a cloth.
2. Periodic inspection: it is advisable to inspect guardrails periodically for signs of wear, corrosion, deformation, or cracks.
3. Paint or treatment: if the guardrail is metal, we recommend painting it or applying an anti-corrosion treatment regularly to protect it from rust and other environmental factors.
4. Inspection after incidents: if someone strikes the guardrail in an impact, it should be checked for damage or loosening.

In short, proper maintenance prevents problems and helps ensure people’s safety.

Function of Edge Protection Guardrails

Edge protection guardrails are collective protection and, as such, one of the most widely used and recommended fall protection systems for safeguarding people who perform any work within those areas.

Their main function is to prevent people from losing their balance and falling from height, thereby avoiding a workplace accident.

In addition, guardrails help define and ease access to risk areas, such as work-at-height zones or roof edges. This allows workers to move across the surface with greater confidence and safety.

Safety Guardrail Standards

Edge protection guardrails must meet a series of technical standards and specifications before they can be installed.

Technical Specifications

• The minimum height of a safety guardrail must be 90 cm, measured from the floor or the surface it rests on.
• The space between vertical components must not exceed 10 cm, to prevent a child or pet from passing through.
• The guardrail must be strong and able to withstand the load it is subjected to without deforming or giving way.
• The guardrail must not have sharp or pointed parts or acute angles that could injure users.

Law 31/1995, on Occupational Health and Safety

Article 15, paragraph 1, states that “among the measures to be taken regarding risk prevention, measures that give priority to collective protection over personal protection must be adopted.”

Article 17 provides that “personal protective equipment must be used only when risks cannot be avoided or cannot be sufficiently limited by technical means of collective protection or by work organization measures, methods, or procedures.”

UNE-EN 14122-3

UNE standard covering permanent means of access to machinery and industrial installations. Part 3: stairs, stepladders, and guardrails.

NF E 85-015

The French standard NF E 85-015 is stricter, requiring both static and dynamic tests to validate the strength of guardrails.

Types of Safety Guardrails

• Counterweighted guardrail: a vertical guardrail with a counterweight at the base, which gives it greater stability and resistance to lateral force. It is usually made from strong, durable materials and can be customized to suit different styles and design needs; it can also be installed on any surface.
• Fixed guardrail: a permanent type of guardrail whose anchoring varies depending on the surface where it will be installed. It can be found on concrete, trapezoidal or flat metal sheet, and deck roofs, and even wall-mounted on a parapet. If the roof is a kal-zip type, a special anchor is required.
• Temporary guardrail: temporary edge protection systems must comply with the UNE-EN 13374:2013 standard. Because they are temporary systems, they are typically used during the construction, repair, or maintenance of buildings, bridges, towers, and other structures.