March 2013 Tube Products International
63
construct ion, bui lding
& structural tubes
Out of sight, but safety not out of mind
Cost and maintenance are key concerns
for all contractors, but it is vital that they
don’t have a detrimental effect on safe
access to equipment located above
ground level. Dave Taylor, BSS category
projects manager, discusses solutions
that are not only cost efficient but
meet the detailed regulations regarding
access and safety.
Whether standing on a roof or walking
along a factory platform, working at
height can be dangerous. Falls are the
number one cause for serious injury or
fatality in the construction industry, so
this area of health and safety must be
taken very seriously. According to the
UK’s Health and Safety Executive, nearly
half of these incidents are linked to
work taking place on a roof. The safety
of those constructing roofs, as well as
those inspecting or cleaning them, can
be aided by simply ensuring the correct
hand rails and barriers are in place.
Fitted hand rails are the most reliable
way to minimise serious accidents
in an elevated working environment.
Choosing a system that can be installed
with a ratchet or a standard hex avoids
the need for threading, welding or
bolting. A weak safety rail is hazardous
and, if unnoticed, it may only be a
matter of time before disaster strikes.
As every connection can be securely
tightened, the installation of a fitted
safety rail eliminates the problem of
weak joints. Welded or fabricated joints
risk losing their stability over time due
to rust, weather damage or general
wear and tear. This can also cause
internal corrosion, which is especially
dangerous as the weak joints are often
not visible and therefore not maintained
or replaced.
Alternatively, most fitted rails are hot
dip galvanised, resulting in increased
durability and minimal rust. They can
also be easily cut to accommodate
any last minute onsite alterations –
something that is more difficult to
achieve, not to mention more expensive,
with a fabricated joint.
Rooftop work is commonplace within
the building industry, be it construction,
routine inspection or the necessary
maintenance of plant equipment. A
rooftop perimeter safety rail should
always be present. As those at risk
need to be able to safely mount and
dismount the roof any number times
during the course of their work, it is
important that their access route is
both secure and stable. Roof workers
and maintenance teams both need to
be able to recognise the risks involved
when working at height, understand
the appropriate systems they should be
adhering to, and be competent in the
skills required to carry them out.
Where a fall of over two metres can
occur, the first line of defence needs to be
adequate edge protection. It must meet
the minimum legal standards of, or be
equivalent to, a main guard rail of at least
910mm above the edge. There must also
be a toe board of at least 150mm high
and an intermediate guard rail so that
gaps are no wider than 470mm.
A sturdy hand rail is also a necessity for
workers required to operate on internal
elevated factory platforms as, more
often than not, they are only just wide
enough for two people at any one time.
Having already touched upon the many
disadvantages of fabricated handrails,
a fitted option would realistically be the
most reliable solution in such a narrow
working space.
As well as the important health and
safety qualities, fitted railings are
relatively inexpensive, making them a
simple yet effective choice for facility
managers. The approach of BSS
Industrial is to work closely with Kee
Safety, a leader in the safety and access
field. By partnering with Kee Safety, BSS
customers can take advantage of their
industry knowledge and experience.
For instance, the Kee Klamp, which
forms part of its fitted range, has been
designed to remove the need for hot
work. The simplified installation process
reduces labour and installation. Having
access to these secure solutions as
part of a standard product portfolio is
a vital part of making health and safety
precautions easy to put in place whilst
minimising the burden on already tight
construction budgets.
By specifying a reliable, fitted solution,
accidents from corroded or poorly
maintained rails can be easily avoided.
These products need to be promoted
and communicated to the construction
industry to dramatically reduce the
statistics regarding falls from height.
BSS Industrial
– UK
Safe access through secure hand rails
Damaged hand rails can pose a safety risk
