The rooftop is one of the most dangerous areas of your food and beverage manufacturing facility. While the flat roof on most facilities may lead you to believe that the only real hazard is falling off of the edge, this is hardly the case. In fact, your workers face serious fall hazards from the moment they begin to access the roof from hatches, fixed ladders, and stairways. The risks only increase with time and exposure. It is imperative, then, that you install a roof safety system that includes components such as a roof hatch guardrail, a ladder safety rail system, and self-closing safety gates to protect your employees whenever they try to access your facility’s rooftop. Here we will talk about ways to keep your employees safe when accessing the roof of your food and beverage facility so you can keep operations moving as smoothly as possible.
It's necessary for employees and contractors to access the roof of your facility either regularly or periodically to perform maintenance and repairs and other tasks. You may even need to hire a contractor from time to time to deal with your rooftop mechanicals and equipment. Getting to the rooftop safely can be a challenge for workers, especially when carrying tools, supplies, or equipment. Fall hazards vary from facility to facility, but the most common include:
Slipping and falling off a fixed ladder mounted on the building's exterior.
Climate and weather conditions (rain, wind, snow, ice, heat, etc. can create a fall hazard).
Falling off a ladder inside a roof hatch or other opening.
Falling into an open roof hatch.
Falling over the leading edge while entering or exiting a fixed ladder.
Losing balance and falling when carrying objects up or down the ladder.
Falling into a skylight or other openings not intended for access.
Trip or slip and fall accidents due to debris or other obstacles.
It's up to you to inspect your roof and access points to identify all of the fall hazards that are present. Enlist the help of a qualified safety expert as well as your employees to ensure you don't miss any hazards. Otherwise, you could run afoul of OSHA regulations, which means you'll face fines and penalties for non-compliance. Worse yet, someone could get hurt.
Knowing where the fall hazards are on your rooftop is the first step, but you can't stop there. You're going to need a roof safety system. OSHA Food and beverage facility fall protection requirements are outlined in OSHA 1910.28, Duty to Provide Fall Protection and Falling Object Protection. In a nutshell, it states that you are required to provide fall protection and falling object protection for your employees working 4' or more above an exposed lower level. Specific requirements for roof access points include:
It is necessary to protect employees from stepping or tripping into or through holes that are less than 4 feet (1.2 m) above a lower level by the use of OSHA-compliant roof hatch covers or guardrail systems.
You must install a fixed guardrail system on all of the exposed sides of any roof access stairway to prevent falls, with the entrance of the stairway is the only exception.
A hinged floor-hole cover is necessary to protect hatches and other entrances to match the criteria stated in OSHA 1910.29. In addition, a roof hatch guardrail system that leaves one side exposed is necessary. When the hole is not in use the opening must either be closed, or a removable guardrail needs to be around the opening.
Passive fall protection, like a guardrail system that has toeboards erect on all exposed sides is necessary to protect employees from falling into a ladderway floor hole or platform hole.
A self-closing gate is needed for the entrance of an access hole, fixed ladder, or stairway to prevent unauthorized access or falls.
A ladder safety rail system or personal fall arrest system is necessary for any fixed ladders that extend 24’ or more above the previous level.
Guardrails or a stair rail system must be in place to protect employees from unprotected sides or edges of a stairway landing that is 4’ or higher above a lower level.
Keep in mind that these requirements are specific to the entrance points on the rooftop. You also need to take stock of all the other potential fall hazards your workers must face such as the leading edge of the roof, skylights, differences in rooftop elevation, slippery or wet surfaces, debris, and rooftop mechanicals, and install the appropriate roof safety system.
OSHA never says that you must use a specific type of fall protection on your rooftop. That decision is yours to make based on your needs and the specifics of your facility. However, one of the most trusted forms of fall protection for roof access points and openings is a guardrail system. Likewise, a ladder safety rail system is the most common way to protect a fixed ladder. Keep these details in mind to ensure OSHA compliance when choosing a fall protection solution:
Guardrails and self-closing safety gates must be 42" tall (+or- 3") measured from the walking/working surface.
The top rail of a guardrail system or safety gate must withstand a force of 200 lbs. applied in an outward or downward fashion without failure.
Midrails of gates or a roof hatch guardrail must be able to handle 150 lbs. of pressure applied in the same manner without fail.
Guardrails and safety gates must be made of a smooth, snag-free material that won't scratch skin, grab clothing and equipment, or otherwise harm a worker.
Ladder safety systems and their support systems must be able to withstand, without failure, the drop of a 500-pound weight from a height of 18 inches.
Fall protection is one of the most important aspects of providing a safe workplace for your employees. With adequate OSHA compliant passive fall protection equipment such as a roof hatch guardrail, and ladder safety rail system, you can significantly reduce the risk of injuries and avoid OSHA fines and penalties. Contact BlueWater for expert advice regarding roof access fall protection for your food and beverage facility. One of our qualified safety experts will be happy to discuss your needs and answer any questions you have about roof fall protection systems.
